Nokia Music Store (UK) now live

So Nokia is doing an Apple and locking people out of features on new devices that will obviously work without a hitch on previous ones. Apart from internal memory what would stop this running on the Original N95? It it just a way to make people buy the new phone despite owning the old kit?
There's no encouragement to keep the old phone at all is there?

Bosambo, the "lock out" only applies to the mobile version of the store. You can buy the tracks on your PC and then use them on any device with the appropriate DRM compatibility, including the original N95.

The tracks are compatible...the app would obviously run on an n95 as well as other previous handsets...and it's even funnier that I have to go back to my computer despite Nokia going to great lengths to sell me the phone on the back of their "It's what computers have become" claims.

Guys, why are you all so impatient? The store's only been live for 3 hours!!!

I'm quite sure a generic Nseries Music Store client will be released ASAP.

Steve
PS. Besides which, I've never bought a track from an online store in my life - I still say that buying CDs and ripping them DRM-free to all my portable devices with no restrictions whatsoever is the way to go. 8-)

Is this store available only to people who are in UK,because I'm not and I can't even see it,let alone to purchase something?

Astonishing stuff, Windows only is bad enough, but IE only? Wow.

Then again, like Steve I think that buying DRMed music online is a fool's game, perhaps that's why they chose the IE-only route, with the assumption that if you're daft enough to be buying DRMed music, you're probbaly running IE...

It doesn't bode well for Nokia's claims or goals of being an internet company though.

Steve, I've always agreed with you about buying the CD, ripping it, and playing it where you like. But think of the (admittedly rare) scenario where an old git like me actually hears something new on the radio that he likes and would like to hear more of. I hardly ever go near music stores, and by the time I get there I've forgotten what it was that I'd heard and liked. I think I will be using this service for that kind of immediacy. I won't be doing it via PC, though, as that kinda defeats the object.

neilhoskins has hit it exactly on the head...restricting the owners of all but 2/3 handsets to the web only interface brings nothing new...why would I then stop using Amazon, Napster etc in favor of a Nokia store? Because I own a Nokia so I MUST buy from them? it's not exactly the same tight intergration that a Mac, iTunes and an iPod/Phone would give.

I don't think Nokia expects you to stop using Amazon, buying CDs, listening to the radio or that you MUST buy only from them. Did they say so somewhere that I missed? 😉

And perhaps I misunderstood, but isn't the Apple model much more trying to tie you into their service, through their "tight integration"?

Btw, some of the N81 providers will have their own online music service offering next to the Nokia Music Store. You choose.

But then again, hmm, maybe I should not jump to too many conclusions after the store has been open in one country for a few hours. I know, silly me, why would I not, right? 😉

viipottaja...I'll put it down to your misunderstanding me that your response was rather rude.
Firstly where I say MUST, I did not mean it in the sense that they are forcing users but that they expect users to use their service with no compelling reason to do so. We've all heard of the Apple fanboys that will buy anything Apple not because they need or even that it's the best option but because as Apple fans they believe they MUST. Secondly I'm aware that there will be some providers offering thier own service, I'm with T-mobile and they have just launched something similar except I can download the tracks right from the built in browser...it also costs more than the Nokia version so I'd like the choice. Right now if I took the scenerio that I'm in a store or on the bus or listening to the Radio and I hear a song I like, to have that song to hand RIGHT then and there I only have the T-Mobile option. I'd have to wait until I got home to use the Nokia store. I might be tempted to pay the extra 20p to have the track right away.

The final point it that as a customer I don't expect to be disguarded every few months...you obviously expect and accept it. I'm not getting a N81 as I already have a phone...I only just got it...some people...in fact MOST people expect longevity from their goods, not to have to upgrade every 6 months.

A negative from me on support their own products, I have an new 6120c (maybe not an N series but a high spec Nokia product) but I am unable to purchase/transfer tracks from the Nokia Music Store to a Nokia Product, but I CAN purchase and transfer Apple iTunes plus tracks from the iTunes store to my 6120c and play! Some other Nokia products will have the same problem, not a good start to encourage people to sign up when a lot of products are excluded from the party!

And why low bit rate WMA, when Amazon lauches its higher bit rate (cheaper) MP3 service in the UK thats the winner for me.........cross platform files and cross platform devices...

It may be "intended" only for Internet Explorer, but there's a free add-on for Firefox, called "IE Tab", that emulates IE in Firefox, and the site IS accessible via Firefox by using IE Tab. I'm in the U.S. and can access the site fine that way from FF. I've also created an account, downloaded the Nokia Music Bar, and sampled a few selections -- all in Firefox. My only problem with the site is that the dollar/pound exchange rate is so bad for Americans that the music is way too expensive!

IE Tab does not emulate IE...it just places an IE window inside Firefox, which means you ARE using IE. If you choose not to use IE for security reasons for example then IE tab is not a good thing as you ARE using IE with it and all it's inherant problems.

Bosambo, I may be mistaken, but I think you CAN buy songs immediately over the air with the Nokia Music Store. What you cannot do, is to stream them to your phone. But I gather you mean this is the case because your phone does not support the Music Store?
Again, the store has been open in one country for half a day. There is no reason, IMO, to assume (at least not yet) that it will not be expanded to a lot more Nokia devices (I used the N81 as an example only, sorry for not being clear on that point). True, it _may_ be that it will not be supported by ALL Nokia phones even in the long term.

The compelling reason will be ease of use and broad selection. IF ANY. I would still like to wait and see how it evolves.

"you obviously expect and accept it. " Hmm.. it is not obvious to me that I do. 😉 But then again, I frequently confuse myself. 😃

Unregistered, the lower bit rate _may_ have something to do with ensuring smooth (?) over the air downloading.

Wocious, true, but hopefully they will launch a US version, priced accordingly.

Mika CD in woolworths, �7.97. No DRM, nice cover art and a tangible item that can be bought and sold and passed on. Why would I do it any other way FFS?

All online stores are currently overpriced, hope the fixed price of 8 pounds per album will change as they cannot justify this for older material that is going on Cd for a couple of pounds in your nearest record shop. This lower quality stuff is only worth about 4-5 pounds when the distribution / package / shop rental cut is removed. Restricted to a few phones from the huge Nokia range and use of WMA 192k is a big issue to me, min 256k bit rate, drm free (and before people complain this is a record company restriction check the US Amazon MP3 store, and non-platform file format would change my mind)....

MVN, fine, but do you really think DRM is purely a decision for Nokia to make? Even if it was (which I doubt it is), its not a decision they could make without many considerations in mind. It is a much easier/straigthforward thing to have an online store a la Amazon; over the air downloadable, multi-carrier environment is a much more complicated proposition with many more variables to manage.

Also, why isn't there (I am not sure if there is, but I assume not since you did not mention it, and I could not find it at a quick glance at least) an Amazon DRM free MP3 store for UK then?

And I guess it has to be said again: it is restricted to 2-3 phones right now. I would be surprised if the number would not increase relatively rapidly. Let's look at this again in a few months time.

I can't understand the comments about 196kbps WMA being 'low bit rate'.

64kbps WMA is 'good enough for pop music' in my tests, while 128kbps WMA is indistinguishable from the CD. 196kbps should be good enough for ANYONE.

Btw, I've done lots of tests on this sort of thing. 64kbps WMA is equivalent to 96kbps (original) AAC or 128kbps MP3 or even 48kbps eAAC+.

Steve

Does anyone know if album art works with songs purchased and/or downloaded via Nokia Music Store? My only gripe with Nokia's adaptation of music players on their devices is the hit-or-miss nature of album art. I recently bought a 6120 Classic and love it; however, album art is appallingly difficult to get onto the device (and I'm a tecchie!).

I hope Nokia can improve this aspect of their music efforts

davekolmer

The 6102c is not supported on the Nokia Music Store so unless Nokia change their minds and offer a firmware upgrade (to support wma drm) then any music purchased from the store will not play on that device. I too recently purchased a 6120c thinking it to be one of the best S60 products but was disappointed to learn that only N series phones would be supported. Not a good start to a Music Store that should in theory have a huge market share due to the number of Nokia product out there but somehow Nokia have restricted use to a few high end (expensive) products....First impressions count so I heading off to iTunes again, I can purchase drm-free tracks and use these on my 6120c!

"album art is appallingly difficult to get onto the device (and I'm a tecchie!)."

I have transferred itunes plus files from my itunes libray using Nokia Music Manager and the album art for these is displayed on the 6120c, using windows media player for other files could never get it to work and gave up using that app long ago. Thats one of the lessons Nokia need to learn, give consumers a good experience when using a music store, seamless integration between device and store (for all Apple's faults that is something they got right from day one...), Using WMP is a joke...Maybe the desktop app that Nokia are developing will give an apple like experience?

IE only means I won't be using it. Why Nokia why?

I would guess versions for other browsers will come. Just give them a few months.

I wouldnt imagine the store will be IE only for long. I would expect a PC client to come from nokia at some point in the near future. With regard to Nokia restricting the store to a couple of 'expensive' products. In comparison to the true cost of the iphone and the fact that you have absolutely no choice of the network you can use it on I really don't see how nokia are being any more restrictive than any of their nearest competitors. They certainly won't be bricking devices if users unlock / add their own software to them!

DRM is not nokias choice, it will be the major labels who really have the choice in the matter. They will be very hesitant to allow anything DRM free onto a device that kids can simply use to bluetooth their content to each other in the school playground etc.

Expect DRM to disappear entirely at some point, it can be removed with minimal effort anyway and as more labels dip their toes in, itunes plus style, they will probably start to realise that greater consumer demand for it will equal greater sales, even if a lot of people are ripping the stuff off it happens now anyway. It won't be next month but i doubt it'll be much more than a year.