Keiko's myPod: SL Device Sells MP3 Song Files For L$

In the latest career move of renowned SL musician Keiko Takamura, she reports on her blog, she's installed a myPod in her cafe.  A myPod, she explains, lets fans buy MP3 files of her songs for Linden Dollars.  It's not a gimmick, because it makes it easier to sell music to her fans online: "None of this Paypal nonsense, like with [other online commerce sites]. They're finicky about people who are trying to pay from outside the US, too." The myPod is a creation of Aussie SL musician Macro Voss, who explains in a forum, "After paying it the L$, the MP3 is downloaded and stored on their computer as a proper MP3 file, NOT an SL audio file."  After paying the device, fans get a URL for downloading the song.  "This means they can put it on a CD or in their portable MP3 player in RL. For performing musicians, you simply rez the myPod next to your stage and listeners can purchase the songs you are playing."  If it works as billed, a very cool innovation for indy musicians in the metaverse.

When we last checked in with Keiko, by the way, she was performing "Same Sad Tune", her clever spin on the classic BioShock videogame.  Turns out there's a great coda to that story:

"I just got an e-mail from the senior artist of 2K Games (the makers of Bioshock!!), Ben Shore!!" She reported last week. "He gave me kudos and said, 'It’s always surreal to see fan work from people with actual talent.' Apparently the link is being circulated in his office as we speak!!" I love it.

Comments

[Dolmere Talamasca]

Excellent that you discovered the myPod product. You might also check out Bobby Fairweather's www.secondtunes.com which does basically the same thing for musicians.

[Nexii Malthus]

Awesome, a note to the bioshock avatar though, it was created by 1000 Carlos, please give credit.

[Hamlet Au]

There's more than one SL Big Daddy in SL, at least by my count. Like this one:

http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2007/12/the-second-li-2.html

[John Branch]

Because the flurry of concern about the SL trademark is still on my mind, I have to wonder: is there a potential copyright issue when someone makes a virtual product that resembles a very familiar real one? Namely the iPod.

[larryr]

uh huh.
as well as the selling of BIOSHOCK avatars...