While it sounds cool, and from what I read the price point seems solid ($7.99-$9.99 per album,) unfortunately I think this will go the way of Blu-Ray and MiniDiscs. Sure Blue-Ray isn't dead yet, but no one is rushing out to buy it. If it wasn't for the PS3 I doubt that many people would even own a Blue-Ray player.
Digital distrubution is the way of the future. It is quicker and more cost effective than physical distrubution and I don't have to leave the house to get what I want. Instant gratification!
While I completely understand the music industries need to try something new that they can DRM, this is just a 'tiny' step backward in the wrong direction (yes, that was a pun). Also, when the heck was the last time you saw a Zune or a iPod with a microSD card slot? When was the last time you saw a computer with a microSD slot? Usually you have to connect the microSD card to a full size SD card adapter, are these going to be included with the album? If they are, why not just use SD cards to begin with? You figure the technology for smaller sized SD cards has to be cheaper than microSD cards of the same storage compacity.
There are so many other ways this is wrong, the first being the size of microSD cards. Lets say you're going on a adventure or road trip with a few friends. Do they really expect you to walk around with a pocketful of microSD cards each containing a different album? That kind of defeats the whole purpose of a storage card when it comes to music - store lots of albums on one super tiny card. Also, how in the world do they expect us to tell which album is which!? Are they going to supply a magnifying glass with each album?!
I get the impression that the music industry has removed themselves so far away from their consumers and technology in general that they really have no idea what the heck they are doing. It's like its the bottom of the 9th in a Tee Ball game with bases loaded and no outs, the music industry is ahead 10 to 1 after years of being the laughing stock of the game - thanks to training from Amazon and other non-DRM MP3 download services - and then the music industry still manages to lose the game by pulling out some weird soccer moves! Get with the program music industry! People were almost starting to like you again and then you do stupid stuff like this! Digital downloads should be an easy home run for the music industry and should be where all of their attention is focused! More non-DRM'd music, less unneeded gimmicks. We DO NOT need this! The last thing anyone needs is the whole Blue-Ray disaster all over again!
And if the music industry is making such small profits off of digital downloads that they have to try and do something stupid like this, wouldn't you think it was time to change your business model to be in check with the future we live in? Sure I can understand your confusion. There are no flying cars out and about and you can't fly to work in your briefcase, but don't be fooled, the future is here. It is about time to start acting like it music industry!
I'm literally baffeled.
