It's April *2nd*, and rumors flying that iTunes and EMI are about to dump DRM

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by Leaping Gnome

I think we can both agree the original news, EMI offering non-DRM music finally, is good news.

Good news because it's a step in the right direction. But it still falls short.

The iPod is pretty much the only device that supports AAC. iTunes still doesn't sell MP3 (which is the standard) and therefore doesn't sell what I want.

For $1.30 (which is 30% higher than what the market charges), I expect to get exactly what I want.

[Leaping Gnome]

The iPod is pretty much the only device that supports AAC.

Yeah, I was recently suprised by that too since AAC is an open standard. I know iPods and the Zune support it, but most of the "2nd tier" manufacturers like Creative and Sandisk don't.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

The iPod is pretty much the only device that supports AAC. iTunes still doesn't sell MP3 (which is the standard) and therefore doesn't sell what I want.

Don't forget: You can always burn iTunes music onto a CD, and make DRM-free MP3s from that. I simply start a sound recorder, play the song from iTunes, and save that as an MP3. It's not hard, I save my CDs for albums, and I don't even own an iPod.*

I think we ALL agree that no-DRM music (and e-books) are good, and that both still have a ways to go to be great. We may argue about the proper price for an MP3 single, but we ALL agree that e-books' average price should be considerably less than they are.

And obviously, all this is being done because of business, and the pursuit of profit... not for altruistic motives. But that doesn't mean we can't still applaud their efforts and encourage them to do more.


*Just wanted to make sure no one here thought the matching initials were more than a coincidence...

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by Leaping Gnome

Yeah, I was recently suprised by that too since AAC is an open standard. I know iPods and the Zune support it, but most of the "2nd tier" manufacturers like Creative and Sandisk don't.

The Sony Reader does.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Maybe this development will convince the U.S. and U.K. governments to reconsider their support for DRM to bolster and protect the music and book industries.

[Laurens]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

So, in other words, iTunes has bought their prices down to be competitive with the non-DRM sites. <sarcasm>Wow</sarcasm>

What other non-DRM sites with music from mainstream labels would those be?

[rlauzon]

Originally Posted by Laurens

What other non-DRM sites with music from mainstream labels would those be?

Audio Lunchbox comes to mind.

But I wasn't talking about "mainstream" music. I was talking about music in general.

But what is "mainstream" music anyway? The drivel on the radio (which - at least in my area - seems to be rehashing alot from the 1980's) maybe?

With the radio getting worse and worse, and people leaving it for their MP3 players, what plays on the radio isn't "mainstream" to me.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

But what is "mainstream" music anyway?

These days, the phrase doesn't mean much. The online music market is opening up everyone's horizons beyond the stuff (and saying "stuff," I'm being kind) they push in traditional markets. Being a jazz fan myself, I get my music online or from satellite radio... and I record more and more of my vintage vinyls into my MP3 player.