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Music companies bank on digital vending machines

A digital music "vending machine" of sorts, music kiosks let users browse, buy and download tracks from an Internet-connected unit that they can then either burn to a CD or transfer to an MP3 player.

 

New versions support Bluetooth technology, which would enable buyers to transfer content wirelessly from the kiosk to certain mobile phones. As for downloading to a portable device, kiosks suffer from one major setback — the lack of interoperability with the iPod.

 

Only unprotected MP3s and tracks bought from the iTunes Music Store can play on the popular iPod; the tracks sold by kiosks are protected with Microsoft Windows technology, and thus are unable to be transferred to the market-leading iPod.



Jared Moya
I've been interested in P2P since the early, high-flying days of Napster and KaZaA. I believe that analog copyright laws are ill-suited to the digital age, and that art and culture shouldn't be subject to the whims of international entertainment industry conglomerates. Twitter | Google Plus






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