SanDisk, along with the four major record labels (Warner Bros., EMI, Sony BMG and Universal Music Group) have announced a new music format: slotMusic. They really didn't invent a new physical platform, it's just digital music files loaded onto a microSD card. SlotMusic will supposedly be sold in Wal-Mart and Best Buy stores, according to the official site.
I have to ask myself, 'Why?' I suppose this is targeting the non-iPod crowd, as iPods do not have SD card slots. And being a microSD card, you could plug it right into your phone or SD card slot-equipped player, as many SanDisk players are. But is this really an improvement over the CD format? Some thoughts:
  • Apparently the music sold will be entire albums for "$7-10 each". Consumers have shown great preference for ala carte song purchasing over the album format.
  • Anyone buying slotMusic will already have a computer and some type of digital music player but is not downloading music. I suppose this might appeal to some dialup users...
  • At "$7-10," slotMusic cards will be cheaper than buying blank microSD cards.
  • MicroSD cards are tiny. Easy to drop and get lost in carpeting, and swept or vacuumed up.
  • The music will be DRM free.
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