Real opens DRM-free MP3 store

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 Jun 2008 6:17 User comments (6)

Today, Real announced the beta launch of its DRM-Free Rhapsody MP3 Store, a completely different service then its current DRM-based subscription service.

The new store will sell MP3s and has already secured the full catalogs of all the Big 4 music labels. The store also promises to allow subscribers full-length previews of any song they want before purchasing while non-subscribers can preview up to 25 complete songs.

Giving the store another edge over rivals such as iTunes, Amazon and Napster is Real's exclusive connection to MTV, CMT and VH1. Facebook users can also access the service and individual songs directly using the iLike application.

The Rhapsody service will not however, offer re-downloads for misplaced music like Amazon does.

Pricing for the service is identical to that of Napster, with individual songs costing 99 cents and full albums usually priced at $10. The company adds "Windows-only subscriptions will remain in place and cost $13 per month for PCs alone or $15 for those who also want device transfers to Rhapsody-compatible devices."

<Crytek CEO speaks out about PC game piracy, again >DualShock 3 finally headed to Europe

6 user comments

11.7.2008 00:07

corn

Inactive

It's seriously a dream come true... I hope it's real. Although since all four of the big record labels signed it, it could be fake.

22.7.2008 07:00

ivymike

Send private message to this user

Member

From my experinces with Real Rhapsody, Rhapsody subtracts $10.00 US dollars from your bank account for a couple of days after you purchase a song. The $10.00 is returned minus the cost of the song after this period.

This still is bad for people with limited income or for people who have better things to do with their hard earned cash.

I will NEVER purchase a song from Real for this very reason.

32.7.2008 07:13

varnull

Inactive

^^ is that legal? They try that kind of trick on me and I will have them for theft of my money, and when returned I will want the interest that I have lost compensating also.

42.7.2008 10:55

ikari

Send private message to this user

Junior Member

Originally posted by varnull:
^^ is that legal? They try that kind of trick on me and I will have them for theft of my money, and when returned I will want the interest that I have lost compensating also.

I am sure it is because it would be written in the fine print of your user argreement that you "sign". Yahoo for fine print!!

52.7.2008 15:42

Matt555

Send private message to this user

Newbie

Sounds good! Now all they need to do is open their doors to the Canadian market, I wouldn't mind trying something other than iTunes, but I dont see me moving to the States for an online music service.

67.7.2008 14:59

nprfan

Send private message to this user

Newbie

No DRM, gleat, but enough with the MP3 clap alleady! Let's get into LOSSLESS DRM-free music. FLAC, etc. I never bought cassettes, and I'll never pay for lossy mp3's. ;-)

Comments have been disabled for this article.

	YouTube Premium starts showing ads to subscribers (13 Nov 2024 3:09) For years, YouTube Premium has been marketed as a way to enjoy an ad-free YouTube experience. But apparently, that is no longer the case, as Premium subscribers are now starting to see ads on the platform.
	Android 16 will launch sooner than expected (01 Nov 2024 6:45) Google announced that upcoming Android 16 will break the traditional once-a-year cycle of major Android launches. Next Android is poised to launch in Q2 of 2025, so Android 16 should ship before end of June, 2025.
	Winamp ends its "open source" project that wasn't really open source (20 Oct 2024 11:12) Less than a month after the legendary MP3 player Winamp made its source code public, the company has made a sudden U-turn and removed its code from distribution. 2 user comments
	Winamp released its source code - but didn't go open source (25 Sep 2024 12:38) The source code of Winamp has now been officially released. However, it hasn't become a pure open-source project, as its licensing terms prohibit the creation of new, different versions.
	Does your phone rattle? Here's why it happens (25 Aug 2024 8:30) When you shake your phone and hear a light rattle, clatter, or jingle, it's likely not broken. The culprit is probably the optical image stabilization (OIS) system in your phone's camera, meaning everything is functioning as it should. 2 user comments

	GUIDE: Wi-Fi speeds are slow? Here are some tips Having problems with Wi-Fi speed and stability at home? Here are some tips to follow to alleviate the issues. 1 user comment
	What IP rating for dust and water resistance means An IP classification (such as IP68) is given to mobile phones, Bluetooth speakers, and other devices, but what do these classifications mean? 1 user comment
	Does your phone rattle? Here's why it happens When you shake your phone and hear a light rattle, clatter, or jingle, it's likely not broken. The culprit is probably the optical image stabilization (OIS) system in your phone's camera, meaning everything is functioning as it should. 2 user comments
	What happens if you don't update Android? Sometimes it can be tempting to avoid updating to a new Android version. What happens if you decide to delay major updates to the OS?
	Guide: Phone battery drains quickly - how to fix (iPhone / Android) In this guide, we go through the most typical reasons for rapid battery drain with phones, and look at potential reasons or solutions.

Real opens DRM-free MP3 store

6 user comments

Latest news

Reviews

Guides

News archive

Subscribe

Sections:

Follow us:

	Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra review - obstacle avoidance doesn't work as it should, otherwise almost perfect robot vacuum We put the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra through a very, very long review process. The $1800 mopping robot vacuum is almost perfect, but its obstacle avoidance was surprisingly bad, considering the price - and compared to its competitors.
	Sharge x OnePlus Pouch review: Beautiful power bank that supports SuperVOOC charging In our review, we take a look at Sharge's power bank that supports OnePlus SuperVOOC quick charging technology as well as standard USB PD charging. It has small design flaws, but despite those, the Pouch is very nice product. 1 user comment
	Roomba Combo j7+ review - Clever trick allows robot vacuum finally to tackle home with rugs and carpets Roomba Combo j7+ is the very first Roomba model to combine robot vacuum with mopping features. And Roomba Combo j7+ does all that with a very clever trick, which tackles the problem with mopping and carpets. But is it any good? We found out.