Microsoft and RealNetworks Team Up
Looks like the boys and girls at Microsoft and RealNetworks have agreed to put their differences behind them and work to settle past problems and work to build subscribers for Real’s Rhapsody music service. The Rhapsody service is apparently the top subscription based music service according to an article on Yahoo Business that I was reading today. Microsoft is going to cough up some money and drive subscribers to the Rhapsody service from the MSN family of properties. They are also going to use some of Real’s gaming solutions for Xbox, Xbox Live and the soon-to-be-released Xbox 360. Personally, I can’t stand Real Networks as their software has always been loaded with all kinds of spyware and other crap. Plus, their players are just plain weak. I think Microsoft however, is on to something with their Media Center Edition 2005 of windows. I would have liked to have seen them partner up with someone better, but let’s see how they do.