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May 15, 2006 12:55 PM PDT
Public gets peek at Windows Media Player 11
Last modified: May 15, 2006 4:03 PM PDT
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Microsoft plans to make the beta of Windows Media Player 11 available for free to Windows XP users on Wednesday, but some consumers got an earlier look by scooping up a portable device optimized for the new jukebox.
The new media player is Microsoft's latest attempt to unseat Apple, whose sales of both music and digital music players have consistently outpaced those of competitors.
Microsoft says despite Apple's big lead, the competition for online music supremacy isn't nearly over. Redmond's strategy is to attract the enormous number of people who have yet to buy a digital music player, says Geoff Harris, product unit manager for Windows Media Player.
"Remember the digital market represents only 5 percent of the total market," Harris said "That means that 95 percent are still buying in traditional means. At the end of the day, this (segment) is still in its infancy."
Although the official launch of the media player beta isn't expected until Wednesday, consumers could find the software inside iRiver's Clix digital music player, which went on sale Monday.
The Inquirer.net also was offering free copies of WMP 11 on its site.
For this go-round at challenging the tight grip that Apple's iTunes and iPod have on the music market, Microsoft is trying a swarm approach, choosing to partner with powers inside the music industry--aiming to offer a hipper alternative than it has in the past--as well as with hardware manufacturers. The software company has teamed with music icon MTV and its new subscription online music service, called Urge, to help attract fans. Urge was available on Monday, but it won't make an official debut until Wednesday.
The partnership with MTV is not exclusive. Microsoft's software will also work with music services MSN Music and Napster and will be featured in several other devices, including those made by Samsung and Creative. And although this is Microsoft's attempt to have services, software and players that more easily work with one another, it still doesn't work with the leading player--Apple's iPod.
WMP 11 will be available both for Windows XP and Vista, but on different timetables.
The beta that Microsoft is making available for download on Wednesday is of Windows Media Player 11 for Windows XP. Windows Media Player 11 has been in beta testing--as part of Windows Vista--for several months, though until Monday, the Urge service has not been available.
Video:
Windows Media Player 11 reviewed
Microsoft's best answer to Apple to date?
The Vista version of Media Player 11 will have features not in the XP incarnation, though Microsoft has not said which features will be in which versions.
Vista, due to launch next year, is in limited testing now, with a broader test version expected to be made available to about 2 million testers this quarter.
WMP 11 has, so far, received favorable reviews (click here for comments from CNET.com). And even though it doesn't work with the iPod, WMP 11 includes several features to help it compete with iTunes.
First, the software is designed to make it easier to scroll through long music libraries. WMP 11 identifies music with photos of album covers. On iTunes, music lists are identified by text only, meaning a user must wade through long blocks of type.
The software also includes a sort of gas gauge that indicates visually how much room is left on a portable player for additional music.
MTV's Urge is integrated into WMP 11 and offers more than 2 million songs, which are available for 99 cents apiece. Users also have two subscription-service options, one priced at $9.95, the other at $14.95.
The software will also be included in the Windows Vista operating system, due to launch next year. The final version of WMP 11 is due to ship later this year.
CNET News.com's Ina Fried contributed to this report.
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hip. And this won't work with the massively cool iPod.
I don't see this as a big thing at all... I could be wrong, but I
wouldn't bet on it being anything more than just another attempt.
edge" of technology? I mean heck Mr. Gates got lucky through a
legal blooper way back when with IBM.
So here he is again, trying to make some money taging along
like he normally does on someone elses idea. And many people
call this inspirational technology? I think it's an absolute shame.
So, let's see now..Apple came with the GUI OS, then Windows
copied the GUI and marketed it as "their idea", Apple came with
QuickTime, then Windows came later with WMV. Nintendo or
Sony came up with the game consol like playing system, then
Windows follows that band wagon and makes XBox. Apple then
came with the iTunes music store and a remarkable player called
the iPod. Now Windows in all their mighty foresight, has decided
to come up with a iTunes killer application with it's partner in
crime MTV (input snooze button here).
When are people ready to give this Washington State company
the boot? Nothing innovative, nothing original, nothing we
haven't seen before, yet people continually flock to this
behemoth company? Why, I just don't see the reasoning.
Oh wait until you see their next OS Vista...OMG, can you say
"carbon copy" of OS X? Yet people will again think it's innovative
and state of the art, when it's nothing more than a rip-off from
another companies ideas.....(IE vs. Netscape comes to mind too).
Enjoy.
Get a grip.
somehow has album art attached to it?
I mean... has the writer of this article ever used iTunes? Bueller?
I dunno, maybe I've got the double secret probation version of
iTunes that's only available through magical means installed, but I
sure as heck am looking at album art, not just "lines of text".
Apple on the other hand has it's music service all handled by one company, has limited subscription and mostly pay as you go, connects with any iPod seamlessly, and offers an easy and intuitive way of moving music to your player.
If microsoft really wanted to make an impact on Apple's dominance, they need to focus on consistancy and ease of use. Apple was able to sell 35 million iPods last year just based on those two principles. Microsoft should be making their own players with similar interfaces (pc and music player), and not rely on the "buy from a player from your chioce of 4000 different companies, cross your fingers, and hope it works" philosophy.
been done before. So what exactly is all the fuss? What the hell
is new?? Low and behold its just another Itunes. Big deal!
Just wish they would be more diligent and responsible with Vista
as well or atleast honest with its customers.
Truth is. Who needs another service? Especially one thats
branded with the MS logo. Sheesh like I want to give Bill Gates
more money. This guy was born with a silver spoon in his
mouth.
I say boycott MS products today, this article is just another
marketing spam for MS. I'm sick of seeing anything Microsoft
without seeing any hardcore evidence that their actually coming
out with something revolutionary.
CNET needs to grow up and stop spreading this filth.
store and 99 cent downloads?
Sorry kids, but it's just too late now. You had you're chance early
in the game and you blew it, big time. Even now, this isn't much
more than Microsoft's latest attempt to push it's proprietary drm
software, yet another sheep in wma clothing. Problem is that it's
Windows OS only, and the even bigger problem is no iPod
compatibility.
Which begs the question: What are these guys (and for that
matter, cNet) thinking? Everyone is simply going to ditch their
iPods, trash their iTunes software and REPURCHASE over ONE
BILLION SONGS already bought and paid for via the iTunes Music
Store ?
At this point in the evolution of digital music downloads, if your
just gonna try yet another knock-off of iTunes and the iPod, and
offer NOTHING in terms of added value (or frankly, any
perceived value whatsoever) or advanced useful features that
Apple doesn't offer, you're little endeavor is stillborn.
When these clowns come up with something that's truly creative
and unique, wake me up. Low-impact isn't even accurate,
laughable is more like it.
Am I supposed to understand iTunes shows no covers? Or that iTunes is hard to navigate? And that in WMP this all will be a breeze?
Well, I don't know, but up 'till now it has been the other way round, so we'll see...
1. Microsoft launches initiative to unseat iPod.
2. Creative, a Microsoft partner, sues Apple for patent violation
and seeks an injunction against sales of iPod.
I wonder if this is a coincidence?!
If I was ever going to actually pay for music, I wouldn't get it off of an online store. I would go out and buy the album and rip the songs because then I OWN them, I'm not just leasing them.
What kind of crap are these music companies trying to get away with?!?! Telling us that they want our money but don't want to give us a product?!? Not that they really have anything good to offer. The quality of music is hitting an all time low in the history of music. Hopefully everything will cycle and we will see better music being produced in 30 years from now, if we're still around.
Where's the innovation? Nothing new comes out of Microsoft anymore. It's all yesterday's technology/ideas updated with more labels, packaging, and re-branding.
Microsoft is quickly - with Firefox and Apple chipping away at market share - losing support from all kinds of people, even those who have been with them since birth. I used a Windows machine since 1992 when I was in 2nd grade. When Firefox and Thunderbird first came out, I all but uninstalled IE and Outlook. Then just late last year I made the switch to an Apple computer.
Microsoft already lost me. How many more do they have to lose before they start innovating.. something - anything at this point?
- No XP 64 support
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by grangerfx
May 20, 2006 11:38 AM PDT
- Like most of Microsoft's software betas, WMP 11 does not suport Windows XP 64. The same is true for Windows Live One Care. This should be no surprise considering the difficulty of simply purchasing Windows XP 64. It is unfortunate that Microsoft is neglecting its only 64 bit operating system. Other than lack of Microsoft software support, it has performed extremely well for me.
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