EMI have announced a partnership with UK company MEDIAnywhere which will let music fans download music from little machines parked in places like, well, mainly airports initially.
The MEDIAnywhere kiosks will allow users to plug in their iPod, MP3 player, mobile or a USB device and download MP3s from EMI's catalogue directly to their player. They can listen to them straight away, and transfer a copy of the tracks back to their PC at a later date. The first kiosks have opened for business, though they're at Italy's Fiumicino airport, and it didn't seem like a particularly good use of CMU's money to fly out there just to try them out. But if they ever set up a kiosk in Old Street tube station, I'll be there, checking out this new download venture on your behalf, that's how committed I am to the cause.
EMI UK digital sales chief Graeme Rogan told CMU: "The MEDIAnywhere kiosks are a fantastically convenient and compellingly simple way for music lovers to get the music they want when they are out and about, without the need to be at their PC".
MEDIAnywhere chief Maxim Ivanov added: "The kiosks are the next step in the future of downloading. Quick, accessible and easy to use, it is the simplest way to get digital music onto your player. As passengers now stock up on books and newspapers before getting on a plane, now they can fill up their player with the freshest music".