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iriver clix
URGE integrates tightly with Windows Media Player 11

MTV today announced its URGE online music service which is destined to take on the overwhelming dominance of Apple's iPod/iTunes dominance. The URGE music service was developed in conjunction with Microsoft's Windows Media Player 11 and aims to displace the somewhat misguided and unfocused music services currently offered for Windows-based media players through Windows Media 10.

URGE is built directly into Microsoft's new Windows Media Player 11 software (an official beta download is available for testing here) and will initially offer over 2 million tracks for download. Customers will be able to download single tracks for 99 cents apiece or choose from two tiers of monthly subscription service. $9.95 will give you the ability to download unlimited tracks to your PC, however, you would only be able to listen to them on your PC. The $15.95 plan allows you to also transfer the music to a compatible media player -- iPods get no love with WMP11 and URGE. Users can immediately begin a 14-day free trial of the service with unlimited music downloads. No credit card is required to sign-up for the trial. While the initial version of URGE will only support music downloads, it will be expanded to video downloads in the coming months.

As for Windows Media Player 11, the new interface for software application is quite a break from the largely text-based columns of Artist/Album/Track Number/Track/Genre/etc. With my music library neatly organized with Apple iTunes, I have to continuously scroll through page after page of music to get to whatever album I'm searching for. With Windows Media Player 11, I can organize my music and peruse through my collection using my album covers as a guide; nifty touch. Other niceties include simplified navigation using Instant Search, audio fingerprinting for advanced metadata tagging and new audio formats including Windows Media Audio Professional and WAV Lossless.

Also launching with Windows Media Player 11 and the URGE online music service is the new iriver clix 2GB media personal media player. The iriver clix features the ability to playback music, video and photos. The device has a 2.2" color screen along with a built-in FM tuner, integrated voice recorder, USB 2.0 connectivity and up to 25 hours of battery life. The iriver clix is available now from iriver's online store for $199.

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If I don't use it does it slow me down?
By rklaver on 5/17/2006 6:53:33 PM , Rating: 2
So does this mean since this is built into WM11, that I'll have a bunch of extra services or a bloated media player to slow my puter down?

At least with itunes I can exit the app, but if I had to play all of my content through it, it would suck.




RE: If I don't use it does it slow me down?
By tuteja1986 on 5/19/2006 5:18:39 AM , Rating: 2
I actually like media player 11. It fixes a lot of issues i have had with all the other Media version. They have tweaked it a lot and changed the interface and also its more like a jukebox than some Mp3 player with dismantle Services. It works perfectly with my Ipod with the crappy hacks : ) and also Music library is one the best i have seen in any Player i have used. Most of all it really works well with my Ipod and much better than itunes.


RE: If I don't use it does it slow me down?
By rklaver on 5/19/2006 12:40:47 PM , Rating: 2
really? The article says the "ipod's get no love." Do tell.


By freon on 5/21/2006 7:25:54 PM , Rating: 2
It gets no love from the URGE music service, not WMP 11 itself.


this cracks me up....
By kattanna on 5/17/2006 3:02:42 PM , Rating: 1
"URGE is built directly into Microsoft's new Windows Media Player 11 software ( an official beta download is available for testing here) "


NICE....baseing your pay for service on BETA level software

and while most computer users are using XP, not all are..or even windows for that matter





RE: this cracks me up....
By epsilonparadox on 5/17/2006 3:26:56 PM , Rating: 2
um yeah...this news is for the other 90% of the world that does run windows


RE: this cracks me up....
By TomZ on 5/17/2006 4:46:52 PM , Rating: 2
RE: this cracks me up....
By littlebitstrouds on 5/17/2006 5:00:57 PM , Rating: 2
Only becaused the word actually must I correct you... it's 94%.


MTV
By Mudvillager on 5/17/06, Rating: 0
RE: MTV
By littlebitstrouds on 5/17/2006 2:56:34 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
MTV = the source of all crappy music.

Not to mention the destruction of any real culture that my generation could have had. What the left in their path were countless non-thinking drones. Funny thing is they seem to think we're smarter because we listen to their crappy political and social ideals.

This is one 23 year old that grew up on this crap and wants nothing to do with it.

P.S. Like the MTV the channel... this service will start with music playing and in 5 years we'll be using URGE7: the music program and URGE1-6 will be crappy programming


Xbox 360
By epsilonparadox on 5/17/2006 2:24:28 PM , Rating: 2
This might be the first step to offering a comparable service for the XBL to compete with Sony's music service on playstation network.




Buffet to Go
By smilingcrow on 5/18/2006 8:05:27 AM , Rating: 2
What’s the big deal here, another Napster style all you can eat music buffet subscription service!

I’m not a fan of WMP, but at least MS allow you to play protected WMA files using other media player software. I actually like iTunes as a player, but I wouldn’t buy DRM’d music from the iTunes store even if I owned an ipod, due to the very limited range of software & hardware that support the format.




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