Smilepak's Blog

A few days ago, I decided to burn a collection of music in MP3 format so I could listen in my car, since it is MP3 compatible. To my amazement, that couldn't be done through the Apple iTune on music purchased through the Apple iTune Store. All of the music you've purchased, legally paid for, and in a sense have the right to use it all you want and whatever way you want, can't be done. Apple's iTune add a lock security DRM to each of the music file and can not be removed (at least not in a legal fashion). A person or group of people contributed to a freeware application to allow people who purchased these music remove the DRM (QTFairUse and myFairTunes) have been sue and forced to abandon the cause.

Now I have to think twice about purchasing music through Apple iTune as I can't use it for any other devices except Apple iPOD series. These days, you have devices to listen to MP3 all over the place. From cellphones, cars, and even kitchen frig. With that, the need to have a more portable music file is more important. The world does not evolve around iPODs.

I think I will be purchasing my music from Amazon from now on. All of their music are equal or lesser price than Apple iTune and it is DRM FREE. Meaning I can put it in whatever music device I wish, such as Apple iPOD, Microsoft Zune, or burn it on a MP3 CD to listen in my car! To add a bonus to it, the quality it is released with is better than Apple iTune. Of course there are negative things to say about Amazon MP3 Music Store. The purchasing interface isn't as easy to use when compared to the Apple iTune. Neither less, for an average computer users and the newer generation who can manage maintaining facebook, myspace, blogspot, and a tons of other websites at once, I doubt that is a problem.

You can read other people options on the new Amazon MP3 Music Store here:
http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-09/amazon-mp3-music-store-im-having-so-much-fun/
http://machinist.salon.com/blog/2007/09/26/amazon_store/index.html
http://gigaom.com/2007/09/25/amazon-mp3-vs-apple-itunes-whos-better-now/
http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2007/09/amazons_mp3_store_fails_to_suc.html

While I greatly enjoy the simple usage of the Apple iTune, making the music I purchased versatile isn't their best. I have give some credit to Apple for taking steps toward DRM free, but compared from DRM vs DRM free library they have now, it is like day and night. It is less than 1% of their entire library collection.

I suppose until Apple makes their music DRM free or I find a way to convert these easily, I'll be purchasing my music from Amazon.COM from now on. I'll definitely still use Apple iTune to manage my music collection and sync with my Apple iPOD Touch, but it won't be a place for me to purchase my music.