amazon-mp3 posts

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Web

Walmart MP3 store adds 74 cent tracks, Mac, Linux support

by Brad Linder Oct 28th 2008

I love a good price war. And it looks like Walmart is challenging Amazon and Apple to one by offering select MP3 downloads from Walmart's online music store for just 74 cents. Not every song will go for that price, but standard tracks start at 94 cents per song, which is still cheaper than music on iTunes. Amazon typically sells MP3 music for between 89 and 99 cents per song.

Walmart is also rolling out improved support for web browsers that aren't Internet Explorer and operating systems that aren't Windows. You can now download MP3s from Walmart's web store using OS X, Linux, or Windows, Firefox, Safar, or Internet Explorer.

Walmart has a library of over 3 million DRM-free MP3 tracks from the four major lables and a number of independent artists.

[via Electronista]

Tags: amazon-mp3, itunes, mp3, music, walmart

Filed under: Business, Internet, Google

Google goes ad-crazy with video game ads, YouTube purchase links

by Brad Linder Oct 8th 2008

There's a saying that "advertising abhors a vacuum." In other words, if there's a blank space on a wall, telephone poll, or the back of your eyelids, eventually someone will figure out how to put an advertisement there. With that in mind, Google has rolled out two new features this week intended to help fill the vacuum.

First up, the company continues to try to justify its massive investment in online video. Making money from YouTube videos has proven surprisingly tricky. May viewers are resistant to pre-roll and post-roll video ads. And in-video pop up ads can be even more annoying if not handled properly. One possible solution? Affiliate links.

YouTube is rolling out "click-to-buy" links on some videos allowing you to purchase music featured in a video from Amazon or iTunes. Even if you're not planning to buy the song, the links can help you identify the music playing in the background of some popular videos.

Google is also rolling out a beta of Adsense for Games. Basically, these are ads designed to be integrated with web-based video games. Ads could include video, image, or text ads that will appear within the game.

No word on the AdSense for eyelids thing yet.

Tags: ads, adsense, advertising, amazon-mp3, google, itunes, music, youtube

Filed under: Audio, OS Updates, Google, Android

Amazon MP3 store to be available on Google Android phones

by Brad Linder Sep 23rd 2008

As you may have heard, T-Mobile has announced the first phone running Google's Android operating system. But an OS is only as good as its applications. And while it remains to be seen whether Android has the killer apps it needs to take on Apple, Microsoft, Symbian, and RIM, the T-Mobile G1 has some pretty good ones including access to Google's mobile search, maps, Gmail, contact, calendar, and chat applications. Oh yeah, and you can watch YouTube videos and play music and movies stored on your device.

One of the most noteworthy features is access to the Amazon MP3. You can purchase DRM-free tracks from Amazon's digital music store for 89 cents, or entire albums for under $10. You need to have a WiFi connection to download songs, but you can browse the store or listen to samples using T-Mobile's wireless network.

You can check out a video of the Google Android interface after the break.

[via Engadget]

Tags: amazon-mp3, android, google-android, music

Filed under: Audio, Internet

Amazon MP3 could launch in Britain soon

by Brad Linder Jun 23rd 2008

Amazon offers one of the most compelling iTunes competitors around right now. The online retailer offers music downloads from all four major labels. And unlike Apple's iTunes, Microsoft's Zune Marketplace and other digital music stores, Amazon MP3 offers DRM-free music at reasonable prices. There's just one problem -- the service doesn't work outside of the US. Yet.

For months, Amazon has been saying that it plans to go international. Now it looks like the company is taking the first steps. The Telegraph reports that Amazon MP3 officials visited London last week to meet with record label execs. It's possible that Amazon could launch a UK version of its MP3 music store by the end of the year.

[via Engadget]

Tags: amazon-mp3, britain, drm, music, uk

Filed under: Weekend Review

Download Squad Week in Review

by Brad Linder Apr 19th 2008

Been so busy trying to buy Pope bobble-head dolls on eBay that you've fallen behind on the week's software news? We've got your back. Here are some of our favorite stories from the past week.

Comcast shuts down Dave Winer

Ever wonder if those unlimited bandwidth internet service plans are really unlimited? Tech analyst Dave Winer found out the hard way that there's unlimited, and then there's Comcast. The cable and internet provider cut him off for excessive use. Download Squad's Christina Warren interviewed Winer about his Comcast woes,

Amazon MP3 has little or no effect on iTunes

Amazon's MP3 download store might look like a great alternative to the iTunes store. It has a ton of music, it's well priced, and all the tracks are DRM-free. But it turns out that iTunes is still king. By a long shot. Less than 10% of Amazon MP3 customers are iTunes converts.

Tags: amazon-mp3, comcast, dave-winer, grooveshark, linux, myspace, opensuse, podcasting, podcasts, regtoy, taboo

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Apple

Amazon takes MP3 store global

by Brad Linder Jan 27th 2008

Amazon has announced plans to take its Amazon MP3 store global sometime in 2008. No word on whether that means February or December, but we'll keep you posted.

Amazon currently offers DRM-free MP3 tracks from all four major music labels, something no other digital music store can boast. That's 3.3 million songs from over 270,000 artists. But if you live outside of the US, good luck actually purchasing any of that music.

Apple's iTunes Store is already open in several countries. But Apple charges a bit more for most songs than Amazon and doesn't have nearly as many DRM-free tracks available.

[via Techmeme]

Tags: amazon, amazon-mp3, drm, mp3, music

Filed under: Audio, Internet, Web services

Sony to sell DRM-free music online after all

by Brad Linder Jan 10th 2008

Apparently Sony's plan for DRM-free music distribution isn't quite as dumb as we thought. Sure, the music label's announcement that it would sell DRM-free music was quickly followed by the news that you'd have to walk into a bricks and mortar retail store and buy a gift card allowing you to download an album's worth of tracks from the web. But it turns out that's not the only way to get DRM-free music from Sony BMG.

Amazon just put out a press release stating that it will be adding MP3 tracks from Sony to Amazon MP3 later this month. That will make Amazon the first online music store to offer DRM-free music from each of the four major music labels.

No word on how much of Sony's music library will be available via Amazon, but we're just glad to see you'll be able to purchase individual tracks and that you won't have to leave the house to get your music fix.

Tags: amazon-mp3, drm, music, sony, sony-bmg

Filed under: Audio, Web services

Amazon and Pepsi plan to give away 1 billion DRM-free songs

by Brad Linder Nov 30th 2007

Amazon and Pepsi are planning to launch a yearlong promotion to give away 1 billion MP3s from Amazon's recently launched MP3 download store. The promotion will launch during the Super Bowl on Feb 3rd.

Here's how it works. Pepsi will print a code on 5 billion bottle caps. You can use the codes from 5 bottle caps to buy one song at Amazon Mp3.

Right now, that means you can buy DRM-free tracks from artists signed to EMI, Universal Music Group, Hollywood Records, and a number of smaller labels. Warner and Sony have not yet signed up with Amazon. But Billboard reports that the promotion could be incentive for the holdouts to sign up. That plus Wal-Mart is urging the music labels to participate in its DRM-free MP3 store.

This isn't the first time Pepsi's gotten involved in a major music promotion. Pepsi and Apple partnered in 2004 for a Super Bowl campaign to promote the iTunes music store. Of course, the goal at the time was to give away 25 million tracks, while customers only redeemed about 5 million. So just because Amazon and Pepsi say they've got 1 billion songs to give away doesn't mean they'll actually be delivering anywhere near that number.

[via paidContent]

Tags: amazon, amazon-mp3, drm, mp3, music, pepsi

Filed under: Audio, Business, Internet

Amazon launches digital music store

by Brad Linder Sep 25th 2007

Amazon has opened the virtual doors to its digital music store. Amazon MP3 sells DRM-free files, but you're clever, so you probably guessed that by the name. And the fact that we've been telling you about Amazon's plans to launch a DRM-free MP3 download site for months.

Now that a beta version of the site is live, here's what we can tell you.

Amazon has signed a deal with EMI, Universal, and a boatload of independent labels.
Amazon's library includes over 2 million tracks from more than 180,000 artists.
All songs are in MP3 format, meaning you can play them on pretty much any computer or portable media device.
Songs are encoded at 256 kbps.
Most songs will sell for $.89 to $.99.
The top 100 songs will sell for $.89.
Album prices range from $5.99 to $9.99, with the top 100 albums going for $8.99 or less in most cases.
There's a new Amazon MP3 Downloader that lets you download files directly to your iTunes or Windows Media Player libraries.

The funny thing is, this is exactly the same business model companies like eMusic and MP3.com were proposing before the rise of iTunes and DRM. Yet somehow now it seems revolutionary.

Of course, we lived in a different world then, when Napster was in its infancy and record labels assumed that if you sold one unprotected MP3 file it would be uploaded to a file-sharing site where 50,000 people would download it for free. Well, they might still believe that, but they also realize that consumers might not want to be locked into a single device for all eternity.

Tags: amazon, amazon-mp3, drm, mp3, music

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