iTunes for Windows or Napster

[thebear]

Well, both are set to launch in the coming months and I was wondering who is gonna be trying them out (like me) and which do you think you'll end up going with once Kazaa is dried up?

 

[NetRyder]

I'm definitely keen to try the Windows iTunes port.

 

[lechtard]

I would'nt miond trying the Itunes on windows, as for Napster - it's going to be a paid service ,, and with roxio owning it I think I will stay away from if for a while ..

 

[SPeedY_B]

Originally posted by NetRyder
I'm definitely keen to try the Windows iTunes port.

It's not the application, just the download service.

 

[Xie]

Is windows iTunes going to have a special file type like mac has AAC? also has anyhone heard if files are going to be only playable using wmp or are they not gonna be that restricted?

If music quality is good and you are free to listen using any program that'll play the file type then I'm thinking of trying iTunes

 

[NetRyder]

Originally posted by SPeedY_B
It's not the application, just the download service.

Damn...I didn't know that
Oh well, WMP9 with DFX does a fine job for me.

 

[Bronx Bomber]

always open to new things, as long as the music quality is fairly good and there is a nice selection.

 

[thebear]

50000 songs and all in cd quality...and that seriously sucks how iTunes is only the download service.

 

[dominic02]

yea the windows port for itunes is probably going to use apples format. Thats probably not going to be a bad thing. You'll just be stuck with using itunes to listen to music. If they do a good job with the port i'll be using iTunes anyways.

 

[Xie]

Originally posted by dominic02
yea the windows port for itunes is probably going to use apples format.

I thought AAC was mac only?

 

[SPeedY_B]

Winamp5 (alpha) rips cd's to AAC

 

[dominic02]

no its not mac only. Its just that you'll only find it on the mac right now, since apple came up with it.

Thats awesome that the alpa of winamp 5 plays AAC I didn't know that, thats what i'm using for music right now.

 

[Xie]

oh thats good to hear ... I thought I had read on apples site it was mac only What about DRM on the songs? will you be able to play/burn them without troubles on other computers? I'm all for buying digital songs from artist I like but if i'm buying the songs I think I should have just as much freedom w/ it as I do w/ my cds ...

 

[dominic02]

yea with apples itunes music store you definitly can burn them. you can burn them as much as you want, and you can also put the songs on up to 3 computers. So you can basically give the songs to 2 of your friends if you want.

 

[Reg]

AAC is basically a proprietary version of MPEG-4 Audio. Typically, MPEG-4 Audio makes a .mp4 file. However, AAC makes a .m4a that uses a compression method that is similar to how DivX works for video. You can actually listen to AAC files in WMP9, considering you install a MPEG-4 audio codec. 3ivx includes a MPEG-4 codec that will work in WMP. You can get it from http://www.3ivx.com

 

[Mr_Darko]

I found a link that rates all of these services. It looks like Napster actually has the largest library of music as of right now.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techreviews/products/2003-10-13-download-option
s_x.htm

 

[Xie]

Originally posted by Mr_Darko
I found a link that rates all of these services. It looks like Napster actually has the largest library of music as of right now.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/techreviews/products/2003-10-13-download-option
s_x.htm

IMO a large library is no good if you don't have enough freedom w/ your purchase ... and from what I have read about napsteris limited more then say iTunes/eMusic.

 

[thebear]

Originally posted by XP'd
IMO a large library is no good if you don't have enough freedom w/ your purchase ... and from what I have read about napsteris limited more then say iTunes/eMusic.

what do you mean by freedom?

 

[Xie]

Originally posted by thebear
what do you mean by freedom?

I mean the ability to do whatever it is you desire to do w/ the the *purchased* song/album. Now that some cds have dropped in price to about $9.99 why would you rather use napster or another like it that doesn't allow you the same freedom of the music @ same price? I mean why pay for an album in mp3 that has digital rights protection all over when you could buy the cd in the store now for the same price and rip it and do what you would like w/ it?

ps - sorry to rant

 

[thebear]

Originally posted by XP'd
I mean the ability to do whatever it is you desire to do w/ the the *purchased* song/album. Now that some cds have dropped in price to about $9.99 why would you rather use napster or another like it that doesn't allow you the same freedom of the music @ same price? I mean why pay for an album in mp3 that has digital rights protection all over when you could buy the cd in the store now for the same price and rip it and do what you would like w/ it?

ps - sorry to rant

that is a really good point. We're going to be paying $1.00 for a song that we won't be able to do what we want with it. In essense we aren't even buying the song...just renting it