back to article Microsoft launches ad-funded Xbox Music audio streaming

Having failed to take on Apple and win in the music download business, Microsoft is hoping it can dominate - or, at least, stay relevant - with a streaming offering, this one free to users - provided they’re willing to accept advertising. With a library extending to some “tens of millions” of tracks in a catalogue claimed to …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Small Print PAH

    Frankly I can't see the point in yet another music streaming service.

    I have all the music I am interested in listeneing to on my server and most of it on my 5yr old iPod.

    I also don't see the point in using up my ADSL/mobile download quota in order to listen to stuff I probably have got anyway. The iPod is small enough to go with me pretty well everywhere. I walked most of the Pennine way in August. How would a streaming service worked on large parts of that when there is no mobile coverage at all.

    I have yet to come upon a library that has some of the early rock and rolld and blues I have on my iPOD. I transcribed these tracks from original 45's, LP and even a few '78's.

    It is monday and yes I'm a grumpy old 'git' who needs to 'get with it'.

    1. Tom 38

      Also "unlimited streaming"

      With no mention of 'caching'. With Spotify, the main thing is being able to 'stream+cache' entire playlists so I can 'stream' them where ever I am.

      Spotify even allows you to fill holes in their coverage with your own MP3s, and in most cases will happily even provide album art.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Really free?

    You need Gold membership for most things on the XBOX, which isn't free. Presumably this will be the same.

  3. James 51

    Youtube

    With this in the xbox there's not much need for anything else.

  4. Dante

    lol £9.

    That is all.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    sounds a bit like PS3's VidZone

    That's been around since 2009,But of course the Xbox one isn't free, you need to buy Xbox Live Gold...

  6. toadwarrior
    Thumb Down

    I assume a gold membership is required so you're paying to get advertisments with music.

    Screw that. Spotify is basically the same cost for ad-free music across any platform with an offline mode and if you're a developer, you get access to the API.

  7. Sporkinum

    The real 'tards

    The real 'tards are the ones that pay for Gold, and then pay for XBox Music.

    My Xbox360 has been replaced by an HTPC.

  8. Sp1tf1r3
    Go

    Cool :)

    ooo thanks El Reg....I just tried it (seems my £9 per month Windows Phone Zune Subscription account got automigrated over to XBox) and I can download music and stream to the Win 8 PC via the music app. So that means music in the living room via the Xbox, music on WP phone, music on the Zune, music on home PC and on my slate. Already downloaded 4 GB music....

  9. P. Lee

    or...

    play your music from your phone, advert-free, for free without impacting your download limit.

    All these music services seem to be "because we technically can" rather than, "because people want it."

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