Verizon launches V CAST Music wireless downloads

It's been a long time in coming, but Verizon's finally announced their V CAST Music download service at CES. Unlike Sprint's dual-download model, with Verizon you're free (as in speech) to grab songs for a dollar apiece if you're going to do so on your computer and move them to your cellphone via USB -- but if you're the spontaneous type and want to get that going while you're on the go, it'll cost you two bucks for the same song directly to that phone (though you'll still get that PC download, like with Sprint). V CAST Music will come online January 16th with 500,000 songs ready to go from Warner, EMI, Sony, Universal, and The Orchard, and will work with the LG VX8100 and Samsung a950. Merry OTA tunage downloading, everyone.

[Aaron @ Jan 5th 2006 5:20PM]

Of course I think it's insane/horrible, but heck, I think it's insane to pay $3 for a ringtone and people do that all the time!

[Ben G @ Jan 5th 2006 5:53PM]

It'll be very interesting to see how this pans out. I hope that Verizon post decent sales figures. On the one hand you now have an alternative to cheezy expensive ringtones, but on the other Apple set the digital tune price at 99 cents, so it's pretty obvious that the extra dollar is a convenience fee - which most people hate.

[Evan @ Jan 5th 2006 7:05PM]

mots people hate? Youre forgetting that iTunes' 99 cent is a in and of itself a convenience fee and that tookk off. I think at first this service may do well with people checking it out and all. But after a few months itll drop off and no one will use it. Its not 2 bucks a song because it costs 15 bucks to sign up for the EVDO service. So if you bought 10 tracks it really cost you $3.50 which is an insane price to pay especially since you can just wait to go home and get it for a buck. Plus if you buy the cd (or download it for free) then you can transfer it to your phone anyways and listen to it there so why pay extra for that?

[Dustin @ Jan 5th 2006 7:57PM]

what? no Razr v3c? I know the razr doesn't play mp3s like the VX8100 and the a950, but why can't u download the song on to the phone and set it as a ringtone?

[Ware @ Jan 5th 2006 7:59PM]

No support for the LG VX8000? Are they ever going to update the firmware so you can actually use the buttons on the front?



Also, the LG VX8100 is no longer listed on Verizon's site... Could there be a replacement in the very near future? (new phone announced at lauch date?) How can they attract new users with this service if they can't buy the hardware?

[ben @ Jan 5th 2006 8:56PM]

this wont be released for the vx9800?

[Drew @ Jan 6th 2006 8:19AM]

9800 release of vcast music will happen by the end of 1Q'06.



Tha razr has 30MB it is not worth it to have a song (or two) on there.



The 8000 never had the storage space, nor expandable memory. Phonescoop.com initially said it had 512MB if I remember correctly, but nobody seems to be able to find that, only 32 MB.

[Andrew Rahimi @ Jan 6th 2006 9:45AM]

No e815? If I had known that no official Verizon UI meant no new features - then I would have spent the extra $50 and went for the 8100.