AfterDawn: News

Sony resurrects its Connect music service

Although they closed down the service last June, it seems that Sony BMG is looking to resurrect its Connect music service.

Sony CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz has confirmed the launch of what users are calling "Son of Connect", a service which gives unlimited access to the label's catalog for about €8 per month.



Making the service more interesting is that if a subscriber quits the service then they can still keep some of the downloaded music. The songs will also be playable in non-Sony devices.

No other labels have joined into the service as of yet so the general consensus is that Sony will fail for the third time in a row.

Sony's first digital store, PressPlay, failed due to high DRM restrictions and a Limited catalog. The original Connect was only supported on Sony's own ATRAC players and had crippling DRM as well.

---

Get regular news updates from AfterDawn.com by subscribing to our RSS feeds using the Subscribe button below. If you have been living in a cave for a few years now and don't know how to use RSS feeds, then Click Here to read a Guide on how to use RSS (and other) feeds.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 29 Mar 2008 17:43

• Previous article

• Vivitar announces new DVR565HD HD camcorder

• Next article

• iPhones coming to New Zealand?

• 20 comments

• ammad123

  hehe, 1st comment! lol
  
  no, but i wanna say i s, well..it's kinda off topic but wat the heck i'm gonna say it!
  
  Apple iPod!
  
  ryt , isn't it jus the most frikkin anoying thing ever built , i mean.. how hard cud apple hav posibly made it for the user to put music into it!! !! !! grrrr..
  
  yh u can once u no (realplayer,itunes) , but y nt just a simple Drag and drop method? any1 know tht? cuz i dnt!
  Tht suks, and plus i dnt know how to use frikkin iTunes, it's so complicated ,and intimidating! i hav vista on my laptop so nw i cant transfer my music into my iPod through realplayer.. i hav to use iTunes , and i dnt know how to use tht frikkin excuse for a software.!!
  any1 tried puttin any pictures into an iPod? its a nightmare!

  29.3.2008 21:50 #1

• DXR88

  Ressurect. man so its like a Zombie online service.
  
  MMM... MUSIC.... Uhhggg....
  
  drm.... ugghhhh

  29.3.2008 22:03 #2

• WierdName

  Some companies realize when a business venture is just plain stupid and will fail, and therefore through in the towel... But not Sony.

  29.3.2008 22:30 #3

• Ryu77

  Originally posted by ammad123: hehe, 1st comment! lol
  
  no, but i wanna say i s, well..it's kinda off topic but wat the heck i'm gonna say it!
  
  Apple iPod!
  
  ryt , isn't it jus the most frikkin anoying thing ever built , i mean.. how hard cud apple hav posibly made it for the user to put music into it!! !! !! grrrr..
  
  yh u can once u no (realplayer,itunes) , but y nt just a simple Drag and drop method? any1 know tht? cuz i dnt!
  Tht suks, and plus i dnt know how to use frikkin iTunes, it's so complicated ,and intimidating! i hav vista on my laptop so nw i cant transfer my music into my iPod through realplayer.. i hav to use iTunes , and i dnt know how to use tht frikkin excuse for a software.!!
  any1 tried puttin any pictures into an iPod? its a nightmare!First of all, when setting up iTunes, I find it best if I set it to organise my files manually. I also enable disk use. These settings can be found on the "Summary" tab after you click on your device (found on the left on the window under "DEVICES").
  
  Once you open iTunes, on the left of the window you will see categories under "DEVICES"...
  
  Click on "Music", you can then drag and drop music onto the iTunes interface, which is then automatically transferred onto the iPod.
  
  Click on "Movies", and you can do the same... etc.
  
  In regards to pictures, click on your device again and open up the "Photos" tab, show the iPod where you pictures folder is and press sync.

  30.3.2008 02:30 #4

• nobrainer

  A failed sony service that is doomed to failure again.
  
  Its a rental service with tracks that expire after a given time, so its sony (DRM) time, as usual. $8 a month for mostly manufactured crud like:
  
  B*Witched, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears,Westlife, 'N Sync.
  
  oh sony, you know good music!
  
  
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  
  How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

  30.3.2008 04:59 #5

• H0bbes

  People never cease to amaze me. From this: Quote:Sony resurrects its Connect music service
  
  29 March 2008 16:43 by DVDBack23
  Although they closed down the service last June, it seems that Sony BMG is looking to resurrect its Connect music service.
  
  Sony CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz has confirmed the launch of what users are calling "Son of Connect", a service which... we get to this: Quote:Apple iPod!
  
  ryt , isn't it jus the most frikkin anoying thing ever built , i mean.. how hard cud apple hav posibly made it...<blunt troll sarcasm> ;-) This is a discussion of Sony's potential stupidity, not a discussion of itunes. That can be found here.
  </blunt troll sarcasm>
  
  </ipod discussion>

  30.3.2008 14:30 #6

• DXR88

  Quote:People never cease to amaze me. From this: Quote:Sony resurrects its Connect music service
  
  29 March 2008 16:43 by DVDBack23
  Although they closed down the service last June, it seems that Sony BMG is looking to resurrect its Connect music service.
  
  Sony CEO Rolf Schmidt-Holtz has confirmed the launch of what users are calling "Son of Connect", a service which... we get to this: Quote:Apple iPod!
  
  ryt , isn't it jus the most frikkin anoying thing ever built , i mean.. how hard cud apple hav posibly made it...<blunt troll sarcasm> ;-) This is a discussion of Sony's potential stupidity, not a discussion of human incompetence with using itunes. That can be found here.
  </blunt troll sarcasm>
  
  </retarded ipod discussion started by douche who can't type>Knock it off! No personel attacks. if you have nothing nice to say than say nothing at all.
  
  Now i dont think this service is up to the task, however i do believe it may have a chance if they remove the DRM. thats all they,
  have to do. believe it or not there are people who lisen to Nsync, B.S.(britiny Spears), And Back Street Boys

  30.3.2008 15:09 #7

• Ryu77

  H0bbes, yes you are right... ammad123's post regarding his iPod troubles were off topic. However, the fact that I helped him should have been seen as the right thing to do as hopefully now he will have no more problems. The way I see it, I had two options. 1) I use a post telling him that he shouldn't have posted here and redirect him to a more appropriate thread, or 2) I make a quick post about how to use iTunes.
  
  Either way, I had to post something off topic in order to get this thread back on track. Which do you think is the more efficient option? I believe option 1.
  
  I do need to question why you felt the need to be sarcastic as your post is no more favourable to the topic of the thread than his. In actuality, ammad123's at least served the purpose of helping out with iTunes. What did your post do?
  

  
  
  "Dream... Believe... Achieve"

  30.3.2008 17:50 #8

• SDF_GR

  ontopic
  I believe that sony is targeting to get this to PS3/PSN too.
  
  offtopic
  I agree with H0bbes post,
  Originally posted by Ryu77: What did your post do?He just said the truth, how things are, no one can blame him for that.
  he also gave a help link.

  30.3.2008 18:16 #9

• Ryu77

  SDF_GR, what are you talking about? The truth is H0bbes directly insulted ammad123, which is clearly against forum rules.
  
  It was my post that provided help to ammad123 in the first place. There was absolutely no need to carry this conversation any further. What is the benefit of providing a link for something that I already answered? I had complete right to address H0bbes as I originally handled ammad123's post with a level headed response.
  
  This is the sequence of events here...
  
  - ammad123 posts about his iPod troubles (off topic).
  - I offer a quick post to help (to get back on topic).
  - Then H0bbes insults him (taken off topic again and against forum rules).
  - DXR88 tells H0bbes to knock it off! (to get back on topic).
  - Then I address H0bbes (to support DXR88 but in a way to prevent any further argument).
  - Then you have a go at me (taken even further off topic).
  

  
  
  "Dream... Believe... Achieve"

  30.3.2008 19:59 #10

• DXR88

  Correction Ryu That was me.
  
  Also i was referring to this remarke
  
  Quote:</retarded ipod discussion started by douche who can't type>That could have been left out.

  30.3.2008 21:03 #11

• Ryu77

  Originally posted by DXR88: Correction Ryu That was me.Ok, I see now... I will amend my post. I agree with what you are saying. There is no need for personal attacks at all. I just didn't want to this erupt in an argument. SDF_GR's comment confused me as it seems like he is endorsing H0bbes post, which was full of insults.
  
  I hope we can leave it at that now and leave this news article open for related discussion...
  

  
  
  "Dream... Believe... Achieve"

  30.3.2008 21:26 #12

• DXR88

  Agreed.
  
  My last post here.

  30.3.2008 21:46 #13

• H0bbes

  Perhaps I was too harsh. I apologize for the insulting words, which have been removed, but I stand behind my sarcasm, the point I was driving, and the help offered by posting the link I offered for ammad123.

  30.3.2008 23:19 #14

• LOCOENG

  Everyone observe rule #6, the rules are in my sig...also get this thread back on topic.
  

  Don't forget about your Buddies The rules ~ http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
  

  31.3.2008 07:44 #15

• A_Klingon

  H0bbes :
  
  </retarded ipod discussion started by douche who can't type>
  
  * I don't care if you removed the offending remark or not.
  * I don't care if you think someone else is off-topic or not.
  * I don't care if you later lament, "Perhaps I was too harsh".
  
  If I ever see you call another member a "douche" again, I Will ban you.
  
  Don't do it again. -- A_K --

  31.3.2008 12:25 #16

• H0bbes

  Ok.

  1.4.2008 17:58 #17

• H0bbes

  Originally posted by nobrainer: A failed sony service that is doomed to failure again.
  
  Its a rental service with tracks that expire after a given time, so its sony (DRM) time, as usual. $8 a month for mostly manufactured crud like:
  
  B*Witched, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears,Westlife, 'N Sync.
  
  oh sony, you know good music!True, I don't know very people who would listen to these artists, but Sony does have several sub-companies that have a decent catalog of artists. There's also quite a large number of Sony Classical artists for those who like it.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Sony_BMG_artists

  1.4.2008 18:06 #18

• shrooms90

  I know its really easy to beat up on Sony but please check your facts.
  
  Rolf Schmidt-Holtz is NOT the CEO of Sony, he is the CEO of Sony BMG which is a separate company and is 50% owned by Bertlesman. The music service you refer to has nothing to do with the failed Connect Music service that Sony shuttered recently. Pressplay was not Sony's first music service but was a joint venture between Universal Music and Sony Music and is in fact still in business under the name Napster.
  
  I understand that everyone likes to suck on the teet of Apple but ... enough of the kool-aid

  3.4.2008 11:42 #19

• nobrainer

  @ H0bbes
  
  you do realise that mostly ALL the good classical music is in the public domain and you are legally allowed to download this for free don't you, they are charging you for FREE media?
  
  why is this good for sony you ask? rip off artist time again!
  
  Originally posted by boingboing: This have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too approach to licensing and sales isn't unique to Microsoft. The musician T-Bone Burnett once explained to me that the standard record deal gives artists seven percent royalties on sales and fifty percent royalties on licenses. However, when artists get paid by their labels for iTunes downloads, they're only paid the seven percent sales royalty, despite the fact that the record companies keep telling courts, Congress and customers that a download is not a sale, it's only a license, and don't you dare try to resell your music, loan it, or give it away -- all stuff you're allowed to do with purchased goods.
  
  

  The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
  
  The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
  
  The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.
  
  How do you stop anti consumer = its easy purchase only second hand media and avoid their propertarian hobbled by DRM hardware! http://www.boycott-riaa.com/

  3.4.2008 14:38 #20