Microsoft waves Zune Pass at UK Yet another internet music subscription and sales service has tipped up in the UK, this time from Microsoft. It's called Zune - and on offer is a Spotify-like MP3 and music video download service called Zune Marketplace and a subscription service for £8.99 delivering "unlimited downloads" and streaming access to a big music …
US ZunePass users get unlimited access to all the songs available to the service as long as their subscription is current, but they also get to download 10 tracks a month that they keep even if they end their subscription. For people who listen to a wide range of music, it works pretty well.
So, for just under a tenner a month, I get unlimited streaming (not the same as unlimited downloads). And then, only to my XBox or Windows PC (alright, not my XBox and PC, but someone who owns them).
What exactly do I get that I can't get for free from Spotify and/or Last.fm? The latter of which definitely has an XBox client, and the former may well do.
I can see exactly nobody taking up this stunning offer.
Zune. A failed device. Why not call this new service:
Inland Revenue (in fact, any Govt controlled) computer system
Sinclair C5 or QL
HD drives
Vista ...
There are a billion names they could have chosen, to name it Zune smacks of blind stupidity. Then again, I thought "Wii" and "iPad" were laughable ...
The US service gives you unlimited streaming & downloads while you subscribe to the service, but allows you to have 10 tracks per month that will continue working if you end your subscription. This is what is lacking from the UK offering.
"What exactly do I get that I can't get for free from Spotify and/or Last.fm? The latter of which definitely has an XBox client, and the former may well do."
With regards to Spotify, unlimited ad-free streaming to PC, mobile (well, WP7 or Zune hardware) and Xbox. Spotify only offers free streaming to PC, which is only unlimited if you previously subscribed or have an old Free account. And it's cheaper than Spotify, though you get better mobile device choice from Spotify currently.
Last.fm isn't really the same service - you can't really choose a playlist of specific tracks.
"More cash gouging from Microsoft. I'm sure Xbox fanboys will lap it up at an addition £8.99 a month ontop their existing Xbox Live charges."
Cash gouging? The cost of Zune Pass is pretty standard when compared to other similar services. This isn't just for Xbox Live subscribers.
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