RSSMotorola: WMA Music Phones This Year
By Ed Oswald | Published February 13, 2006, 12:34 PM
Microsoft and Motorola announced on Monday that the two companies were collaborating to bring to market several handsets equipped with Windows Media technology. The new phones would be PlaysForSure compatible, allowing consumers to use them with a wide variety of music services.
Users would be able to connect their phones to a PC through a USB 2.0 cable, which would use the Media Transfer Protocol to "seamlessly" copy music from Windows Media Player to the phone.
Along with handset development, the companies also said they were working together on solutions to enable devices to download music over a 3G network. Microsoft's WMA Pro codec would be used for these services, allowing for high quality and efficient downloads, the company said.
"Combining Motorola's wireless handsets with Windows Media technologies will significantly advance the mobile music experience," Windows Media Division vice president Amir Majidimehr said. "Motorola's upcoming handsets with Windows Media will offer consumers and operators worldwide the widest range of high-fidelity, no-compromise music choices."
The enabling of WMA on Motorola devices is not exactly new, as some handsets have been capable of playing back the format since last year. However, Motorola said devices with tigher integration of Windows Media technologies would launch in the second half of the year, with over-the-air music service support in 2007.
Motorola highlighted the agreement as a way to give choice to its customers. "Our relationship with Microsoft is about making the mobile world seamless with the desktop world and allowing consumers to experience music wherever and whenever they want," Motorola marketing vice president Richard Chin said.
The new phones would mean Motorola would be producing music phones in three different types: one based on iTunes, which the company first launched in September of last year; models based on its iRadio Music Service; and now those based on Windows Media.
errrr actually Moto phones are allready able to play WMA files. Least my v3x does anyway. Something that bothers me is that while over the air music sounds good it will just be a case of more revenue raising for the telcos
Ladylust you say "what about a better signal". I live in Australia and we don't have a problem with phone signals, even while driving across australia you hit a rural town and your signal is back to normal. Are you in the US perhaps ?
Mp3 the standard ? At least Moto are looking at giving users options as to what format they are able to use, I for one think that is a good thing.
Apple ipods are hugely over rated in my opinion. When they can take 2mp photos, record unlimited video, make phone calls, send emails, surf the net and play copies of full length dvd's as my v3x does then maybe I'd consider getting one. ( not to mention being able to carry a spare battery )
Someone also mentions wifi ? Why do you need that ? Just use a 3g network and it won't matter. Hook your phone straight up to your laptop or just surf the net and send emails straight from your phone. I am sure voip on a mobile will not be that far away, at least here in Aust.
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My Audiovox SMT 5600, Is beautiful... plays mp3s, videos ... the works. and it came out last year...
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Yea know cellphones are turning into what VCR's where years ago... They have to keep them packed full of useless features to keep the prices up. Why do I give a sh*t if my my cellpone can use WMA files? How about a better signal? How about a cellphone with an unlimited calling 49.95 month plan? How about we merge cellphone with VOIP wifi? Who gives a rats arss about movie files.
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As long as it works with subscription based music services, like Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
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Freakin' Microsoft, always going against the curent...MP3 IS THE STANDARD MORONS!!!!!
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"MP3 IS THE STANDARD (...)", for who?
Apple pushes AAC, Microsoft WMA, both have DRM while MP3 doesn't.
I bet nor Apple, Microsoft or the recording companies are backing Mp3. Only file-sharers like it because it doesn't have DRM.
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Sounds like a good reason too me, and that's why I convert everything to Mp3. Besides, DRM is a joke, otherwise I wouldn't be able to convert them to Mp3 in the first place.
As for music on my phone, forget it! The capacity is too small and the services will cost way too much. Personally, I use my phone for the strangest thing...talking to other people on the phone! When I have my iPod headphone in, I don't want to hear the phone ring and I sure don't want to answer it!
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"The capacity is too small..."
Did you not read the post about the 12GB drive for cell-phones?
Or the one about the nVidia GPU for cell-phones?
Or this one, that says it'll be a year before it becomes a reality (when all these other techs will also be available)?
Put them all together, and you have a PC smaller than your hand that you can run your business apps, IM, play music, videos, and games on.
One device to rule tham all and ...yadda yadda yadda.
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baaah!!
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"This year," eh?
What is it with the tech industry taking forever to implement minor features?
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optimizing profits!
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I really doubt it's that simple, or that conspiratorial.
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Doubter beware!
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