CES: Microsoft Music Service and Entertainment

[mistuk]

Anyone else think that the 'G' in the URGE logo at urge.com looks a heck of a lot like the Quicktime 'Q' symbol??????

Kev

 

[iMeowbot]

So who would like to buy a second MP3 player just to be able to listen to the Urge songs,

They wouldn't, most likely, because they already have compatible players (their computers). It's primarily positioned as a streaming service for the home. It overlaps some with the Apple offering, but it's not really set up as a direct competitor.

 

[beatle888]

I don't know, I'm really not going to slam MS on their performance tonight. To me the technology they unveiled looks very exciting, even if it is from Microsoft.

I am excited to see what Apple rolls out next week, but am also excited we're getting Intel technology from now on too 🙂

Too little too late on the part of Microsoft I think..... I might be wrong though

all these posts by people concerned of how this will affect apples future. i felt the same way but then i read the following post...

When you have tons of players who will all work with the same services, and then the iPod that only works with one, then eventually the iPod will lose out unless the iPod or iTunes offers something you can't get anywhere else.

Now after reading that, i realized that if the above scenario did happen then apple would just have to adjust to work with other formats. if they did that then they can still offer superior software/hardware solutions and still take advantage of all those services that are "only windows compatible". apple can make their software compatible so that the "only windows compatible" services would also work on the OS we all love.

this solution would allow apple to let the coyotes feast and still keep the majority of the market for themselves. i think thats what will happen eventually. it has to. everyone else is going to break into the market eventually. so apple joins whatever the majority excepts as the standard format. they adapt and lose a few foot holds on the market but remains the best at solving problems by creative and careful thinking.

 

[dejo]

anyone else see how microsoft will be throwing some Xbox360 owners in the cold by offering HD-DVD support for their players? hmmmm.....

Microsoft is adding HD-DVD support via an external drive. I don't think current Xbox 360 owners will get too cold with that.

 

[windowuser82]

Bless me Jefus

anyone else see how microsoft will be throwing some Xbox360 owners in the cold by offering HD-DVD support for their players? hmmmm.....


they keep trying to screw everyone for cash and such, everyone I know around this area is getting sick and tired of microsoft

Apple, actually, tries to "score the cash". When a new iMac comes out, Powerbook.....what have you... Apple KNOWS Mac users are going to sell off that 4 month old computer. Not a bad move, very good business. Charging such a high price for the same system over and over and over KNOWING that; bad ethics. There is a line when it becomes greed and not innovation. Maybe this is simply a personal opinion but reading other Mac forums it's placed more-so in fact.

vista looks pretty and acts well so far, yeah. but whats going to happen when virsu's and everything else hits the table?

Norton, etc are going to "score the cash" this time around. Business breeding business.

10.5 needs to look prettier, be faster, and steal some of the cool little vista tricks it can do and make them better. so they can go "you have that well we have this too!"

10.5 needs to retain the same character it always has just as Windows needs to retain it's character.

microsoft is coming at us hard during the transition period. I'm sure apple is ahead of the game, but I don't want to look like a fool to all of the people who I have converted over to the apple side

Microsoft, just like Apple, is simply following pretty much the same exact release pattern as it always has.

Ya know... Windows and OS X are very much alike. Windows really didn't change that much from '95 - ME and from what I've seen, OS X really hasn't changed a great deal from 10.whatever to 10.4? dunno the exact current number. Both have gone thru a major overhaul ie: Windows 95 / Windows XP | Classic / OS X. Under the hood, tho, both have essentially updated the same stuff. File browser, packaged internet browser, program speed, supported hardware.....etc etc etc

 

[somairotevoli]

um, Netscape Icon?

 

[djdarlek]

???

Anyone else noticed that the 'Urge' logo uses a very weird 'G' font? Not too unlike that of the Quicktime logo..

 

[texasmafia]

I see the same Netscape icon. I don't know what the deal is with that. I'm sure it will change soon if it is an error.

 

[beatle888]

Ya know... Windows and OS X are very much alike. Windows really didn't change that much from '95 - ME and from what I've seen, OS X really hasn't changed a great deal from 10.whatever to 10.4? dunno the exact current number.

im not sure about this but 95 and ME are more of a full digit upgrade like from 7 to 8. the difference between 10 and 10.4 are just point releases.

 

[.Andy]

Anyone else think that the 'G' in the URGE logo at urge.com looks a heck of a lot like the Quicktime 'Q' symbol??????

Anyone else noticed that the 'Urge' logo uses a very weird 'G' font? Not too unlike that of the Quicktime logo..

It does look heaps like the Quicktime logo doesn't it? I at least hope they get smacked down by Apple legal for it. They are obviously going to put an accent on the 'G' as part of their marketing and recognition.

 

[animefan_1]

...Urge will be promoted through their Windows Media Player and appears to be Microsoft's answer to iTunes...

I thought MSN Music was MS's answer to iTunes. 🙄

 

[shadowmoses]

Urge will undoubtably fail as it is will not be able to compete with iTunes which has a firm foothold on music thanks to iTunes.......
So long as Apple keep one step ahead of competition and don't inflate there prices too high there will be no catching them, plus Microsoft dont have any successful iPod like device to make people use Urge//

Shadow

 

[iMeowbot]

Anyone else noticed that the 'Urge' logo uses a very weird 'G' font? Not too unlike that of the Quicktime logo..

And the QuickTime logo looks a lot like the much older 60 Minutes logo, which belongs to the same company as MTV 😀

 

[windowuser82]

im not sure about this but 95 and ME are more of a full digit upgrade like from 7 to 8. the difference between 10 and 10.4 are just point releases.

Instead of Windows 95.7, Windows 95.8 it became Windows 98, Windows ME. More creative name change.

 

[animefan_1]

im not sure about this but 95 and ME are more of a full digit upgrade like from 7 to 8. the difference between 10 and 10.4 are just point releases.

FYI:
Win 95 = Win 4.0
Win 98 = Win 4.1
Win ME = Win 4.9

Compare this to OS X which has probably had more advancements between 10.2 and 10.4 than the entire Win 9x/ME lineup.

 

[BlueRevolution]

windowsuser82, please don't get it started here too. the Mac vs. PC argument in the Yonah thread was quite enough. and I have to ask you, if you aren't interested in what Apple has to offer... why are you here?

you're not wrong in comparing the history of Windows to that of Mac OS, but you have to look at the whole picture. Windows XP was released in 2001. I'm not sure exactly when Mac OS X was first released but I would guess around 2000. both revolutionized their respective platforms, with more attractive UI and a host of new features (or in Windows XP's case, simply making up for Windows ME). and both were fatally flawed. the difference is that since then Apple has released three entirely new versions of OS X, each more stable and impressive than the last (10.0-10.1 was more patch than anything). by contrast, Windows users have yet to see a single OS update, patches aside.

is it an attempt by Apple to "score the cash" by selling a new OS every year? now when OS X costs a fraction of what Windows does.

now can we get back on topic? if you want to bash Mac, I suggest you make a thread for it.

 

[animefan_1]

...
So long as Apple keep one step ahead of competition and don't inflate there prices too high there will be no catching them, plus Microsoft dont have any successful iPod like device to make people use Urge...

I don't know why people think Apple's going to voluntarily raise prices. Steve has been fighting to keep prices where they have been since the iTMS started. Why? Because he knows [some] people will stop using online music. Of course, it won't hurt the iTMS's marketshare because everyone in the industry would have to raise their prices. If only Apple had to, Apple should be able to complain that the record companies are trying to hurt Apple's business model.

 

[50548]

Move along...

Everytime we see a new boring "keynote" by Kill Gates et al., we see people showing up and declaring "now it's time for Apple to die!!"...no, guys, not really.

I think that the OS-licensing demon has already been exorcized a long time ago, and the huge success of Apple with iMacs, PowerBooks, iPods and all related paraphernalia has more than shown that...it's time for you to stop predicting the "demise" of Apple because some new technology is out there. Apple is among the top computer makers for a long time, even though people think that its 3% worldwide means nothing...

No "Urge" shop will take on the iTMS for now, because it's exactly the perfect integration between device, software and lax DRM that makes it so successful.

MS has been pushing this Media Center concept for years, and so far few people have shown any interest; Apple is known for finding the PERFECT timing in technologies, introducing or re-presenting them when consumers are finally able to enjoy that...we have seen that with the 3.5" Drive, the CD-ROM, USB, FireWire, music players, Video on music players, digital video and a lot more...

DVR is NOT the next "revolution"...people are mobile, and don't wanna be stuck to living rooms forever; perhaps TiVO is popular in the US because people there love to hang around a TV set...elsewhere it's just a distant and unknown nightmare, just like any other DVR or Media Center initiative. But having said that, Apple will come up with something far better than Windows for Media Centers...as always.

Contrarily to what some people said above, Vista is not "cool" and it's NOT competition for Apple...it's just a beta copycat of OS X, and only appeals to persons that haven't seen Apple's OS. Apple retains the edge because MS needs to copy them anyway; otherwise MS stalls like traffic jams on a big road...they DON'T know how to innovate. Apart from cryptic technologies that geeks will use, please show me one or two things where Vista prevails or is completely original...no, there are none.

As for the XBox, it's just a fight for Sony and Nintendo, not Apple. MS loses money on it, and we haven't even seen yet the PS3 and the Revolution...MS will have a good run for its money, trust me.

Apple has everything to take over the computer world again, with the best and fastest notebooks, and already THE most powerful desktop, the Quad...I couldn't feel better about it.

 

[brentonbrenton]

vista is catchup, thats obvious.

we have the dashboard like gadgets already, we have the spotlight searching, we have the document previews in the dock. maybe we need some further refinement, thats what 10.5 is all about.

the expose solution they demoed is horrible. why go into the 3d-whatnot mode and still have to scroll through the windows. apple's expose beat them to the punch, all windows, all at once.

they only thing that was of brief interest was the laptop outer lcd, but then again - aren't most of the notificatons it displayed (new email notification, calendars etc), already handled by most ppls cellphones?

 

[windowuser82]

windowsuser82, please don't get it started here too. the Mac vs. PC argument in the Yonah thread was quite enough. and I have to ask you, if you aren't interested in what Apple has to offer... why are you here?

you're not wrong in comparing the history of Windows to that of Mac OS, but you have to look at the whole picture. Windows XP was released in 2001. I'm not sure exactly when Mac OS X was first released but I would guess around 2000. both revolutionized their respective platforms, with more attractive UI and a host of new features (or in Windows XP's case, simply making up for Windows ME). and both were fatally flawed. the difference is that since then Apple has released three entirely new versions of OS X, each more stable and impressive than the last (10.0-10.1 was more patch than anything). by contrast, Windows users have yet to see a single OS update, patches aside.

is it an attempt by Apple to "score the cash" by selling a new OS every year? now when OS X costs a fraction of what Windows does.

now can we get back on topic? if you want to bash Mac, I suggest you make a thread for it.

Ok.... I'm going to say this so I don't get another private message or something saying the same thing. I didn't start a "WIndows v/s OS X" fight. What I originally stated, and you CAN go back and check this, was simply my opinion about the market validity of OS X and it's ability or lack OF to become a mainstream player. My statement was taken out of context by the typical abused-mac-zealot and used as some insane defensive b.s.

Microsoft has not only updated XP but came out with 2 other operating systems; Media Center and XP 64. I suppose the 10.1 - 10.4 thing is really put into place when realizing that.

"Score the cash" statement - Apple makes, produces and sells OS X AAAAAAAAND the hardware, Microsoft only has the software (the ******** intellimouse crap and the occasional keyboard really do not factor in) Apple charges pretty much the SAME exact price for each NEW AND EXCITING INNOVATION! What was the great leap? Going from a 32 mb video card to a 64 mb. "Oh but it dropped 100 dollars!" Any earthly IDEA what Apple made last year, PROFIT, from iPod sales alone? How about taking some of that massive profit and drop the iMac prices down so they would be MORE competitive?

As far as bashing Mac or Apple..... I don't. I am simply discussing MY point from MY advantage relating to MY profession and constantly being STOPPED by insane "oh you're hitting us" crap from other forum members.

This rant, yes, a tad bit bitchy but I am so sick of the private messages, etc, going hay ****ing wire over crap they have created in their own mind simply because of my forum handle windowUSER(not fan)

Edit:

if you aren't interested in what Apple has to offer... why are you here?

Well, princess|prince (which ever is valid) I am a trader currently heavily invested in Apple and contemplating on purchasing a Mac (which I doubt I will, this may be childish but, just based on the s*** nature of some posters I'd rather burn my balls with Sno-Bowl than plunk down cash just to try something different) If you or any of the others who have literally bombed me with comments like yours would have taken the time to read the little profile and, most importantly, pay attention that almost every post was related to the market aspect of Apple/OS X/Mac/ I WOULDN'T HAVE TO RANT LIKE A MAD MAN!

 

[nimbus]

Microsoft is adding HD-DVD support via an external drive. I don't think current Xbox 360 owners will get too cold with that.

Oh they won't, but consider how much adding all this crap to the 360 is costing. It's already $600 for the system, online stuff, and just to be able to play. Add the HD-DVD external piece...how much will it be? $99? $199?
The PS3 is far cheaper than 360, not to mention its more powerful with better perks. I won't mention games since that's a matter of opinion. But Xbox 360 has lost. Once PS3 comes out, it's already won in Japan and millions worldwide are waiting for it. 360 will be lucky to keep 3rd place...
🙄

windowsuser82, please don't get it started here too. the Mac vs. PC argument in the Yonah thread was quite enough. and I have to ask you, if you aren't interested in what Apple has to offer... why are you here?

Hehehe, "window washers"...
🙄

 

[rolandf]

So-far the winner is Intel

In deed, so-far it seems Intel is the winner. And if Apple does not really get special preferences from Intel, it makes no sense for them to
abandon the PowerPC platform at all.

Instead they should try to build something around a second version of the Cell as-well. In the future programmers have to face devices with many cores anyway.

Remember, MS has now both platforms!

Therefore Apple should stay flexible!

 

[50548]

Oh they won't, but consider how much adding all this crap to the 360 is costing. It's already $600 for the system, online stuff, and just to be able to play. Add the HD-DVD external piece...how much will it be? $99? $199?
The PS3 is far cheaper than 360, not to mention its more powerful with better perks. I won't mention games since that's a matter of opinion. But Xbox 360 has lost. Once PS3 comes out, it's already won in Japan and millions worldwide are waiting for it. 360 will be lucky to keep 3rd place...
🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄

That's what Windows fanboys can't realize...MS is through, not only with its OS, since most corporations will NOT change to Vista soon...and switchers will NOT move back to Windows or whatever.

In the console arena, XBox is already gone at the moment PS3 and Revolution show up...what is left, then? MS Office, perhaps.

 

[aafuss1]

I also noticed MS demo'ed a new version of Flight Simulator (looks stunning-wish X-Plane would match it).

 

[cablecartman]

Urge.com running Sun Webservers

It seems ironic that Microsoft is running a Sun Webserver product on urge.com (checkout favicon). Surely they trust IIS to keep up with demand 😉