Digital Music To Go

Fleet Foxes by the Fleet Foxes

2008-06-07T13:28:00.003-05:00

Fleet Foxes June 3rd release.

Blink 182 Buddha

2008-05-22T11:34:00.000-05:00

Amazon.com Widgets

Good Fortune at Harbor Freight - Circle of Birds

2008-05-21T20:01:00.001-05:00

Amazon.com Widgets

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Single Version

2008-05-21T19:47:00.002-05:00

Amazon.com Widgets

The Iron Butterfly genus species lives on.

Shania Twain Divorce - You're Still the One

2008-05-20T23:07:00.006-05:00

Amazon.com Widgets

Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Obviously he is no longer the one.

Dj umek an - Umek Remix 2

2008-05-17T12:11:00.004-05:00

Download the single from dj umek an at Amazon.com. Umek vs DJ Onefinger - Umex Remix 2. Hear a free sample online.

Queens of the stone age mp3 downloads free

2008-05-15T22:04:00.003-05:00

Queens of the stone age mp3 downloads free samples on Amazon.com. Purchase the entire album Era Vulgaris for $8.99.

2007 Top Songs

2008-05-15T10:04:00.002-05:00

Here is a list of some of the 2007 top songs according to Rolling Stone Magazine.

Jay-Z - Roc Boys
Randy Newman - A Few Words in Defense of Our Country
Rihanna - Umbrella
Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
Bright Eyes - Four Winds
Lil Wayne - Dough is What I Got
Amy Winehouse - Rehab
Bruce Springsteen - Long Walk Home
M.I.A. - Boyz
UGK - Int's Player's Anthem

Saving able mp3

2008-05-14T16:14:00.003-05:00

Download the saving able mp3 at Amazon.com for only $0.89.

Free Nine Inch Nails Download

2008-05-05T23:27:00.002-05:00

Nine Inch Nails have released a free download of their new album on their website www.nin.com. This is an unusual but welcome move for such a big major label artist. Nine Inch Nails have also recently released a 36 song 4 disc album for download on Amazon Mp3 for only $5.00.

The new disc is available in multiple formats including 24/96 Wave, which is higher than CD quality.

Enjoy

Free Coldplay Single Violet Hill

2008-05-04T05:58:00.003-05:00

Get a free download of the new Coldplay single Violet Hill at their website. The definitely have a new sound on this.

http://www.coldplay.com/song.html

Dowload Vigilantes of Love Free

2008-05-03T21:16:00.003-05:00

Bill Mallonee is offering high quality free downloads from the classic Vigilantes of Love album Blister Soul at his website. Definitely worth the space on your hard drive.

Download Grand Theft Auto IV Soundtrack

2008-05-03T21:07:00.002-05:00

Music from Grand Theft Auto IV is now available for download at Amazon.com. Sample tracks for free.

Jack Johnson - Sleep Through the Static

2008-02-07T12:54:00.000-05:00

Jack Johnson returns with a new studio album "Sleep Through the Static." Johnson consistently makes easy laid back pop.

Sheryl Crow - Detours

2008-02-05T07:51:00.000-05:00

Sheryl Crow's new album Detours was released this week and is available for download on Amazon.com for $8.99. Its a pretty good album and early review are solid. Rolling Stone gives it 3.5 stars.

Yahoo Music Shutting Down - Switching Users to Rhapsody

2008-02-04T07:35:00.001-05:00

Yahoo Music is closing its website and switching its users to Rhapsody. The change is expected to occur sometime in the first half of this year. Yahoo music customers will keep the same rates for a limited time, but will eventually need to switch over to Rhapsody's rates. Apparently, Rhapsody will be integrated into Yahoo's music portal. More specific details are forthcoming.

Yahoo Music was a nice service, but it never really was able to catch up to Rhapsody in terms of performance. I think Yahoo music customers will enjoy Rhapsody's service, but they will miss the Yahoo price.

Michael Jackson - Thriller

2008-02-02T15:52:00.001-05:00

Download the classic Michael Jackson Thriller album at Amazon.com. Its a time capsule for everything that was great about the 80's.

Kanye West: Glow in the Dark Tour

2008-01-30T12:29:00.001-05:00

Looks like Kanye West is prepping a tour in support of his Graduation album this summer. No dates are posted yet for what may be the "Glow in the Dark tour", but you can download the album on Amazon for $7.99. Pretty good deal.

Kate Nash - Made of Bricks

2008-01-30T11:08:00.000-05:00

The new Kate Nash album Made of Bricks is now available for download on Amazon mp3 for only $7.99. Its a British pop goodie and worth a listen. Preview the tracks for free at Amazon.

Free and Legal Mp3 Download on Qtrax?

2008-01-28T09:02:00.000-05:00

A new music service called Qtrax is claiming that it will soon offer free mp3 downloads on its site and pay for the service through advertising. Although Qtrax claims to have signed a deal with major record companies, those companies are denying that a deal is in place. Stay tuned for more details.

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black on Amazon Mp3

2008-01-28T07:55:00.000-05:00

Amy Winehouse's new album Back in Black is available for download on Amazon's new mp3 service. You can download the entire album for $7.99. Best of all, its 256kbps and DRM free so there are no restrictions on your download. Its a great service and it will play on any mp3 player, including iPod.

The Flaming Lips: At War With The Mystics

2008-01-27T17:28:00.000-05:00

Unique philosophical rockers The Flaming lips.

Sansa Clip with Rhapsody DNA

2007-12-26T14:05:00.000-05:00

I've been testing the recently released Sansa Clip player and so far I'm very pleased with the results.

This is one of the smallest players you will ever see, yet somehow it squeezes in a very nice user interface with an electric blue on black screen. On the back of the player is a built in removable clip which makes this player perfect for the gym.

You navigate the Sansa Clip using a circular click pad which I found to be very quick and responsive. A home button located above the click pad takes you back to the menu screen. There is also a power-hold button on the left and a set of dedicated volume control buttons on the right of the player. The sound is very good and the player is packed with options including a voice recorder and and FM radio receiver.

It also comes with built in support for the DNA. For those of you who subscribe to Rhapsody to Go, this is a great feature. You can download any track from Rhapsody on to you player and listen to it on the go. Just make sure you plug in your player to Rhapsody each month or else your tracks will expire. I've been downloading a feature called Rhapsody channels. This allows you to pick a favorite genre of music and have hours worth or music automatically updated and refreshed on your player every time you plug it in. Basically, its like taking a radio station to go. If you like a track, you can click on it to automatically add it to your library.

If you are looking for a small portable player that's great for the gym, you won't find a more full featured player than the Sansa Clip.

Alan Jackson's Small Town Southern Man

2007-12-18T23:38:00.001-05:00

Alan Jackson's new single is now available for downloading on . Jackson show's why he's still one of Nashville's best.

History of red hot chili peppers

2007-09-10T10:22:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for a history of red hot chili peppers, before they became pop sensations, check out this compilation on . What Hits!? is a compilation of their early years including the classic "Under a Bridge."

Collective soul mp3 mp3

2007-08-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

Collective Soul is ready to release its new album which includes the great mp3 single Hollywood. Preview the song on the website, then head over to
to catch up on the rest of Collective Soul's mp3 catalog.

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

2007-07-26T06:13:00.000-05:00

The White Stripes are back with a new studio album, "Icky Thump", a exclusive. Although still not on par with the classic, "Elephant", its still a great listen.

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

2007-06-28T08:29:00.000-05:00

Ryan Adams is back to his old ways (kind of) on Easy Tiger. I've given it a couple of listens and although its probably his best album since Rock N Roll, its still a bit subpar. However, I may be judging it too quickly. If you are a member you can check it out now for free..........try Tears of Gold.

John Mayer - The Village Sessions

2007-06-10T18:45:00.000-05:00

This is a nice 6-song acoustic set featuring songs from Mayer's latest album, "Continuum." Check out "Waiting on the World to Change" with Ben Harper. Available now for free to subscribers.

New Smashing Pumpkins Single on Rhapsody - Tarantula

2007-05-31T06:55:00.000-05:00

Its been a long time since we've heard anything good from the Smashing Pumpkins. Will this be their return to greatness? Check out the new hard-rocking single Tarantula from the Pumpkins on .

3 Legal Ways to Get Music on Your MP3 Player

2007-05-30T11:24:00.000-05:00

It is common knowledge that free digital music can be obtained through peer-to-peer sharing networks like Kazaa and Limewire. However, downloading copyrighted material is illegal and although punishment is rare, it does occur. Furthermore, the quality of these tracks can be questionable and using peer-to-peer networks opens your computer up to dangerous viruses.

For those of you who want to avoid these types of files, there are 3 great options available to you.

Rip your own CD collection into digital format
Purchase protected music files from a digital music store like Itunes (some are now unprotected).
Rent music on a subscription basis from Rhapsody, Napster, or Yahoo Music Unlimited.

If you have a large CD collection, you can save yourself a lot of money by ripping your own CD's to your hard drive. Although this can be time consuming, it offers the highest possible audio quality and is generally considered legal (as long as you don't decide to share these files with millions of people). If you rip your music in mp3 format, it should be compatible with any mp3 player, including the iPod.

Digital music stores like Itunes offer millions of tracks for download, however, there are restrictions placed on these tracks for most artists (EMI recently removed digital rights management, DRM, from their music files). You are limited to the number of times you can burn songs to a CD and the number of computers you can use to listen to these songs. However, for most people, this is not a concern. Also, Itunes audio quality measured in bit rate is less than what you can achieve when ripping your own CD's. Finally, protected Itunes songs only transfer to an iPod, so if you have a different mp3 player, you will need to find a compatible music download service.

Subscription music services allow you to download millions of tracks for a monthly fee. When you stop paying the monthly fee, the tracks expire and will no longer play. The advantage of this service is that you can listen to anything you want without having to buy every CD. Prices range from $10-$15 a month. With a subscription to-go service, you can transfer any song to a compatible mp3 player and take it with you to the gym or on trips. If you like to listen to a lot of new music, then this may be the most cost-effective option.

Itunes Unleashes DRM-free Version of Itunes

2007-05-30T09:46:00.000-05:00

As promised, Itunes has released its DRM-free music store courtesy of EMI music. The songs are 256kbps AAC music files and cost $1.29 per track. You can upgrade most of your current eligible tracks for $0.30 per track.

No Beatles songs yet, but you can download tracks from big-name artists like Coldplay, Norah Jones, Joss Stone and REM. This is the first major music label to offer legitimate paid downloads online. Look for other online music stores to follow suit in the near future.

New Wilco Single - "What Light"

2007-04-18T15:56:00.000-05:00

The new Wilco single is now available for streaming and download on The full album is due out later this spring. Enjoy!

A Big Summer for New Music in 2007

2007-04-16T11:46:00.000-05:00

Rolling Stone magazine has released its spring music preview and it includes some big names. Here are some of the highlights of what looks to be a great season for new music.

Arctic Monkeys
Favourite Worst Nightmare
Out April 24th

Tori Amos
American Doll Posse
Out May 1st

Dinosaur Jr.
Beyond
Out May 1st

Björk
Volta
Out May 8th

Wilco
Sky Blue Sky
Out May 15th

Maroon 5
It Won't Be Soon Before Long
Out May 22nd

Velvet Revolver
Libertad
Out May 29th

Linkin Park
Minutes to Midnight
Out May 15th

Rihanna
title tba
Out June 5th

Rooney
Calling the World
Out June 19th

M.I.A.
Kala
Out June 26th

Ryan Adams
Easy Tiger
Out June

Chris Cornell
Carry On
Out June

The White Stripes
Icky Thump
Out June

Will.i.am
Songs About Girls
Out Summer

Travis
The Boy With No Name
Out May 8th

Would You Subscribe to Itunes?

2007-04-15T22:40:00.000-05:00

There have been rumors circulating about an Itunes subscription music model that could be available by the end of the year. For those of you who have never tried the subscription model, its a great way to check out tons of new music without having to purchase every single track. For the price of around 1 CD a month, you can stream, download, and transfer to a compatible digital audio player as many songs as you like. The only thing you can't do is burn songs to a CD. As long as you keep paying the monthly fee, you can keep listening to the songs for as long as you want. As soon as you cancel the service, the songs expire and can no longer be played. Currently, the subscription based model is only available on services like Rhapsody, Napster, Zune, and Yahoo Music Unlimited.

An Itunes subscription service would be a serious threat to these other services who currently have found a niche that Itunes hasn't pursued. It will be curious to see if all of these services would be able to survive a direct attack from Itunes.

Bright Eyes New Album Cassadaga Available on Rhapsody for the First Time

2007-04-11T08:41:00.000-05:00

Finally a Bright Eyes album is available on Rhapsody, ending the Itunes exclusive with the prolific artist. Expect the same quality of music that Bright Eyes has been producing for years.

Will You Still Steal Music?

2007-04-08T18:48:00.000-05:00

EMI announced a deal this week with Apple (soon followed by Microsoft) that will remove DRM restrictions from songs purchased from Itunes. This means that you will be able to make as many copies as you like of the songs you purchase and burn them to any CD or compatible mp3 player.

The songs will cost slightly more than a standard Itunes purchase but they will also be higher quality. Other music companies have not yet said whether or not they will follow EMI's lead, but some expect them to.

Does removing DRM make you more likely to purchase from Itunes? Or is the ease of downloading music online for free too tempting to discontinue?

Personally, I prefer the subscription based model from companies like Rhapsody. For a reasonable monthly fee, you can download, listen to, and transfer any song to your compatible mp3 player. Its completely legal and you still have all the music you need.

Top 5 Mp3 Players under $100

2007-04-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

Mp3 Players have come a long way in both price, size, and features. Here are the top 5 mp3 players that can be found for under $100.

Creative Zen V Plus 2GB - Color Screen for Photos and Video, Voice Recording, FM, Plays Subscription music.
Sansa E-250R 2GB - Same Features as the Creative Zen V Plus plus room for extra memory and optimized for Rhapsody.
iPod Shuffle 1GB - Low on storage and features, but very cool and built in clip
Samsung YP-T9 - Packed with features and great sound.
Sony NW-E005

Sansa Connect - Next Gen Digital Audio Player

2007-04-07T10:17:00.000-05:00

Sansa is ready to release its new Connect MP3 player with built in wifi capabilities. This device is optimized to be used directly with
It has the ability to access the entire Yahoo Music Unlimited library in any area with wifi access as well as launchcast radio channels.

It is a 4GB player with room for expansion, but the wifi streaming capabilities make storage less of an issue. It also streams internet radio stations and is plays for sure compatible.

With its wifi capabilities, the Sansa Connect truly kicks off the next generation of MP3 players. It also raises the profile and value of

Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

2007-04-04T20:14:00.000-05:00

The Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr joins the band for this new album from Modest Mouse on Rhapsody.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

2007-03-16T12:52:00.001-05:00

Check out the hot new album from Arcade Fire on Rhapsody.

Rhapsody for Linux

2006-12-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

Linux Rhapsody

For those of you who use the linux operating system, Rhapsody provides software that will work for you. Just click the link to sign up.

Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas

2006-12-12T15:01:00.000-05:00

Vince Guaraldi's Christmas classic never gets old. Check out this version on
with 4 alternate takes.

Eric Clapton and JJ Cale - The Road to Escondido

2006-12-12T09:22:00.000-05:00

Eric Clapton and JJ Cale of "Cocaine" and "After Midnight" fame reunite in this bluesy, boogie album of new tunes. This satisfying listen is exclusive to Rhapsody.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

eMusic - Get 25 Free Mp3 Downloads!

2006-12-11T15:38:00.000-05:00

If you've never tried eMusic subscription service, you may want to have a look. It's unique in that it is the only service other than iTunes that works with an iPod. Plus, its digital-rights free, meaning the tracks that you download are yours to keep. Check out the info below.

eMusic is the Internet's #1 MP3 subscription service with the most subscribers. Its easy to see why:

MP3s offer flexibility and respect. eMusic is the only major digital music service to deliver music in MP3 format, the most popular and versatile digital file format.

Flexible: eMusic is the only service that offers the usage flexibility that music fans demand:

Transfer your music to any desktop
Works with all portable music players and digital devices (including the iPod)
Unlimited CD burning
Download your music to multiple computers

Value: eMusic's subscription model offers customers the best value

Best promotional offer out there: Any customer can get Get 25 FREE Music Downloads for your iPod® or any MP3 player!
! That's $25 worth of music just for trying eMusic out.
Customers can cancel at anytime and keep the music they have downloaded
Best per track cost after the free trial: eMusic's subscription model offers tracks as low as 22 cents each!

Discovery: eMusic is different from the other major music retailers

eMusic is a customer driven service that allows and encourages music discovery
eMusic offers a huge catalogue of over 1,000,000 songs
eMusicLive, a feature of eMusic, showcases the largest collection of independent live music recording performances nightly from some of the best independent live music venues in the USA.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve

2006-12-11T15:26:00.000-05:00

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve.

This album is a couple of years old, but its Christmas, so its time to give it a listen again. Check it out on Rhapsody.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Beck - The Information

2006-12-10T08:01:00.000-05:00

Beck's new album "The Information" is his best in years. Although he takes various elements from his previous albums, Beck once again ventures out into new territory with songs like "Think I'm in Love," "Nausea" and "Cellphone's Dead." The album consistently feels upbeat, with Beck's dance-grooves dominating nearly every song. If you're a Rhapsody member, give it a free listen.

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere

2006-08-07T12:20:00.000-05:00

Original if nothing else. Check out the new album from Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere. Free for all Rhapsody members.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Keane - Under the Iron Sea

2006-08-04T13:57:00.000-05:00

Keane has followed up their debut "Hopes and Fears" with another great disc - "Under the Iron Sea." Check out the U2 esque "Is it any wonder?"

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

John Mayer - Waiting on the World to Change

2006-08-03T23:02:00.000-05:00

Check out the new John Mayer single, "Waiting on the World to Change." Its inspiring new statement from Mayer, whose long-awaited new album is due out this fall. Download it on Yahoo! Music Unlimited
.

Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In

2006-05-11T16:14:00.000-05:00

For those of you waiting patiently for more Goo Goo Dolls, your wait is over. The Dolls new album, "Let Love In," is now available To-Go on Yahoo! Music Unlimited. Download it for free today with your membership. Yahoo! Music Unlimited Free Trial. Music to Play & Share.

Napster Adds Free Music Service

2006-05-08T17:27:00.000-05:00

Napster has now added a free music streaming service. Click here to listen to Napster for FREE. The free service does not allow you to download tracks onto your hard drive or mp3 player....and you can only listen to each song 5 times, but its a nice way to try out the service. The standard service is still $9.95 and the Napster To Go service is still $14.95. Install Napster now!

Pearl Jam - Pearl Jam

2006-05-08T12:42:00.000-05:00

Pearl Jam has finally released their highly anticipated self-titled new album "Pearl Jam." It is available for free download to all Rhapsodymembers. I've listned to the album a couple of times already and it is as good as advertised. The best Pearl Jam album since Vitalogy. For those of you who don't have Rhapsody Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Digital Album of the Day: Britney Spears - Greatest Hits

2006-02-26T13:24:00.000-05:00

Britney Spears "Greatest Hits: My Perogative", is now available for download on Rhapsody. Relive the glory days of Britney Spears. Rhapsody members can log in for a free download of the new disc. Not a Rhapsody member? Try Rhapsody for 14 days FREE and get unlimited listening access to 1,300,000+ songs from 65,000+ artists.

Yahoo Music To Go - Compatible Mp3 Players

2006-02-22T19:08:00.000-05:00

The following is a list of mp3 players that are compatible with Yahoo! Music Unlimited subscription music. If you sign up for Yahoo Music Unlimited, you can download thousands of different songs onto one of the following mp3 players. Check back often, because new players are continually being added. Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Free Trial. Music To Play & Share.

Compatible Devices "Out of the Box."

* Audiovox SMT 5600 Smartphone

* Creative 8GB Zen MicroPhoto

* Creative Labs Zen Portable Media Center
* Creative Labs Zen Sleek
* Creative Labs Zen Sleek Photo
* Creative Labs Zen Vision
* Creative Labs Zen Vision M
* Dell Axim x50v
* Dell Ditty
* Gateway Photo Jukebox
* iRiver H10
* iRiver H320
* iRiver H340
* iRiver Portable Media Center-120
* iRiver T10
* iRiver T30
* iRiver U10
* Philips GoGear HDD 1630
* Samsung Yepp YH-999 Portable Media Center
* Sandisk Sansa m200 series
* Toshiba Gigabeat MEG-F20

Compatible Devices Which Require a Free Firmware Update.

* Archos AV400
* Creative Labs Zen Micro
* Creative Labs Zen Touch
* Creative Labs Zen Xtra
* Dell DJ 20GB (Gen 2)
* Dell DJ 30GB
* PalmOne LifeDrive
* RCA Lyra RD2762
* RCA Lyra RD2765
* Samsung YH-925GS

Digital Album of the Day: Train - For Me, It's You

2006-02-01T20:47:00.000-05:00

Train has released their new album, "For Me, It's You" on napster.com Click here to get a 7-day FREE trial of Napster.

Digital Album of the Day: Yellowcard - Lights and Sound

2006-01-31T21:38:00.000-05:00

Yellowcard's new album "Lights and Sound", now available for download on Rhapsody, combines their punk-pop sound with a 25 piece orchestra. Rhapsody members can log in for a free download of the new disc. Not a Rhapsody member? Try Rhapsody for 14 days FREE and get unlimited listening access to 1,300,000+ songs from 65,000+ artists.

Digital Album of the Day: Coldplay - X&Y

2006-01-12T20:29:00.000-05:00

The long awaited new album from Coldplay, X&Y, is now available at Rhapsody. Coldplay delivers one of its strongest performances yet with this ambitious "arena" set. If you are a Rhapsody to go subscriber, you can listen to this album for free or download it onto your compatible mp3 player and take it with you.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Digital Album of the Day: Fall Out Boy - From Under the Cork Tree

2006-01-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

The smash hit album from Fall Out Boy, featuring the song "Dance, Dance" is now available for download at Yahoo! Music Unlimited. Yahoo Music Unlimited subscribers can download this and over a million other albums for free and transfer your new music to a compatible mp3 player. Not a subscriber? Click below for a free trial.

Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Free Trial. Music To Play & Share.

Digital Album of the Day: Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

2006-01-10T19:27:00.000-05:00

The long awaited follow up from Fiona Apple is available now at Yahoo! Music Unlimited If you are a subscriber to Yahoo Music Unlimited, you can listen to and download Fiona's new CD for free. You can even transfer it on to a compatible mp3 player and take it with you. If you would like a free trial of Yahoo Music Unlimited, click the link below. You can instantly listen to Fiona, plus thousands of other CD's.

Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Free Trial. Music To Play & Share.

How to stream subscription music through your Xbox 360

2006-01-10T11:12:00.000-05:00

One of the coolest features of the new Xbox 360 is the ability to stream music and photos through your desktop or laptop. If you have a large music collection on your PC, you can simply connect the Xbox 360 to your network and access your collection from any room in your house. Very cool.

If you subscribe to Rhapsody, Yahoo! Music Unlimited, or "Napster To Go", then it gets even cooler. These services allow you to download almost any song onto your hard drive for a low monthly fee. (Click here for Rhapsody). With the Xbox 360, you can stream these subscription songs to your Xbox and through your stereo system, giving you an almost unlimited collection of music. If you are like me and listen to a lot of new music, these services allow you to discover lots great new songs, and they can save you a lot of money.

How do you do this? It’s really very easy. If you have an Xbox 360, then the first thing you need to do is connect it to your home network. The Xbox 360 comes with a built in ethernet port and cable. Just connect the ethernet cable to a standard router and the Xbox 360 will automatically detect the connection (this only works for broadband internet service). The Xbox 360 also has a wireless adapter available if you have a WIFI network at your home. It’s currently selling for around $100 so the basic cable connection is currently the less expensive option.

After you’ve connected your Xbox 360 to your home network, the next step is to download either Windows Media Connect or Windows Media Player 11 on your main desktop or laptop (whichever computer you use to store your music collection). I prefer WMP 11 because the network media sharing feature loads much faster after rebooting your computer. For those of you running Vista, the media sharing option is already built in.....no need to download anything new. Visit http://xbox.com/pcsetup and follow the instructions for the download. It’s really easy to install, and the software will detect your Xbox 360 automatically.

Next, go to your Xbox 360 unit and pull up the media menu. Select music. You should see the network name of your home computer. If you click on it, it will take you to a menu that allows you to browse your music collection by artist, album, genre, and playlist. It can take a few minutes for your Xbox 360 to detect everything in your music collection. Don’t panic if only a couple of artists show up at first. They will all show up after a few minutes. If you run your Xbox 360 through your home stereo system, then you have a great new way of enjoying your music collection.

Finally, to add an unlimited number of songs to your collection, sign up for a subscription music service. All of them offer a free trial so you can check it out without spending any money. Even if you don’t stream these songs through your Xbox, you still have the ability to listen to them on your computer, or transfer them to a compatible mp3 player and take them with you. They are all great services, but I’ve really been enjoying Rhapsody lately. It has a lot of songs and a really nice interface. You can even stream any song instantly without having to download it onto your computer……..Have fun!

Digital Album of the Day: Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable

2006-01-09T22:45:00.000-05:00

The new smash hit from Ray star Jamie Foxx is now available at Rhapsody. If you are a Rhapsody to go subscriber, you can listen to this album for free or download it onto your compatible mp3 player and take it with you.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Digital music is here to stay

2006-01-08T20:27:00.000-05:00

There's no better way to try out tons of new music than by signing up for a subscription music account. And at only 10 bucks a month, its a pretty good value. Granted, your music will die if you cancel your subscription, but how many CD's did you buy 10 years ago that you still listen to regularly today? And 10 bucks a month is much less money than I used to spend on music each month. Its a great value and its a lot of fun.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Toshiba to Include Yahoo Music in New Notebooks

2006-01-08T18:37:00.000-05:00

Toshiba announced this week that it will beging pre-installing Yahoo! Music Unlimited in select notebook computers. Yahoo Music Unlimited was released in 2005 and allows users to download and transfer music to compatible mp3 players for a monthly fee. It also works as a music jukebox and includes dozens of internet radio stations. It is currently the most affordable music subscription service available.

Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Free Trial. Music To Play & Share.

Rhapsody Replaces Itunes on New HP PC's

2006-01-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

HP announced that it will replace Itunes on its new PC's with Real's Rhapsody music service. Unlike Itunes, Rhapsody offers a subscription based music service that allows users to stream, download, and transfer music to a compatible mp3 player for a monthly fee. Rhapsody will now become the default music jukebox software on HP PC's.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Gates Unveils Microsoft's New Music Service: Urge

2006-01-05T16:58:00.000-05:00

The annual CES show is currently underway in Las Vegas and last night Bill Gates unveiled Microsoft's new music service, URGE, which will include a music subcription service similar to Rhapsody, Yahoo Music Unlimited and Napster. The service will include more than 2 million songs and exclusive content from MTV.

We'll be anxious to review this service as soon as it becomes available.

New Album From The Strokes - Now Available Online

2006-01-03T23:27:00.000-05:00

The new album from The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth - is now available online via Rhapsody and Yahoo! Music Unlimited.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial of Rhapsody

Napster To Go - Compatible Mp3 players

2006-01-02T18:23:00.000-05:00

Napster.com is the original mp3 to go service. Here is an updated list of all mp3 players compatible with Napster to go. Check back to get updates as more players become available.

Audiovox SMT5600 Smart Phone
Creative Zen Micro (4GB, 5GB, 6GB)

Creative 8GB Zen MicroPhoto

Creative Zen Portable Media Center
Creative Zen Touch
Dell DJ 20
Dell DJ 30
Dell DJ Ditty
Gateway MP3 Photo Jukebox
iriver H10 (5GB, 6GB)
iriver H320
iriver PMC-120
iriver T10 (512MB, 1GB)
iriver T30 (512MB, 1GB)
iriver U10
Palm Treo smartphone (select models) Pocket Tunes software required
Palm Tungsten handhelds (select models) Pocket Tunes software required
Palm Zire handhelds (select models) Pocket Tunes software required
Palm LifeDrive mobile manager Pocket Tunes software required
Rio Carbon (5GB, 6GB)
Rio Carbon Pearl
Rio ce2100
Samsung YH-925
Samsung YH-999 Portable Media Center
SanDisk Sansa M200 Series
Toshiba Gigabeat (10GB, 20GB, 40GB, 60GB)

Some of these players may need Firmware and/or Driver updates in order to work with Napster to go. Check with the manufacturer of your player for a free download.

Click here to get a 7-day FREE trial of Napster.

Microsoft and MTV join forces in Digital Music

2005-12-27T21:58:00.000-05:00

Microsoft and MTV announced recently that they will join forces to create a new music service. According to the news release, the new service will include a subscription component as well as original content. We'll check back on this story as more info becomes available.

This begs the question: Will Microsoft integrate this new subscription service with the new Xbox 360. The idea of streaming subscription music directly through Xbox 360 live sounds very enticing.

Playing subscription content on Xbox 360

2005-12-27T02:42:00.000-05:00

I just purchased an Xbox 360 and I was able to stream downloaded subscription music content from my pc to my xbox. Its easy to do. If you have an Xbox 360, just visit http://xbox.com/pcsetup and download windows media connect. Then simply follow the instructions. You will easily be able to access and stream subscription music from your Xbox 360...pretty cool.

I tried this with Yahoo! Music Unlimited and I will test this with other services as well.

More to come.

Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go: Updated player list

2005-12-27T01:51:00.000-05:00

Yahoo! Music Unlimited To Go works with the following portable devices. We will continue to update this list and include new portable devices as they become available.

* Audiovox SMT 5600 Smartphone
* Creative Labs Zen Micro
* Creative Labs Zen MicroPhoto
* Creative Labs Zen Portable Media Center
* Dell DJ 20GB (Gen2)
* Dell DJ 30GB
* Dell Pocket DJ
* iRiver H10
* iRiver H320
* iRiver H340
* iRiver Portable Media Center-120
* RCA Lyra RD2762
* RCA Lyra RD2765
* Samsung YH-999 Portable Media Center

Yahoo! Music Unlimited - Free Trial. Music To Play & Share.

New Ryan Adams on Rhapsody

2005-12-23T16:46:00.000-05:00

Check out the new Ryan Adams Album, 29, just released on Rhapsody.
Subscribers can hear this album for free, or load it onto your compatible mp3 player.

Get 5 Song Downloads with your FREE 14 day Rhapsody Trial!

Rhapsody to Go: Compatible MP3 Players

2005-12-22T18:09:00.000-05:00

If you are a Rhapsody lover and you have one these mp3 players, then you should definitely give Rhapsody to Go a spin. You can take any eligible track and transfer it to your mp3 player without having to buy every song. I add new songs to my Zen Micro every couple of days. Here is the most recent list of compatible players. Check back to get updates as more mp3 players become eligible.

* Creative Zen Micro
* iRiver H10
* iRiver H320
* iRiver H340
* Dell DJ
* Dell Pocket DJ
* Rio Carbon
* SanDisk Sansa m200
* SanDisk Sansa e100
* PalmOne LifeDrive

NOTE: the Apple iPod does NOT support Rhapsody To Go.

Get 5 Song Downloads with your FREE 14 day Rhapsody Trial !

Rhapsody Beta - New Web Interface

2005-12-10T18:11:00.000-05:00

Rhapsody has just released a new beta version of its service that allows you to stream music content via your web browser. The beta version does not replace the stand-alone software, rather, it offers users a simpler and easier way to stream music.

After testing it for a few hours today, I came away feeling that it was a nice supplement to the stand-alone player, but far from a complete package. To use the Rhapsody-to-go service, burn CD's and organize your music, you still need to open up the stand-alone software. However, if you just want to log on for a quick listen, the web interface works nicely. The design and function of the web interface is very similar to that of the software.

Bottom line: If you are listening to music at home on your main computer, I'd suggest sticking with the stand-alone software. However, if you are at a work computer or at a freind's house, this is a nice way to access your Rhapsody account without loading the full software onto the computer.

Get 5 Song Downloads with your FREE 14 day Rhapsody Trial !

Digital Music To Go - Yahoo Unlimited

2005-09-03T21:13:00.000-05:00

Yahoo has officially launched it's subscription music service Yahoo! Music Unlimited. I have been running it in Beta mode for the last couple of months and it certainly offers a lot of bang for the buck. You can sign up for 12 months of service for $59.98 (about 5 bucks a month) or you can pay monthly for $6.99. These prices may not last forever but for now they are the best in the business (and this price includes the subscription to go service......Sorry, no iPods).

The interface is easy to use and the song selection is deep and varied. Plus, Yahoo includes 150+ quality radio stations with the service that are commercial free. Yahoo will also keep track of your music tastes and recommend music and design a station for you based upon those tastes. There is a unique rating system built into the interface that lets you rate songs, albums, and artists on a scale of 1-4 stars. Yahoo keeps track of your ratings and designs the interface around those ratings. When you sign in, it will recommend new songs and artists based upon the ratings that you enter. The more songs you rate, the more accurate Yahoo can be when it suggests songs.

Like Napster and Rhapsody, Yahoo Unlimited provides you with a good system for organizing your music, and it lets you play your own CD's and mp3's through the interface as well. Songs can either be downloaded to your harddrive or bookmarked for easy streaming later. Downloaded songs can then be transferred to your mp3 player by dragging and dropping. Transfer times are about on par with the other services, I think Napster To Go is the fastest because it offers a one step process for transferring music to your mp3 player. One nice feature of the downloads is that Yahoo encodes them at a rate of 192-kbps, compared to most services that offer 128-kbps, so you get a little bit better quality.

Other nice features in Yahoo include the ability to rip and burn CD's, and a feature that automatically designs a playlist for you based upon a particular artist. For example, if you click the create a playlist button next to U2, it will create an entire playlist for you based upon music similar to U2 that you can save and listen to again later.

My only complaint so far is that it the interface could be a little faster, but I'm sure that they will continue to work on increasing speed (the current version is already faster than the original). If your looking for subscription music at a great value, you can't beat Yahoo Unlimited. You can sign up for a 7 day free trial to give it a spin.

Links:
CNET Article

Apple's Special Announcement - New iPod Phone?

2005-09-03T07:13:00.000-05:00

Rumors have been circulating for the past week about a big announcement that Apple plans to make next week. First, it was thought that Apple would be announcing the video iPod, but now rumors are shifting towards a new iPod cell phone. The announcement is scheduled for September 7th.

I'm not so hot on the idea of an iPod phone, or mp3 phones in general. I use my player frequently, and I don't like the idea of songs being interupted by phone calls. Plus, I like to hook my Creative Zen Micro up to my stereo as well. It seems like a big hassel to unhook your mp3 phone from your stereo to answer a phone call. It may work for some people, but I'm prepared to keep my phone and my mp3 player separate.

Digital Music To Go - Creative Zen Micro

2005-09-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

The Creative Zen Micro has been on the market for a number of months, but it is still one of the top mp3 players available in the market place (it's also my own personal favorite player). It comes in 9 different colors and its compatable with all of the subscription music-to-go services.

One of the best aspects of the Zen Micro is its excellent interface. You can customize the layout of your menu (which includes a cool blue glowing backlight) to list only the features that you use most regularly. The menu is navigated by touch sensitive buttons that take some getting used to, but once you become comfortable with them they are actually quite nice. Unlike the ipod, which allows you to scroll through songs in a circular motion, the Zen Micro requires you to use an up and down scrolling motion.

This player is packed with features, including a decent voice recorder for note taking and an FM radio receiver that works well when signals are strong. You can even record songs that play over the radio. The unit also syncs with Microsoft Outlook, giving you access to your contacts and calendar appointments (although the calendar is read-only). I find the contact list to be very useful because I usually always have my player with me.

Battery life for the Zen Micro is rated at 12 hours, and I have found that to be pretty accurate in my experiences. One nice feature is the removable Li-ion battery that can be replaced easily in the future. The battery is re-chargable and the unit emits a cool blue pulse when its plugged in.

Currently, the Zen Micro comes in 4GB, 5GB, and 6GB models and is reasonable priced.
The 5GB model currently retails at $199 and comes with pretty good headphones, removable battery, a belt clip, mini-USB cord, and a stand.

I would recommend this model to anyone interested in music-to-go. I have tried it out will all three services and I haven't had any problems.

Digital Music To Go - Rhapsody 3.0 Basics

2005-09-01T21:21:00.000-05:00

This is the first in a 3 part series that covers what I call the "big three" digital music services. I have tried each service first hand for an extended period of time and each of them has their unique benefits.

The best part about all of these services is that you get access to over 1,000,000 songs for a low monthly fee. For a former CD junkie like myself, this has saved me a ton of money. I used to spend $10 bucks a CD and I would by 15-20 CD's a month. Now I spend less than $10 bucks a month for all of the music I want.

Rhapsody has been around for a while and it recently underwent a major facelift. The most significant change is the addition of the Rhapsody to Go feature. This feature allows you to download a songs from Rhapsody without buying them and transfer them to your mp3 player. You can transfer as many songs as you like as long as you pay the monthly subscription fee, currently $14.99 a month. The songs will play on your mp3 player as long as you continue to subscribe. You will have to plug your player in each month to renew the music licenses or else your songs will stop working.

Unfortunately, not all mp3 players are compatible with this service, so make sure that you check with Rhapsody before you sign up. Currently, the compatible players include the Creative Zen Micro, the IRiver H10, and the Dell DJ.

If you are not interested in taking songs to go, you can always just listen to the songs directly on your computer. Rhapsody has an excellent interface that is easy to use. Songs and artists are organized by category and you can save your favorite songs and artists so that you can access them easily in the future. Rhapsody even allows you to catalog your own mp3 collection and burn CD's.

Out of all of the services, Rhapsody is the quickest to respond in terms of playing music. Just click on a song, and almost instantly it begins playing on your computer. The quality is great and if you can either plug your computer into your home stereo system or hook up a pair of quality pc speakers. Then listen to any song that you want or create your own playlists that match your mood.

Rhapsody also includes a great selection of internet radio stations that come with the Rhapsody unlimited subscription. These stations will automatically pick songs for you based upon the theme of the station. The cool part is, if you don't like the song playing on the station, you can instantly skip to the next song. Plus, there are no commercials. You can also develop a custom station that is based upon your music tastes.

Currently, Rhapsody is offering a free version that includes 25 free radio stations and 25 free song plays a month. If you want to sign up for the full version, there is a 14 day free trial during which you can listen to and transfer all of the music you want.

Digital Music To Go

It's a great service and if you buy a lot of CD's it should save you a lot of money. My favorite aspect of Rhapsody is being able to listen and try out new music that I wouldn't normally buy. I've found a lot of great new artists this way and I never would have discovored some of them. We'll discuss Rhapsody a lot more in the future but for now this should get you started.