Sony buys Gracenote.
A latest news is that Sony is buying Gracenote for a whopping $260 million. Gracenote is the company that maintains a database of the contents of audio CDs. This database is internet accessible and Gracenote has the licence over this database. Businesses that need to manage or search digital media, for example the iTunes, use Gracenote’s software and metadata. iTunes has since inception used Gracenote. So now business analysts and pundits are wondering how the buying of Gracenote by Sony(another entertainment giant ) might affect iTunes and thus Apple. In the views of a TechCrunch commentator, Jack Bauer : While there are alternative music databases that Apple could conceivably use, points to the open source Musicbrainz project, AMG Lasso, and a database that Microsoft employ. However many feel that these products may not live upto the reputation and services of Gracenote. Also many skeptically point out that if Apple had had such options, it would have lapped it up long time back, before waiting for such deals to happen. So, will Sony’s new deal be a blow to Apple or just a pinprick. Like always, time shall have the answers!
Its time for some more adventure folks! »