Apple debuts new, low-priced iPod

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Re: No more restrictive than any other player

Hi, Tic.

You said:

"The DRM'ed WMA files that the other players use can't be played on an iPod, can't be played on a Mac, can't be played on a Linux machine, and can't be purchased from either a Linux machine or a Mac."

As far as that's true, that only eliminates about 10% of computer users, if that. (And even that number is somewhat undercut by the fact that many people, such as myself, dual-boot.) But it's possible to play DRM'd music on Linux with the Rio Karma (which I own) through Ethernet support.

I guess I should have said if you want to buy *online*, you're stuck with only the iTMS if you get an iPod. At any rate, I don't think CDs will survive much longer if digital music players continue to gain popularity at the current rate. At some point, online stores will just start selling lossless files, and that'll be it for CDs. (This will require a wider broadband pipe, but that's certainly in the works.)

Honestly, I haven't noticed differences between stores in terms of usage privileges (although I think Real Rhapsody doesn't let you download, if I recall, while the Real Music Store does.) Still, if I can't play a song outside iTunes (without burning to CD) or on a non-iPod device, I don't much care how liberal the rights are within iTunes.

You also mentioned:

"Personally, I'm waiting for someone other than Apple to make a player that works with AAC files."

I think you can put that in the "never gonna happen" file. FairPlay AAC (a.k.a., m4p) files are nothing more or less than a delivery system for iPods (and Macs, by extension). Apple doesn't *want* you to buy music on iTMS and play it on other players/software, because that's not where their money comes from. It would be like Microsoft giving away the source code for Microsoft Office or Outlook.

Naturally, Microsoft is just as greedy (if not moreso) than Apple. The difference is that Microsoft is a software company (other than the XBox and MSNTV2). Therefore, they don't care what hardware you use, as long as you use their software to fill your player. This has a distinct advantage over the Apple model: Microsoft has an incentive to make their codec compaitible with as many stores and players as possible, whereas Apple has to control the codec tightly to ensure that iPod remains king of the realm.

Posted by: bhartman24   Posted on: 01/13/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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