10 posts tagged “itunes”

 Since Apple rolled out there new Touch Screen iPod  less then 2 weeks ago, I've been thinking a lot of what's next for the iPod. Now that the huge amount of speculation is over (it's been mounting for over 2 years) what's next for the iPod? What's the next frontier? Now that Apple has content distribution system that is accessible from basically anywhere with a broadband internet connection. Although right now, that distribution system is, at the present time, only limited to music, I can see it going to video with the add on of Wireless possibly next year. However, that would also require many access points to switch to N as well, so I suppose that Apple will have to future proof the WiFi by installing Access points that compatible with both b/g/n.
    On the subject of content as I mentioned before, I really, really, really want Apple to bring content to the Canadian iTunes Store. Now that the iPod is awesome, why not focus on getting some shows here? I mean seriously, both the U.S. and the U.K. have them, why not the great white north? I'm telling you guys, once they do bring content to the iTunes store I'm going on a shopping spree. But that probably won't happen for the next few months or even a year or two before content comes to the North. This is not really acceptable. Considering where just over the border, you think it would just be a simple matter of putting them on Canadian iTunes Store, but that 's not really the case. Now they have it in the U.K., maybe, just maybe, they'll decide to stop screwing Canadians and put some content up here. Who knows, maybe they'll even put some movies up here as well
/end rant

 The last few days have been very interesting. I've been getting some things worked out in Vista. Yesterday, Joost 0.9.2 was released which doesn't studder as much. Only problem was, that when I went to open the client, it said it couldn't connect to the network. So after hunting around for a solution,  I reinstalled it and it worked fine. Better than before as a matter of fact. Then something strange happened. I was trying to buy a song off of the iTunes store when it wouldn't connect. Even Apple.com wasn't working right. I un-installed, restarted and then reinstalled iTunes and it worked fine, but it's just another example of how iTunes isn't exactly ready for Prime time on Vista. Democracy doesn't work right without turing off Aero, which is a minor pain, but I live with it. I've been looking at the price of some parts lately. Things have dropped dramatically. The cheapest AMD Processor (3600+, 1.9 Ghz, 2 x512 KM L2) is only $95. The 4200 + (2.2 Ghz 2x 512 KB L2) is only $133. The X1650, the ATI midrange GPU, is only $148. 2 GB of Kingston Valuram is only $156. Mind you all these prices come with 0.14% tax tacked onto them, so it's not as great a deal as it appears. But it's still a good deal. I think once I pay for education and my trip to Germany, I'll go get me some upgrades.
Off to Youth Exec. I'll post more in the next few days.

    So I got Windows Vista running today. And thanks to a hack from good 'ol BitTorrent, I don't have to drop over $150 for a copy of Home Premium. But don't tell Microsoft that. I'm enjoying it so far. I mean besides the improved UI, it's the small things like the Instant Search and the improved Window Management. The Iive Tabs feature is also nice. For all the bashing I've done to Vista, I still like it. I don't expect to bumb into the DRM wall yet, as I'm not planning on playing an HD content. With all that said, there are some things that I don't like. It takes forever to both Shut Down and start up as well as the fact that certain app's don't behave well. iTunes is the major culprit here. It works well enough, but it has it's glitches. Logitech Setpoint was another sticking point, but I managed to get it to work after a while. Driver support is pretty good. Considering the disk includes over 15,000 device drivers, it'd better be! My flash drive works fine. I've yet to test my iPod though, though I think it should work fine. I'll give you guys an update in a few days.  

 

    So after much speculation, and amid much fanfare, EMI announced that today, it would be offering "premium" downloads with double the bit-rate (128 KB to 256 KB) as well as no DRM restrictions. And guess what? It's only .30 more cents. Can you count me in? Heck yes! For .30 cents I'll pay for a DRM free track. And plus all of my EMI music that I currently have can be upgraded to "Premium" status for just .30 cents. Most of the music I listen to is under EMI, although not directly. Capitol Records, Sparrow Records and Tooth and Nail Records are all labels that I listen to, so I will probably spend .30 cents. I just did a calculation and I'll spend about 23 bucks converting all my music to DRM free.
    In other news, apparently the CRTC wants to increase regulation of the internet. It's being pressured by actor unions as well as the copyright industry and such. I have three words for the CRTC: No.Frickin.Way. I can understand how you want to regulate television and radio, however the internet is like neither of those. It's an open network, international. You can't just say "Okay we're going to make these people make Canadian Content x percentage of the stuff on the internet. It doesn't work that way. It's not run by the big media companies. Podcasting as well as Video Podcasting and Vlogging do not (for the most part, recognize the regualtory power of the CRTC. I mean they can try and enforce but, it's like saying that since your not Canadian you have to stop producing your podcast as it does not conform to regulation x. It doesn't work like that anymore. You can read the full article here. I'm all for regulating the airwaves, but not the tubes. The tubes should not be interfered way. No siree Bob. And I don't want "Bandwidth Tax" to fuel "Cultural funding" either. Stop messing with the tubes, people, let them be.   

So the iCEO doesn't like DRM after all. A letter posted on Apple.com today speaks volumes more then what's on the page. It tu rn

s out even though Apple uses DRM, Steve Jobs (who is probably one of the most famous music fanatics in the tech industry.) says that if consumers could the "Big 4" (EMI, BMG, Universal and  Warner) to not use DRM on it's content, Apple would embrace it "in a heartbeat". Apparently the only way that the record labels would put the music on iTunes would be to DRM it. At least Apple is a bit sensitive to consumer needs and doesn't DRM it to death (like Microsoft, Real and Sony.) So will Apple get rid of Fairplay? Not likely. Unless the there is a massive revolution in the content industry, Apple is not likely to drop Fairplay. and the entire DRM thing. I don't think Mr. Jobs want to be stuck with no content on one of the major points that made Apple profitable again (iTunes and iPod) I think the only that would allow for a massive change in the DRM schemes is a complete and total consumer rebellion against DRM. Where starting to see the begining of that now with the rejection of Microsoft's Zune device. It might take some time but I believe that sooner rather then later, DRM will go the way of the dodo bird. I'll look back on this later in life when DRM is gone and say "I remember when we had DRM on our music and we could do certain things with our content. I'll be happy when that comes.

 Exams. It's that time of year. Today was the first day of exams. Fortunetly I decided to exempt my Sociology exam. So I got to sleep in. After about 11 last night everyone went to bed, except for. I stayed up for another hour surfing around. Went to Kutless' site and watched there "Shut Me Out" music video. Loved it so I went to iTunes and bought the song. When you think about it, iTunes is a revolution for the music industry in many ways. It was set up (at least in the US) towards the end of the P2P era when the record companies where extremely nervous (and still are.) about the internet. Apple comes along and get's the record companies. Now it's making them quite a bit of money. It also reinvents the model of selling music. Before you had to buy an entire CD to get the music. Now you pay .99 cents and you have a song. That's what so great about iTunes. Ala carte, now BS. I just spend 5 bucks on 5 songs. And I really love those songs. I have a few CD's lying around that I listen to maybe 4 or 5 of the songs on them. Now granted, iTunes isn't perfect, you've got the whole DRM thing, which is pretty generous, considering the competitors DRM and then there's the whole content thing. One of my fav bands, Relient K, just recently released it's single Must of Done Something Right on iTunes. Is it available in Canada? No. Went don't have TV shows or movies either. Although Apple is attemping to remedy that situation with neogoating with the CRTC and the MPAA, but it does still put me off.
    Found out one of my favorite groups is coming here (literally just down the street from where I live.) in August. As soon as tickets go on sale, I'm buying.
Back to the books,

Yesssssss! *jumps for Joy* I finally got my hands on my new computer. It took me 2 months of working and a week of waiting, but it's here and set up. I was worried that I wouldn't have a display since my friend hasn't gotten her new computer yet, however I friend of mine had an extra monitor and he gave it to me. I brought it home last night and the bottom right colours where a bit wonky, but there all right now. All in all it's been a pretty smooth migration. I thought ahead and loaded the installers for Open Office and Firefox onto my Flash Drive so I wouldn't have to use *shudder* Internet Exploder Explorer. I've migrated my iTunes music to my new machine and backed up all my  purchased stuff onto a CD. I put Firefox, PAINT.Net, iTunes and a few other things onto the computer, but I haven't even used up 10 GB in my Hard Drive yet. The burning on this thing is really fast as well. When I went to burn my music to a CD, it took maybe two minutes. That's all. On the Old Dell, it would've taken a minimim of 5. I haven't tried out the new GPU yet, but I will in a few days. I also want to get Ubuntu running on this baby.
    The look of the computer is pure awsome. It's in kind of sucky local right now, but there is a Windows to the Interior and it has a bunch of LED's that are Green, blue and red on the inside. It looks awsome. There's also a logo on the front that glows. As well as the load light that glows read. (the logo glows blue). I'm wondering if I can change the colour of the Logo in BIOS? Probably not, but it was worth a thought. Overall, I'm very impressed with my new machines' performance, I wish that we some more space though..... Once I get a hold of my mom's camera, I'll shot a few pics of the box. It's a cool looking beast, and I think everyone should see it.
    It seems Netvibes has put a new release of it's webpage. It's defintitly more cool looking than  it was before, but it stil retains that classic Netvibes feel. If you want to check it out, give it a go at http://www.netvibes.com

    gah! *covers ears* I really hope that Apple comes out with that iTunes 7 fix soon. Because it's getting really annoying with the playback being disrupted when I do the most miniscule of things. For example, I'll select a song and instead of playing in one or two seconds, It might take a full 10 to 30 seconds to start playing. This is completely unlike Apple, who until this point has had kept up quality in all it's iTunes releases. And here's the interesting thing. Last year, th

ey released iTunes 5 and iTunes 6 only weeks apart, and the release of iTunes 6 had no hiccups. Fast forward a year with the release of iTunes 7. There are tonne's of hiccups. Playback is sketchy, the program itself drains memory resources like you wouldn't believe and the overall performance of the program is just chunky.
    Woot! TGIF! I have a Canadian History test today as well as Math last period, but it's still the weekend! I'm heading down to see my cousins this weekend, but the big news is that the 'stones are rolling into Halifax to play at the Commons. I won't be able to go as I don't have a ticket, but I know someone who is (you know who you are.) I'm not a Stones fan as such, but just the prospect of having the Stones in Halifax is kind of exciting. The Stones came to Moncton last year and it was a huge deal.
*sigh* choi ces choices choices. I've been pondering wheather to wait a few months for my Macintosh or to go out and get a nice PC. I just went a to a website that has a really nice price for a computer and it's based in town. It's a nice system with a AMD 64 3200+ 2.0 Ghz, 1 GB of RAM a nice ATI Video card a DVD burner and few other things. Compare that to the Mac Mini which has 1 GB of RAM and an 80 GB HD, a DVD Burner and an intagrated graphics. And it's $221 more dollars. *sigh* I'll probably make my decesion in the next few weeks.
*grumble* Time to get to go to school *grumble*

Finally! I just finished both my Canadian history project and my math homework. Tomorrow is TGIF and I can't wait. But I'll elaborate on that later.
    With Apple's announcement yesterday of, among others things, iTunes 7. Now less than 72 hours after the release of iTunes 7, people are whining about it being buggy. Now while a few things are buggy, my first impression of iTunes 7 is that's it a pretty good program. A few bugs have poped up however, most of the features are intact. The visual styles are improved, as well as iPod management. My only complaint is that of the "Gapless Plackback". It doesn't seem to work as well as Apple made it out too. And then there's the issue of the skipping. It doesn't happen that often, but it's still realitivly annoying. One of the major improvements, however is the video playback. I found, in iTunes 6, video playback was, at best, very chunky. Now with the release of iTunes 7, the video playback is much improved. The nice fade out controls help as well. I like the new source list. However another coverflow leaves much to be desired. I suppose it works much better on a Mac, however I have a half-decent video card in my box here (FX 5200) and 512 RAM in there and the Coverflow still doesn't work that well. My Final comment is that download option for the Coverflow, as of right now is hideous. I have almost 70 albums in my collection, however the majority of my albums don't have the "beautiful cover art" that his Steveness promised the iPod faithful.
    I'm off to a family camp thingy tomorrow, so I won't be able to post until at least Sunday. I'll see you guys then

Apple iTunes 

 
 

    *sigh* Today was the first day of Grade 11. And.it.was.the.most.boring.day.in.modern.history. They had us go through these for sessions with teachers called PEBS. It was a waste of 160 minutes of my day. They basically ran through all the rules and asked what we though about them. It was the most boring time of my life. I passed in my Student Fee of $45 which I think is ridiculous. For that amount of money, get 20 copies, your locker rental an agenda and whatever events the student council decided to put on. Which are asually stuipid. There

are 600 students at my school. Times that by 45 bucks a piece. $27,000. WTF? This is a publicly funded school. My parents' tax dollars go to that school. And they have the nerve to suck almost 30 grand out of the student population?!?! ARGH! And that's on top of the six figure budget the school board gives the school for the entire year.
    YEY! *dances* Apple just upgraded both it's iMac and Mac Mini lines. They added a 24" iMac to the line and upgraded the processors on the Mac Mini to 1.66 Ghz and 1.83 Ghz. They still have the intagrated Graphics, but it's still a nice machine. All of the iMac's now have Core 2's now which rocks. I'm stuck between the 17" 2.0 Ghz one and the 1.83 Mac Mini. There quite close in price when you include a keyboard, Mighty Mouse and display with the Mac Mini.So all I have to do is scrounge up 500 bucks. And there's still Apple's annoucnemnt next week on the iPod and possibly the new iTunes movie store. And I hope to god that the movies are availble in Canada. They've had TV shows on the iTunes store in the US for almost a year and they show no chance of coming to the Canada store anytime soon. But then again, movies are different, so we might get them. Although I hope that they thing is resonably priced. I'm not paying $20 CDN to rent a movie. No frikin way.  Maybe to  buy the movie, but not to rent it.