iLounge

Reuters: Rivals Ready to Take a Bite of Apple

If Apple comes through with an iTunes for Windows, it will be the greatest thing for those poor windows users.  I constantly hear comments about all the media players for windows just not being up to par.  So combine an easy to use organizational too, and player like iTunes, with a quality store, and I think they’ll hit gold for sure.  Just 2 cents worth of my opinion.

Posted by Twitchy on July 21, 2003 at 4:03 AM (PDT)

Reuters: Rivals Ready to Take a Bite of Apple

Got to disagree on this one. When Sony, EMI and any of the big names decide to enter the arena the important thing will be price.

99 cents per song is too much for something you might only listen to once or twice.

Now that the big boys are over their fretting about this type of thing expect home entertainment devices that can plug into a LAN interface to the internet and store & play tracks.

Get digital rights management sorted and you should be able to download an album to 2-3 dollars tops.

This is not the sideline. This is the whole ballpark. Moving to a pay to play paradigm and erasing the overhead of head up their **ses A&R;jerks, executives,secretaries and massive production and media distribution costs.

You can keep all your grunge bands, give me a company with the rights to the Beatles and Frank Sinatra as a meal ticket.

Pac3r

Posted by Pac3r on July 21, 2003 at 12:27 AM (PDT)

CNET: RIAA warns individual swappers

Oh and BTW, to use Verizon against it’s customers is an ####### thing to do because the people aren’t only going to hate the RIAA but also Verizon, and it’s not even Verizon’s fault! Oh yeah, Earthlink was an ####### too because it let out info just because Verizon couldn’t (or didn’t want to?) fight the RIAA. That was just as wrong as the RIAA (or ######## as I call them) breaking Verizon’s confidentiality with its customers.

Posted by zync on July 20, 2003 at 10:14 PM (PDT)

CNET: RIAA warns individual swappers

Sorry if that’s hard to understand in the beginning parts of it, it’s late and I’m tired....

Posted by zync on July 20, 2003 at 10:08 PM (PDT)

CNET: RIAA warns individual swappers

I told my friend last night that I’d like to have many copies of a song I’d make but named some record label music and when they sue me I’d win and then sue for damages of around 68,000 so that I could give back the money to those four college kids that had to pay around 12k-17k dollars.....I mean it’d be fine with me if they did it because they were really losing money but they’re doing it just to punish people and it’s overkill....it’s not even close to the cost of the music people have downloaded. I doubt those people had $12k of music. Hell, the RIAA isn’t even selling the stuff they’re just a stupid lobbyist group. Not only that but the fact that they’re “losing” money is their own fault. The same percentage of their loss is around the same percentage of increase in CD prices when you factor in the fact that we’re in a recession. Recession means that the economy is at a low point and that people are less likely to spend money. Not only that but the first thing people cut out in a recession is entertainment. Music is entertainment. So shut up RIAA, you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. You’re not even the industry for chrissake, and yes that’s how you spell that.

Posted by zync on July 20, 2003 at 10:06 PM (PDT)

"American iPod" Cartoon

I was feelin the Macboy/Pixar thing with the lil iMac jumpin.

Posted by SkuzE in New York City on July 20, 2003 at 9:06 PM (PDT)

iPod Software 1.3 for Windows to be released

Calm down and quit your ########.  There’s already a program that will put the 1.3 firmware on a Windows based iPod if you really care.  You can get it at http://www.the-midfield.com/ipod.aspx Just click “WinniePod Updater v1.30.” It really does just add AAC/MP4 support, so it won’t help most of you.  If you want to actually put AAC/MP4’s on your Windows based iPod currently, you can convert them and add them using Spoon’s dbpoweramp (http://www.dbpoweramp.com).  Then again, there isn’t a well established way of adding song titles and file information to the AAC/MP4’s, so even if you can get them on there your iPod probably won’t know what to call the songs.  Plus, dbpoweramp is using an old aac encoder (the developer now works for ahead and designs the Nero AAC/MP4 encoder).  I’m sure Apple will officially release 1.3 when they release iTunes4 for Windows.

Posted by CyberInferno on July 20, 2003 at 8:38 PM (PDT)

Reuters: Rivals Ready to Take a Bite of Apple

Still, I think that Apples service will still turn out on top, as all the rest of the services always manage to take a good idea and nerf it into an oblivion.

Pressplay and those other services out there are having a much less succesful time than Apple’s iTunes because of the simple fact that they have so many restrictions that the lower 79 cent price is not really worth it anymore.

Really, what this all comes down to is: who will get the most tracks from indie labels and musicians? With the deals with the RIAA, it is needless to say that all these new services will have popular music, but eventually it is the lesser common music that will count in the long run. People will want to buy from the source that is the most complete.

Posted by Sraphim on July 20, 2003 at 8:37 PM (PDT)

BusinessWeek: The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes

BTW I wasn’t implying that Otis Redding doesn’t make music that makes you think or whatever....he’s an INCREDIBLE musician!

Posted by zync on July 20, 2003 at 6:58 PM (PDT)

BusinessWeek: The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes

Again I say System of a Down (a great high-level professional band) doesn’t care if they get downloaded. Why? They already have their money. Also, I have only been speaking of a few artists, and not the vast majority, but on the contrary do the vast majority of musicians make music that really makes you think? No. I don’t limit myself to only listening to bands I deem worthy, I listen to an incredible amount of artists. In fact I’m listening to Otis Redding right now. How many college students do you think listen to or even know who Otis Redding is? I only buy the artists I can completely respect. I never said that artists shouldn’t care about getting money, I said that it should not be their focus. The Chili Peppers don’t make music simply for the money. I’m an artist. I don’t only make it for money, if I could sell enough pieces that I’d be able to make a living out of it that’d kick ### but I wouldn’t do it to get rich. Sure that’d be a nice side effect, nearly anyone would want that, but it should not be their goal. That is the major aim for many artists and their music comes second to that, and it shows. My point is that music is a form or art and it should be treated in the same way. No one in any of my circles respects artists who create PURELY for money. My friend and I would like to be in a band (he’s an excellent drummer and I wanna learn bass, or regular guitar and do vocals and write) and we’d be perfectly content to create music for people to hear. We’d love to become rich off of it, but that’s not our intention. See what I’m saying? Ars artis gratia. You should make music to for expression not to satisfy a goal of becoming rich. That’s just ripping people off.

Posted by zync on July 20, 2003 at 6:56 PM (PDT)

iPod Software 1.3 for Windows to be released

WHERES the 1.3 for WINDOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by fdafda on July 20, 2003 at 4:58 PM (PDT)

Wired: Upload a File, Go to Prison

Wow, that is way harsh. Makes me glad Im not an American.

Posted by Njosnavelin on July 20, 2003 at 3:45 PM (PDT)

Fast Company: Digital Squared: Living in an iTunes World

No problem for Apple! All this revenue was from mac useres only! Just imagine how much more they’ll make once iTunes for windows is out! Anyone must admit that there are definitely more Windows users than Mac!! So just imagine how many more ppl would be buying from iTunes!

Posted by phester on July 20, 2003 at 2:54 PM (PDT)

NYT: What Albums Join Together, Everyone Tears Asunder

I don’t see why Apple just doesn’t sell complete albums as a whole for artists who don’t want singles being sold, totally taking out the option to buy one or two songs. 

Posted by narco in Burbank on July 20, 2003 at 2:00 PM (PDT)

Fast Company: Digital Squared: Living in an iTunes World

“Apple’s problem is that other companies will enter the fray quite soon, perhaps even before they do for Windows. Microsoft and Amazon are two major players I’d expect to see in this market soon. They have clout. They have marketing.”

Great points. I expect that Apple will evolve the way it does business, as it relates to digital content delivery. Thus allowing them to play in a game dominated by PC’s. Apple has proven it’s ability to be a savy marketing machine.

It will be interesting to see how their competition reacts (i.e. Microsoft, Amazon.com, etc.).

Posted by Jester on July 20, 2003 at 5:34 AM (PDT)

Wired: Upload a File, Go to Prison

Lame, yes, enforceable, maybe - but don’t focus on overcrowding of jails, think PLEA BARGAIN! These A** Whipes we have for legislatures are all paid idiots, but if passed they will find a few of us to F**k with.

Posted by silk on July 20, 2003 at 5:01 AM (PDT)

Fast Company: Digital Squared: Living in an iTunes World

Man, that article is a real crapper.

iTunes is only available to Apple’s personal computers in the USA, approximately 3% of the USA market in personal computers.

$52M annual revenue is nothing to a$6B annual revenue company.

Other companies have, and are, reliably offering digital content, to include music, over the Internet in a customer friendly way.

The difference with the iTunes store is that the major labels are offered. Apple had the clout to pull in the major labels so they can sell music that the masses want to hear. They also had the major cash to pull off a huge marketing campaign.

That is the difference.

If we can assume that Apple can somehow keep a $1M a week revenue stream from Mac users, a Windows version should bring in about $1.6B over a year. That’s pretty doubtful, but a more realistic $1B is a damn good amount.

Apple’s problem is that other companies will enter the fray quite soon, perhaps even before they do for Windows. Microsoft and Amazon are two major players I’d expect to see in this market soon. They have clout. They have marketing.

Posted by GMonkey on July 20, 2003 at 4:52 AM (PDT)

BusinessWeek: The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes

(Continued....  Yeah, I know, long winded, I should write a book, bla, bla, bla.  Last part...)

..........Giving away albums doesn’t necessarily mean that an artist is more about their music than the money.  It may just simply mean that they’re stupid about money.  Why wouldn’t anyone want to get paid for something they did?  When’s the last time you worked for free?  Everyone has bills to pay.  You might see local artists who aren’t making that much money, if any, give their work away for free, because if they aren’t making much money in the first place, they may not have anything to lose by giving some of their music away.  But you’ll never see artists at professional levels like the RHCP give their music away for free.  At that level, it’s just not done.  Maybe they know something we don’t.

Posted by Z on July 20, 2003 at 4:05 AM (PDT)

BusinessWeek: The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes

(Continued...)

.........I’ve seen many artists who say they don’t want to go national, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be financially successful.  They talk about not wanting the pressures that a national career would demand of them, or that they don’t want their art to be churned into some “Top 40” mush, but I’ve never heard (and will probably go the rest of my life never hearing) that they don’t want to go national because “they just don’t want to make that much money”.  Yeah, right.  Anyone with a heartbeat would want to make that kind of money.  Just because you go national, doesn’t mean that your music turns to crap.  What do think the chances would be that a local artist who doesn’t wish to take their craft all the way to that level, probably has many fears and misconceptions about that kind of a professional music career?  Just like many things, it’s one thing to sit around and wonder what a music career at a national level would be like; it would be another thing altogether to actually have one.  Many of those artists, if truly given the chance, would jump at the opportunity to distinguish their career and make a name for themselves on that level.  I know that there are exceptions to every rule here and there, but I’m talking about the vast majority of true artists that have real passion for their art and want to make a life out of it, not music hobbyists or those using music only as a vehicle for their vices.

I think if you decide you’re only going to buy music from artists who you somehow gauge don’t care much about financial success, I think you’re really limiting yourself and missing out on a lot of great music.  Because it’s possible for talented people to care both about music and money - there’s an almost unlimited amount of artists out there who fit this profile and prove this point.  An artist’s desire to become financially wealthy doesn’t automatically mean they don’t make good music or don’t make good decisions about their music.  But on the other end of the coin, just because an artist lacks the desire to become wealthy, doesn’t automatically mean that their music is better.  Besides, truth be known, I think that most of the music people listen to, whether they realize it or not, is by artists who love their music, AND love their money.  Even artists at regional and local levels.......

Posted by Z on July 20, 2003 at 4:04 AM (PDT)

BusinessWeek: The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes

(Continued… Sorry I have to break this up, but it’s the only way I can post it.)

.........I think there are artists out there who are underground, who may not want to commercialize themselves because in those circles, if you do, you become uncool.  But those same artists are no different than you and me in the way that they won’t say no to the paper.  When’s the last time you daydreamt about being broke?  I doubt they do either.  Everyone would be rich if they could.  All artists want money.  As for most artists who never “make it” and become wealthy, you could probably bank on the fact that it wasn’t because they cared less about the money than their music, but rather that they didn’t have the drive or the talent or the connections, or all or a combination of those things necessary to reach whatever level they’re shooting for.  In the meantime, they just plug along like all local artists, investing every dime they have into making albums and landing gigs wherever they can, spending more than they take in, and doing their best to make something of their craft.  But don’t fool yourself into thinking that that means they don’t want money.  Artists that put as much effort as it takes in traveling around, touring however they can, making albums, promoting themselves, etc., etc., are not just doing it for their health.  They’re doing it because they want to make a good living at it...........

Posted by Z on July 20, 2003 at 4:03 AM (PDT)

BusinessWeek: The Chili Peppers' Sour Grapes Over iTunes

Zync, I’m not exactly sure if I’m following all of your points.  But I will say this… I think most poeple who make music for a living are probably about the music.  I haven’t heard of many artists that just kinda stumbled into a music career by chance and started making millions of dollars to boot.  Being able to do something you love like that while getting paid for it means you LOVE the music because you must work hard to develop a career like the RHCP have, and if you don’t love the music, you aren’t going to have the drive necessary to succeed.  (But even with drive, we also know that many artists can become lazy later on, not that this is necessarily the case with the RHCP, but this last statement is a generalization and another conversation altogether).

I also believe that all artists who are at the level the RHCP are at, are also about the money as well.  If they weren’t, then why would they have agreed to massive record contracts which they renew time and time again and to commercializing themselves?  No one put a gun to their heads.  As with the RHCP, they may have started out underground, but are hardly that now.  With their commercial success, I think it’s safe to say that they care about money.

I think all artists are about their music AND the money.  An artist who isn’t about their music, doesn’t have passion, and most likely doesn’t have much talent and shouldn’t be wasting their time in the first place.  Who would waste their time listening to someone like that anyway?… but I digress.  Everyone wants to make money.  Everyone has bills to pay.  And because you have to put food on the table, why not get rich in the process if the opportunity presents itself?.........

Posted by Z on July 20, 2003 at 3:59 AM (PDT)

CNET: RIAA warns individual swappers

Faint,eh? Good. They have gone so far over the top,it would be hysterically hilarious if it weren’t so gosh darn pathetic. But then again…

Posted by Christianicononev.2 on July 20, 2003 at 1:36 AM (PDT)

Apple Updates iPod FAQs

Well Apple is no longer just ignoring the EU volume cap, but are outright lying FAQ when they write:

“iPod has a powerful 60 mW amplifier so it can deliver audio as loud as you want.”

If that’s not a lie, I don’t know what is.

Posted by nman on July 20, 2003 at 1:10 AM (PDT)

Fast Company: Digital Squared: Living in an iTunes World

“onto personal computers all over the world"… this is wrong, it is only available in the USA. And the rate of 1mio pr week is wrong too.
Bad article.

Posted by Sparks9 on July 19, 2003 at 11:53 PM (PDT)

CNN: Music industry wins approval of 871 subpoenas

even rapists get less punishment

Posted by tetro on July 19, 2003 at 11:49 PM (PDT)