Napster Has a Go at iTunes
Techtree News Staff, Feb 04, 2005 0000 hrs IST
Napster has announced unlimited MP3 downloads for a monthly fee through its new Napster To Go service.
Napster has announced the release of Napster To Go, a Windows-compatible portable digital music subscription service that lets users pick songs from its entire catalogue and load it onto compatible MP3 players for a $14.95 monthly fee.
As of now, the music players compatible with the service are the Zen Micro and Portable Media Centre, the iRiver H10 and Portable Media Centre and the Samsung YH999 Portable Media Centre.
Napster's advertisement says, "Users can fill and refill compatible MP3 players without paying 99 cents per track." The "99 cents" is a poke at Apple iTunes, which requires customers to pay 99 cents for each track downloaded.
The catch to the Napser service is that users are required to plug, or dock, the device into their PC at least once every 30 days in order for the company to verify if they are still paying the monthly fee. If users decide to stop paying the monthly subscription to their provider, they cannot access any of the songs in their library or on their music player.
Apple has always drummed up the fact that iTunes allows them to own their music like they do when they buy a CD. Napster though is trying to convince users to "Do The Math". For the price of one CD per month, they'll have access to as much music as they want, and with a catalog of over 1 million songs.
Apple iTunes claims to hold an estimated 70 percent market share for legal music downloads. It operates in 15 countries and has sold more than 250 million songs since launching the service. Napster operates in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
USER COMMENTS
Let's face one other fact, if $0.99 is a barrier then you're probably inclined to keep on stealing your music. Napster's store and non-player hasn't improved the digital music experience in any way other than to offer a novel price model. The iTMS and iPod model lets me explore music and then enjoy it more flexibly, with more innovation on the way. I give "To-Go" two years tops.
by Steve Tsuida, Calgary, on Feb 07, 2005 10:20 AM, Report abuse Reply
For $15 a month you either get a month's subscription to Napster or buy ~15 songs on iTunes. Look at Napster's 10,000 song comparison this way. 10,000 songs at $0.99 a song costs $9900 on iTunes. $9900/$15 a month = 660 months or 55 years of Napster's Subscription Model. So Napster's subscription service is a good deal if you plan do download more than 15 songs a month EVERY MONTH for the next 5.5 decades. That's my $.02
by HMCIV, Washington, on Feb 04, 2005 08:44 PM, Report abuse Reply
First of all 92% of all MP3's are iPods and if they arent compatable with Napster, how much are you going to make. Lets think........ iPod is the greatest MP3 in the world.... so why shouldnt iTunes stay the same???? Napster has no chance. Well, best of luck, you will need it.
by bob, dalkfj, on Feb 07, 2005 04:17 AM, Report abuse
Anything is better then the Ipod service. Several of my friends will be happy to get rid of their Ipod if there is something better. Now there is.
by Jason, Island Park, on Feb 06, 2005 05:51 AM, Report abuse Reply
I am annoyed that me recently purchased zen xtra is not compatible with the services, and creative cannot issue a date that it will be compatible. I am peeved as I have only had it 2 months and it appears already outdated
by Richard, Uk, on Feb 04, 2005 10:32 PM, Report abuse Reply
Richard, in IT, as a matter of fact, two months is rather too long a time for a gizmo to become outdated. If it took two months, you are lucky. Gizmos nowadays become outdated in matters of minutes !!! Believe me !
by chanakya, chanakyapuri, on Feb 05, 2005 02:41 PM, Report abuse
Here's an interesting take on this. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/02/04/napster_go_away/
by Sevib, Singapore, on Feb 04, 2005 09:05 PM, Report abuse Reply
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In Australia the legal downloads sites don't support Ipods. Itunes is not available in Australia but Ipods are our biggest selling 3MP players. What does that tell you.?
by Janne Curtis, BURNIE, on Feb 07, 2005 12:36 PM, Report abuse Reply