Cherryflava

Undersound: Music sharing goes underground

Posted on 23. Oct, 2006 by Jonathan Cherry in Uncategorized

Music sharing seems to set to break free from the shackles of the Internet.

Undersound is planning a system, which will allow travelers on the London underground to share the music on their cellphones via a bluetooth network. So in addition to a full nostril of smelly body odour, you can also get a new tune or two from your fellow train commuter.

The idea for Undersound is that people can transfer songs via Bluetooth
(using public domain, non-copyrighted, royalty-free or creative
commons-friendly music, of course) to a "transfer point" at a
particular station. Then others can come along with their own mobile
phones and pick up some new tunes as well, leaving a trail of metadata
behind them, begging to be analyzed — in a good way.

Great idea, but we can see loads of additional applications for this kind of technology.

• Imagine a network was set up at the Kirstenbosch summer concerts. After the show – a free sample track can be made available for everyone to download.
• ‘Access points’ could be installed at strategic points on the road networks. Sitting in traffic would be the most rewarding thing you’d do with your morning.
• Emerging bands could load networks with sample tracks.
• Why stop at music – video files are also fair trade in this environment.

Only a matter time before ‘web’ thinking jumps free of computers.

Website: Undersound [via Engadget and PSFK]

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