As you've heard by now, URGE has launched with Windows Media Player 11. Let me tell you that I am always a little skeptical when I hear about Microsoft, or anyone talking about a big launch like this. Some have said URGE could be an iTunes killer. While it is way too early to tell that, and Apple is decidedly way in the lead, URGE is pretty nice. I am actually impressed with WMP 11 and URGE, both. Two good releases from Microsoft, all at once. Judging from the first release of WMP 11 and URGE, it could give Apple a run for their money. It has a few issues, as with anything new, but nothing that time won't fix. All in all I am pretty blown away by version 11.Got the URGE
As you've heard by now, URGE has launched with Windows Media Player 11. Let me tell you that I am always a little skeptical when I hear about Microsoft, or anyone talking about a big launch like this. Some have said URGE could be an iTunes killer. While it is way too early to tell that, and Apple is decidedly way in the lead, URGE is pretty nice. I am actually impressed with WMP 11 and URGE, both. Two good releases from Microsoft, all at once. Judging from the first release of WMP 11 and URGE, it could give Apple a run for their money. It has a few issues, as with anything new, but nothing that time won't fix. All in all I am pretty blown away by version 11.Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. Sorry, URGE is dead in the water. No Apple/iPod support, subscription based service is highly suspicious & $$$, MS copies Apple's GUI icons, buttons and layout.
It's like the RIAA held a gun to Bill Gates/Ballmer and said; "this is they way you're going to "loan" music to the great unwashed".
HELLOOOO MICROSOFT! - IS ANYONE HOME TODAY?
Posted at 9:46AM on May 19th 2006 by Edsel
3. I'll concede that, no iPod support is huge. Microsoft has their own layout, it looks nothing like iTunes, which is why I like it. iTunes has no drill down search, as URGE does, which makes URGE a bit more attractive to me as well. URGE's subscription is not much different than any of the others out there, Napster, MusicNow, so nothing new there. I don't like URGE simply because it is a Microsoft product. I love and hate Microsoft as much as the next guy (maybe more), I just think it has some good improvements over iTunes. For those out there who don't have an iPod (I know, oldskool) and use another type of player, URGE isn't bad, however, URGE will never go anywhere near the cloudy realm of iTunes until it supports the #1 mp3 player out there, and for many iPod users like yourself this will be the deal breaker. I doubt the RIAA did that to Gates, but it is a great mental picture, I laughed when I read your comment! Thanks.
Posted at 11:31AM on May 19th 2006 by Ryan Carter
4. Ryan, the real fight right now is in content distribution & delivery(D&D). Everyone in this industry is, or should be, focused on how do we deliver Brittany Spears(sp?), and Grandma calling from Peoria, to our living room or cell phone/iPod. This is a trillion dollar future, D&D is THE Big Kahuna business model that trumps "Big Oil", "Big Pharm", or Big Real Estate", everything else is simply "fish in a barrel".
Unfortunately, Gates & Ballmer weren't paying attention and gave Jobs a four year lead to design, develop, and deliver the first fully unified multi-media D&D system that simply works. Apple has become the de-facto standard to follow. I loved Microsoft of yore, MS investments allowed me to retire at a young age, but they're stalled in the water right now. It's kinda' like watching the Titanic sink in slow motion.
Posted at 12:30PM on May 19th 2006 by Edsel
5. One of my big beefs is that Microsoft doesn't look ahead far enough in the right areas. They missed the internet, and had to catch up, then also missed the music store and the iPod as well. I myself have wondered when they will get with it, but sadly it hasn't quite happened yet, in fact, I can't think of the last thing that Microsoft had first before anyone else that was enormously successful. Not paying attention has cost Microsoft plenty, but they seem to not learn from their mistakes.
Posted at 3:42PM on May 19th 2006 by Ryan Carter
1. i refuse to use urge for one reason. No Ipod support. i would love to start using it, however i wont pay for something that isn't completely useful to me. Which is where AllTunes comes in. Its the only other store besides Apples Music Store that supports Ipods. :(.
Posted at 11:23PM on May 18th 2006 by sportman1280