Best Buy, SanDisk and Real team-up for music service - Engadget

Before all you iPod/iTunes fan boys start with the haterade, remember competition is good. Even if this partnership or the Zune marketplace fails miserably there's some good that will come out of having multiple players in the space. Plus, contrary to popular opinion on many sites the #2 or #3 player in an industry can still build a profitable business.

I for one welcome our Blue LED scroll wheel overlords.
Happy to see Real might get it straight with Microsoft. This looks awfully better than the Zune / Zune Marketplace thing.

Isn't Real however supposed to have had some talks on a collaboration with Apple against MS? Or did I get this info wrong?

"I for one welcome our Blue LED scroll wheel overlords.

" No, just no. When you say that you make the baby Jesus weep. :(

Coming next week: Circuit City, Creative, and nullsoft (winamp) team-up for music service.

Anything with "Real" in it just makes me run away...

The new Real software and service actually works and looks nice, but I had a audio clicking issue on my dual core machine. I recently switched over to Urge and love it. It works the best out of any service I have tried.

I'm with Mike above...

Real will only ruin everything.

does anyone remember the good old Rio 500? that thing was sweet.

i still have mine somewhere in a shelf, waiting till its worth anything to antique collectors. man, those were the good 'ol days. Tokey the bear says.

..uh.

..what was i talking about?

I'm w/ #1 up there. Competition is EXCELLENT for us iPod fanboys. i can't EVER see switching from iPod and the competition will keep Apple on it's toes.

Now, i'm hoping on Apple updating firmware so we can customize the look of the interface. I hope ZUNE gets a toehold for this reason alone!!

!

Coming the week after that; 9.99 Zune with SuperSize menu at Macdonalds!

I would rather bore a hole through my head with a dull ice auger than touch anything remotely associated with Real.
What's with the Real hating? Seriously, I understand why there are people who love/hate Microsoft, Apple, Bose, GreenPeace, Republicans, Wal~Mart, Sony, Nike, Starbucks.

.. but what's the beef with Real?

well, George, I don't know how is it now because i haven't insalled anyithing from real for about 3 years now on my windows pc...

But real one player was one of the worst pieces of software in exsitence (in my opinion) it was bloated with adds that were popping on screen even if you weren't using the software...

just like all those "free screen savers" that you find on dubious websites...

Besides, real one was incredibly buggy, so i decided not to install anything from them afther that...

Actually real player for mac is a different story...

it really doesn't suck, but i haven't upgraded it for about a year because i don't use it any more...

just for those live streaming websites that keep using real tech. I really hope the new software is any good, because it would be good for sanDisk to impulse their players. And it would be good if this encouraged apple to fix iTunes.

.. i still like it over other music players.

.. but it is a resourse hug even on macs.

I was contacted by RealNetworks last week about beta-testing Rhapsody 4.0 with my iPod. Don't forget that they have always offered (192Kbps) AAC files in the RealPlayer Music Store that were transferable to iPods.

Rhapsody DNA uses those same RealAudio 10 AAC files.

Real released a few versions that were loaded with spyware and adware that could not be removed, and the application would run in the systray no matter what you did. It was garbage, and I am surprised they are still in business.

I have been using RealRhapsody for over a year and I love it. No problems whatsoever that I can recall. BUT I won't be a customer yet because the SanDisk player in this system DOES NOT support audible.

com files (audio books). That's a SanDisk issue on the player and if they ever fix that, I'll be on board for this service. Until then, I guess I'm sticking with iPod.

One other thing, I'm curious to see if Apple ever responds with a subscription (ToGo) service on iTunes. In my view, that's the main thing all of these other services offer over iTunes. I really believe the subscription model ($15/month for all the music you want on your portable device) is a much better deal for consumers -- but I know a lot of people don't like it.

As I see it, once you accept the idea of just paying $15 a month for music (with a subscription service), you have lifetime access to all the music you could ever want and you don't have to worry about keeping the same device and/or keeping track of music files. You can quit the service and/or switch devices whenever you want and you can download whatever/whenever/wherever. With iTunes 99cent per song model, once you build up a sizeable library you are basically stuck with Apple for life (of course, that's Apple's plan).

It's ok for some, I guess, but I don't like it.

Actually I find that the subscription model makes you stuck with a company for a life, not the pay-per-song model..

. I personally never buy from iTunes, prefering other services, however you can easily remove the DRM from iTunes bought songs.

Things like this keep the iPods reasonably affordable in the first place.

If Apple was not at all threatened by the off chance another MP3 player could gain a decent foothold in the market, they'd never have dropped the prices so significantly on the iPods. Being an employee of Best Buy, I don't see this particular scheme paying off in the long run, but it's at least a mediocre attempt to cash in on the ever growing market. But if it keeps the iPods reasonably priced, I really can't complain.

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.
When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password.

To leave another comment, just use that password.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted no need to use p or br tags.
A new documentary series.
Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time.

Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor.
Experience the documentary first-hand.