RealNetworks, makers of streaming audio and video software, have
just signed a deal with Nokia:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/59/24408.html
I'm prepared to be convinced that streaming audio could be really,
really big on phones, though not at the current prices. According
to Daniel Scuka (yes--much as I hate to admit it, I learned something
from his talk last night), current wireless music fees appear to be
running 300 yen per song plus 15 yen per minute. So an hour of
listening to five-minute pop songs is going to run me 4500 yen.
Ouch! That's not going to wean me off of radio.
You've got to wonder why the per-song fee is so expensive, too.
After all, radio stations obviously don't pay anywhere near 300
yen per person per song for broadcast rights.
Incidently, The Register has started a section devoted to mobile
Internet coverage. You can find it at
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/59/index.html
(Though from the looks of it, this link may change from time to
time. There's always a button off the site's main page, though.)
cjs
--
Curt Sampson <cjs_at_cynic.net> +81 90 7737 2974 http://www.netbsd.org
Don't you know, in this new Dark Age, we're all light. --XTC
Received on Thu Mar 14 06:36:50 2002