Tag Archives: drm free

Audio, Communication, Internet, Mobile, Music, Phones

iTunes DRM-Free Songs Available In May For $1.29

Good news from Cupertino, as apple announces that EMI Music’s digital catalog (and some other major labels like Virgin, Sony BMG, American Recording) will be available for purchase DRM-free from the iTunes Store in May. The tracks will be offered at higher quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for just $1.29 per song with an option for second tier songs for only $0.69. The meaning is that you will be able to transfer your non-protected songs to other computers freely, as we are talking about 8 million DRM-Free songs to be available for a purchase from now on. Additionaly, iTunes users, will be able to upgrade their entire previously purchased EMI content to the higher quality DRM-free versions for just 30 cents ($0.30) a song. The rest of the songs will be offered in the same versions as today, 128 kbps AAC encoding with DRM at the same price of 99 cents ($0.99) per song. If that’s not enough, Apple has also announced that music store downloads are available over 3G connectivity (without the need for a WiFi around)with the same price and sound quality, which means your new iPhone is capable of downloading iTunes tracks directly – Kudos !

[Apple]

Audio, Media Players, Music

Sandisk To Introduce Sansa slotMusic Player

Honestly, I have no idea why Sandisk has any desire to release the Sansa slotMusic player, specially when the initiative to distribute music and movies on microSD cards, wasn’t a big hit. So, I understand the new player is a sort of “accessory” that might help the consumers to play their microSD $15 pre-loaded DRM-free music, from diverse artists, but as a matter of fact, the same thing can be done with other players, the kind that HAVE a built-in display, and not just a card sleeve that plays tracks. Anyways, it can be used for different commercial promotions, so i guess you won’t mind getting this $20 device in one of those big fairs. In any case, it is a basic MP3 player, that comes with a microSD slot, houses a 1 single AAA battery that can last 15 hours, and sized at 72.1 x 36.8 x 15.2 mm 48g. In addition, it supports MP3, OGG, FLAC, WMA file formats and is supposedly available now, across North America, while followed by Europe and other destinations in 2009.

[Sandisk]

Music

SanDisk To Distribute Music On microSD Cards

sansa-sessionsSanDisk plans to launch Sansa Sessions, a new initiative to distribute music and movies on microSD cards. Their first steps will probably take place with the purchase of a new 8GB Sansa Fuze player, as SanDisk intend to give the buyers a free microSD card, loaded with 55 DRM-free tracks from more than 50 new artists, including All Time Low, Ladytron, Magnet, Nada Surf, Of Montreal and The Coup. The cause is twofold, first reason is to attract music junkies to buy the new Fuze and second, is for promotional sake. In any case, we get 512MB microSD card, free of charge, and novice artists earn free exposure.

[ via engadget]