RealNetworks offering unauthorized downloads for the iPod
posted Jul 26th 2004 8:20AM
Obviously itching for a fight with Apple, RealNetworks is introducing some software that'll let you play downloads
bought from their online music store on an iPod (as well as plenty of other MP3 players, too). Apple doesn't see much
point to opening up the iPod to anyone else (which you gotta admit is just teensiest bit frustrating) and will probably
counter by changing the firmware on the iPod so that this won't work for very long (just like how they keep "upgrading"
iTunes so that it won't play files that have had the DRM removed). This means iPod owners who buy stuff from the
RealNetworks store could find themselves with a collection of music they can't play on their device, something which
you'd think would keep most iPod owners from buying from them, especially since the downloads cost exactly the same
price (99 cents) as they do at the iTunes Music Store.
Opening up a little bit might not be all that bad for Apple, though, since this would make it easier for someone who
had say, a Rio Karma, to switch to an iPod because they wouldn't have to worry about whether or not they'd be able to
play their collection of digital downloads on it (though honestly all this format incompatibility nonsense reminds us
of why most people just download unrestricted MP3s off of Kazaa). Besides, if Apple is really serious about the iTunes
Music Store merely being a loss-leader to sell iPods, then should they really mind if RealNetworks or anyone else takes
the loss? If the iPod is really so great they shouldn't have to lock in their customers with a restricted file format
to keep them from switching to another digital audio player — they shouldn't want to switch in the first place.
[Thanks, GJZM]
Apple should add RealVideo/Audio support to iTunes/Quicktime. Someone needs to really lay the smack down on Real.
Aac isnt a "restricted file format" nor is it a proprietary file format its just a better format than mp3.
Except that the AAC files you buy from the iTunes Music Store ARE restricted files with DRM. Where exactly in my post do you see me talking about anything other than files bought from iTMS?
No, sorry got a bit carried away there.
AAC is not better than mp3. It's the same. I've tested it out a million times, and AAC files aren't smaller or better sounding, no matter what type of music you're listening to. It's just an exclusive format Apple uses to make the record companies think their service is safer against piracy.
So really, the main difference with AAC is that you can't use it anywhere else.
AAC has a higher bitrate in a smaller file so its better than mp3
>AAC is not better than mp3
AAC is an MP4 compression scheme, which is the next generation of MP3, so it probably is a little bit better - but it probably would be tough to tell the difference. :)
>It's just an exclusive format Apple uses to make the record companies think their service is safer against piracy.
And this is no different from WMA files, or RealNetworks files... etc. etc... You can usually convert them.
But the DRM is a bit unfortunate. After I buy music, I'd like to be able to play it on anything I want. With a CD you buy, you can play it with anything that plays a CD, it should not be different with anything that can play a music file.
So is there any way to convert the locked mp4's that I bought from the iTunes store to unlocked mp3's?
yes you could burn them to an audio CD and rip them as an MP3...
~wC