http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
What do you mean 'started removing'? He was among the first to acknowledge that consumers didn't like DRM sure, but he didn't take any actions in that direction. SJ on the other hand wrote an open letter not only saying "consumers don't like DRM' but 'we'd like to sell our music DRM free' and lots of people said it was a bluff. As it turns out, it wasn't.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 7:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 8:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
If they drop the DRM they should also put production of their next generation Zune in overdrive and get it on shelves by summer. If anyone has the resources to do this its MS.

I am no MS fanboy ... but someone needs to level the playing field for the sake of innovation and quality. Too many awesome players can't make it onto American shelves because of Apple's brand dominance.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 5:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 8:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
I didn't care for your tone in the other commentary, but I happen to believe if you're going to play the role of nothing Apple does will ever be good enough, in the interest of fairness and honesty, you really ought to play it that way with M$.

I'm not a huge fan of yours or your site, but these two posts have convinced me that I'll eliminate your feed from my lists.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 8:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/20/five-things-microsoft-needs-to-do-to-fix-the-zune/

But hey, if you didn't care for me or Engadget and now you're leaving over some silly post about Apple, I can't see what we could have done to keep you around in the first place.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 8:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/apple-and-emi-ditching-drm-is-good-but-its-not-good-enough/ ) is "not good enough", microsoft -- in typical fashion i might add -- claiming to be dropping DRM at some point in the future is "a good start"?]]>Apr 2nd 2007 5:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Power
DRM enables
]]>Apr 2nd 2007 5:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 5:56PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Who cares!?! Seriously, it seems like Engadget, and the guy who isn't Kevin Rose on diggnation are the only zune fanboys out there. I have yet to see one 'in the wild', and this is in LA, where there's no lack of folks carrying an assortment of dmp's.

what about the Samsung response, or the Napster response... those who have more of a presence than the friggin zune.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 6:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Bill Gates spoke out against DRM months before Jobs did.

Gates: http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/12/14/bill-gates-on-the-future-of-drm/
Jobs: http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

I know that makes it more difficult to rant on MS, which is probably why you didn't care to check in the first place.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 6:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 6:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Like a multi-touch widescreen with coverflow perhaps? ;-) Inductive charging? (I know that's not so innovative, but neither is wireless if you can't use it)]]>Apr 2nd 2007 8:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 3rd 2007 11:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Could Microsoft just fix that boiler plate onto its own system? Let's just say, the licensing and b2b marketing issues could easily become a mess if they attempt to reverse direction towards Apple to quickly. Estimating that half their online catalog will be DRM free by the end of the year, over 2.5 million tracks, is impressive. Microsoft... your serve.

Eh. Sucks to be them.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 6:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 7:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Bill Gates spoke out against DRM months before Jobs did."

How about you do some fact-checking yourself?

Well before Gates, Jobs said in 2002: "If you legally acquire music, you need to have the right to manage it on all other devices that you own,"

http://www.macworld.com/news/2002/03/04/jobs/

Jobs also stated a while ago that piracy would always exist and that people would find ways to break DRM no matter what.

And while Bill Gates said something like "DRM is a pain for consumers", his main point was that the DRM system needed to be improved so that it would be easier to use, he never specifically said that music should be sold without DRM. Also, it wasn't a company stance, it was simply Bill speaking at a conference.

Jobs on the other hand, with the open letter, was very clear about the need to stop using DRM on music. And this letter was published on Apple's site as an official statement, linked from the front page.

If it was not for Apple releasing the iPod and having a success with it, WMA would've become the standard everywhere, and the RIAA would've probably already phased out standard un-DRMed CDs, to replace them with WMA-DRMed only CDs.

Then, people and government couldn't complain about interoperability problems, since all players sold would be able to play DRMed WMA. The Zune wouldn't even exist.

Maybe Linux and Mac users would be angry about the lack of support for WMA, but you know what happen when they complain about the lack of compatibility with their OS? They get ridiculed for having a small market-share and being irrelevant.

At best, MS would've been forced to release a Linux and Mac version of WMP, but the DRM would have remained.]]>Apr 3rd 2007 11:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
i cannot even use my zune as an usb hdd, and ms is talking about removing drm? BS! what's next drm free sony?]]>Apr 2nd 2007 6:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
This is a very good trend - for iPod, Zune, and for music lovers everywhere.

Harvey
(Editor, Zunerama)]]>Apr 2nd 2007 7:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
--

Oh so.. now it doesn't matter that Apple made the anti-DRM push, even though they could have done just fine by sitting there with the monopoly in digital music, sellin a zillion iPods a year.
And since MS basically paid a royalty to the labels to make up for all the thieving its customers would undoubtedly get up to, MS had just as much to do with the anti-DRM thing.

Kiss my ass. SJ had the balls to put out the anti-DRM letter and MS sank back into the shadows (best light for looking at the Zune) and made friends with the labels, basically reinforcing ridiculous DRM protections (three days, three plays??)

Stop painting the whole industry with the same brush, there's Apple, and the mediocrity that follows months, or years later in the "PC" market...

Oh well, at least Bill Gates is serving the poorest kids in the world, if Ballmer isn't lifting a finger to help out his company.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 7:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Apple and M$ may decide to remove DRM. If they did, I have to say that would be amazing, even impressive. But that by no means says we also have to keep it if they decide to. There is always an alternative. If you really hate DRM that much, try looking for it.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 7:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.macrumors.com/2007/04/02/behind-the-apple-emi-deal/

I know that Jobs is your personal hero and you fantasize about him in the shower but the dude isn't God, and he didn't start this backlash against DRM. This is a direct result of P2P and the unstoppable force that it is. ]]>Apr 3rd 2007 12:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 7:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
So MS could ditch the DRM on EMI tracks just like Apple did. It's MS's choice one way or another; the only surprising thing would be if they *don't* do it, and from the quote above, it sounds like they're telling their customers to buy non-DRM tracks elsewhere (as in "partners", meaning other music stores). Smart.
]]>Apr 2nd 2007 7:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
That is *not* anti-DRM. ]]>Apr 2nd 2007 8:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Bill Gates commented that "current drm" had problems, he was talking mainly about Apple DRM that was the market leader. His remake was about ripping CD's because he would rather have you rip a CD than buy from a competitor. But even then he was pushing Better DRM.

Jobs said he would be Happy to ditch DRM.

The official MS response to Jobs Letter, was that it was a ridiculous statement and DRM was a necessary enabler. Anyone have a link?

Now Jobs will be the first to deliver and MS is scrambling out a me too...

Who cares about Zune. I agree with others. I have never seen anyone with a a Zune anywhere.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 8:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 9:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
I know it's soothing to a certain number of people to uncritically embrase and support the outsourcing corporation of their choice, but hey ... a few facts shouldn't hurt anyone.

]]>Apr 2nd 2007 9:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
"Our role continues to be to deliver flexible DRM technology that provides choice for the content owner in how they distribute their content and choice for the consumer so that they have access to a wide variety of high-quality content and ways to enjoy that content."

After all, they have servers to sell - Apple on the other hand is all about consumers - delivering what people actually want ... Zune even ADDS DRM where no one asks it to ... MS is continuing to flog this dead dog - a DAP player that seems to average ONE sale per store but they'll keep throwing good money at a market they cannot even beat out other WMA players. ]]>Apr 2nd 2007 9:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
why??

My Music is free..........lol......

no not all was downloaded.........

I have gotten over 600+ CDs and simply ripped them to my server..........well over 20,000 Songs............

DRM wont affect me for years to come I'd say]]>Apr 2nd 2007 10:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 11:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/Apr 2nd 2007 11:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
How naive can you get? Of course MS is going to response with such a statement. What? You think they are going to come out with "Hey we are trying to catch up with Apple and will lick the RIAA's balls to do it. If they want strong DRM we'll give it to em. If they want no DRM we'll give it to em. If they want us to poll dance naked at the next RIAA board meeting...oh yah we are so there."

So of course MS is going to respond with "we are working on it." Its the standard line because its impossible to verify. As for Apple's offering. Since everyone and their mother is already at 256kb/s the only thing of interest today is no DRM. And that is coming in at a cost of 30 cents more. For the "premium" track. Color me unimpressed. We are now paying more for no DRM. Joy. What a wonderful tradeoff.
And from the reports on many of the Mac sites it appears that Apple is the one who set the price not EMI. So once again Apple users are paying the Apple fee for..for. Well for a fully functional music ecosystem. *coughs*Draft-N*coughs* Seriously Apple is turning into Microsoft. I would really like to see someone slap the shit out of this company because its obvious that Apple thinks they can do no wrong.]]>Apr 2nd 2007 11:55PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Well, I guess you didn't read the transcript of the press conference. I quote:

Q: It's a pretty radical step, Eric. How did you reach the decision to do it? Was it Steve Jobs' letter that convinced you? Was it the internal surveys you've done? What was the moment in which you said, "Damn it, we're gonna go DRM-free?" And will the extra sales be enough to compensate for the declining physical sales?

[Eric Nicoli]: We've always known Steve's view on the subject, [b]long before his open letter.[/b] It was driven by the fact that we have the consumer at the center of our strategy.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2624

So basically, EMI at least knew how Steve Jobs felt about DRM for a long time. The open letter, it looks like, was Jobs' invitation for the labels to come to him if they wanted to talk seriously about dropping DRM. So the fact that EMI approached Apple doesn't contradict the idea that Jobs has been plotting for years to get rid of the DRM.

It's kinda interesting how people are ready to rain on what can only be a good thing in the end. Then again, we see a lot of the same kind of "reasoning" from various execs when trying to explain away the iPod's success. "Oh, it's just Apple and marketing" or "Oh, it's because they cheat" or "Oh it's just a fluke."

How about the idea that Jobs simply understands the consumer mindset and does mostly the right thing and plays all his cards right?]]>Apr 3rd 2007 2:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
Both zoon users?]]>Apr 3rd 2007 3:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
quote -
Jason Reindorp, marketing director for Microsoft's Zune unit, said that Jobs' call for the "abolition" of DRM without any apparent consideration of the complex balance between what consumers want versus the rights of the content owners "seems to be kind of irresponsible"
- endquote]]>Apr 3rd 2007 7:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/02/zune-the-next-to-drop-drm/
waddo
http://www.waddo.net/]]>Apr 3rd 2007 9:06AM