Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
...and the majority of new smartphones sold are comprised of iPhones and Androids, both of which are incompatible with WinDRM'ed music.
But let me guess, you guys believe Allen will get around the DRM thing, right? If so, it will be the first thing he ever has achieved, and given his track record with Qtrax, it is not rational to put much stock in this actually happening.
I think you are right in that the future is moving towards mobile, or rather "cloud" based computing/distribution, and unfortunately for Qtrax, there are big boys with PLENTY of money and demonstrated success working with the labels already taking that arena on. I can't imagine the broke, "2-man show" has a prayer in adult swim...
Chewy, from what I hear, the next few days could be VERY interesting.
I think huge things are just around the corner.
Thinking about loading up the truck!
That's the way it goes, I suppose.
We'll make sure that these "teachable moments" aren't lost, as public service if nothing else...
Can you imagine being of the mindset of one who has heard the next whispered promises but is afraid to discuss the merits of same in here?
The bagholders are starting to remind me of Charlie Brown when Lucy holds the football!
Beautifully said, Chewy.
Chewy, as much as it pains me to say this, occasionally you stumble onto brilliance.
Gloria, in your example, typifies the 360 degree strategy, no? Excellent work, I never understood it, prior to your connecting the dots. Good for AK!
I'm thinking $2.00.
Right on, Brother Schneider!
I believe in rewarded patience!
Which recent development gives you the most hope we're about to see a turnaround?
-$500,000 in new perfected judgements against BLLN and/or AK personally? What does BLLN owe judgement creditors now? $3,500,000? $5,000,000??
-Continued jumping of rats from the ship (Riccobono, Chris, following Robin, leaving only fearless leader and Lance), e.g. a lean, mean, efficient machine?
-AK's continuous, public expressions of "State of Qtrax" which he has been on top of (not counting the silence since December 2009)?
-Just your belief in the undeniable goodness and power of the synergy of Wolfmother and Abba?
In any case, I hope you're right... As fearless leader says, "The impossible takes a little longer"...
Hey Chewy-
Not to be a nit-picker, but I don't think you mean "pro-bono". That term is used when legal services are provided in some type of charitable context, with no plan of ever being remunerated.
Rather, a contingent fee is what I suspect you mean, where a counsel takes a case without up front billing on the hope of positive resolution in which they share.
Given the fact that AK is likely insolvent, as of course BLLN et al are, we won't find a US trial attorney willing to engage in such a useless endeavor.
My only hope is that those who have lost money in this fiasco have the fortitude to figure out why it happened, rather than blame "funding", "bashers", or Apple. It's very simple- get in bed with a pig, expect to get muddy.
Have a good weekend, all.
rt
Contrary to what certain folks want you to believe, funding is NOT the problem with BLLN.
Rather, competence and credibility are the two resources AK completely lacks. As I posted before, were someone to hand Klepto $10 million today, he'd be broke in six months and the stock would still be worthless. But he'd likely have stepped up a few sizes in his waistline.
"the loop"...
Now THAT is a place where I don't want to visit. Akin to a "Land of the Lost" where logic, reason, responsibility, and due diligence take a back seat to pumping, promises, and "blaming financing", instead of focusing on inept CEOs with a demonstrated history of pathological lying, missed deadlines, failed promises and the like.
Yeah, have fun in "the loop". Sounds like a great place.
Insinuating something big is going on behind the scenes is ALL WE'VE BEEN FED for more than 3 years now!
Give me one instance of the "inside" sources being right about anything?
Don't you realize you're being manipulated?
Looks like the some ridiculous crap to me:
Wolfmother/Abba/Rhianna still in the top albums and songs listings as they have been for 6 months.
Time to smell the roses my boy.
North is where Alaska is, for my US friends at least. South, towards me, is where this baby is going. Bank it.
iQ, what could you be possibly talking about? I've been pointing out the nil volume late Friday pumps for over a year now, but all the faithful scream I'm crazy.
I'm thinking next week could be big. Huge, even. I'm thinking Namibia.
Klepto isn't going down without a fight. Not a man with his character.
AACdude (by the way, do you remember "direct to disc " or am I misunderstanding your handle?)-
Don't confuse the thoughts of certain folks as that of being investors. They really aren't and they need our support. They're grasping at reasons why this "stock" has tanked, wondering why those who promised such great things are now being so quiet, and are understandably trying to find a target for their embarrassment. Who can blame them? Qurious will either learn from this or never positively invest. We all make mistakes. Some learn; others make excuses... It's called evolution...
$0.007, eh?
EagleAKOne should be stoked. Didn't he post last week that he and other intrepid investors were "accumulating" due to the artificially depressed trading range BLLN now finds itself in?
I hope everyone understands both the opportunity in front of us as well as the tireless sacrifice Klepto has selflessly contributed to the cause.
I can't go into specifics, but I've heard from good sources that hugeness is just around the corner.
Here is a teaser/hint:
Mongolia!
Hey Brother Q-Tunes! Welcome back!
You shouldn't concern yourself with the demise of Limewire, Qurious.
This was hardly difficult to see coming, and Limewire is about as "hip" as Bon Jovi or more accurately, Journey. The masses who don't want to pay for music have already figured out how to move on. The options abound. Easy and free pirate methods NEVER disappear.
Creeps like Klepto DO eventually disappear tho.... Usually when asked to pay back money they owe.
Cheers, my friend!
Agree with Chewy, you'll be missed, Cappy, and you should reconsider sticking around as the remaining days are certainly numbered.
Every post of mine that was pulled deserved its fate, so I've got no quibbles about your objectivity.
It is difficult to remain rational and unemotional when so much rampant manipulation, pumping, and general misinformation was being spread (at least it was so for me) in this blog.
I just hope that those who lost their shirts on this will be able to honestly evaluate how and why it happened, rather than blame those who were documenting this disaster every step of the way. For some reason I doubt it.
Looks like your instincts were spot on.
Update: According to CNET, Spotify has denied that any such discussions with Apple have taken place.
Spotify's spokesman Jim Butcher said acquisitions discussions with Apple have never taken place.
"We wouldn't normally comment on this kind of speculation, but we wanted to make it clear that we have absolutely no intention of selling Spotify," he said.
This is interesting. Does this sound legitimate, Wayne?
TechCrunch reports that Apple and Swedish music streaming service Spotify have been engaging in very early-stage discussions about a possible acquisition by Apple. Discussions have apparently yet to progress beyond the feeling-out stage, however, with no firm offers on the table at this time.
"Apple, Inc. (AAPL) in negotiations to acquire Spotify," read the tip that came in yesterday via email from an anonymous source. Most tips are just outright false, but we dug into this one a little bit.
Here's what we heard - Apple and Spotify are in on again, off again discussions about an acquisition, but at best it's very early in the process. No firm price has been offered, no term sheet tabled. Still, it's interesting that the two are talking.
As recently as earlier this month, Apple had been rumored to be trying to torpedo Spotify's much-delayed U.S. launch by working to convince record labels that Spotify's business model would be a losing proposition for all involved in the digital music industry. The report was quickly followed by renewed claims of Apple developing its own music subscription service.
Today's report also interestingly notes that Spotify and Google nearly agreed on a $1 billion acquisition deal, but that agreement fell apart over Spotify's demands for an $800 million "walk away fee" that would be paid by Google if the deal fell through after signing and Google's demands that all of Spotify's existing deals with record labels be carried over to the Google-owned Spotify, a provision that was not present in Spotify's deals with the labels.
Spotify would not be the first company to be an acquisition target for both Apple and Google. Apple had reportedly considered purchasing mobile advertising firm AdMob late last year before Google swept in with its own offer. Apple quickly responded by snatching music streaming firm Lala Media away from Google before picking up Quattro Wireless as its second-choice ad firm that it converted to support the company's new iAd platform.
Apple's growing war chest of over $50 billion has been the source of increasing speculation regarding potential acquisitions, with Apple CEO Steve Jobs noting during the company's earnings conference call last week that Apple believes one or more strategic opportunities will present themselves, and the company will be well-positioned financially to take advantage of those opportunities.
Do you guys still have debtor prisons in the states?
If so, and that is where fearless leader takes up residence, I suspect that even bigger things could be around the corner. Most crooked white collar scumbags cultivate invaluable social networks based on connections with their incarcerated neighbors.
Other than the fact the stock is tantamount to worthless, this compels me to hold on to my remaining shares as if anyone can hoist this phoenix from the ashes, it is the indomitable Klepto! He just needs a few more "like minded" associates with commensurate integrity.
Wayne, do you concur? I think I know where Chewy stands...
Don't get wobbly, mates!
It isn't over until Qurious, Q-Tunes, Darth, and EagleAKOne says it's over.
Let's hold off until we hear the opinion of others. Likely the next great thing is just 720 degrees under our noses, waiting to explode. We just haven't been "in the know", hearing the "right" whispers!
AK and his visionary team are about to light this candle. I'd suggest backing up the truck!
AACDude:
Reluctantly, I must concur with your observations.
But on a broader sense, I fear you could be missing the boat. Sound business decisions based in market tested analysis are so yesterday when we're talking about world changers like AK and his counsel of rocket scientists.
It is the the NEW WORLD AAC- diligence, integrity, and honesty are just mere words now. Promises, not results, matter.
I do see that Wolfmother and ABBA still command top billing in the huge arsenal of downloadable crippled joke WM files that may still be offered. Wolfmother rules.
Heck yes- Qtrax is promising "new version of site to launch in coming days"!
If this takes less time than the Aussie music "ingestion" debacle, I believe, boys and girls, we may have one last pump 'n dump opportunity! After all, BLLN is not capable of anything more than that.
KTF! Big things are just around the corner!!!!
WFFC!!
You bring up a fascinating point, Chewy.
I think these pre-Alpha bogus asian rollouts have hurt the stockholders in incremental fashion. Rather, had the limited and irrelevant nature of what Qtrax has dwindled to NOT been put in the spotlight, we'd likely be back in the $0.015 to $0.02 range. Instead, the reaction of the investing public to an increasingly futile "pump" seems to have been: "Yawn... is that ALL you've got?"
Very sad, but quite understandable. Not only has the emperor no clothes, but while we're on the nursery rhyme theme- All the King's horses, And all the King's men Couldn't put Klepto together again!
Happy weekend to all...
Go sell $1,000 worth and report back to us about that 21% illusion.
Me too! Intellectually, we have no product and no respect! Money won't help us, as our creditors are first in line. Credibility is our problem. AK doesn't have that, therefore we're toast. It's not money... It's AK. Period.
I asked this question six months ago when the outcome was obvious but received no response so I'll try again.
In a relatively unregulated "exchange" (for lack of a better word) like the OTC, what, if anything, will cause trading to cease for a security. As far as I know there aren't really reporting requirements to fail, so there's no "de-listing" process I am aware of. Do securities that don't maintain a certain volume disappear, lose their ticker, or do they live on in perpetuity?
At least fearless leader is consistent.
No messages or reassurance about the suspended zendesk support, no PR about the end of content.
In other words, no sense of responsibility to the folks whose money he lost.
Once a weasel, always a weasel. He's probably moved on to the next great "world changing" scam. I'd suggest he change his name and stay out of the states.
Cappy-
My bad. One too many "paid basher"/Apple insinuations put me over the edge (not counting the 3 martinis...). I'll endeavor to restrain myself in the future.
As a symbol of penance, here is yet another article about Mr. Job's war against free music (I believe WR has already mentioned AAPL's resistance to Spotify coming to North America as well as the label's concerns):
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20018971-261.html
These are some swinging Swedes, the guys at Spotify.
Founded in Stockholm in 2006, Spotify is is an online streaming music service that has already conquered Europe with the help of a revolutionary desktop service and now desperately wants to make the jump to the United States.
And it's probably safe to say many American music fans want that to happen too. Yet, despite immense anticipation for the service here, the company has already failed to meet two promised launch dates. The new self-imposed deadline is for the end of the year. Spotify managers say that by then they'll finally have licensing deals in place with the four largest record labels: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI Music.
But multiple music industry sources say that Spotify, which is now in discussions with all four big record companies, is facing an assortment of obstacles--some of its own making, and some from external forces. They stressed that there is nothing certain about the company's chances of opening a U.S. shop by Dec. 31.
Music industry sources interviewed by CNET say this is what Spotify is up against:
Some of the labels are unconvinced of Spotify's business model and its ability to get people to pay for music; Apple executives have expressed concern to the labels that a free music service here could undercut already lackluster download sales; at least one label chief, Edgar Bronfman Jr., chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group, has lost confidence in ad-supported models.
To mitigate some of these risks the labels will require big upfront royalty fees.
Representatives for Spotify, Apple, and the major labels declined to comment for this story.
Some label and Apple execs fear that Spotify's free music service could cut into download sales.
Time appears to be running out for Spotify. Missing another launch date would certainly do nothing for the company's reputation, but more importantly, the era of the ad-supported music service appears to be at an end. Streaming service Imeem sold for pennies on the dollar. SpiralFrog crashed spectacularly. MySpace Music failed to generate any momentum and is a massive disappointment to the record companies. Spotify also has to contend with Google, which is working on its own music service and appears to be threatening to snatch away whatever excitement is still left in this sector.
Here is Spotify's predicament at the moment:
The company has yet to sign a single major label deal, and while talks are ongoing, no announcements are imminent, multiple sources close to the talks have told CNET.
In meetings in Los Angeles recently, Apple executives told their music industry counterparts that they had serious doubts about whether Spotify's business model could ever generate significant revenues or profits, according to two sources with knowledge of the discussions.
But Apple executives worried about the effects of a free music service might have on the rest of the market. They noted that it's tough to sell something that someone else is giving away, the sources said. One industry insider said it is only logical that if Spotify were allowed to launch a free-music service here, at a time when Nielsen recently reported that the growth of digital sales has flattened out, it could eat into the businesses of proven revenue-producers like Apple and Amazon.
Apple is working on a digital cloud service that, according to the sources, would allow users to store their iTunes music libraries on the company's servers and then enable them to stream songs from the cloud to Web-connected devices. According to music insiders, Apple is considering whether to attach these features to a streaming music subscription service.
Some at the labels are worried that allowing Spotify to encroach on Apple's turf may dampen Steve Jobs' desire to launch a subscription service.
When it comes to ad-supported models, Spotify might suffer from the sector's dismal history. Plenty of managers at the labels have lost faith in free as a business model. The idea that someone can give away songs from the major labels and then sell enough advertising online to support the service has yet to be proven. That such an offering can entice listeners to pay for other services has also been a bust.
"Free streaming services are clearly not net positive for the industry," Bronfman said earlier this year. "As far as Warner Music is concerned [these companies] will not be licensed."
All of that said, though, U.S.-based music fans could still get their hands on a Spotify account if the company is willing to pony up enough cash. The way the labels see it, they risk cannibalizing sales at Apple and Amazon by licensing Spotify. They have licensed other companies that give away music, and most of them have gone belly up without making a cent in profit.
One reason the labels may not be signing deals with Spotify is that Google is expected to launch a music store soon.
The labels will want something to limit their risk. So far, Spotify's leaders have balked at paying big upfront fees. Since it is unlikely that Spotify will be able to boost the number of paid subscribers much between now and Dec. 31, if we do see a Spotify service, it will be because the company agreed to pay up.
Meanwhile, any Spotify launch could be overshadowed by Google, which is readying to make a foray into the sector. Music industry sources say Google appears to be running slightly behind its proposed schedule for launching before the end of the year and they now expect the launch to happen sometime in the first quarter of 2011.
Google, with plenty of revenue behind it and unparalleled marketing muscle, could take advantage of the wave of popularity for its Android cell phones and use it to ride into the music libraries of millions of handset owners.
And after all of Spotify's efforts to launch in the United States, the company could discover when it gets here that there's only enough room in the flagging digital music sector for Apple and Google.
Get serious, Germy!
Rosso is the ONLY person in here not posting under an alias. And, other than AACdude, the only guy in here who seems to have a clue what he's talking about.
And yes, given the numerous lies and fantasies your friends in here have made up about my motiviation, the personal slam starting my post was appropriate.
Mean ole' Grover points out what a joke BLLN, he MUST be paid by Apple! Comical!
Rational discussion and argument is only possible when the facts are debated- resorting to ad hominems when someone blogs something one finds inconvenient is disingenuous. On the other hand, if there are posters who pretend to have inside information or hint at great things coming again and again, with these promises never manifesting into anything real, then we can assail credibility.
Lucky-
Midem was a catastrophe because fearless leader behaved like a snake oil salesman, cut corners (ok, lied), and GOT CAUGHT! Apple had nothing to do with it, as my deleted article makes clear, they're out in the open when they oppose free music. Quit stating something as fact unless you can PROVE it.
Would you accept DOUBLE your total loss for kicks to the sacks of:
-Whomever talked you into this bogus investment <and>
-AK, the 25 hour/day workaholic textile maven?
I'd think so. May as well strike out at the PROBLEM rather than the REPORTER.
Good kickin'!
Darth is spot on!
I call it "Ostrich Investing"!
Be careful though- you certainly don't want to ignore posters who rehash the useless trade rag paragraphs describing the pre-beta Asian rollout with AK quotes that are month's old. No, that kind of fresh news is what keeps me LONG!
KTF!
WFFC!!
Gads, Chewy, what a dismal thought...
Something worse than being a BLLN stockholder---
Being a BLLN creditor.
Thanks for ruining my dinner.
Chewy- what are debt shares? Collateral for unsecured lenders??