Archive for: digital downloads
- November 13, 2009 6:10 am
Being a used game retailer has it’s advantages. Gamers love new stuff. Because of that one way to fund their new lusts is by selling off their old. Awesome concept and business model until you consider more and more people are downloading games — that which you can’t return. GameStop, looking to keep from fading out of existence has announced via the BMO Capital Management Digital Entertainment conference that in earl 2010, the company will try it’s hand this whole digital marketplace. This test won’t allow full-on game downloads mind you. So if you were hoping to score a deal (as is usual with used game purchases) you’re out of luck for now. Aside from no full game downloads, you can take comfort in knowing their venture isn’t for naught. Game add-ons and/or game updates will be the first leg of Game Stops digital testing.
According to GameStop, the service will blend in with the PSN and Xbox Live Services. However, because full games aren’t going to be available, critics are already dissatisfied with the idea. I can see their frustration and share the same feelings for the most part. If you’re going to go digital, go all the way. Don’t do this I’m kinda in, kinda out type of approach. It’s a valiant effort by a company so entrenched in physical media but an absolute failure when all things digital are concerned. GameStop’s Chief Operating Officer, Paul Raine, stated at the the same conference that “there isn’t a huge market for full game downloads yet”, and that they fill at this time, the update/add-on route is the way to go. Really? I’m pretty sure those with speedier internet connections would much rather download their games and not have to go to the store to pick them up.
But that’s just me.Since it obviously isnt 2010 yet, I’m hoping that those in charge will re-think their decision and shake the right hands that need shaking to get full game downloads into the program. Otherwise it’s just a waste of time. But that’s just my opinion. There could be some huge market for game-add ons and updates that somehow isn’t being answered by the uber popular Xbox Live service or PSN. What do you think? Optimistic or pessimistic?
Erictric > Reuters
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- September 8, 2009 12:29 pm
Count me thoroughly impressed and disgusted by the actions that music labels and bass akwards governments will go to in the hope of preventing piracy innovation. If you thought certain “3-strikes” plans that kicked suspected, not convicted file sharers off the internet were bad enough, a new friendship forming in Japan may signal an even more daring assault on consumers’ rights. According to a report revealed by Elmundo, the Japanese government and one or several music companies are in the beginning stages of teaming up to create a technology that would disable the music functions on cellphones of users who listen to “unauthorized music”. Now, as of right now, unauthorized isn’t detailed meaning there isn’t any distinction between pirated content or content that is simply purchased through a third party in which some greedy entitlest feels they deserve a stake in. Such a technology is essentially just like a mobile version of the 3-strikes plans that are floating around the planet in various forms. Just think how quickly some greedy music label could abuse such a service.
If a cellphone manufacturer were to partner up with a certain music label and that label in turn demanded this software or DRM of sorts be installed on the handset, any user who put music content on that headset that wasn’t purchased from the label/manufacturer partnership could have that phone or in the very least music services disabled — a measure that is extremely far reaching and one of the greatest invasions of privacy I’ve seen yet!
According to Freekbits:
Details are scarce but apparently the system would consist of a central database which contains information about music which is authorized to be downloaded, and would be responsible for verifying that cellphone users weren’t downloading illicit music. Those that do would be sent warning messages…with persistent violators having the music functions on their phones disabled…
This is all in it’s early stages and again, this report is preliminary. However, I’ll definitely follow this story closely. If policies or controlling schemes such as these are enacted on mass produced devices, I will officially stop paying for anything marketed by any label. Stay tuned…
Source: Tech Dirt
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While the war against illegal downloads rages on between consumers and the organizations suing the pants off of everyone, one can easily see that this “war” will never end. It is and always will be a constant cat and mouse game. Many consumers however opt to avoid confrontations and instead go the legal route by paying for their digital downloads through the online media store of their choice. However, if you work for the U.S. government, prepare to sing a new song — a song that says any and all downloading, no matter if you pay or not, is illegal. Say what?
It used to be in the good ‘ol days (read: the last couple of years) if you like online music free of cancer (again…read: DRM), as well as indie music, eMusic was your one stop shop. They were the pioneers of DRM free music long before other larger online music stores followed suit. Even though eMusic wasn’t as big as other online music stores, the customers agian loved the large selection of indie music as well as lower priced DRM free music. Apparently eMusic no longer cares about their audience as they have pulled Sony on board and raised prices – two things that are in fact pissing off a lot of users. While the two incidents may not be involved, announcing the two events together will forever merge them, no matter how hard either companies PR team denies. While we all know how anti-consumer and asinine Sony can be, do you think we are beginning to see a rougher image of eMusic starting to appear? How would you have handled the situation? Would you have announced the new changes separately? Or would you have told Sony to F off all together?
Source: http://techdirt.com/articles/20090602/2250355103.shtml
**Source: Tech Dirt
Music experts and those that claim that the CD and the music industry are being destroyed by more consumer friendly digital means and P2P file sharing services have pointed to CD sales for years showing the declines that have swept (slowly) across the market. Many thought that the CD/music industry wasn’t doing that bad as April had year-over-year sales down only 9%. Compared to the even more gut wrenching 17.9% and 11.5% for YOY sales from February and March, I would think a 9% drop is a blessing. So what gives?
If there was ever a time in life when you needed a good real example of double standards, look no further than Metallica. Long time advocates of stricter DRM regulations, the destruction of all digital music sales, and other ridiculous proposals that have truly aged the band well beyond what they want to appear. The double standard that I am talking about deals with an admission by Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica, who claims to have pirated Metallica’s album “Death Magnetic” last year. He was quoted saying:
‘I sat there myself and downloaded “Death Magnetic” from the Internet just to try it,’ he said. ‘I was like, “Wow, this is how it works.” I figured if there is anybody that has a right to download “Death Magnetic” for free, it’s me.”
Now while I hate their stance on all things digital, I did enjoy Death Magnetic. Personal music tastes aside, the admission is just another example of how out of touch they are with reality and the world today. Even though it is “his” album, being one of the biggest advocates for DRM and then turning around and pirating the same album you’re campaigning for more DRM for isn’t exactly the brightest idea….but I digress. So does this admission strike you as a little odd? Does he have a right to steal his own stuff? Or, are the rules the same for everyone? Tell me you o so deepest thoughts below.
Source: Slashdot
The road to HD discs hasn’t exactly been smooth. The whole dual between HD-DVD and Blu-ray left one camp sent home with their tail between their legs and the other with a tail in a much better upright position. However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Sony since winning the HD format war. Uptake of HD media hasn’t exactly been quick. According to Netflix’s CEO Reed Hastings, “Blu-ray adoption is starting to pick up nicely”. How nicely? Try 700,000 Netflix subscribers, or 30% a growth! Not bad at all. I personally don’t think Blu-ray will be like DVD was in its early years. HD downloads will soon take over and surpass physical media as the need to carry around physical media is being lessened with every passing day as the internet creeps into every device we touch. For example, Netflix’s digital delivery service is passing up Blu-ray like it’s standing still. Netflix users numbering in the “millions” used the digital method last month proving that digital, physical media free is the way of the future. In reality, Blu-ray and digital downloads are fighting for the same market more or less. Sure, not everyone has internet access and therefore Blu-ray will attract those users more, however, the bigger picture is moving digital.
Source: Alley Insider
