Zounds! Subway sounds! MuTube ;)
p2pnet news | Music:- A little more than year ago, “Travellers on the Tube, as London’s underground subway system is popularly known, are in for a new experience,” p2pnet posted, continuing:
It’s very cool, it’s called undersound, and it gives underground music a whole new meaning.
Behind it are Arianna Bassoli, with an MSc in Communication Sciences from the University of Siena, Italy, Johanna Brewer, a PhD student in the Informatics department at the University of California, Irvine, working with Paul Dourish, and Karen Martin with a BA(Hons) Interactive Arts from Newport School of Art and Design.
The MuTube project is now receiving renewed attention.
London Undersound would let commuters download and upload tracks to each other via Bluetooth and WiFi, PC World has Brewer, who’s currently doing research in London, saying.
And, “Technically and legally the project is complex,” says the IDG News Service, going on:
“The three researchers are designing a handset application written in Java for Symbian or Linux OSes that would enable the sharing of tracks between users. Brewer said they originally thought it would be possible to install servers at Underground stations, but that idea posed too many difficulties.
“Now they are looking into equipping people with Nokia N800 tablet PCs within the stations. Those tablets could distribute tracks over Wi-Fi or another wireless protocol. The handset application would let users scan the song libraries of other people within Bluetooth range and download a track, albeit with the permission of the person.”
Does that mean it’s almost over bar the listening, and downloading online is about to take on a while new meaning?
Well, not quite.
Due to a bit of general confusion generated by some of the coverage we have had about the project, we wanted to let anyone who is wondering know that at this time we are in no way affiliated with Transport for London,” say the creators on their website.
While we would love for undersound to be installed in the London Underground, we are only just implementing a demo at this time. Right now, we aren’t even in negotiations with the TFL but hopefully we will be ready for that soon – and all the interest you have expressed can’t hurt.
Never mind. We’ll stay tuned 
Also See:
p2pnet posted – Underground undersound, October 20, 2007
IDG News Service – Music-Sharing Plans for London Underground, November 6, 2007
Computerworld – Tube could hop on music-sharing train, November 7, 2007
http://digg.com/music/Zounds_Subway_sounds_MuTube
