05-17-2006, 05:30 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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WMP11 Leaked and Released, Microsoft Launches Music Store, Mobile Device Support Improved?
The digital media world has been abuzz this week about Microsoft's two new digital media initiatives: Windows Media Player 11 for the desktop and their launch of a new digital music service. Amongst all this is an interesting set of prospects for digital media for mobile devices, including Pocket PCs. I've got a collection of links and thoughts for you. 
 - Microsoft announces WMP11, which is leaked, reviewed, and released: Windows Media Player 11, which is supposed to be the native player in Vista, has an XP version that was leaked early this week, allowing several sites to put up early reviews; Publish and Windows Supersite are two of them. Since then, Microsoft has released the beta, so everyone can download it. New features include a better UI, better media support, Microsoft's new music store, and mobile device support. Darius has already installed it and is working on a preview about syncing non-DRM music with Pocket PCs, which should be up sometime tonight or tomorrow.
- WMP11's Improved Mobile Device support: As mentioned in the previous bullet, one of the significant areas of improvement is mobile device support. Arne from the::unwired lists the new features, which includes "better mobile device" support and user-controlled DRM content downgrading (i.e. lower bitrates). The Publish link above suggests the sync UI and experience is much better overall, and I have to say, it'd better be. I was going to post up a review of syncing Janus DRM content using WMP10 to Pocket PCs, but I'll wait now that WMP11 is coming. The short version: WMP10's Pocket PC sync, especially with Janus DRM music, was a frustrating, nonintuitive, buggy process that often failed after about 15 tracks in any given sync. :evil: I'm looking forward to trying the combination with WMP11, and I'll work up a Janus/URGE review over the next few weeks... if it works. :P
- Microsoft's and MTV's new music store, URGE: Alongside WMP11 is the new Microsoft music store, URGE, which is a major step up from MSN Music, as it offers subscription content for $9.99 ($14.99 for the "to-go" version that enables Janus DRM). Alas, URGE is US-only at this time. Additionally, I'm not sure I'd be happy if I was Real, Napster, or Yahoo; I'd expect those music services to shrink as people switch to URGE (I'm a Rhapsody user, and I'm going to download and try out URGE today). I know Microsoft is trying to compete with the iPod by building a better end-to-end experience (which Walt Mossberg talked about last week), but there is the risk of damaging the ecosystem that Microsoft has spent years building. (Of course, whether it's worth saving that ecosystem is a different question.)
- What about a new version for Windows Mobile? Nowhere in this news is any discussion of a new version of WMP for Windows Mobile devices, and as of this moment I don't have any news for you either. Microsoft has many options; it could bundle a new version with a new version of the Windows Mobile OS, or could even include it as part of a future AKU (Adaptation Kit Update). Seeing as how we haven't heard anything about WMP upgrades for WM5, I'm guessing that we won't see anything until WM5's successor comes out... which is a shame, because while WMP10 on the Pocket PC is okay, it's still got a way to go to match the desktop (or the dedicated music player) experience. (Speaking of dedicated players, what happened to Portable Media Centers or the Microsoft "iPod killer"? Anyone? I guess we'll just have to wait and see on this one.
 )
Microsoft still has their work cut out for them in the portable digital music space, but I'm glad to see they acknowledge that and are taking steps to improve it. Is it enough to dethrone the iPod and the iTunes Music Store? Probably not in the short-term -- heck, I carry a nano -- but the digital media market has a long way to go in the next 5-10 years.
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05-17-2006, 06:04 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 147
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In general, I like the look & feel of WMP11. It seems (to me at least) a more intuitive interface. That's just a matter of opinion though....
As for Windows Mobile, I can say that sync'ing between the devices and WMP11 seems to be much more stable and reliable. With WMP10 and AS4.1, I could never get the bloody thing to work. No longer is it an issue and the sync is quite fast (although I have no benchmark as I never got this feature working with WMP10).
I will be interested to see how URGE does. I too am going to try it as I've never found an online music provider that I liked (I'm picky).
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05-17-2006, 06:33 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 238
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I like the new UI for the music management/playback, very improved and quite usable now, but since I have an ipod, I can't see myself using Urge or any of the other music stores offered by MS. Why can't MS and Apple offer both WMA and AAC? I could buy, burn, and rip back to MP3, but then you lose some fidelity.
But went I went to try out Urge, it gave me an error that my WM DRM was corrupted, which is odd, since I don't have any DRM'd WMA files.
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05-17-2006, 06:40 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 31
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Is it need activation?
One question, do the installation of WMP11 beta need Microsoft activation? WMP10's doesn't need that.
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05-17-2006, 06:50 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 307
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WMP11 looks nice, but as for URGE: Yet another digital music service for North America only = Complete Waste of Time for Everybody Else.
Yawn.
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05-17-2006, 07:03 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Re: Is it need activation?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by sapibobo
One question, do the installation of WMP11 beta need Microsoft activation? WMP10's doesn't need that.
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WMP 11 is part of Microsoft's Windows Genuine Advantage initiative, so you will need to ensure your copy of Windows is legit if you plan on completing the installation.
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05-17-2006, 07:04 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Kevin Daly
WMP11 looks nice, but as for URGE: Yet another digital music service for North America only = Complete Waste of Time for Everybody Else.
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In Microsoft's defense, it takes quite a bit of work to negotiate contracts with each of the money-grubbing trade groups for each country. As far as I know, subscription music hasn't been hammered out contractually much of anywhere except the US.
--janak
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05-17-2006, 07:35 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 31
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Thanks Darius for prompt reply.
I am using a copy of Windows that came with my Lenovo, so I am sure of its 'status'.
Problem is I am planning to give the installation package to my friend who works frequently into remote areas as a community teacher. Afaik he use Fujitsu.
Does the installation need internet connection?
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05-17-2006, 07:53 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by sapibobo
Does the installation need internet connection?
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In principle, no. All the relevant files are contained within the installation package.
Having said that, I do remember my software firewall going nuts while installing, but I think they were local prompts, rather than internet prompts.
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05-17-2006, 09:37 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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I love my iPod but I don't particularly care for iTunes - I prefer Windows Media Player on the desktop. The one thing I want to see in WMP is iPod syncing. I realize it'll be a cold day in hell before that'll happen, but one can wish...
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