I wonder how accessible this is? I should upload my received podcasts folder in there. How can you possibly retrieve the copy protected stuff again? That stuff is absolutely toast if the computer crashes. I see no legal trouble with services like this as long as music is never shared.
----- Original Message ----- From: "djc" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 5:39 PM Subject: Review: Oboe Locker protects music files > The following article caught my attention and I offer it for your > education. > > Review: Oboe Locker protects music files > By ALEX VEIGA > AP Business Writer > LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Having your entire music collection at your fingertips > is simple > enough if you own an iPod or other portable digital player with multiple > gigabytes > of storage - until you drop it. Or the PC that you use to synch your > player > has a > meltdown. Then what? > One option is turning to MP3tunes' Oboe Locker, a Web-based service > launched by the > founder of the original MP3.com, one of the first online sites to offer > music downloads > in the late 1990s. > Oboe provides an affordable way to protect against a catastrophic loss of > music files > with an added perk: Users can listen to their own music on virtually any > computer. > In testing the service, I found it simple to use, although I wasn't able > to > try my > hand at dialing up my music collection on a mobile phone, PDA or other > portable devices > with Internet access. Those enticing features won't be available until > later this > year. > The Oboe Locker's biggest benefit might be that it can serve as an > unlimited online > storage backup for your music files. The no-limit bandwidth will cost you > $39.95 > a year. > A free version of the service lets users save music files found online > directly into > the locker and listen to them from any computer, but it doesn't allow > users > to make > backup copies of their own music files. > I tested a premium version of the service. > To get started, Oboe requires users to download an application that scans > the computer > for music files and playlists and handles the job of uploading them to the > company's > servers. > Oboe works with Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh computers and PCs running > either > Microsoft Corp.'s Windows or the Linux operating systems. It also supports > most song > file formats, including MP3s and copy-protected tracks purchased through > iTunes and > other online retailers. > Copy-protected tracks retain their playback restrictions. > The service limits the size of individual files to 20 megabytes. However, > it puts > no limit on how much music users can upload. > Don't even think about using Oboe to backup your music without a broadband > Internet > connection. > When I tested Oboe, I had about 1,800 digital tracks stored on my > Windows-based computer, > but it would have taken more than 24 hours to transfer everything over a > DSL connection. > So I ended up uploading 344 tracks, or about 1.4 gigabytes, over several > hours. > Uploaded files that are missing data on the artist, track name or other > details are > set aside until you can fill in the blanks. Users must edit the > information > to be > able to access the tracks. > Once the music is loaded, just call up and sign into the Oboe Locker site > at MP3Tunes.com. > Oboe has a built-in player that lists tracks by album, artist or song. Or > you can > search a playlist. Tracks are streamed at a bit rate of 192 kilobits per > second. > The company also provides a plug-in that enables the locker features to > function > within Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes software. > I used a friend's iBook and a Dell desktop at the office to access my Oboe > music > locker. Both computers have a broadband Internet connection. My music > files > popped > up in the browser and I was able to listen to a stereo stream of my music. > It takes a few seconds to load up the track listing, but the sound was not > discernibly > different than the quality of songs played directly from the hard drive in > my home > computer. > The Oboe file-synching software can automatically make an online copy of > any new > music added to a computer after the initial installation. > But users can't be logged onto their Oboe account or synch files between > their music > locker and a computer on more than two PCs at a time. The company says it > tracks > whether an account has too many simultaneous users and will shut those > down. > Still, nothing prevents a premium Oboe account holder from copying tracks > from his > virtual locker to any number of computers. > Oboe also allows users to load up their music locker with free tracks - > typically > MP3s - available for download online. One can enter the Web link to a song > file into > Oboe it will be copied into the virtual hold. > The company has plug-ins for Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers that > streamlines > the process to one click of the mouse. > As someone sometimes disappointed with music selections at parties, I like > the prospect > of virtually taking my entire catalog of music across town or across the > country. > And knowing my personal trove of music is safely backed up in cyberspace, > sparing > me the unsettling prospect of having to rip scores of CDs back into my PC > should > it fail, makes using the Oboe Locker a no-brainer. > --- > On the Net: > Oboe Locker: > http://www.mp3tunes.com > > > djc's Jukebox: http://paulmerrell.net:9212 Saturday Evenings 9 to > midnight Eastern. > > My Journal http://livejournal.com/users/djc1 > > email Or Msn: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > I C Q Number Is: 4781694 > > > > > _______________________________________________ > PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > http://www.pc-audio.org > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other lists we > offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com > _______________________________________________ PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This list is a service of MosenExplosion.com. To see what other lists we offer, visit us on the web at http://www.MosenExplosion.com
