Sony set to fulfil iPod killing dream – Prepares PSP music download service

"If one report on Brand Republic is to be believed, the service will also offer downloadable game and movie content to PSP users, with SCE bridging the service gap that has formed between Microsoft’s Xbox Live service and Apple’s increasing popular iTunes."

Isn't this what we were promised with the DS? Wireless updates and game demos?

I think that with their new anime division Nintendo could have a stab at this segment too.

I don't think at the moment that Apple has any kind of dominance in the audio download sector. There are so many other competitors, many based on Microsoft's WMA. I think that we will see Apple's digital audio revenue shrink in the next few years as it's own file format and increased competition for iPod take their toll.

At least these reports show that Sony is finally getting it's act together and working as one co-ordinated company. I'm looking forward to seeing this service and the way the PSP uses it in action.

If the PSP is a success, Sony will have secured a near monopoly in digital content (or at least a highly influential presence) for years to come. If it fails, then the top dog may begin to worry that they've take the word "convergence" too far.

One final point, does Sony have plans for a PSP mobile phone service? This would be the next logical step for an all-in-one portable device.

I tend to disagree. iPod is totally dominating the music download market. They currently have 70% of the market for legal downloads. Apple has made massive strides as a company. Everyone has been trying to knock them off their perch for 2 years now with no success. There have been so many so called iPod killers come out in the last year it's been rediculous.

I'm still not convinced the PSP is going to succeed long term, but they might hit on something, who knows? I think Sony is spreading their resources too thinly and it will hurt them down the line. Nintendo has been doing the handheld thing for ages and has succeeded, but let the ball drop on the console end.

Too right. Anyone who says Apple have no dominance in music download is misinformed. I can see them facing increasing competition, and I can see Microsoft forcing its WMA down people's throats so that Apple's AAC becomes marginalised - particularly since they are not licancing FairPlay to other providers.

But for now, they dominate.

But the PSP is no iPod killer. My shiny new iPod Shuffle is about 1/50 the size and 1/100th the weight of my shiny new PSP and I know which one I'll be taking with me when I want to listen to music.

But Apple really ought to get into the mobile movie player/recorder market. And they also ought to work with El Gato to turn the Mac Mini into a single box PVR with DVD recorder...

Ah, I knew it. The PSP is gaining on the DS in terms of sales, but the game sales are piss poor. Poor not just compared to DS, but for a new console in general.

And with the PSP games going down the financial crapper, you'll essentially have left what SCE was planning all along: A Sony Music/Movie Walkman combo. In a console's clothing.

Not that I'm a big fan of conspiracy theories ;D
Hey, whatever, SCE starts one of those every month. :P

Nice to hear you are enjoying your iPod Shuffle Doc, but I'd refrain from buying that line of players because of it not playing anything else but iTunes. Yes I know of the piece of softare that can bypass this, think it's called Playfair, which Apple quickly tried to stomp off the net.

Apple might lose the next round with video media players if they don't enter soon. It's very possible they wont' with iRiver and Archos already having their new VMPs out. With Sony PSP (and DS) joining the crowd shortly it's looking like Apple wanna sit this one out and opt to run with Mac Mini instead (yes, Mac Mini is a great idea though I know it's a different product).

I suppose the Sony Connect service could work okay for Sony and PSP, but how many will pay for the service and what will be on it music wise? How many young gamers will opt to use Kazaa etc instead to get what SC sevice doesn't have? Then there's the payment issue, how much for how long and what forms of payment? Sony has entered a new minefield with gold for the taking at the end, but will Nintendo follow them with DS?

///////////////

Check www.mp3players.co.uk for decent players if you don't have one yet.

We all know what happens when game sales are not good! companies decide not to make games for it anymore and stores don't stock them i should know i own a gamecube. PSP hardware is only selling well because of the shortage their just filling their back orders thats all

You're stating the obvious here... but what is your point. PSP is brand new, not even launched in US and Europre, it has at least four years of game sales ahead of it.




Garbage! I mean, complete, unsupportable opinion.

Not sure what you mean there Joji? It plays several file formats, including MP3, AAC and WAV. If you mean it only works with iTunes - that's true, but iTUnes is just about the best digital audio player/filing program, so why would that be a problem?

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/01/28/news_6117482.html

What are "tech-scuttlebutt's"?

By literal translation, that's:

tech-scurrybottoms

or

tech-bottomruiners

The latter one conjurs up some horrifying images in me head (make them stop!!!)

Heh. GameSpot's "rumor control" being the PR boy's bitch and all.

If I remember correctly , GS has stamped its pseudo-official "bogus" mark on numerous stories from this publication. Let's face it, if a story isn't backed by an official press release or blindingly clear paper trail, then unconsidered opinion and a quick phone call to the accused's US office, who basically says "OMG! That's just not true!" (which they're bound to, aren't they) are the basis of the decision. Nary a phone call or email to SPOnG to determine sources and evidence.

Strange then that the site doesn't run a "rumor control redux", where past decisions are revisited after the truth is out.

Perhaps SPOnG should start a "rumour control, control"?

:)

Do those GS kids every think to call anyone other than their buddies in the US? The Register's source is Brand Republic, a very well known UK marketing publication. Perhaps SCEE is happy to divulge its plans while SCEA isn't. Hmmm. That's a stratch - and a long-distance phone call for GS to verify. Bugger it - it's bogus.

Oh, and for GS to brand The Register as merely a "tech-scuttlebutt collector" is preposterous. The Register is a publication that demonstrably has more editorial talent in one of its writer's single hair folicles that the whole of the GS outfit.

AHHHHH.... they made a player that only works with their software so they are forcing a monopoly on the supply end buy using their brand recognition against us... EVIL EVIL EVIL!!!!!!

boy i hope microsoft joins in and stops this monopoly before its to late!! ;)

and yes, Bill Gates's dick tastes just like candy!

How dare they insult The Register of London, England?!

Register Fanboyism aside, The Register is well-known for being an authority on IT and I can't think of a situation where it's ever printed rumour as fact. Sure, it has rumours, but those are clearly marked as such.

Hardware in "only works with software designed to operate it" shocker! OMFG!


Hey, everybody an American who understands Irony!! :-)


Nasty Candy?

itunes is not a driver it is store, a program designed to sell people things, ipods are the only mp3 players that are locked out like they are. look out everyone, microsoft is going to incorporate digital rights managment software in windows... those whores!! why cant they be more like apple and force didgital right managment into stylish hip cool items, not those big ugly pc's, they are sooo icky!





the kind of candy that makes me feel a 2 dollar whore working the corner all night just to get my hands on a beta of long horn... mmmm long horn

No it's not a driver, it's not solely a store either. It's a music management, player and playlist editor. It also happens to allow you to connect to Apple's online music store, coincidentally called iTunes music store.

The player software was around well before the online store, so was the iPod. The three are not joined at the hip,they just work together in that Apple "just works" kinda way.

Nothing prevents you from downloading MP3s or AACs from other stores, or ripping them from your own CDs and importing them into iTunes then putting them on your iPod. It's not as if the only music you can put on there is music sold by Apple.

DRM is another matter. Music bought from iTunes music store can only be played in iTunes (on a Mac or PC) or on an iPod.

iPods aren't limited, iTunes software isn't limited, but to make sure they aren't used as a piracy vector, Apple put DRM into the music sold through iTunes Music Store. Sounds reasonable to me.

well color me retarded! ( i imagine the color of retarded to be a tiled image of george dubya bush)

thanks for the education. i was under the belief that the itunes store was released simultaneously with the ipod hook up software/music emanagment software. I still do not agree with putting the lock on the itunes music but its not as bad as i thought.

also i was wondering if you are able to remove music from your ipod to a different computer, because i thought that that was a limitation. Itunes music or not i didnt think it would copy stuff back on to my hard drive from a friends ipod. (isn't that what that fairplay software is for?) please feel free to further prove my ignorance if that is indeed the case.
thanks.

p.s. im not attempting sarcasm, i really just don't know.
________

Now that made me laugh!


I think it makes sense. Apple would never get any buy-in from the music publishers without it. Hence there would be no store.


While trying to piece together the facts about the FairPlay DRM scheme, I found this from Apple's website which just explains it all.


Apple iTunes Music Store

If you want to be "naughty" about it, I'm sure you could burn the music to CD as CDDA, then re-rip it to whatever format you chose and then share it with a few million of your closest friends.

Not that I would ever encourage you to do this, of course. Besides being illegal, the quality will always be less than a direct rip since Apple only do AAC@128kbps (equiv. to MP3@192kbps apparently). I personally rip my music using VBR with a high quality, quality and low size - nice.

HUMM has anyone not thought they already do this and have done for about 2 months now

Sony CONNECT = iTUNES (Killer)

does no one own a Network Walkman