Unless you’re used to keeping tabs on all things Apple, as I tend to do, you may not have noticed that Apple not only released new iPods, but they also released iTunes 4, which includes support for AAC audio files and a not-quite-there-yet music store where you can pay $.99/song. If you do the math, it’s not a good deal, but I’m not going to go into that right now. The inclusion of AAC support is notable, but where the fuck is the support for OGG?? Someone much geekier, with way more time than I did a comparison between MP3, AAC and OGG.
In related news: Microsoft copies Apple…well, kinda.
I’d disagree on two points:
1. While one can argue that $.99 a song is too much (though I’d disagree), I’m hard pressed to see why the $10 album price, significantly lower than the cost of CDs online or at local shops, isn’t a good deal.
2. While OGG is a decent format, the report you link does nothing to support that fact, using an irrelevant testing methodology. As one commenter on that site pointed out, the spectrum of the MP3 *should* look different from the wav – that’s the whole point. Rather than simply reproduce the entire spectrum in lower fidelity, the MP3 codec (like most other lossy compression techniques) takes advantage of the limits of human perception, omitting what we don’t hear to use more of the precious bit-space on what we do. The way to compare formats isn’t visually, but aurally; whip out a good pair of headphones, listen to a couple of songs in all of the formats, then decide for yourself.
1. $10 for a downloadable album with no artwork? Not to mention, in the event you lose the album/song you downloaded becuase of a failed hard drive, you can’t download it again??? WTF?
2. Okay, fine you can be the expert here. I know little to nothing about the science of it all, but I do have very good ears and I know what sounds better. Uncompressed files sound A LOT better! 😉
yeah. why would i want to buy an album… if i can’t hold it in my hands? until the record companies come up with a resonable solution to file sharing – i.e. supporting quality artists and just flat out lowering album prices – I’m going to keep downloading my music for free and then buying my music at the store, in an actual, physical medium.
I agree… but there are those random songs that I would NEVER buy the album of said artist, but the one song is somehow just catching me and I don’t think I can live without it. For those, I am happy to get for 99 cents! 🙂
i think the apple music store kinda stinks. while i know people who would disagree, all the Cds I want are all buy by song only, adn the songs I want individually (one is 7 mins long) can only be bought w/ a CD. something has gotta give.