[E's Lil Theorem]

As noted in today's coverage of Microsoft's MSN Messenger 7.0 launch, the latest version of the instant-messaging program lets people automatically display to others the name of the song playing at that moment on their computer. In a twist, however, the feature works not only with Microsoft's Windows Media Player but also with Apple's rival iTunes music player.

But that's where the accommodation ends. People who see a good song from a friend's playlist can click on the title to go buy it, but the instant-messaging service takes them to the MSN Music service -- not to the iTunes Music Store.

Explained MSN Vice President Blake Irving: "If you think about developing around scenarios for us, iTunes is software that's very popular, iPods are everywhere, so for us it just made sense to stream iTunes to show what somebody is listening to. We recognize that a lot of people are using iTunes. We certainly want them to use the MSN Music store. But we know that people are using that iTunes player, so that scenario is very important to us."

Link

Pretty interesting. I would have never guessed that MS would do that. Then again, what company isn't about making the Bens?

[Mafia]

if only i used msn messenger! pretty cool tho.

[Zimphire]

Hey, at least they are supporting iTunes. I give them that.


They would be stupid not to.

[AKcrab]

Originally posted by Mafia:
if only i used msn messenger! pretty cool tho.

Does it even work on a Mac? I tried yesterday without success.

[Albert Pujols]

7.0 is finally out of beta, now I can hand write messages...yay.

[Angus_D]

MSN Messenger sucks. Really, really badly.

[storer]

I had the BETA, so I am now downloading the finished version and will test!

[The Godfather]

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Hey, at least they are supporting iTunes. I give them that.


They would be stupid not to.

They are probably making money off the iTunes affiliates program. I know I would if I had the power.

[Mafia]

Originally posted by AKcrab:
Does it even work on a Mac? I tried yesterday without success.

it works but not well.

[storer]

Originally posted by storer:
I had the BETA, so I am now downloading the finished version and will test!

Worked fine!

[Superchicken]

Uhh, it wouldn't be with the affiliate program, since it takes em to MSN music... that said this is a great way to piss off consumers, "Hey I downloaded a track from MSN music, but it doesn't work with the player my friend was using and that I'm using!"

[goMac]

Originally posted by E's Lil Theorem:
Link

Pretty interesting. I would have never guessed that MS would do that. Then again, what company isn't about making the Bens?

They don't sell MSN Messenger, so I doubt its that.

I, however the sneaking suspicion that some people on the MSN Messenger team use iTunes.

[E's Lil Theorem]

Originally posted by goMac:
They don't sell MSN Messenger, so I doubt its that.
...

They're not giving away music at MSN though and that's where it takes you when you click on the links. At least according to the article, MS recognizes that many PC users are using iTunes and that's why they decided to make MSN Messenger compatible with it. They're basically saying, "we're not going to ignore this large portion of the market," i.e., all about the Bens.

[Xeo]

Originally posted by E's Lil Theorem:
They're not giving away music at MSN though and that's where it takes you when you click on the links. At least according to the article, MS recognizes that many PC users are using iTunes and that's why they decided to make MSN Messenger compatible with it. They're basically saying, "we're not going to ignore this large portion of the market," i.e., all about the Bens.

Exactly. They don't care where the song title is coming from, so long as when the person looking at it is taking to their music store when they click it. It's a source of advertising. They aren't going to ignore it.

It's nice that iTunes is big enough that they support it. Where is WinAmp support, though?