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Napster: A Review of the Napster Music ServiceIntroduction to the Napster Music ServiceGuide Rating - ![]() The first incarnation of Napster was an illegal file sharing network that was eventually shutdown in 2001. It was the first P2P network and has become a legendary icon in todays P2P circles. Today, Napster 2 is a legal digital music service that has over 830,000 subscribers. Read the full Napster review to see what this iconic digital music service has to offer. Pros:
Cons:
Napster: Music Service FeaturesFree Trial: Napster offers a 7-day free trial so you can review their digital music service before you take the plunge. Once the trial is over, you pay a monthly subscription until you decide to cancel. Subscription Plans:
Napster Light (99 cents per song/$9.95 per album): If you dont want to be tied down to a subscription service, but want to buy your music outright, then Napster Light is the answer. The light version is Napsters nickname for their a la carte click-and-buy service. Free Napster: Napsters free streaming service offers over 3 million songs to choose from that you can play in full. There are restrictions in place to stop copyright infringement; songs can only be played 3 times and the music files are of a low quality (32Kbps). This service is only available in the United States at present. Website: The online experience at Napster.com is a pleasant one, the well laid out tabbed menu at the top of the screen gives the user easy access to the guts of the web site. Customer Service: A set of documents, including FAQs that cover popular questions are available. If you need to find out anything specific then you can always shoot an e-mail to their 24/7 support. File FormatsFile Formats: Napster uses the WMA format to deliver music. These WMA files have a layer of protection using Microsofts WMDRM digital rights management system. iPod users should be aware at this point that the WMA format is not compatible with their equipment and so Napster isnt a suitable source for your music. Audio Bitstream Rates:
SoftwareNapster 4.0: The new Napster 4.0 client is a significant leap from version 3.0. Up until the current version, the Napster software was a PC only application. Now, the software is a browser-based client that offers non-pc users the chance to use their music service for the very first time. The new version sports an intuitive interface that is easy to use. A neat feature of the new version is automatic recommendations based on the current track that is being played. ConclusionIs it right for you? |
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