“The race to bring digital music to the Web is on — and it’s picking up pace. The latest sign comes Dec. 5, when RealNetworks is due to announce that its Rhapsody music service will be rebranded as Rhapsody.com and made available to any user with a Web browser. That’s a switch from the current setup, which requires users to access music online through a dedicated software application,” Arik Hesseldahl reports for BusinessWeek. “Making Rhapsody available via the Web also means it will be compatible with Apple Computer’s Mac OS. That’s the latest salvo by RealNetworks in an on-again off-again compatibility war with Apple. Having initially sought an agreement under which songs from the Rhapsody service would be compatible with Apple’s ubiquitous iPod music player, Real went ahead and made its songs compatible with the iPod anyway. This naturally drew Apple’s ire, which accused the Seattle-based outfit of “hacker tactics.” Apple didn’t immediately comment on Real’s latest move. Currently, songs bought via Real’s Rhapsody are still compatible via Harmony, a translation system that makes them playable on an iPod. But that could change at any time. Apple regularly issues updates to the software that runs the iPod.”
Full article here.
“Rhapsody.com will give any user that registers access to stream 25 on-demand songs every month at no cost. Rhapsody subscribers can stream an unlimited amount of music via the Web site. In addition to providing streaming music, Rhapsody.com will also give users access to streaming Internet radio,” Jim Dalrymple reports for Playlist. “Premium subscribers using Rhapsody Unlimited ($9.99 per month) and Rhapsody To Go ($14.99 per month) will also have access to their accounts via Rhapsody.com.”
“Currently the Web site does not allow Mac and Linux users to purchase and download music because it relies on the Windows Rhapsody client for that functionality. RealNetworks would not comment on when, or even if, a Mac client may be available,” Dalrymple reports. “‘We are not talking about dates when we would deliver the full client,’ said Karim Meghji, RealNetwork’s vice president of Music Services. ‘As we take this step to deliver Rhapsody to more platforms, we will listen to what customers have to say and have that partially guide us to where we will go.'”
Full article here.
“The new online version of Rhapsody will have most, but not all, of the features of the downloadable older version, which will still be available. Unlike the older version, it will also be compatible with Macintosh and Linux-based computers, however,” John Borland reports for CNET News. “Listeners will be able to search the database of 1.4 million songs and make a playlist of up to 25 songs for free. Playing the songs will pop up a small music player in a separate window. Paying subscribers to the service can listen to unlimited amounts of music through the Web-based version. However, they will not have the same ability to download songs to their hard drives or MP3 players, or manage the other music on their computers.”
Full article here.
“RealNetworks Chief Executive Rob Glaser said the company won’t be disappointed if most people using the Web-based service choose only to listen to their free allotment of songs, rather than buying a subscription,” Allison Linn reports for The Associated Press. “‘If it turns out the vast majority decide they want to listen for free that’s great because the Internet advertising market is doing pretty well, too,’ he said.”
Full article here.
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Ya… buffering… wn.
Related articles:
PC World review gives Real’s Rhapsody music service 2 stars out of 5; ‘just didn’t work’ – May 06, 2005
Time Magazine article about RealNetworks’ Rhapsody makes no sense – April 27, 2005
RealNetworks says ‘Harmony’ hack once again compatible with all Apple iPods – April 26, 2005
The Motley Fool: RealNetworks’ new Rhapsody ‘is still largely on the sidelines of the music war’ – April 26, 2005
RealNetworks launches new Rhapsody services, gives away 25 songs per month – April 26, 2005
Real CEO Glaser calls Apple ‘deceptive’ with iTunes Music Store – March 07, 2005
Real CEO pitches to half empty room at tech symposium; Apple draws standing-room-only crowd – February 25, 2005
RealNetworks’ CEO Rob Glaser grabs 3 of top 10 spots on ‘Dumbest Moments in Business 2005’ list – January 31, 2005
RealNetworks ‘Harmony’ stops working on iPods but nobody notices for a month and a half – December 15, 2004
Real’s CEO Glaser: ‘Harmony’ hack legal, Mac lovers are very sensitive to Apple criticism, and more – September 14, 2004
Analyst: Rob Glaser’s ill-advised war against Apple ‘is going to bite RealNetworks on the ass’ – August 30, 2004
RealNetwork’s CEO Glaser crashes Apple’s music party – July 30, 2004
Real CEO Glaser: Steve Jobs’ comments on Real ‘not succeeding’ are ‘ridiculously humorous’ – April 29, 2004
NY Times: Real CEO Glaser was close to having ‘iPod’ before Apple, but let it ‘slip through his fingers – April 24, 2004
Real’s CEO Glaser: Apple’s iPod/iTunes combo ‘threatens to turn off consumers’ – April 20, 2004
Jobs to Glaser: go pound sand – April 16, 2004
Real CEO Glaser begs Apple to make iPod play nice with other music services – March 24, 2004
Real CEO Glaser: ‘iTunes is only going to be used for playing songs you bought using the iTunes store – January 16, 2004
Gosh, this streaming audio idea is lame.
Move along folks… nothing to see here…
This could be very useful. I’ve bought a song or two at iTMS that weren’t quite the version I expected. Now Rhapsody could be giving me a free full-length preview of a song before I buy it … at the iTMS.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
cough
rolling over
going back to sleep…
Whatever happened to High Fidelity?
Streaming and Real are 2 of the ugliest words when put together… damn those buffering messages.
Now I can finally stream thousands of songs and copy them all with Audio Hijack, in exchange for one low monthly fee, and then cancel my subscription after one month! Yay!
Keith,
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The Devil made you do it, didn’t he?
And you know, Glaser is probably paying at least a few cents for each of those free 25 streaming songs each month, so all loyal MDN users should certainly sign up for their 25 free streams, because Glaser has clearly still got too much extra cash lying around.
It doesn’t even work! When I go to rhapsody.com and try to start the free service, I am greeted with:
Rhapsody is currently offered only on Windows operating systems. Please check back later, and thanks for your interest in Rhapsody.
I am using the Safari 2.0.2 and OS X 10.4.3.
Why do the songs sounds so flat and hollow? I don’t think I would even want to listen to music of that quality.
i’m too lazy … err no, too busy … to go check: what quality are the files they are streaming, and at what rate are they streaming them? I worry that their files are already compressed, and then being streamed at a low rate resulting in a massive ball of audio suck
This could put a wrench into my AudioHijack plans …
/Why does Real hate America?
“The race to bring digital music to the Web is on…”
I’d say the race is pretty much over. My girlfriend’s 82-yr-old grandmother has a nano and d/l’s songs onto it weekly from iTunes…
we will listen to what customers have to say and have that partially guide us to where we will go
*Chuckle* – I’ll tell you where to go….
Best… buffering… MDN Take… buffering… EVER!
Do I really want to download and install the “Rhapsody Music Engine”?
Oi.
Real.
I mean, really.
MDN word: saw – as in: Could we see Rob Glaser in Saw III?
Well, here’s the latest kick in the pants. Went there to stream one of my favourite Frank Zappa albums (You Are What You Is) and got this message when I clicked on “Play”:
U.S. Only
We’re sorry. We have detected that you are outside of the United States. This service is currently only available to residents within the United States.
I didn’t see that mentioned in any of the press releases. I guess Real can’t figure out how to stream across the US/Canada border or something….
sheesh.
MDN word: “them” as in: “You can’t teach them anything….”
Still says “Rhapsody is currently offered only on Windows operating systems. Please check back later, and thanks for your interest in Rhapsody.”
USA only. hmmm ..
Let’s play with it and see if we can’t defeat that sucker. Could someone in the States please post a functional URL for some music from the Rhapsody browser player? Maybe we can get in if we simply have the correct addy? Any song or album will do.
I’d just love to mess with those guys. ahahaha. (Safari>View>Address Bar)
i hate to say it but Rhapsody is a lot better the iTunes in many ways..
Careful, there, bobb – even if you “hate to say it”, many more assertions like that and you’ll likely hate having said it.
Care to provide any examples of what you feel is “better”?
But it’s a fact that you can’t listen to the so called ‘free’ songs from the iTMS unless you open an iTMS account. The reason you can’t listen to the ‘free’ songs without an iTMS account is because you can’t download the ‘free’ songs without an iTMS account .. but that’s another consideration.
everything is organized better… like hip-hop/rap goes into more detail(gangster, west, dirty and so on)
it gives background info on everything (history of all the genres..)
things like that..
mrmikey–
I’m sure you can fix that problem with a proxy.
bobb–
“everything is organized better… like hip-hop/rap goes into more detail(gangster, west, dirty and so on)
it gives background info on everything (history of all the genres..)
things like that..”
I can top that. Just take all the hip-hop, rap, and country, and put it in a category called “Crap.”