Competition
It looks like Amazon has decided to kick Apple when it’s down (maybe not intentionally, but still) with it’s own music store. Before you say, “Another music store? If it’s not iTunes, I’m not using it!”, let me say that you would be wise to check out the new Amazon MP3 store. The new Amazon MP3 store offers approximately two million DRM-free tracks that will play on any MP3 player available today, are available for 89 cents per track (with albums as low as $5.99), and at a higher quality than all but iTunes Plus tracks. To try the store out, I downloaded the free track, Energy by Apples in Stereo, and was pleased at how straight-forward the process was. After downloading the Amazon MP3 Downloader, which is required for album purchases, I was presented with a link to the free track and quickly “purchased” said track. After downloading a small AMZ file (Safari is set to not execute downloads automatically) and opening it with the downloader, downloading commenced and by default, the track was added to iTunes. Currently, this means that I have a duplicate copy of the file, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon doesn’t add another option to delete the original file on successful add to iTunes.
Anyway, that’s enough of a review that you should want to check it out! But I also wanted to say that this is the first true competitor to iTunes and as such, should propel Apple to adopt new opinions on audio sales. As of this writing, I don’t believe that Amazon currently has a better experience than the built-in iTunes store, but until iTunes offers a larger DRM-free catalog at more competitive prices, I’m going to be looking first on Amazon!
via Daring FireballÂ
This just in…
My iPod shipped! :) I should have it sometime next week!
Quick Hit
So I just got off the phone with my MA, a Sparkling Silver with Redwood Red leather interior came in for service today so I might be going to check it out after work! And totally unrelated, I’ve officially begun the process of retiring my iPod mini. I ordered an 80 GB 5.5G iPod “classic” in white this morning using my iPhone credit! I won’t get it until after the beginning of October, unfortunately. I can’t wait! It will be my first “brand new” full size iPod!
Ugh…
Just finished fixing the About section. Not sure what happened but I think it got borked after I tried an iPhone plugin. Well, I think that was what did it. It might have been upgrading to Wordpress 2.3 Beta. Who knows? In any case, it’s fixed now and there’s now a new profile photo.
And while I’m actually typing, I went to the MINI dealership this evening and had a nice chat with my MA (that’s Motoring Advisor -> MINI’s version of the sales person) and the Service Advisor (SA) there at the dealership, too. The cool thing is The SA is getting a local club/group together to do some things, so once I get my car there will be a group I can motor with! Oh, and if they do something before I actually get my car, I might get to borrow a car! Maybe… worst case I’ll show up in my Beetle and just take pics of all the cool cars! :)
Anyway, it’s freakin’ late so I’m hittin’ the hay.
Rotten Apple
Great article from iLounge detailing the state of affairs with regards to Apple and it’s recent behavior.
NBC-iTunes Fiasco
Here are a couple of links regarding the NBC Universal vs. Apple foolishness (NBC are the fools).
 To start things off, a comic from Joy of Tech. Then we have a post and various nuggets from Daring Fireball: #1, #2, #3, and #4. Lastly, the Macalope’s take.