Microsoft Lets Zune Subscribers Keep Tunes

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I kinda like this idea of letting Zune subscribers chose ten songs a month to keep at no extra cost when you use their $14.99 service. This means that, for the price of a CD a month, you get all the music you can listen to and you get to keep ten songs you like the most. I think all music services should do this, what do you think?

Microsoft Corp. is giving an early holiday gift to people who pay for all-you-can-listen access to the Zune digital music store: 10 songs to keep each month, included in the $14.99 monthly subscription fee.
 
That sounds like a good idea. I wonder how long it will take others to follow.
 
Wow, thats pretty awesome.

So you are essentially only paying $4.99 for the monthly service and buying 10 songs.
I really like this idea AND it may have just earned them a new monthly subscriber!!
 
YESYESYESYESYES!!! I knew I made the right decision when I bought my Zune.
 
Now this is very interesting...

Is the DRM removed from the 10 songs you decide to keep?
 
Now this is very interesting...

Is the DRM removed from the 10 songs you decide to keep?

If you read the article, it allows you to put it on MULTIPLE devices, so that tells me no DRM. It keeps track of what songs you "would" purchase, the 10 obviously, and that's it.
 
This is pretty damn tempting, since Ruckus + "other program" is a pain in the ass, plus I'm about 95% satisfied with my Zune.
 
I might have to sign up for a zune pass now. Sounds like a great idea to me.
 
If you read the article, it allows you to put it on MULTIPLE devices, so that tells me no DRM. It keeps track of what songs you "would" purchase, the 10 obviously, and that's it.

Not precisely. Currently, about 70% of the Zune marketplace is available as DRM-free MP3s. They expect to hit 90% soon. So, most songs will be DRM-free. However, the remaining 10% will remain, for the time being, DRM-laden WMA files.

What is meant by the multiple devices is that you are allowed a handful (I think 3) computers/Zunes to utilize your Zune pass on.

Also - not all tracks in the Zune marketplace are available with the pass to "subscribe" to, though the 10 tracks/month helps alleviate some of that hassle.

Finally - the 10 tracks is per month, use or lose. No rollover. I still plan to sign up (again) for a Zune Pass...but just worth mentioning.
 
Not precisely. Currently, about 70% of the Zune marketplace is available as DRM-free MP3s. They expect to hit 90% soon. So, most songs will be DRM-free. However, the remaining 10% will remain, for the time being, DRM-laden WMA files.

What is meant by the multiple devices is that you are allowed a handful (I think 3) computers/Zunes to utilize your Zune pass on.

Also - not all tracks in the Zune marketplace are available with the pass to "subscribe" to, though the 10 tracks/month helps alleviate some of that hassle.

Finally - the 10 tracks is per month, use or lose. No rollover. I still plan to sign up (again) for a Zune Pass...but just worth mentioning.

The article did state that they are in mp3 format that can be played on any device. So maybe the you are not able to get the DRM wma versions of songs this way. Although all that assumes that the auther has at least some idea what they are talking about.
 
All the movies and music on my Zune came from my CDs and DVDs. Couple days ago the new update hit, 3.1, they added more games and I no longer get the message “would you like to purchase this song”

So glad I passed on the iThing:D
 
The article did state that they are in mp3 format that can be played on any device. So maybe the you are not able to get the DRM wma versions of songs this way. Although all that assumes that the auther has at least some idea what they are talking about.

The article specifically says "in most cases." MS has specified "about 90%" in their announcements (see http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2008/11/20/the-new-zune-pass-your-questions-answered.aspx) And, this only applies to the 10 free songs per month that you get to download and keep forever. The songs downloaded as part of the subscription are WMA songs with full DRM (since it has to phone home once a month to verify your subscription is still valid - no current subscription, no listening to the subscribed tracks).
 
Damn, this is a good deal. I never looked into it before but this is very tempting.
 
Good move MS

Now fling out some TV ads to showcase this program and you'll have a flood of subscribers this holiday season.

I hope they dont forget to advertise this before the x-mas season... its already getting late... they should have executed and advertised this earlier :(

Stop the iSheeple and their backwards trend of stylized tech over better tech.
 
All the movies and music on my Zune came from my CDs and DVDs. Couple days ago the new update hit, 3.1, they added more games and I no longer get the message “would you like to purchase this song”

So glad I passed on the iThing:D

Yah, 3.0 and 3.1 were both good updates. Apple probably woulda charged $20 ea for them :p

I just wish gaming on the Zune 1 didn't obliterate it's battery life. Running Hexic will kill the battery in less then an hour, when normally watching an hour or so of video and the rest music it'll last all day.

I'm going to have to strongly consider this pass deal, it sounds great. I usually buy one new CD a month (which prompty gets ripped to my media server and tossed in a box) anyways so if they have the music I want, this would be awesome.
 
Is it lossless?

um most likely not. but i doubt any audiophile is gonna pay for one of these services anyway. if you want lossless just go out and buy the cd to do it yourself. this kind of thing is for those of us who want access to a lot of music and don't care (too much) about quality. but if they are 256bit mp3s or even hq wmas then i'm pretty much set. :)
 
It's either 320kbps MP3 (for unprotected tracks) or 192kbps VBR WMA (protected tracks). In reality - they're about the same quality-wise.
 
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