New Napster update adds bulk track discount and more player support

Napster, a division of Roxio, today introduced an updated version of its popular service, enabling owners of some of the most popular portable digital audio devices available including Creative's NOMAD Zen line, the Dell Digital Jukebox and Rio's Cali and Nitrus, the ability to seamlessly drag-and-drop tracks from Napster directly to their portable device without leaving the Napster application. The integration of these devices within the Napster service allows consumers to choose the device that best suits their needs and budget without sacrificing the benefits of simple and seamless transfer of music. With its continued support of the Samsung Napster YP-910GS, Napster is now integrated with over a dozen portable devices, some of which retail for under a hundred dollars, and is compatible with a total of 60 devices.

"It is extremely important to Napster that the digital music experience is easy and fun for all music consumers," said Mike Bebel, Napster's president and COO. "Integrating so many popular devices with the service allows us to make that goal a reality for the millions of consumers who use these leading portable devices."

"Napster's focus on consumer choice as the nucleus of their digital music service ensures that music fans will have high-quality experiences that fit their individual needs," said Dave Fester, general manager of Microsoft's Windows Media Division. "Many different devices from a variety of manufacturers are available today that support WMA, making it easy for Napster customers to get the combination of a great device, a superior music service and a flexible, high quality music format."

Napster also announced that the updated version of the service allows Premium members to purchase tracks in bulk, reducing the cost per track to as little as 80 cents. Members can choose to buy packs of 15, 25 or 50 tracks for $ 13.95, $ 21.95 and $ 39.95, respectively. Members of Napster's Premium Service enjoy unlimited listening to full-length songs, unlimited downloading on three computers and access to Napster's interactive radio and message boards for $ 9.95 per month.

"Digital music consumers want to have options when it comes to buying and listening to music, so Napster offers its users the opportunity to tailor their digital music experience to their lifestyle," said Bebel. "We have always enabled consumers to select from the largest selection of music available online via either a store or a premium subscription service, so we're pleased to extend our commitment to choice by adding track packs and additional portable device integration."