Yahoo Verizon MSN soup

Browser, music & what else?

[gniver]

Last week I signed up for a trial of Yahoo Music Engine. I love my iPod and am disappointed that Yahoo is partnering with MSN on this venture in using .wma protected format which cannot be downloaded to an iPod. Yahoo's subscription model is a brilliant move on their part and I hope that Apple comes up with a competitive product soon.

Last week, even though I promised myself that I would never use Verizon Online again after a few very bad experiences, I signed up for Verizon highspeed DSL. Yesterday I plugged it in and was given a choice of branding the service to either MSN or Yahoo. I of course picked Yahoo (I am split 50/50 between using Yahoo's and Google's services).

The installation disk set me up with a Verizon Yahoo Browser and a Verizon Yahoo Music Engine and a Verizon Yahoo Email Address. Last time I had a Verizon email address I made the mistake of using it for business purposes. When I moved, in the transfer process they cancelled my address and 'couldn't' reinstate it. I spent weeks hunting for all the accounts, domain registrations and client accounts that I needed to notify with a new address.

I managed to sidestep the Verizon Yahoo Email Address. The Music Engine seems to be working fine.

The Verizon Yahoo Browser is a tabbed browser which won't accept a Google Toolbar. I called customer service and they verified that the browser is IE7. As much as I like tabbed browsing, I want the Google Toolbar and don't wnat to be manipulated by MSN (ha) and much less Verizon. I am back to IE6 & hoping that Firefox comes out with something that meets my needs.

I have no other point to make. I just wanted to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.

[weeks]

Interesting how the ISPs are try to tie the user to them. I'm on Comcast at home and I have started getting these pitches about music and such. Verizon, I was told on a recent flight by someone who worked there, was or is going to offer major league baseball exclusively.

I'm old (mid-50s) and I can remember free TV. Now, it's HBO and pay for the cable and pay for the web. I'd guess it is over 100 dollars a month now for many people.