Napster announced on Wednesday the availability of its Napster To Go portable music subscription service for a number of cell phone models. The service is now available on smartphones and cell phones that run Microsoft's Windows Mobile 5.0 and Windows Mobile 2003, including the forthcoming Motorola Moto Q, and certain models made by Audiovox, HP, HTC, i-Mate, Orange, Palm, Samsung, Siemens and Sierra. The mobile subscription service will allow for both unlimited streaming of songs and a la carte downloads to cell phones. Wireless carriers that support handset models compatible with Napster To Go include BellSouth, Cingular, O2, Orange, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone.
Try to imagine this scenario, that General Motors and Ford were given exclusive franchises to build America's interstate highway system, and also all the highways that connect local communities. Now imagine that, based upon a financial crisis, these troubled companies decided to convert all "their" local arteries into toll-roads -- they then use incremental toll fees to severely limit all travel to and from small businesses. Why? This handicapping process reduced the need to invest in building better new roads, or repairing the dilapidated ones. But, wouldn't that short-sighted decision have a detrimental impact on the overall national economy? It's a moot point -- pure fantasy -- you say. The U.S. political leadership would never knowingly risk the nation's social and economic future on the financial viability of a restrictive duopoly. Or, would they? The 21st century Global Networked Economy travels across essential broadband infrastructure. The forced intr...