Megabox, Mega and Kim Dotcom

SubJeff on 27/9/2012 at 13:22

We all know who this guy is and most people seem to hate him. I think he's frikking awesome though. He may be rather gauche in a way that rubs some people wrong but you cannot deny his ambition and spring of ideas.

So he's bringing out this thing called Megabox which seems to a Last FM type music service. Or is it a bit Spotify? Anyways, it's an ad supported music service where you can opt out of ads and just pay for the music. I don't know how it's going to integrate with Megaupload but I suspect there will be some cross-compatibility.

The model is definitely interesting.

(http://torrentfreak.com/kim-dotcom-teases-megabox-reveals-exclusive-artists-120926/)

(http://hexus.net/business/news/internet/45809-the-new-megaupload-megabox-music-service/)

henke on 27/9/2012 at 14:03

Never heard of the guy, but I'm going to deduce from your post that it's the guy who runs Megaupload.

nickie on 27/9/2012 at 16:27

I was just reading about him today for (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19741343) different reasons.

Quote:

The New Zealand prime minister has issued an apology to Megaupload boss Kim Dotcom.

He said sorry because a New Zealand law enforcement agency was judged to have illegally spied on Mr Dotcom.

SubJeff on 27/9/2012 at 17:02

Yeah, I read that too. I've been following the story for ages. It's a right royal mess up and it's incredible how the whole thing has been handled really. I know the tech blogs are a little biased (or so they seem) but there it looks like there is no way he should have been treated like this. Scary.

Kuuso on 28/9/2012 at 09:50

Quote Posted by henke

Never heard of the guy, but I'm going to deduce from your post that it's the guy who runs Megaupload.

You should have, he's Finnish after all. :p

henke on 28/9/2012 at 10:30

Shouldn't his name be Kim Dotcommilaisinen or something then?

BEAR on 3/10/2012 at 03:38

What am I missing? How is this not very similar to spotify? Technically I know its different, a subscription service for ad-free vs listening to ads for free service and giving revenue to the artists (or copyright holders, which I assume would still be the case with megabox).

So besides changing audio-ads to replacing web-ads with megabox ads and the option to buy music outright vs pay a subscription, whats so revolutionary about this?

If artists could actually sell their music directly obviously this is good, but seems like spotify basically gives the same option (hell youtube does too), assuming they actually own the rights to their own music.

SubJeff on 4/11/2012 at 20:06

No BEAR, you are correct - it's very similar to Spotify. One difference is free Spotify has sound ads which interrupt your listening, this will not do that. You can buy tracks in Spotify too btw, so it's even more similar than you suggested.

Aaaaanyway. I've been following the case because this guy obviously has some interesting ideas. He is bringing out a new service to replace Megaupload just called Mega, which is an upload service with a twist - the data will all be encrypted by the uploader, thus supposedly freeing Mega of any legal responsibility about the content, and the servers will be disseminated worldwide.

And now this:
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/04/kim-dotcom-broadband-suing-hollywood)

He wants to get the New Zealand fibre optic connection, that the original contractors can't build because of cash problems, back on track using money he reckons he'll get from suing the Hollywood/US players who have been out to get him. Obviously they have failed so far and there are so many question marks over this case, with the NZ high court ruling that raid on his house was illegal, that I'd be surprised if he couldn't claim something. The US is unlikely to pay anything imho though, mostly because, well, the specific people involved are a bunch of arseholes.

Its a laudable aim though. Free broadband for domestic use and charges only for businesses and government. Like it.