Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft is reportedly planning to make a big push in its music service to rival that of Apple’s iTunes as well as popular music streaming service Spotify. According to Bloomberg, citing inside sources, the new Xbox Music will combine the best features of both rival services so that customers can purchase songs and sign up for music streaming.

Microsoft has been in talks with the major record label companies, including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music, and EMI to secure the necessary music rights. The negotiations may still be in the early stages, although the company plans to launch the service later this year.

Xbox Music’s streaming aspect will work similar to Spotify, charging usrs a monthly or annual fee, while still letting consumers purchase digital music through an online store similar to iTunes. Music may also be stored on an online locker that’s accessible by multiple mobile devices running Windows Phone 8 or Windows 8. It would be similar to Apple’s iCloud, where songs purchased elsewhere can also be stored and accessed for a monthly or annual fee.

[via MacRumors]

Microsoft plans Xbox Music to rival iTunes, Spotify is written by Rue Liu & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This week you’ll be able to head down to your favorite GameStop or Best Buy location and pick yourself up an Xbox with a Kinect for just $99 USD. THere’s a catch, of course, in that you’ve got to sign up for two years of Xbox LIVE Gold, that costing you an additional $14.99 USD a month. THe cost of the beast you’re buying from one of the two stores listed this week will over the course of the contract end up costing you $99 + $360, a price that’s quite a bit more than your everyday average $299 for the package with no contract.

This deal is for those of you wishing to spread out your costs over a longer period and for those of you that planned on grabbing a membership anyway. For those of you looking to spend the least amount of cash in the end, the device package you want is everywhere you look. This $99 deal is up at Best Buy and GameStop starting this week.

If you’re dissatisfied by what you’ve purchased, you do have a 30 day return period in which you’ll only end up losing your first month’s subscription, which is non-refundable. Those people waiting more than 30 days before ending a subscription will be subject to a $250 early termination fee.

Sound like an awesome deal to you?

Xbox Kinect $99 deal starts today is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.