Author Topic: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple  (Read 5821 times)

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Offline Sal Atticum

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Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« on: September 29, 2007, 04:01:02 PM »
This is from an email thing I receive from Small Dog Electronics every week.

Quote
Throw Amazon in the Ring for Music Downloads!
By Kali, [email protected]

This week, Amazon announced that they will be selling music downloads for less than what Apple charges at the iTunes Store, AND the files are DRM-free (read: unlocked and copyable).

Their downloading venture is called "Amazon MP3", and the store boasts a $.10 savings per song compared to the iTunes Store and this MP3 format is devoid of the Digital Rights Management software that Apple commonly uses.  (Note: if you compare like files, Apple's DRM-free versions are $.40 higher than Amazon's.)

Amazon's move toward digital downloads has everyone buzzing, of course.  Aside from the price and copyright differences, music purchased from the iTunes Store can only be played on an iPod.  Conversely, MP3 files will play on ANY device.

What will this mean for consumers?  It seems to me that competition is healthy when it comes to big business, and this means that we will have an ever-expanding library of digital music from which to choose.

As it stands now, though, the selection on Amazon is pretty much limited to a 15-year-old girls dream music catalog.  Not that that's a bad thing... it just seems to be heavy on the pop-culture tunes.  I imagine as time goes on, I'm sure their offerings will expand.

For that to happen, though, the music companies and artists they represent have to be on board.  What does this mean for them?  I guess we have yet to see who will go willingly, and who will put up a fight!  If many music companies refuse to comply, Amazon's store will stay extremely limited, thus alienating customers.

I'm curious to see how it plays out.  Amazon and Apple are both savvy, innovative companies (side note: I started using Amazon's grocery store when it was introduced over a year ago, and it has grown considerably since then-- the organic section is great for things I can't find locally.)

I think it will be very interesting to see how this plays out.  I just wanted to make a note that I think the reason that no other player plays music from iTunes Music Store is because the files are AAC, and no other player plays this format.  If this is incorrect, let me know.  It just seems weird how everyone else sticks to MP3s.
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Offline pmp6nl

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2007, 02:54:00 AM »
I think it was some Apple marketing/world domination ploy.

...I wonder what the bit rate for Amazon's music will be.  I think I will be making the switch over, based on this post I see no reason not to.
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Offline Meest

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #2 on: October 02, 2007, 09:19:33 AM »
I guess my question is that is it direct from their website? Or am I going to have to download some horrible third party program to get onto their store, just use that to download the stuff, then transfer it over to where I want it in my music library.

I guess I have yet to use itunes just because I hate the interface, I hate the idea of protected songs, and I just hate itunes in general (You do not need two different Processes to start on my computer before I even open itunes you shitty excuse for a program that apple bought from someone else because they couldn't get something as good themselves *personal opinion*) I also hated the idea that I couldn't plug my ipod into say my laptop and use it as an external HD to play my music from.... I think they might have changed that now, but that really pissed me off. I should be able to sync my ipod to whatever computer I want, when I want, and I should not have to feel like I'm stuck following rules that have no merit.

Offline pmp6nl

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2007, 10:54:19 PM »
So I looked through the Amazon MP3 site.

It doesnt look too bad.  You can download songs individually (through the website), but if you want to download the files "easier" or download albums then you need some software they provide.

The selection looks decent (depending on what you like), and the DRM free price is pretty good compared to others.... I think I am going to start using Amazon for my music... thanks for the heads up mburtonk.

As far as iTunes, I also hate that iTunes starts processes; I dont even have an iPod so I dont want all that crap running.  I dont care for the DRM restrictions, but I just got around those by burning the files to a CD then ripping them back to the computer.... though that was a waste of time. See you later iTunes.


Meest, any suggestions for a good "media" player?
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Offline Sal Atticum

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2007, 11:16:39 PM »
Is Winamp as good as it used to be?
JUST EXTRA POLISH. I DO SOME WORK WITH EXCELL SO I KEEP THE CAPS LOCK ON :-P

Offline pmp6nl

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2007, 11:29:27 PM »
Is Winamp as good as it used to be?

I thought I heard some crap was added.
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Offline Meest

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2007, 09:32:46 AM »
Is Winamp as good as it used to be?

Its what I still use. You can still get the stripped down 3 meg version, but i get the 5 meg one and get the music library. Winamp is what I use to sync my iPod to my computer. I tried iTunes once with my music library (Back before I deleted some) and it just shit itself when I tried to import it into the library. That gives it an F in my book. Winamp will fly through my library in no time... takes about 2 minutes for all 13,000 plus songs. have iTunes try and pull that one off.

Winamp also lets me plug my ipod into my laptop and use it to play my music so when i'm at the urban or someplace I don't have to use the iPod interface.

I've been using winamp since 1999 and I haven't found anything that I like better. I use windows media for my movie's. I have all my music organized by artist then album in folders. Its a breeze. There are a few things I don't use on winamp, like all the internet radio... but you can delete most of those shortcuts on the side bar and get it pretty stripped down.

Offline Sal Atticum

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2007, 01:32:15 PM »
Haha, it still doesn't work for Mac.  I'll just stick with iTunes.
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Offline Meest

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2007, 06:49:43 PM »
Haha, it still doesn't work for Mac.  I'll just stick with iTunes.

I know its sad that it doesn't have a version for that...

Perhaps there's a compiled version of XMMS that you can use on mac? I love XMMS for my Linux distro's.

Offline Sal Atticum

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2007, 08:24:54 PM »
I've never heard of XMMS.  I'll go Google it right away.

When I get out of debt (or closer to out of debt) I am going to get an Intel Mac (I have a Powerbook right now), but I still want to run something in OS X natively.

I want to do a lot of things when I get out of debt . . . *sigh*
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Offline pmp6nl

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #10 on: October 05, 2007, 12:24:21 AM »
Ive heard Media Monkey isnt bad.
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Offline Sal Atticum

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Re: Amazon offers cheaper music downloads than Apple
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2007, 09:03:32 PM »
It's been two months: what's the verdict?  Is Amazon better, worse, equal to iTunes?
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