Napster yesterday "changed the music industry forever"
- their words of course. The bold claim was made for their new portable subscription service. As previously reported, this uses Microsoft's Janus portable DRM software, and allows Napster subscribers to transfer any tracks from the download platform's considerable catalogue to their portable (Microsoft compatible)
MP3 player and to listen to them on that player at anytime providing their subscription stays live.
The
DRM technology will stop the tracks from playing on the MP3 player should a user's subscription lapse. This basically overcomes the major problem with the subscription model opted by Napster and Real - previously a subscription gave you unlimited access to music online, but users had to pay per track if they wanted to download songs to a portable player.
The
Napster To Go service will give subscribers access to 1.3 million tracks to play on the move for £14.95 a month - and will launch across its existing operations in the UK, US and Canada subscribers will need a compatible MP3 player to use the service
- there are currently five on the market, with another 18 due to be launched in the next few months (none of them an iPod of course!).
Announcing the new service Napster boss Chris Gorog told reporters: "Napster
To Go will change the music industry forever. Our dream has been to offer music fans the key to the world's online music library for a low monthly cost, and by extending online access to those on the move we have put in place the final piece of the jigsaw in delivering the most innovative, versatile and best value music service on the planet."