Java mobile music download service loses its funding

Rating: UBC Media wants to drop Cliq service

An innovative service which linked digital radio stations in the UK to a downloadable music track service is being quietly dropped by its creator, UBC Media. But Pascal Grierson, the driving force behind Cliq, says that all is not lost.

Essentially UBC/Unique developed a Java client which could be downloaded onto a variety of mobile handsets. Consumers could then see what tracks were playing on specific UK digital radio stations and then purchased the songs they saw and liked.

Reading between the lines, not enough people signed up for the service to justify further spending. Although Grierson thinks there’s a chance that version 3 of the Java client still might be released.

I tried Cliq out again today and it was still working despite reports saying that it has already closed. What really caught UBC/Unique out, however, was the fact that there was no mad rush to release mobile phones with a built in DAB radio.

In fact, the only such device I can think of at this moment was the Lobster 700 TV handset from Virgin Mobile. A device which is now defunct.

The technology can continue, however, since Unique hopes to build it into Wi-Fi enabled DAB radios which could arrive as early as next month (July 2008), according to Grierson.

These will be made by Pure Digital which in itself is part of Imagination Technologies.

So what went wrong? Two things. The software was too complex to attract a loyal following. But more importantly, the service was put together when the music giants still insisted on DRM. Getting such files to play on a handset was literally a nightmare.

It was a case of Kiss. Not the FM station but Keep It Simple Stupid.