Microsoft, MTV Put URGE Service Live

As expected, Microsoft on Wednesday released the first beta build of Windows Media Player 11, which includes the company's new URGE subscription music service it co-developed with MTV Networks. iRiver also began shipping its Clix portable music player to complete the end-to-end offering.

The URGE service touts a library of nearly two million tracks, and has a two-tier service plan. Those who wish to listen to tracks on their PCs only can register for a $9.95 USD All Access monthly plan, while those wishing to download to compatible players can need to sign up for the $14.95 USD All Access to Go monthly tier.

Both subscription plans come with access to 130 commercial-free radio stations and more than 500 playlists, as well as feeds of automatically updating playlists. Music blogs, user-created mixes, editorial content, and MTV channel hubs will also be part of URGE.

In addition to the subscription offerings, URGE allows for per-track downloads at 99 cents a song. Unlike the tracks downloaded through the subscription plan, users would still be able to listen to these songs after cancellation of those plans.

On the backend, URGE is powered by MusicNet, the same company that provides the digital music library for Yahoo! Music Unlimited. Songs are streamed in a bitrate of 128 kbps, while downloads are offered at 192 kbps.

Windows Media Player 11, to be a part of Windows Vista, includes several enhancements to better compete with market-leading iTunes. It features vastly improved music search and management capabilities, streamlined user interface that utilizes album cover art, and better portable device support.

Improvements have been made to PlaysForSure to ensure seamless transfer of music, much like the iPod when connected to iTunes. Microsoft is updating its PlaysForSure program in order to "raise the bar" for consumers. One of the new requirements for verification is performance improvements when connecting a portable player to Windows XP.

The final piece of the puzzle is iRiver's Clix player, which is priced at $199 USD and includes 2GB of storage. According to Sean Alexander, group product manager at Microsoft, the two companies have been working on the unit since late last year.

The device looks much like the iRiver U10 first introduced last year, but there are several key enhancements. "Our team worked closely with iRiver, providing feedback, usability resources, and assistance on interaction design starting with a complete 'teardown' of the existing iRiver U10 product," Alexander said.

Microsoft's role in the development of the Clix is clear in the user interface and its deep integration with WMP11. Album art, ratings, play count, and playlists all now sync directly with the device, and synchronization speed has been improved.

Windows Media Player 11 Beta is available for download now from FileForum.

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