Microsoft joins the 'everyone but Apple' digital-media coalition

Microsoft's digital-rights-management strategy on the consumer/device side of the house has been a constantly changing, murky one. Microsoft's latest move in joining a new digital-media coalition is doing little -- so far at least -- to clarify the situation.

Microsoft's ill-fated PlayForSure initiative seemed to give way to its next-to-invisible  PlayReady. At the same time, the Redmondians supposedly have been working (forever) on creating an end-to-end connected entertainment experience that, presumably, will allow content to be played on a variety of devices -- Xboxes, to Zunes, to PCs, to TVs, to cars.

Now here comes the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) -- the "buy once, play anywhere" consortium. When I first read reports about DECE, few mentioned that Microsoft was a member, although just about all mentioned that Apple was not. It turns out Microsoft is a member of the DECE, as is Cisco, Warner Brothers, Sony, Best Buy and a host of other characters.

(There is no Microsoft press release about its decision to join DECE, but it is listed in various reports as one of the "hardware providers" backing the new group.)

Will the DECE come up with some kind of new DRM scheme, one that will require brand-new, DECE-enabled devices? And will Windows somehow be part of this new mix? Engadget is reporting there will be some kind of "rights locker," where digital purchases will be stored. If that is the case, what does that mean for the forthcoming "Skymarket" Windows Mobile 7 app store, the Zune VideoX initiative  or even Live Mesh?

So many questions, but next-to-no answers are expected until the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2009....