The Apple Music Store
The opening of the Apple Music Store would be a revolution, except there are too few Macs on the planet. Let's call it a Macolution for now, and when the service reaches the other 95% of the people online using PCs, we'll change it to revoluton. Ok? That said, The new iTunes Music Store is the most revolutionary thing I've seen in the online music scene since Napster. It is not perfect. There are planty of missing songs. (For now.) They use the format AAC instead of MP3. (And they claim it isn't just because it is not a common PC format.) There are other things wrong with it, too. But despite it all, this is the first legitimate online music business (note: business, not service) that has a chance of making it and an equal chance of making a difference in the way people use music, both on- and and offline.
200,000 songs and counting.
A revolutionary music store is now open: on your computer. With the new iTunes Music Store, you can search or browse to find songs you’ve never heard, or haven’t heard in years. Preview any song for free, then download your favorites in 100% pristine digital quality with just one click for only 99˘ each.
http://www.applemusic.com
While you're there, don't forget to check out the new 30 GIG iPod. "Do the math: that’s space enough to store three weeks of music — played continuously, 24/7 — or one new song a day for the next 20 years."
Promo video
This link leads to an advertisement/video produced by Apple to explain their music service. Worht a look.
Just The Facts
Apple Music Service Offers Songs for 99 Cents
By Duncan Martell, Reuters
Apple Computer Inc.AAPL.O on Monday unveiled a service that lets music fans download songs for 99 cents each, on a Web site Apple called simple and cheap enough to compete with the free song-swap sites the record industry blames for its slump.
The Fan
Apple's New Service Beats Illegal Free Sites
Walter Mossberg, Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required)
For several years now, the music and technology industries have been casting about for a legal Internet music service that might rival the wildly popular bootleg services, like Napster and Kazaa, where songs can be grabbed for free. But the results have been dismal -- until this week.
The Devil's Advocate
Apple Music Store: The New 8-Track Tape
by John Kheit
Here's what sucks about the Apple Music Store (AMS). In a nutshell, the Digital Rights Management (DRM) doesn't strike a comfortable balance, at least not for me. The lack of discounts, lack of higher quality encoding, re-encoding requirements for device/content mobility, cumbersome DRM quirks, and monopoly reliance put a damper on an otherwise pleasant music purchasing experience. (ps: My response is here.)
The Others
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=apple
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
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