Pocket Tunes 3.1 Supports Janus DRM... on Palms

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocket-tunes.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.pocket-tunes.com/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Announcing Version 3.1! Access millions of songs using Pocket Tunes Deluxe 3.1 along with music subscription services such as Rhapsody To Go, Napster To Go, and Yahoo! Music Unlimited."</i><br /><br />A third-party program is finally available to add Janus DRM (i.e., subscription music a la Rhapsody, Napster, et. al.) support to handheld devices that previously didn't support it. But there's a major catch: this is for Palm devices, including fairly recent Zire, Tungsten, Treo, and LifeDrive devices. Meanwhile, my e805 starts to gather the proverbial dust since WMP10 (and Janus) will never be offered for it, despite the fact it's running the current Windows Mobile OS (2003SE). I find this situation highly ironic and depressing. Why can't: a) WMP10 be offered as a software install; b) OEMs continue to support interim WM OS releases; and/or c) ISVs offer a Windows Mobile software program that accomplishes the same thing as Pocket Tunes? I don't know the answer to any of these, and I'd love to; I've got a great Pocket PC and yet I can't use Microsoft's own technologies to their full potential unless I buy a new unit or be lucky enough to own a Palm. :evil: If anyone can shed light on this sorry state, I'm all ears.

[bbarker]

Windows XP computers are based on Intel processors and you can install XP updates on all of them. Why can't Microsoft use this approach with Pocket PC devices?

[Paragon]

Why can't: a) WMP10 be offered as a software install
I asked this question when we were at the last MVP summit, and got a lot of double speak....something to do with lawyers, I think....Surprise! ;)

be lucky enough to own a Palm.

You better hope Ed doesn't hear you say that. Yikes! :-)

Dave

[mangochutneyman]

I don't know the answer to any of these, and I'd love to; I've got a great Pocket PC and yet I can't use Microsoft's own technologies to their full potential unless I buy a new unit or be lucky enough to own a Palm. Evil or Very Mad If anyone can shed light on this sorry state, I'm all ears.

Here's a solution. Get Styletap for your PPC, install Ptunes and run it via Styletap and viola, you have janus-DRM on your ppc! :twisted:

[applejosh]

Well, Pocket Tunes is a third party program. Maybe some of the third party media player authors (eg. Pocketmind, Conduits) could develop products that support DRM. The only problem is that for all the trouble they go to for development, licensing, etc., they will only sell copies for older devices that can't be upgraded to WMP10 (and eventually that well will dry up as those people upgrade - they won't get any new sales). Palm developers don't have that problem since they aren't competing with the OS of newer devices (at least at this time).

[jlp]

It's déjà vu all over again 8O remember Office files.

And WM5 will only start to fill a tiny part of the gap 8O.

[Jeff Kirvin]

It's déjà vu all over again 8O remember Office files.

And WM5 will only start to fill a tiny part of the gap 8O.

I'm SO trying not to troll here. But it's nice to know everyone has troubles.

[elbowz]

Well I wouldn't feel too hard done by. I've just pensioned off my e800 for an XDA IIi that has WMP10 and frankly, it sucks! I've replaced it with the freeware Mortplayer which sounds and works much better. Unless you really have a need for DRM'd media I think you're better off without.

Is there anything on the PPC platform that matches Pocket Tunes ability to work completely through the nav-pad? I mean more than just the player interface too, Pocket Tunes will let you add, remove, amend and switch playlists without having to reach for the stylus...

[wocket]

I've just stuck the newest upgrade to my Orange C500 smartphone which includes WMP10. Some of the tracks I used to be able to play now crackle and stutter. But at least Orange offered me the choice to update.

*Upddate* The tracks play fine on the Axim.

I still think the Tosh E800's are a great machine's and although in the past i've had some diff's with mine which where thankfully sorted by Toshiba for nothing which was great.

[Ed Hansberry]

A third-party program is finally available to add Janus DRM (i.e., subscription music a la Rhapsody, Napster, et. al.) support to handheld devices that previously didn't support it. But there's a major catch: this is for Palm devices, including fairly recent Zire, Tungsten, Treo, and LifeDrive devices. Meanwhile, my e805 starts to gather the proverbial dust since WMP10 (and Janus) will never be offered for it, despite the fact it's running the current Windows Mobile OS (2003SE).
It isn't just a WMP10 thing. I have WMP10 on my PDA2K (it is part of ROM 1.4) and I can't sync subscription music from Yahoo's music service. They claim to support the Audiovox SMT5600 phone, but when I try to sync my PDA2K says the device isn't supported. :roll:
I'm SO trying not to troll here.
Too late (http://1src.com/?m=show&id=1145). Saying you are trying not to and then doing it is about as disingenuous as saying "man, I really don't want to poke you in the eye with this red hot poker here" and then DOINK!
But it's nice to know everyone has troubles.
Why? Because you are driving around in a beat up cobbled together dead end platform and you just got this shiny new spoiler that plays DRM content? :lol: I am glad you feel good about that. It is so rare these days for any good news to come from your side of the tracks. :way to go:
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2005/20050721-palmricer.jpg

[ddhsoftware]

Have to say (even as someone who likes both Palms and Pocket PCs) that this pic was too funny!! LOL

[szamot]

I never though that DMR was worth the trouble, because it is nothing but trouble. I gave up on trying to re-activate the MS Reader years ago, and have never been happier. Honestly though, if media companies were so concerned with people "copying" their property, why would they give you the tools to do so? Why would Sony, for example, sell you burners and blank media? Well because they are greedy like everyone else. You don't see Seagram’s, for example, selling home Vodka kits in the stores do you? While this does not prevent moonshine production it curbs it quite a bit. By the same token, I am yet to meet a single person who has bought a cd/dvd burner to make back ups and nothing else. DMR is a waste of time, because the companies that are trying to protect their content are too busy pushing their own agenda. And for as long as that is the case, the honest users will get punished and the enterprising will keep subscribing to their newsgroups. Now, a show of hands. How many of you here are Usenet addicts, don't lie? I bet at least half of you are.

[Marcel_Proust]

reader is not a good example imho because it's dmr gone horribly bad. Yahoo Unlimited Music is DMR done right. i have never had to reactivate and it fills up a 30 gb iriver quite nicely. I've heard similar things about Napster, but it's more expensive. if it can work as seamlessly on a pocketpc it might be worth having. if it works and is reasonably priced, it is nice to be legal.

I never though that DMR was worth the trouble, because it is nothing but trouble. I gave up on trying to re-activate the MS Reader years ago, and have never been happier. Honestly though, if media companies were so concerned with people "copying" their property, why would they give you the tools to do so? Why would Sony, for example, sell you burners and blank media? Well because they are greedy like everyone else. You don't see Seagram’s, for example, selling home Vodka kits in the stores do you? While this does not prevent moonshine production it curbs it quite a bit. By the same token, I am yet to meet a single person who has bought a cd/dvd burner to make back ups and nothing else. DMR is a waste of time, because the companies that are trying to protect their content are too busy pushing their own agenda. And for as long as that is the case, the honest users will get punished and the enterprising will keep subscribing to their newsgroups. Now, a show of hands. How many of you here are Usenet addicts, don't lie? I bet at least half of y
ou are.

[Scott R]

If it's any consolation, this version of Pocket Tunes seems to be exclusive to Palm (as in the company formerly known as palmOne) devices. It apparently won't work on Tapwave Zodiac or other non-palmOne/Palm devices. So the story here seems to be that palmOne/Palm was somehow involved financially in making this happen.