Roundup: Kickstarter’s iOS App, CD Baby Download Wristbands, Amazon’s ReDigi Patent
A lot of tech writers still can't wrap their heads around what a varied terrain the phrase "music tech" indicates. Yesterday Kickstarter launched its first native iOS app and CD Baby introduced download wristbands with special Valentine's Day pricing. In late January, Amazon was granted a patent for Redigi-style digital content resales. Such data points, aka news items, help indicate the extensive features of music tech's terrain.
Kickstarter Launches iOS App
Yesterday Kickstarter announced the launch of its brand new iOS app for iPhone and iPod Touch:
"We took things we've learned from the past three years of building the site, and applied them to a total redesign for the iPhone. We redesigned the project page, browse pages, and others."
"And we focused on making three things really useful and fun: finding new projects, keeping up to date with projects you've backed, and offering great tools for creators."
Get it: Kickstarter iOS App
CD Baby Introduces Download Wristbands w/VD Sale
Here are some marketing ideas for CD Baby's new download wristbands from Chris Robley who explains that each wristband "comes with a unique code, redeemable on CDBaby.com for a free album or single download":
Use download wristbands at your next concert.
Give away download wristbands at your album release party.
Use download wristbands to release one single every month.
Promote a festival or compilation album with download wristbands.
They're a smart hybrid and you can get them for half off the normal $89 price per 100 through February 28th.
Amazon Granted Patent for "Secondary market for digital objects"
In news that should have drawn more attention, Amazon was granted a U.S. Patent on January 29th for "an electronic marketplace for used digital objects":
"In one example, a user may use the personalized data store interface to access and manage used digital objects within his or her personalized data store. A user may move available used digital objects to personalized data stores of other users…The movement of the available used digital object to another user's personalized data store may be a result of a sale, rental, loan, gift, trade, etc. "
Obviously this doesn't grant Amazon the right to resell digital content such as MP3's but it certainly sets the stage.
Digital content reseller ReDigi released a reply:
"ReDigi believes the Amazon patent is further proof that the secondary market is the future of the digital space and that there is no turning back."
I think we can safely anticipate high [legal] drama ahead!
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (Twitter/App.net) also blogs at All World Dance: Videos and maintains Music Biz Blogs. To suggest topics for Hypebot, contact: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
