(That’s the Secure Digital Music Initiative, in case you’re wondering. The coalition of major music industry conglomerates gathering together in a room to protect their power in the wake of downloadable music.) We all know about the recent release of Sega’s impressive Dreamcast system. A top of the line post-arcade console complete with its own networking apparatus: a lousy 56k modem. We simply can’t wait to get the opportunity to sit there and download 38MB video game tracks while we sleep at night.And then we have news of Sony’s impending Playstation2, with its own ethernet card. With this bit of high-tech armament behind them, Sony has also announced that the uber-netowrked Playstation2 will also feature the ability to download not only games, but music -- linking its next-generation game consoles to cable TV systems.
The newer Playstation is expected to hit Japan in the spring of 200 and American shores next fall. Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi has told Nikkei Industrial Daily that he expects consumers will be able to download electronic games and music from Sony's record labels before the end of the year. "We have already created a superb content archive for online distribution," Kutaragi said. "E-distribution is no longer a dream… When PlayStation2 is connected to broadband (cable) networks, immediately several thousand software titles (games and music) will be accessible."
We presume Mr. Kutaragi isn’t quite so enthused about the currently "accessible" complete recorded library of Jennifer Lopez’s and the Beastie Boys’ albums available online from mp3/hackerz/warez sites.
>>> Playstation2 online
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