View Full Version : Whoever thought of the MP3 booths...
iPunk
11-02-2004, 04:44 AM
Watching BBC news last night I saw an announcement that beginning next year a huge number of phone-booths in London (or was it whole UK?) will be converted into "MP3 booths". That means you'll be able to go into one of those, plug in your MP3 player and download music of your choice.
I saw some people playing around with this idea on this forum for a while now. Maybe they should have patented it. :)
Its impossible, unless they assume the iPod is the only MP3 player around, in which case it turns into stupidity. It will never work.
bigmouse64
11-02-2004, 05:42 AM
People will just use the internet, as 99% of people have already done, legally or illegally.
Texipod
11-02-2004, 07:40 AM
Sound very possible to me. I would guess that there would be a specifically configured computer (software installed from ALL mp3 player manufacturers) and various ports (4 and 6 pin firewire, usb etc) and you would be responsible for having your own cables, cradle or whatever.
gt123
11-02-2004, 09:10 AM
Full Story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3752782.stm)
cpn.luckycharms
11-02-2004, 11:59 AM
cant be done... the iPod would nee to be reformatted everytime...
jough
11-02-2004, 12:42 PM
Why would the iPod need to be reformatted?
I can copy new music to my iPod without reformatting it.
If they used a system like XPlay to copy files over it wouldn't matter if their player was formatted for a PC or Mac. And if the file format is MP3 then all DRPs would be able to download tracks.
Sounds like a brilliant idea to me. What's the downside?
Bcaray
11-02-2004, 12:47 PM
Why would it need to be reformatted? I can set my iPod to manually update songs and plug it in to any computer I wish. No reformatting needed. Perhaps I am misreading the article, but it seems that it is a decent idea, perhaps not the cash cow that they envision, but with the proliferation of cellular phones I would think that it may make them more money than the phone in there. Of course, you would have to use third party software to move your new purchases from the iPod to your computer for more permanent storage.
jough
11-02-2004, 01:19 PM
The only downside is even if they provide a USB2.0 port and a FireWire port - who carries their xfer cables around with them?
gt123
11-02-2004, 01:37 PM
Originally posted by jough
The only downside is even if they provide a USB2.0 port and a FireWire port - who carries their xfer cables around with them?
Maybe they have an in-built dock of some sort?
rebeera
11-02-2004, 01:57 PM
I personally dislike the idea. I can't think of any reasons why I'd bother. I simply would not feel comfortable doing it, I can't imagine the advantages it would have over downloading music at home.
altcountryman
11-02-2004, 02:29 PM
Same here. I guess I'm just not that impusive that I need to get my new music *right now* and can't go home and go to iTunes or buy the CD...
silver_haze20
11-02-2004, 07:48 PM
I duno, if you're out on the street and really want to here that song, then you could get that song. I wouldn't mind trying it out, see how it works, price dependant.
cpn.luckycharms
11-02-2004, 09:11 PM
Originally posted by jough
Why would the iPod need to be reformatted?
I can copy new music to my iPod without reformatting it.
If they used a system like XPlay to copy files over it wouldn't matter if their player was formatted for a PC or Mac. And if the file format is MP3 then all DRPs would be able to download tracks.
Sounds like a brilliant idea to me. What's the downside?
for one, Xplay may not be a "legal" way for a business to go about putting music onto a very large companies music player, which has already many options of lawsuit
jough
11-02-2004, 10:23 PM
Well, I'm talking about some proprietary piece of software LIKE Xplay or Ephpod that would have to have a way to get the music to numerous players, including the iPod.
stuckinthe80s13
11-02-2004, 11:08 PM
I think its a really cool idea. Not to replace online stores but instead to supplement them. Say your travelling (in this case it would probably help to be travelling to england) and you need to buy a new album that just came out, i think this would be awesome for such a situation where you're away from your home PC.
cpn.luckycharms
11-02-2004, 11:56 PM
when that comes out my friend, inform me...