Yahoo introduces on-line music service, but there are a few catches that suck

Globetechnology: Yahoo introduces on-line music service: "SAN FRANCISCO — Internet powerhouse Yahoo Inc. is introducing an on-line music subscription service that will enable consumers to download thousands of songs onto their portable MP3 players for $60 (U.S.) annually, undercutting the prices of the current industry leaders by more than 60 per cent ."
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Sounds good! Oh wait. Here's what is wrong with it...
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By encouraging consumers to become song renters instead of song owners, Yahoo, Napster and Real Networks are pursuing a different sales approach from Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iTunes music store.

Under the rental model, consumers must pay a recurring fee and synchronize their portable music players with the subscription service at least once a month to preserve the music. If the subscription expires, the previously downloaded music becomes unplayable.

Renters also can't transfer downloaded songs to a compact disc without paying an additional fee. Yahoo will charge its subscribers 79 cents to own a song, below the 99 cents-per-song price of Apple's music store.

Yahoo's subscription service is compatible only with MP3 players that use Microsoft Corp.'s digital music format. That means the service won't work with Apple's iPod, the most popular MP3 player. The list of 10 devices that will work with Yahoo's service initially include Dell Inc.'s DJ player and Creative Technology Ltd.'s Zen Micro.
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Yahoo, you suck. Why would anyone want to keep on paying to a subscription just so they won't lose their downloads? iPods are a huge market, and you don't cater to them? Idiotic. I'll stick with BitTorrent, thanks but no thanks.
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