introducing simplify media

Paul’s note: 18 months ago I started a company with some of the smartest people I know. In secret we have been working on technology to transform how digital media is used by small, trusted groups of friends and family, and today we are ready to unveil our first product and our company: Simplify Media. Obviously this is not an impartial review, but I do hope you find it to be a helpful introduction.

Simplify Media lets you access your home music over the internet and connect with friends and family, all within iTunes. Designed for the PC and the Mac, it's simple to install, safe to operate, and free of charge. There are a number of existing products that assist you with remote access to your digital content. However, Simplify Media offers several key advantages. (Learn More)

First, when you use Simplify Media shared libraries appear right within iTunes without any additional configuration. You don’t have to port-forward or set up a VPN to access music right in iTunes. Libraries appear as if they were on your local network, and you can sort, search and play. For your own account you can even access your iTunes-purchased, DRM-protected songs.

Second, Simplify Media does not require you to upload files to a website. When you connect with another user or another one of your own computers, files are available in minutes. More importantly for the privacy concerned, you have complete control over what you share and with whom. And, all computer-to-computer communication in Simplify Media is encrypted.

Third, Simplify Media is designed for small groups. Simplify Media provides a hassle-free way to view all of your music wherever you are and browse your friends’ libraries as if you were in their living room. In private testing, we have learned that this fun way to find new music and rediscover old favorites. Frankly, we have been shocked by the large percentage of our friends with ABBA albums.

You might be wondering, what does it mean to “share” music within Simplify Media. Within the small set of users you designate, “share” means stream. We are cross-format (mp3, wma, aac) as well as cross-platform (PC and Mac), but we do not transfer copies of files, let you download songs to your iPod or permit you to burn them to CDs. We want you to explore, and when you find things you want to own, we encourage you to buy them using the links we provide. That way you can continue to enjoy those songs even when your friends are offline. (FAQ)

With a name like Simplify Media, you’d expect us to be easy to install, and getting started is much faster than you would expect.

1) Download the appropriate version. Note that we are still in “beta” and do not yet support Windows Vista.
2) Create an account. This is faster than on a website as the only information we require is your screen name and password.
3) Install on a second machine and sign in with your existing account for an instant connection or invite other users.
4) Open iTunes and enjoy.