Seeking to be more appealing to users, Napster Inc. launched a new, web-only application which dispenses of the need to download the 15-Megabyte software application and thus is accessible from any computer. The new Napster v4.0 gives subscribers, currently some 770,000, the possibility to enjoy on-demand access to its massive music catalog of 5 million tracks "anytime, anywhere -- from work, a friend's home, or while on the road."

"The launch of Napster 4.0 reflects the spirit of online music innovation that is synonymous with Napster. We are committed to providing our subscribers with cutting-edge ways to find new music, enjoy old favorites, and actively participate in a community of music lovers," said Napster CEO Chris Gorog.

The new version will be compatible with most Internet enabled devices. For $10 to $15 a month users will be able to stream or download an unlimited number of songs from its 5 million-strong library. By comparison iTunes sells songs as permanent downloads at 99 cents each. Napster also opened up its network infrastructure to software engineers, which means they gave developers the possibility to integrate the service in other sites such as online social networks.

"With this new platform Napster can easily be integrated into consumer electronics devices or integrated into other Web sites such as social networking sites," said Christopher Allen, chief operating officer at Napster.

In addition to the substantial facelift, Napster 4.0 introduces a whole set of new features, such as:

* Napster automix, a new innovative and automated music recommendation/discovery tool
* Easy access to music discovery tools, including Billboard charts
* Pre-programmed playlists across a variety of genres and themes and the option to easily create your own playlists
* Access to exclusive content available first on Napster

An important fact is that the software application for PCs is here to stay. The software has a few extras over the web version, such the ability to download digital music tracks, rip and burn CDs, and transfer music to a portable player.

The web Napster 4.0 is reportedly built around the AJAX Web programming language, giving the user the ability to drag and drop songs into playlists and shift content modules around, and also features a Flash-based Napster Mini Player.