Pattern publishers say many needlepoint fans, Napster-like, are cheating them. The plan would sell songs through monthly subscriptions.
Analysts are skeptical of any success.
Both announcements were missing critical details about pricing, technology and usage limits, suggesting the companies rushed to go public before many key issues were resolved. The announcements underscored how fragmented and muddled the marketplace for digital music is, with the major suppliers of music aligning with competing distribution systems that aren't yet ready for prime time. Nor is there any proof yet that consumers will subscribe to music services that don't give them the flexibility or sound quality they enjoy from CDs. The labels may not be divided into rival Internet camps for long. RioPort already has licenses from each of the five major label groups to distribute downloadable songs and CDs from their catalogs.