"The first thing I did was to look up their IP-location. It used to be in downtown Moscow but now they're situated just a few miles north of The Black Sea (nicer climate I bet) in a Ukrainian town called Mykolayiv (population approximately 500.000)."
From Warez.com
This could subdue legal issues for a while.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Russian Tycoon to make AllofMp3.com Legal
AllofMp3.com is by far the most popular Russian Mp3 Site and also has by far faced the most scrutiny. Although their legal status is ambiguous, they offer a wonderful product—DRM free music files in almost any format and of almost any quality.
From Electronista,
"Online music store AllOfMP3 maybe subverted through a corporate buyout, according to a report today by the research firm Music Ally. The analysts indicate that an as yet unnamed "influential and wealthy" Russian tycoon has been pursuing the direct download shop and intends to legitimize its often questionable licensing scheme by taking control of the company. The businessman is working on behalf of music labels and publishers that believe AllOfMP3's extremely low-priced downloads skirt the edges of its home territory's law, Music Ally's researchers claim. If successful, the takeover would be followed by new licensing deals obtained directly from the labels themselves."
Since they already have a sophisticated infrastructure for selling music files in place, AllofMp3 could turn into a nice indie music store, but its sketchy past might make getting any licensing deals awfully hard. I find it hard to believe that AllofMp3.com will be able negotiate a deal with the RIAA, who has sued them for 1.65 trillion in America. If they go "legal", Allofmp3.com will probably only sell music from independent labels (unless they too want money for music Allofmp3 has sold).
From Electronista,
"Online music store AllOfMP3 maybe subverted through a corporate buyout, according to a report today by the research firm Music Ally. The analysts indicate that an as yet unnamed "influential and wealthy" Russian tycoon has been pursuing the direct download shop and intends to legitimize its often questionable licensing scheme by taking control of the company. The businessman is working on behalf of music labels and publishers that believe AllOfMP3's extremely low-priced downloads skirt the edges of its home territory's law, Music Ally's researchers claim. If successful, the takeover would be followed by new licensing deals obtained directly from the labels themselves."
Since they already have a sophisticated infrastructure for selling music files in place, AllofMp3 could turn into a nice indie music store, but its sketchy past might make getting any licensing deals awfully hard. I find it hard to believe that AllofMp3.com will be able negotiate a deal with the RIAA, who has sued them for 1.65 trillion in America. If they go "legal", Allofmp3.com will probably only sell music from independent labels (unless they too want money for music Allofmp3 has sold).
How to stop music "stealing" ?
Long ago here's how it happened. Buy an album, put it in, and groove to your new treat. And as your sitting on that comfy sofa, listening to those booming speakers unleash fresh tunes, you skim the liner notes. It's simple, a standard music junkie experience.
And now with online music stores, what do we have? The same experience. Some, such as iTunes, are even beginning to offer digital music booklets, a newer version of liner notes. But why stop there?
1) Online music stores can attach almost everything they want to downloads. Album or song purchases should be attached to tour schedules, artist stories and biographies, videos, games, screensavers, drawings, desktop backgrounds, coupons, anything of interest.
2) Songs files can be made for more than listening. Fans like to interact with their music. What if you could download a song file, and then sing karaoke with it, play the guitar solo from it in Guitar Hero, dance to it in DDR, create your own music video for it, remix it and resell your reproductions. All of these abilities in a single interface.
If an album offered more attachments and interactivity in a hard to reproduce environment, than fans would gravitate from "stealing" towards the superior product. Many people who download newly released movies still go to theaters for the experience—it's better.
The record companies can improve the music experience or they can spend their time catching clueless teenagers. Which do you think deserves more emphasis?
And now with online music stores, what do we have? The same experience. Some, such as iTunes, are even beginning to offer digital music booklets, a newer version of liner notes. But why stop there?
1) Online music stores can attach almost everything they want to downloads. Album or song purchases should be attached to tour schedules, artist stories and biographies, videos, games, screensavers, drawings, desktop backgrounds, coupons, anything of interest.
2) Songs files can be made for more than listening. Fans like to interact with their music. What if you could download a song file, and then sing karaoke with it, play the guitar solo from it in Guitar Hero, dance to it in DDR, create your own music video for it, remix it and resell your reproductions. All of these abilities in a single interface.
If an album offered more attachments and interactivity in a hard to reproduce environment, than fans would gravitate from "stealing" towards the superior product. Many people who download newly released movies still go to theaters for the experience—it's better.
The record companies can improve the music experience or they can spend their time catching clueless teenagers. Which do you think deserves more emphasis?
I received this email on my Squidoo Lens from someone who claims to be an Alloffmp3 user. I'm am naturally suspicious of websites like Alloffmp3.org and allofmp3-i.com because they are obvious attempts to capture traffic intended for Allofmp3.com. Despite a misleading domain name, I have marked them as reliable on my lens because users suggested them and I really have no way to verify whether a user is truthful or not.
Considering all users credible is perhaps a bad policy but, if you pay any of the sites, the websites probably will let you download mp3s, as one user who gets scammed will severely hurt their business. The cost of the domain, hosting, and web design are probably not worth scamming a few customers. So I think that, except for a few mistakes here and there, most of the Russian Mp3 Sites can be considered reliable in the sense that if you pay for it,
you will receive your desired mp3. The confirmation of a site's reliability by customers on my Squidoo lens is required mainly to foster discussion about the sites and to hear about bad experiences. Even if someone who works for one of the sites gets me to call their site reliable, chances are it actually is reliable.
Anyway, I'm not sure what to make of this email; is it an honest review or a company promotion? It looks to me that it is written by someone who learned english as second language, but they do give real praise and criticism. If this is from a company promoter, I'd much prefer it if you contacted me through my lens and provided information about your company, instead of writing fake emails. Otherwise, I apologize to Nick or whoever sent the email, unless of course the email really did come from George W. Bush, who has much more important things to be doing.
"Thanks for this page, I have just given allOFFmp3.org a go, and I am fairly impressed.
The payment options from the money bunch were a little confusing, but I could pay without extra charges with a visa card. I went for $20 credit, an it was available instantly.
Prices seem somewhat random, length is generally a factor, but it still seems a bit hit and miss. Albums with a lot of longish tracks, (say 10 x 6 minuters) can work out a lot more expensive than the same amount of time in one chunk).
They seem rather weak on stuff like modern american bluegrass, but have a VERY impressive range of modern electronic, (Berlin School and others).
The web site is nothing like as easy to use as "all OF mp3", and there is no download manager, but it works. In short, a few rough edges and inconsistent pricing, but lots of stuff that "all of" does not stock. I'll be getting more!" --Nick <president@whitehouse.gov>
Considering all users credible is perhaps a bad policy but, if you pay any of the sites, the websites probably will let you download mp3s, as one user who gets scammed will severely hurt their business. The cost of the domain, hosting, and web design are probably not worth scamming a few customers. So I think that, except for a few mistakes here and there, most of the Russian Mp3 Sites can be considered reliable in the sense that if you pay for it,
you will receive your desired mp3. The confirmation of a site's reliability by customers on my Squidoo lens is required mainly to foster discussion about the sites and to hear about bad experiences. Even if someone who works for one of the sites gets me to call their site reliable, chances are it actually is reliable.
Anyway, I'm not sure what to make of this email; is it an honest review or a company promotion? It looks to me that it is written by someone who learned english as second language, but they do give real praise and criticism. If this is from a company promoter, I'd much prefer it if you contacted me through my lens and provided information about your company, instead of writing fake emails. Otherwise, I apologize to Nick or whoever sent the email, unless of course the email really did come from George W. Bush, who has much more important things to be doing.
"Thanks for this page, I have just given allOFFmp3.org a go, and I am fairly impressed.
The payment options from the money bunch were a little confusing, but I could pay without extra charges with a visa card. I went for $20 credit, an it was available instantly.
Prices seem somewhat random, length is generally a factor, but it still seems a bit hit and miss. Albums with a lot of longish tracks, (say 10 x 6 minuters) can work out a lot more expensive than the same amount of time in one chunk).
They seem rather weak on stuff like modern american bluegrass, but have a VERY impressive range of modern electronic, (Berlin School and others).
The web site is nothing like as easy to use as "all OF mp3", and there is no download manager, but it works. In short, a few rough edges and inconsistent pricing, but lots of stuff that "all of" does not stock. I'll be getting more!" --Nick <president@whitehouse.gov>
It begins.
I've always been fascinated with the Russian Mp3 sites. Through a combination Russian loopholes and lack of enforcement, they are able to transparently sell Mp3s at a much lower price than their American competitors. But not only do they sell Mp3s for low prices, but they also design websites and clients (especially Allofmp3.com) that rival or are perhaps superior to those that are RIAA approved. They demonstrate what can be done without restrictions, no DRM, different file types and qualities, longer (or full) previews, generous bonuses, and innovative pricing structures.
Now, a restriction free music world is frightening to artists and record companies. They lose control of what becomes of their work; they lose profit models; they lose their whole current infrastructure. An industrial revolution is fun for the consumers, but content owners aren't quite ready for radical change.
It is my understanding that the Russian Websites donate some of their profits to a pool for rights-holders, who could claim money for their works, but by doing so would legitimize the sale of their works. Thus, not much money (if any) goes to rights-holders from the Russian Sites and the music industry. The RIAA obviously isn't happy about their existence and with the new U.S. trade agreement with Russia, I find it hard to believe that these Russian Mp3 Sites will be able to continue to operate effectively, if it all, for the next couple years. The credit card companies have already made it harder to pay Allofmp3.com. You currently can only pay Allofmp3 by going through XROST, a third party. Yet, until then, it will be very interesting to follow the websites. There are at least 20 of them.
Now, a restriction free music world is frightening to artists and record companies. They lose control of what becomes of their work; they lose profit models; they lose their whole current infrastructure. An industrial revolution is fun for the consumers, but content owners aren't quite ready for radical change.
It is my understanding that the Russian Websites donate some of their profits to a pool for rights-holders, who could claim money for their works, but by doing so would legitimize the sale of their works. Thus, not much money (if any) goes to rights-holders from the Russian Sites and the music industry. The RIAA obviously isn't happy about their existence and with the new U.S. trade agreement with Russia, I find it hard to believe that these Russian Mp3 Sites will be able to continue to operate effectively, if it all, for the next couple years. The credit card companies have already made it harder to pay Allofmp3.com. You currently can only pay Allofmp3 by going through XROST, a third party. Yet, until then, it will be very interesting to follow the websites. There are at least 20 of them.
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