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We all love to hate Sony. Sure the PS2 rocked our world, but mostly Sony loves to screw us over. Like how instead of releasing a super-cool MP3 version of their famous Walkman, Sony spent years dinking around with their proprietary and rarely used Atrac3 format. And let’s not forget how Sony lovingly infected our computers with root kits. Or how Sony changed the DRM in Blu-ray discs bricking older Blu-ray players.
So when I heard that Sony-BMG was finally dumping DRM and was releasing MP3s I was shocked. But I assumed Sony in their infinite wisdom would find some way to screw it up. Unfortunately, I was right. |
While other labels are conveniently releasing DRM free ACC files on iTunes and MP3s on Amazon, Sony has this convoluted procedure:
First, you should never have to follow a convoluted procedure to buy an MP3 on the internet. It has to be easier than P2P or it’s toast. Second, you should NEVER have to leave your house and drive somewhere to buy MP3s on the net. Never. Ever. God, that’s just a given. Third, I’m sure glad Sony doesn’t run my local pizza parlor:
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They’re only hurting themselves.
They probably lift fingerprints off the gift cards and then sue the shit out of you for having MP3s of their stuff.
What a stellar fuck-up!
They are just proving it could never work… that way.
Sony new motto seems to work as a guide for other companies to avoid
Muahahahahahahahha! Sony, you guys really don’t like to make money.
P.S. Loved the PizzaPass analogy, LOL!
#4 is right in a way.. they will use the failure of this as “people don’t want DRM free mp3’s” and yes, they do think we are that dumb …..
Its a SONY
Remember those ads? Today it has a different meaning than before.
Cheers
#7 phiend – Yes unfortunately most of the buying public is that dumb. Marketing execs the siths of the world.
Cheers
Nothing new about this at all, it’s standard Sony behaviour. MiniDisc, SDDS (surround sound), UMD (PSP disc format), Memory Sticks… always got to try and create their own standard. Even when they have an advantage, as they did with Betamax, they screw it up with anti-competitive practices, just like Apple did with Firewire. Suffice to say that I don’t buy Sony, ever.
I think #7 is close to the truth. This is an internal battle within Sony and someone has set this up to fail.
Or maybe they’re afraid of being sued by their distribution chain. This way the retailer gets a piece of the 12.99 and hopes to sell you a latte while you’re there.
Alas there is a way to easily download DRM free Sony music…
The people at the top, the executives in Tokyo who these abortions are the handiwork of, are all in their 80s or 90s. I understand the Japanese reverence for age and experience, but it’s waaay past time – for the actual survival of the company – to push the senile bastards over the side and hope it’s not too late. It really would be a tragedy for Sony to go belly-up, they create and produce so much tech that runs from state-of-the-art to bleeding-edge, and no one company could possibly replace them.
It’s their decision-makers who are totally out of control.
Sony re-invents sneaker net!
Sony could take a page from Apple’s book.
It really amazes me that the company that brought the world the Walkman STILL hasn’t gotten portable music right in the 21st Century.
Pizzas are not subject to copyright and do not fit through the internet so you are comparing apples to automobiles.
I was boycotting Sony before it was all the new cool thing. Word!
Can you say….DOH!!
We NOW have a NEW business model…Based on What HOMER Simpson would SAY…
DOH!!
If it dont work, DOH!, we did it to ourselves.
If it DOES work, and is SWAMPED, its DOH!
Why didnt we think of this before?
Why did we LIMIT the number of selections?
WHY arent we making money, LIKE THE OTHERS??
DOH! The NEW business model.
sony sucks, whats new?
OK,
why DID they do it this way??
HOW ABOUT, dealing with credit card companies…
CUT the OTHER guy out. NO FEE’s… They dont get charged for access to INTERNATIONAL credit card CORPS, that take Fee’s out of the sales.
#17 hello there – “Pizzas are not subject to copyright and do not fit through the internet so you are comparing apples to automobiles.”
Hello there, not correct as you missed the point!
So here it is. 😉
In the beginning, years ago, the only way to buy music was to go to a shop that sold music, on vinyl records.
To buy a pizza one would need to go to a shop that sold it, much the same way in buying music. Hmmm…
Moving along our evolutionary path we humans developed the means of buying a pizza while not having to go anywhere. Pizza delivery was born! Beer delivery, sadly has yet to be developed 🙁
Moving further in our evolution it was soon possible to eliminate the physical vinyl record and replace it with its electronic digital analogue and by means of the Internet it was possible to buy music with the same convenience as one would buy a pizza.
Music does not need to be a physical object, like pizza, to be enjoyed it only needs to be heard. An electronic digital form of pizza is currently not possible, but rest assured someone is working on it.
So yes, while Music and Pizza are dissimilar both in form and how they’re enjoyed their purchase has the same level of convenience… unless SONY has its way.
Perhaps SONY advocates non-evolutionary processes… so might we see vinyl records reborn? Oh yeah, it is… Ok, Eight Track Tapes then. 😉
Cheers
The most interesting thing is that Sony will eventually tell that it is piracy which is responcible for the lack of sales.
That becomes a standart explanation of screwed business models from companies…
“Or how Sony changed the DRM in Blu-ray discs bricking older Blu-ray players.”
Dear God man, that’s not even close to being accurate. Are you drunk or just high?
Do some research on AACS, which is shared by Blu-ray and the now defunct HD DVD.
Sony seems to be the poster child for the “Not Invented Here” mindset stereotype. Japanese companies do not seem to be far behind.
God, are you an idiot or what?! Please cite the exact copyright code which requires the purchase of a gift card before music can be bought online. Guess what, there isn’t any code or statute or caselaw. The copyright issue is irrelevant because all the other major labels manage to sell their copyrighted music on the internet without a convoluted process.
Furthermore, pizzas can be ordered conveniently via the phone (or the internet) much in the same way MP3s can be conveniently ordered via the internet on Amazon. Therefore, the analogy stands.
Nope, I have the ability to read. Why don’t you try it yourself at this link.
Here’s a good quote:
Mmm… Sony changed its DRM making Blu-ray players “incapable of playing back the discs at all”…. sounds like bricking to me. The fact that firmware updates may have later fixed the problem, after consumers were forced to install those updates, does not change the fact that the machine was bricked for weeks for some people.
This is why I support my local record shop and buy cd’s (sometimes records even). Used mostly, but I get music without any B.S., it’s cheaper per album, AND (most importantly) I am putting my money in the hands of a local business I can trust. Also don’t forget about selling back cd’s. Some stores have a policy about turning back in albums you buy that you get almost all your cash back (minus 2-3 bucks)
Ah sony… *sigh* this is why I’m slightly sad about blu-ray apparently winning the war for studio support. I don’t have anything invested in that issue either.
I mean… worse specs, poorer freedoms, more expensive, less features… it’s more of the same from Sony. Yet still people buy their crap.
Oh well.
all u sony bashers a phony this is a phoney. all these pll are fake. This is a great thing for the masses who dont even know they can get Mp3s for free. Now instead of SJ getting money evey 5th time u want to hear a song (i dont have itunes isnt that how it goes tho?) well u get the idea. i put linux on my iPOD now its the master. bottom line DRM is not cool. u really think they wont sell on line too????