snapshot 10/19/07

Starbucks deal brings Akamai closer to customers
Akamai Technologies Inc. of Cambridge said it had signed a deal yesterday to install server computers in thousands of Starbucks Corp. coffee shops nationwide, in a bid to speed the delivery of music downloads from Apple Inc.'s iTunes Music Store to customers waiting in line for lattes.

It marks the first time Akamai has worked with a bricks-and-mortar retail chain to improve the delivery of Internet-based services to customers in their stores. "With Akamai-enabled servers in our stores, we are able to ensure the highest quality music downloads while providing a very personalized music experience for our customers," said Ken Lombard, the president of Starbucks Entertainment.


Canada's Copyright Board slaps tax on music downloads
Under the new rules, online music stores will have to pay 3.1 cents for each individual track and 1.5 cents per track for entire albums sold directly to SOCAN, which will in turn distribute the funds to the artists. Sites that offer temporary downloads or customizable radio stations will also be facing taxes, although the board hasn't yet released a decision for those that offer music on personal websites. What's more, according to CanWest News Service, the levies will be retroactive all the way back to 1996, which is when the music industry first started pushing for the tariffs.


Mobile Music Firm Melodeo Grabs $7.9 Million
Seattle-based mobile music firm Melodeo has now finalized a $7.9 million round, according to information revealed Thursday. Ignition Partners and Voyager Capital led the financing. Melodeo indicated that the infusion will be used to bolster nuTsie, a technology that enables mobile users to access and share iTunes collections on-the-go.


Yamaha Readies BODiBEAT - Beat-Matching MP3 Player
Yamaha is set to release a new digital music player for DJs who love to exercise. The BODiBEAT MP3 Player, which will be released in limited quantities, actually beat-matches your music to your excercise pace. No, we’re not kidding you…

The BODiBEAT comes with integrated software that evaluates your music, probably using some type of granular DSP, and then matches the transients to the pace of your workout. It obviously works best for running, but Yamaha claims it will tune into aerobics, cycling and other common workout regimens.


Online music choices grow
Listeners now have many new ways to buy music online -- from subscription and set-your-own price to advertising-supported. Soon there may be an even wider array of choices. Ben Cardew, chief reporter of Music Week magazine, sees the industry sampling lots of new ways to sell tunes to meet demand, which he says is stronger than ever.

"Wherever you go, people are listening to iPods, music is on adverts and the live scene is doing incredibly well. The demand is absolutely there," Cardew said. "(There are) so many great new ideas -- from ad-funded to subscription and giving away your album with a newspaper."