Microsoft rolls out new Zunes
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071003/tc_nm/microsoft_zune_dc_2
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/03/zune-vs-ipod-specification-smackdown/
Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) introduced on Tuesday three new models of its Zune digital media player that wirelessly and automatically update their music, photos and videos when placed near a user's computer. The new Zunes will come in 4-gigabyte, 8-gigabyte and 80-gigabyte models. All will come with a feature that allows a user to automatically sync media via a WiFi network from a PC to the Zune when its battery is charging.
The new devices, set to go on sale in mid-November, are equipped with a circular navigational pad that allows a user to both "flick" through options like on a touch screen or "click" through choices. The 4-GB model will go on sale at $149, the 8-GB Zune will cost $199 and the 80-GB model will sell for $249. Those prices are the same as similar-sized iPods.
Microsoft said it would add more than 1 million MP3 songs free of digital rights management onto Marketplace, declining to identify music labels it planned to work with on that.
The company completely redesigned software that runs on the Zune and linked PC to make it easier to navigate and search for new music. It also brought the player's design in-house, using contract manufacturer Flextronics International Ltd (FLEX.O) instead of Toshiba Corp (6502.T), which made the first Zune.
- The new Zune dock supports the following video out capabilities:
-- Zune 80: Video out (component)
-- Zune 30: Video out (composite)
-- Zune 4 / 8: no video out from Zune dock. - Wi-Fi is the same as the old models, 802.11 b/g.
- Battery life is still being tested and they’ll get back to us.
- Flash Zune has the same resolution as the big boy.
- Wireless syncing is automatically triggered when you’re within range of your network after a minute of activity as long as it’s connected to a power source. You also have the option to manually sync wirelessly without power.
- Syncing is wonderful, but it interrupts music playback.
- Screens are now glass instead of plastic.
- Zune Social will launch in beta.
- You can send songs through Zune Social, but only 30-second clips.
- Zune and software now support Windows Media lossless.
- Podcasts and music videos are being added to the Zune Marketplace
- You no longer have to listen to shared music within three days. But you can still only listen to a shared track three times before it self-destructs.
- You can share videos and photos with other users, not just music
- Support for additional codecs including h.264 and MPEG-4
- Automatically import recorded TV shows from Windows MEdia Center
- Microsoft is launching a social network called Zune Social
- Microsoft is launching web widgets called Zune Cards that let other users see your music selections
- You can share music that someone else shared with you
Judge allows class action against Target Web site
A federal judge in California certified a class action lawsuit against Target Corp brought by plaintiffs claiming the discount retailer's Web site is inaccessible to the blind, according to court documents. Judge Marilyn Patel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California also rejected Target's motion for summary judgment in the case, according to the ruling filed October 2.
AOL Updates AIM, Adds Streaming Music
AOL pushed a significant interim update to its instant messaging client on Wednesday, adding several new features and giving people the option to stream music to one another.
Consumers bop to rhythm of online music videos; Sites providing instant access grow in popularity
Viewership of music videos moved from TV to the Web at such a fast pace that few saw it coming. Yahoo, the Web's top music destination, streams 240 million music videos monthly. MTV, which defined the young music video medium but now devotes nearly all of its airtime to non-music video fare, attracted 1 million viewers in prime-time viewing in August.
Videos used to be given to networks such as MTV to sell CDs. Now, labels charge for video usage. "It was clear that all of our content needed to be paid for," says Thomas Hesse, president of Sony BMG Music Entertainment's global digital business unit. "The times when we could make our content available for free so someone would buy the CD are over. We drive usage to the Internet sites, so we should be paid."
With 23.4 million visitors in August, Yahoo is the most-visited music site, followed by ArtistDirect, MySpace's music channel, AOL Music and MTV's music channels, including MTV.com, VH1.com and CMT, according to ComScore.
This summer, Yahoo began offering an application to post many of its videos onto pages of the wildly popular social-network site Facebook. It has since expanded this concept, via a test site, to post videos from Universal and Sony BMG onto personal websites or blogs.
Kindle Edition e-books appear on Amazon -- reader launch imminent
Here you go, the first honest to goodness proof that Amazon is prepped to launch their Kindle e-book reader. You know, that EV-DO packing device we extracted from the beige soiled bowels of the FCC filing last year. But seriously Amazon, $54 for an electronic book... are you kidding us? Anyway, the launch rumored for October 15th certainly looks imminent.
Wall Street turns deaf ear to Warner Music
As poorly as shares of major media conglomerates have fared this year, they’re all winners when compared to Warner Music Group (WMG). Shares of Warner Music Group, one of the four major record labels and the only one that is a pure-play, publicly traded music company, have plunged more than 53 percent so far in 2007.
The stock is now trading 37 percent lower than the $17 per share price at which the company went public in 2005. And with a market value of $1.6 billion, Warner Music is valued at nearly 40 percent below the $2.6 billion price tag that Edgar Bronfman, Jr. and a group of investors, including buyout firms Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners, paid to Time Warner (TWX) for the company in 2004. Time Warner also owns CNNMoney.com.
Zune DRM Free MP3's Will Not Contain Customer Info
Everyone seems to be buzzing about Microsoft adding 1 million DRM free MP3 to their upcoming revamped Zune software. What differs here from competitors is it is a 100% clean MP3; it does not contain any customer info like Apple has embedded in their DRM free AAC files.
Can eMusic Survive The New Amazon Store?
The major labels will never embrace eMusic. But if Amazon's payments, variable pricing and powerful brand are enough to entice the two remaining major labels to experiment with mp3's, an eMusic subscription becomes even less attractive. eMusic is stuck between raising prices and driving away subscribers or loosing key labels unhappy with a lower payouts. Amazon has changed the game and there is no clear way forward for eMusic.
Wanna know how long your white little MP3 player's life expectancy is based on model and usage? The iPod Death Clock will take an educated guess for you.
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