Pocket Tunes Deluxe v3.1 Released with DRM Support
NormSoft has announced the availability of Version 3.1 of its audio player Pocket Tunes Deluxe. This new version will support the playback of content from online music providers that use Microsoft's Windows Media 10 digital rights management (DRM) for delivering content, including Rhapsody To Go, Napster To Go and Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
Pocket Tunes Deluxe [BUY] is an advanced audio player for Palm OS based handhelds and smartphones. It provides music playback of MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, and PCM WAV formats as well as certain wireless streaming media.
With subscription services like Rhapsody To Go, Napster To Go and Yahoo! Music Unlimited, users have access to over a million songs that they can take with them on their portable Palm device at no extra charge using Pocket Tunes Deluxe. Subscribers can load and reload their Palm portable device as often as they like with new songs. In addition, Pocket Tunes Deluxe also enables Palm customers to play and enjoy permanent music downloads purchased from online music stores.
Ken Wirt, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for Palm, said, "This new version of Pocket Tunes Deluxe really opens the door for Palm product users to listen to their DRM-protected music on the go. Pocket Tunes' great user interface and rich feature set embody what Palm products are about -- the ability to easily take your digital information with you wherever you go."
Pocket Tunes Deluxe Version 3.1 is available today for $34.95. LifeDrive owners get a special upgrade price of $24.95 and can access the offer from the Installation CD they received with their LifeDrive mobile manager.
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RE: DRM Nightmares
I would suggest that you lobby Steve Jobs first. I'm sure Normsoft and a hundred other developers out there need no convincing.
C
RE: DRM Nightmares
Much as I'd love it to happen, I don't think it'll happen anytime soon. I remember Apple had said it made little, if any profit from iTunes; they use it as a loss leader to sell iPods which make the money for them. Therefore it's unlikely they'll license iTunes access for a competitor's own product, especially something like the LifeDrive.
I acknowledge that the above explanation doesn't quite fit with Motorola's iTunes phone, who knows what's behind that arrangement? I suspect the iTunes phone is an insurance policy for Apple or may be the first sign of further joint devices from the two. I also suspect that neither NormSoft nor Palm can't afford the licence fees Apple may be demanding for iTunes access.
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"What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight � it�s the size of the fight in the dog" - Dwight D. Eisenhower
RE: DRM Nightmares
Lifedrive users...
Q2: Does $24.95 upgrade to deluxe version apply to those that have the Free extra CD from Palm? That's highway robbery, isn't one of the extras on that CD the Full Deluxe version of Pockettunes, if so, that's like paying twice...once by Palm, Inc. and now endusers. If it only applies to those Lifedrive owners that didn't get the free Cd, then this second question is moot.
This is still after all a 3.x release, not to say 4.0 where upgrade fees is justifiable...
RE: Lifedrive users...
So far, this update is doing everything they promised. Music is good, no stuttering, crossfade is working smoothly. Still a delay when clicking to a new song, and still no hardbutton support, but otherwise, it's a pleasure.
RE: Lifedrive users...
Well, it isnt because it has 'extra features' and isnt a 'bugfix version'. If this is true, it is an absolute disgrace imho and Palm should do something about it...
I'm sure things were easier before they became more simple
Tungsten T, Lexar 256Mb, Mac G4Ti OSX
RE: Lifedrive users...
Anything is better than RealPlayer though :)
RE: Lifedrive users...
WONDERFUL! I'm guessing I'll have to hard reset the LD and reinstall from scratch to get PocketTunes back. Thanks Normsoft! Great of you to warn us! I'll really pay you money now!
Obviosly I don't care about Windows Media DRM, I just hoped it would fix the static problems.
RE: Lifedrive users...
Amazing that TCPMP is the only program to not only acknowledge the issues, but actually do a work around for them. And it’s Open Source software by a developer with no vested interest in selling Lifedrives!
RE: Lifedrive users...
The same happened to me. Since it did not fix the static issue, I have not interest in shelling out $25 for the same thing with the same problems. I first need to see a patched version of the Lifedrive bundle Pocket Tunes before I even consider purchasing the Deluxe version.
RE: Lifedrive users...
If Normsoft didn't consider it financially rewarding, they should have decline Palm's deal in the first place. Since they have, they should provide a good working (even if lite) version, and bug fixes should be free...nobody asking them to provide the DRM or WMA portion for free, but at least fix the static and stuttering issues.
Maybe Palm should consider Aerodrome's Aeroplayer, Electric Pocket's Busker, Dioplayer, or TCPMP next time around if Normsoft will make it hard for Lifedrive customers...after all, it was included for Lifedrive to compete better with Windows Mobile devices, but the lite version leaves much to be desired, and is just marginally better than the previous free Real Player...
RE: Lifedrive users...
I asked about this months and months ago when I bought PTunes for the TE. It's an *OS* issue. Yet Another PalmOS Stupidity.
RE: Lifedrive users...
> >>>and still no hardbutton support
>
> I asked about this months and months ago when I bought PTunes for
> the TE. It's an *OS* issue. Yet Another PalmOS Stupidity.
Sounds more like a developer's excuse.
M.Potter
A developer
RE: Lifedrive users...
While Normsoft has been pretty good about their customer service, I have to agree with you on this. Once I suggested that they integrate some hard-button support for things like opening playlists, etc., and they said they couldn't because it was an OS limitation. Puhlease, half of my programs have the option of redesignating the hard buttons. The workaround can't be all that tough.
"Yet Another PalmOS Stupidity."
As in "YAPS, the Treo 650 'upgrade' has even LESS memory than the 600!!"
or
"YAPS, I can't program my hardware button to the program I want!!"
RE: Lifedrive users...
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DRM Nightmares
iTunes has truely set the standard for online music services, that the other music providers are struggling to even begin to compete with. iTunes also offers the home user more choices for playback - supporting network streaming to up to 5 workstations as well as "Airport Express" wireless music devices. It is a shame that there is no legitimate way to play those iTunes downloads (there is a sneaky trick available through Pocket Tunes main competitor - but it does involve surgically stripping the DRM out of your iTunes downloads - so is of dubious legal standing... but it works well, even when my Palm T3 is simultaneously running TomTom Navigator 5!)
So perhaps we should lobby Normsoft to consider investing in Apple's DRM technology, and let's really remind those iPod owners what a (very nice but) one trick pony they own!
Perhaps then the Palm community will be able to comfortably and legally play their iTunes music files wherever they like without having to buy a THAT apple music player.
Hmmmmm.
KultiVator
From the centre of rural Britain
(That doesn't make me a UK Redneck)