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NewsOnce Mighty Napster Facing Takeover by Ice Cream Store Owner

Posted 08/02/08 at 01:15:39 PM by Paul Lilly

Yahoo isn't the only one facing the threat of a proxy battle. Kavan Singh, a 26-year-old entrepreneur who owns a chain of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream stores, wants to freeze Chris Gorog out of his position as Napster 2.0's CEO, which would end his uninspired reign.

Gorog, the former CEO of Roxio, struck a deal to scoop up the once renowned P2P service for just $5 million in 2002, turned it into a legit paid music subscription service, and promised investors an influx of millions of customers. But instead of music listeners turning out in droves, today only about 760,000 subscribers pay a monthly fee to listen to its library of 6 million songs. Since the relaunch 3.5 years ago, stock has plummeted 69 percent, and the company noted a $16 million loss for this fiscal year. Now Singh wants Gorog to step aside.

Along with two other investors, Singh will fight for a board seat at the company's September 18 annual meeting. All three of them blame Gorog and mismanaged marketing for the company's failure to compete, noting that people still associate Napster with illegal activities. "When you tell people they should get Napster, they say, 'What are you trying to do? Get me arrested?'", complains Thomas Sailors, one of the investors running for a board seat.

Whether the ice cream man and his entourage prove successful remains to be seen, but will it even matter, or does Napster have a shot at turning its fortunes around?

Comments: 3
TAGS: windows, Software, mp3, music, Napster

NewsDell May Challenge the iPod, Zune

Posted 08/01/08 at 12:23:20 AM by Paul Lilly

If Apple has a giant target on its back, it's Dell that keeps taking aim. Earlier this week Dell launched its Studio Hybrid desktop, a hip looking miniature sized PC that will do battle with Apple's Mac Mini, and now the company wants to wage a war in the portable music player market too.

According to the Wall Street Journal, several Dell officials have indicated the OEM has been testing a digital music player for the past several months and that it could see the light of day by September, the same time millions of kids will be seen lugging their iPods back to school as dozens of those less fortunate look on in envy with their Zunes. But it's not exactly unchartered territory for Dell, who half a decade ago launched its Dell DJ line, a now defunct music player that never even had a chance to take on the iPod. Now Dell will get that chance.

Dell's new music player will purportedly feature a small navigation screen with basic button scrolls, and will sport a WiFi connection for linking up with online music services. Most surprisingly, the new player is said to be priced at less than $100.

Does Dell have a shot at slicing into Apple's market share with a budget MP3 player, or will it ultimately join the DJ in the gadget graveyard?

Comments: 3
TAGS: microsoft, apple, dell, mp3, iPod, Zune, consumer electronics

NewsCreative's Zen Gets 'Mozaic' Makeover

Posted 07/24/08 at 11:43:21 PM by Paul Lilly

How many times have you laid awake late at night trying to figure out why no one has come up with an MP3 player sporting a mosaic keypad? Probably none, but to ensure you never do, Creative just announced its new Zen Mozaic music player, which the company describes as "a striking sight to behold." And striking it is, but you can form your own interpretation on that one.

The Zen Mozaic replaces Creative's Zen V line, and along with a new look, the "trendy and distinctive" music player increases the screen size from 1.5 to 1.8-inches. Other features include:

2GB or 4GB capacities (8GB and 16GB to be available at a later date)
Built-in FM radio with up to 32 preset stations
Built-in microphone
Up to 32 hours of continuous audio playback

Oh, and it comes with a built-in speaker, so not only can you surprise passerbys with its 'unique' looks, but you can make sure no one dares comes within listening distance by blaring out crummy music if you so desire.

Pricing and Availability

The Zen Mozaic coms in black or pink for the 2GB model at $99, or black, pink, or silver for the 4GB model at $129. Towards the end of August you'll also be able to pick up an 8GB or 16GB model in black for $249. Plan on getting one?

Comments: 2
TAGS: mobile, creative, zen, mp3, music, hardware, consumer electronics, mozaic

No BS PodcastNo BS Podcast #60: The Vernal Equinox Edition

Posted 03/21/08 at 11:39:05 AM by Tom Edwards

Today, Tom, Will, Gordon, Dave, and Andy bask in the glory that is the first day of spring and all it promises, warm weather and baseball to name two of our favorites. We also chat about AMD layoffs and the possibility of an iTunes subscription service. Later in the show, we find out what has irked Gordon this week and, as always, answer a load of your questions.

Subscribe: http://feeds.feedburner.com/maximumpc/1337