] Some of the world's largest record companies are testing
] a new music format in Europe known as the pocket CD to
] spin new life into faltering music singles.
]
] At three inches in diameter %u2014 or roughly half the
] size of a conventional compact disc %u2014 the pocket CD
] carries a selection of music tracks and mobile phone ring
] tones from a host of artists ranging from 50 Cent to
] Black Eyed Peas.
]
] The technology made its debut in Germany last summer with
] Universal Music, Sony Music and later EMI and BMG, all
] selling a limited number of the CDs to test the public's
] appetite.
]
] Now, Universal Music, for one, is introducing the format
] in the United Kingdom next month. A spokesman said it
] will ship 1,000 units of the pocket CD for 16 of its
] artists including 50 Cent and The Rasmus. Pricing has yet
] to be determined, he added.
]
] With ringtone sales on the rise and CD single sales
] plummeting, record executives are hopeful the new format
] will reverse the fortunes of an industry beset by rampant
] piracy and slumping sales.
]
] The discs can be played on a PC where the ringtones can
] be downloaded and then transferred to a mobile phone.
]
] The pocket CD is viewed as a way to recapture the market
] for tech-savvy teenagers and twentysomethings %u2014 the
] same group that has abandoned record shops in favour of
] downloading songs off the Internet.

Wow. Someone FINALLY smaked the music industry upside the head with the clue stick. I've said it for years - the only 100% effective counter measure to piracy is "value added" to their product. Forget trying to stop people swapping the songs. Never gonna happen. Instead, make people WANT to buy the disc. Ringtones are a good first step, now how about guitar tabs... music videos... exclusive interviews and behind the scenes videos... raw track parts for remix contests... vouchers for free swag (tshrits, concert tickets, backstage passes, et al) in every X'th disc...

In short - package them with so much stuff as to make piracy of the whole thing #1 - impractical or inapplicable, and #2 just so damn cool that kids WANT the real deal. -LB