On May 2, Microsoft announced that it is releasing a beta version of Windows Media Player 7 and the Win-Jam portable player, both aimed at delivering better online sound. The Windows Media Player features technology from SRS Labs, which boasts a sound similar to Surround. The Windows Media player also has jukebox capabilities for recording CDs and streaming audio/video downloads. WindowsMedia.com is offering new content, including product from Christina Aguilera, Madonna and Phish. Microsoft claims that its playing-card-deck-sized portable Win-Jam can carry music files that are half the size of MP3 while delivering CD-quality audio.

The House of Blues recently announced that they will be providing the Internet's first ever live music video digital download (VDD) service. Located at their web site http://www.hob.com, the music content for these downloadable music videos will be drawn from the various House of Blues venues throughout North America. Users will be able to download live tracks at a price of $2.99 per video. Fans of live music will be able to download live performance video clips from a growing catalog of artists. The initial VDD offerings will include performances by Public Enemy, Squeeze, X, Berlin and Cheap Trick. Released in conjunction with Microsoft’s new Windows Media Player 7, HOB.com will offer users a free download from the alternative rock/rap group 311 (pictured at right) until May 8th.

Napster, the newest buzz in the world of online music, is causing controversy; it has record companies and many artists up in arms. What is Napster, you ask? It is a program written for Windows that is essentially a search engine for compressed MP3 music files. Currently Napster is not available in a Mac version but can be used with Virtual PC and Linux. A Mac version called Macster is also now available.

As the Internet’s impact on the music industry continues to grow so does the controversy over what format will ultimately win out as the industry standard for online music delivery. BMG has recently partnered with several major high-tech firms such as IBM, Microsoft and Liquid Audio in order to build a legitimate marketplace for consumer downloading of music. Record companies have been scrambling to slow the immense amount of Internet music piracy and also reap the financial rewards that the net can provide.