QTrax launches free, legal, and limited P2P music app

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Windows, P2P, Beta

QTrax launches free, legal, and limited P2P music app

by Brad Linder Jun 18th 2008

Want to download popular music without paying and without breaking the law? Qtrax is a new advertising-supported service that lets you download music from two of the four major labels, Universal and EMI as well as several smaller labels. The service uses a modified version of the Songbird Media player to let you search or browse for music and download tracks. Some music willbe available through P2P connections while music from Universal and EMI will be hosted on Qtrax servers.

The files use Windows Media digital rights management and are designed to be played with the Qtrax media player. But once you play a song using the Qtrax software and acquire a valid license key, you shold be able to play it using the media player of your choice. The one thing you cannot do is transfer songs to a portable media device like an iPod. That makes sense, since Qtrax makes money by showing ads while you search for and listen to music. There's no particularly good way to do that on a mobile device.

The music selection is somewhat limited at the moment. Not only are Sony and Warner Music Group tracks missing, but there are plenty of albums that show up in the Qtrax interface even though the songs are not yet available for download. But since the service just launched in beta, we're willing to cut Qtrax some slack.

The Qtrax client is Windows only for now, but a Mac version is in the works.

[via Silicon Alley Insider]

Tags: drm, music, qtrax, tweet-this, windows-media

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

nizzy1115 said 9:06PM on 6-18-2008

This is like a more limited version of Ruckus for non university students.

Josh said 6:33AM on 6-19-2008

At least this looks to be developing a Mac client. Ruckus should realize that the MacBook is one of, if not the most popular computer on most American campuses and develop a Mac client. Right now it is useless for many college students.

Chad Cropper said 9:09PM on 6-18-2008

This is not new. They originally tried to launch last year and failed miserably as they said they had agreements with all of the major labels, but actually had nothing signed with any of them.

edward said 10:46PM on 6-18-2008

Songbird isn't even in BETA yet!!! I hope they can keep that fact quiet ;). Also it hurts to see a free open source project that I have been supporting being used for commercial interests in this fashion.

But I guess that is a good thing, otherwise a company like this would have a much more difficult time succeeding.

Think of that ASUS Laptop that shall not be named by these fingers.

abyfirman said 8:02AM on 6-20-2008

Black is immortality

luckybleu said 6:58AM on 6-22-2008

awesome site new music being added daily will be portable with in weeks p2p access soon too its the best thing since sliced bread

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