WMP11 Leaked and Released, Microsoft Launches Music Store, Mobile Device Support Improved?

[Janak Parekh]

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. :) <br /><br /><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/download/download.aspx"><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20060517-WMP11.jpg" /></a> <li> <b>Microsoft announces WMP11, which is leaked, reviewed, and released:</b> 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; <a href="http://www.publish.com/article2/0,1895,1962246,00.asp">Publish</a> and <a href="http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/wmp11.asp">Windows Supersite</a> are two of them. Since then, <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/default.aspx">Microsoft has released the beta</a>, 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.<br /><br /><li> <b>WMP11's Improved Mobile Device support:</b> As mentioned in the previous bullet, one of the significant areas of improvement is mobile device support. Arne from the::unwired <a href="http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3057">lists the new features</a>, 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 <i>better</i> 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<br /><br /><li> <b>Microsoft's and MTV's new music store, URGE:</b> Alongside WMP11 is the new Microsoft music store, <a href="http://www.urge.com/">URGE</a>, 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 <a href="http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20060511.html">talked about last week</a>), 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.)<br /><br /><li> <b>What about a new version for Windows Mobile?</b> 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 <i>guessing</i> 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.

[Clinton Fitch]

In general, I like the look &amp; 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).

[guinness]

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.

[sapibobo]

One question, do the installation of WMP11 beta need Microsoft activation? WMP10's doesn't need that.

[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.
Yawn.

[Darius Wey]

One question, do the installation of WMP11 beta need Microsoft activation? WMP10's doesn't need that.

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.

[Janak Parekh]

WMP11 looks nice, but as for URGE: Yet another digital music service for North America only = Complete Waste of Time for Everybody Else.
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

[sapibobo]

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?

[Darius Wey]

Does the installation need internet connection?

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.

[ctmagnus]

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...

[inteller]

WMP11 looks nice, but as for URGE: Yet another digital music service for North America only = Complete Waste of Time for Everybody Else.
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


yeah, because in other countries they still believe in fair use.

[Janak Parekh]

yeah, because in other countries they still believe in fair use.
Nice sound byte, but no. Australia just passed legislation (http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/music-to-the-ears/2006/05/13/1146940775897.html) to legalize CD ripping, for instance.

--janak

[Ed Hansberry]

yeah, because in other countries they still believe in fair use.
hahahaha!! fair as defined by the country in question. or is "fair" when france tells apple what it can and cannot support or when china is fair with other's intellectual properties.

nice bumper sticker slogan, but like most bumper stickers, it has more style than truth.

[theone3]

yeah, because in other countries they still believe in fair use.
Nice sound byte, but no. Australia just passed legislation (http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/music-to-the-ears/2006/05/13/1146940775897.html) to legalize CD ripping, for instance.

--janakYeah. Actually, we were forced thanks to the US Free trade agreement. No doubt your RIAA had something to do with that. Prior, listening to a CD was practically illegal, but no-one cared, because our rules were so out of date that they weren't being enforced. Essentially, it used to be that using pirated materials was so common that there was no enforced law, but distributing got you a hefty fine. Now the USA has forced Australia's hand by putting in laws that are relevant, prevelant and therefore restrictive.

[Janak Parekh]

Yeah. Actually, we were forced thanks to the US Free trade agreement. No doubt your RIAA had something to do with that.
By no means am I a fan of the RIAA, and I'm not saying that the legislation passed is actually any good, but I was replying to the assertion to the notion of fair use (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use), which is at least somewhat grounded in law.

Prior, listening to a CD was practically illegal, but no-one cared, because our rules were so out of date that they weren't being enforced.
Of course, there are RIAA equivalents in Australia that could have pushed for complete criminalization as well. The music cartels are running scared and as such are trying to take over. But that's a discussion for a different time and place. ;) Heck, this whole subthread of fair use has little to do with the subscription discussion at hand.

--janak

[starrwulfe]

Tried the WMP 11 beta.... looks good... then noticed that whatever runtime it uses, broke my ASX encoder I use with ORB....

Tried every trick in the book to get it back, but in the end, I had to use System Restore to get back to WMP 10... encoder works again...

Microsoft had better get thier act together soon before Apple does! I know its just a beta, but damn, this is something that never changes!! Then encoder hasn't changed since WMP 8!

Meanwhile my whole office just went Mac, and I've got a new MacBook on the horizon along with a copy of PocketMac to sync my PPC6700... I-tunes may be the "trendy bandwagon" people with no tech sense whatsoever jump on, but its that way because it just works.... without hiccups, bloops or blunders.