“Virgin Group on Monday is set to launch Virgin Digital Red Pass, the latest choice in the increasingly competitive field of comprehensive subscription music services,” Reuters reports. “In addition to its library and package of editorial and other features, Red Pass undercuts other services by offering unlimited access for $7.99 a month without a contract.”
Reuters , “Users can choose from more than 2 million tracks representing at least 15,000 record labels… All downloaded tracks can be transferred to portable music players that are certified “Plays for Sure,” which includes many devices that can play songs in Microsoft’s WMA format. Apple Computer’s iPod devices are not compatible with any subscription service… One of Red Pass’ unusual features is that users can let their subscription lapse, yet all of their downloaded music and options will be restored when the account is reactivated. Additionally, all purchased tracks will be replaced free, should a user’s computer crash or be lost or stolen within a year.”
Full article here.
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Another music subscription service that, while beginning to address current services’ shortcomings, also suffers from the iPod-incompatibility kiss of death. Virgin Electronics already tried and lost with their “iPod killer” last March, demonstrating their massive lack of stick-to-itiveness and showing just how quickly they are willing to cut and run from their failures. We wouldn’t want a subscription for anything from a company known for jumping in and out of businesses looking for hits and knifing their many misses. Most likely, this is a main reason for not offering a contract; Virgin knows that they might not be around long enough to fulfill the term. This is likely an attempt to compete in the “also-ran derby” to see who can win the battle for Apple’s iTunes Music Store’s table scraps. Hardly an inspiring goal.
We would like to see Apple institute a policy of guaranteeing songs, so that in case of loss, customers can get their songs replaced within a year. Apple knows exactly what we bought and when we bought it. We’ve already paid for it, so let us download it again, if our hard drive takes a dirt nap and we’ve haven’t backed up in awhile or whatever. It’s a nice feature and iTunes Music Store should have it already.
Related articles:
Yahoo doubles its subscription music prices – October 21, 2005
Piper: Napster, Yahoo, MSN, Real fighting for small slice of Apple iTunes Music Store’s pie – September 16, 2005
Microsoft ‘Plays For Sure’ logos don’t always guarantee your music will play for sure – July 06, 2005
Study shows Apple iTunes Music Store pay-per-download model preferred over subscription service – April 11, 2005
Apple’s iPod has blood on its Click Wheel: Virgin Electronics is dead – March 08, 2005
Microsoft debuts ‘PlaysForSure’ logo to signify incompatiblity with Apple iPod, iTunes Music Store – October 15, 2004
Granted that they are competing with iTunes. and much luck to them for trying. but stop making it sound like it is they are intentionally excluding iPod users
That’s not the point, which is that Virgin chose to enter a crowded field on the losing side. They didn’t have to get into the music download business, and presumably they knew what they were getting into.
I’ll guarantee this: If Microsoft introduces their own line of portable players, it will require a new version of WiMP that won’t be compatible with existing services, and a new sticker that says “Plays For sure Only On Microsoft Players.”