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■名為MusicDNA的嶄新音樂檔案格式可對應所有MP3播放器，包括iPod。資料圖片
一家頂尖的科技公司計劃推出一種新的數碼音樂檔案格式，檔案中可藏有歌詞、最新資訊及影像等附加內容，可望取代目前無處不在的MP3檔案。
音樂界過去10年都被盜版問題打擊，現正希望推出新產品，吸引消費者從合法的網站購買音樂檔案，而並非從非法渠道取得。
名為MusicDNA的新格式得到原來MP3數碼音樂檔案發明者的支持，這一格式讓樂迷將MP3音樂檔案下載到電腦上，同時附帶額外內容。
音樂公司、樂隊或零售商屆時只要有新內容要公布，例如未來演出大計或新專訪，都可傳送更新內容到音樂檔案中。
用戶每次上網可根據個人意願來決定接受的資訊量。然而，所有非法下載音樂檔案的用戶只會收到一個靜態檔案，不能接收任何更新內容。
開發MusicDNA音樂檔案的巴赫科技集團表示，希望與零售商、唱片公司、版權持有人與科技公司等建立合作關係，並樂意將技術提供給其他人，這些人可用其自有品牌來使用這個技術。
巴赫科技總裁科爾邁爾對路透社說：「我們得到正面的回應，所有人都可以用這個格式，我們並非要與他人競爭。」MusicDNA音樂檔案可對應所有MP3播放器，包括蘋果公司的iPod。
科爾邁爾說，此項服務技術可令樂迷重拾唱片年代的回憶，一邊享受音樂，一邊讀歌詞、看唱片的圖文特色。
今年春天，該公司將推出MusicDNA檔案格式的試用版，預計夏季將推出商業零售版本。巴赫科技已與眾多音樂界人士簽署合作計劃，並正與大型唱片公司展開合作商談。 ■路透社 ■羅國偉 資深翻譯員
Tech Group to Launch Digital Music File Successor
A leading technology company is set to launch a new digital music file format which will embed additional content for fans including lyrics, news updates and images in what could be a successor to the ubiquitous MP3 file.
The music industry has been hammered by piracy in the last decade and is looking to develop new offerings to entice consumers to buy their music from legitimate sites, instead of taking it from illegal outlets.
The new proposal, which is called MusicDNA and has the backing of the original MP3 digital music file inventor, would allow fans to download an MP3 file on to their computer, which would carry with it additional content.
Music labels, bands or retailers could then also send updates to the music file every time they have something new to announce such as the dates of future tours or new interviews.
The user would receive as little or as much of the information as they want, every time they are online. However anyone who downloads the music file illegally would receive only a static file which would not receive any updates.
BACH Technology, the group behind the MusicDNA file, says it is looking to partner with retailers, music labels, rights holders and technology companies and is happy to provide its technology for others who could use it under their own brand.
"We are getting very good feedback and the fact we are looking to include everyone in this, and not competing against them, helps," Chief Executive Stefan Kohlmeyer told Reuters. The music files can play on any MP3 player including Apple's iPod.
Kohlmeyer said the service would hark back to the time when music fans enjoyed looking at the lyrics and artwork on an album almost as much as they enjoyed listening to the music itself.
A beta version of the file will be available in spring and a full commercial rollout is expected by summer. BACH has already signed up a host of partners across the industry and is in talks with the major record labels. ■Reuters
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