PC Magazine’s Jim Louderback looks at “discount MP3 players.” Of Apple’s The iPod shuffle, Louderback explains that it’s “the only player with a built-in rechargeable battery; the others use double-A or triple-A disposables. And… It’s tops in sound quality of all the music players we’ve tested at PC Magazine Labs.”
Louderback, “Let’s face it. When it comes to music, style counts for a lot. Apple’s line of music players can layer a patina of hip onto the most fogyish of 50-year-olds. Buying for a teen? Seeking to recapture that lost youth? Pick up the iPod shuffle. Want more storage for less with no sticky DRM issues, and a display as well? Target the Memorex MMP3682 instead.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s iPod shuffle has no “sticky DRM issues.” The iPod shuffle plays MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store, M4A, M4B, M4P), Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4) and WAV formats. Apple’s iTunes Music Store sells songs with DRM, like any WMA-based also-ran online outfit with two big differences: Apple’s iTunes is the only online music service that works for Mac and Windows users and the DRM is the least restrictive or “sticky.” It’s also the most dominant with over 80% market share according to Nielsen/SoundScan. There’s absolutely no need to subject yourself or your loved ones to a Memorex MMP3682 (catchy name, huh?) to avoid “sticky DRM issues.”
This isn’t a hard thing to understand, especially for someone with Louderback’s experience. So, what’s going on here? What does Louderback mean by “sticky DRM issues?” If you’re going to impugn a product in your so-called “review,” please explain at least semi-clearly what the heck you’re writing about.
Lance Ulanoff, Executive Editor of PC Magazine, oversees all strategic, editorial, and production activities related to the magazine’s Web site:
Jim Louderback, Ziff Davis Media, Editor-In-Chief for Internet properties:
unbelievable! Hell is cooling down!
Not that this is clear from the article, but he may be referring to the recent problem many people had with their Shuffles not playing songs downloaded from iTMS.
has a few problems playing songs from iTMS too, I hear…
http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?14@681.TAXNaQAtT8Q.1@.68b2c084
Actually… iTMS has the sticky DRM issues. To which the iPod is intimately tied to via iTunes. So actually, the iPod line is one big sticky DRM issue.
For many fans, it’s a non-issue at the moment.
For me, I refuse to be play the part of enabler and allow Apple to lock me into buying nothing but their warez.
“Apple the Master” is not for me – it may be for many – but not for me.
Mac & PC Guy
– iPod user… but not iTMS
Actually… iTMS has the sticky DRM issues. To which the iPod is intimately tied to via iTunes. So actually, the iPod line is one big sticky DRM issue.
For many fans, it’s a non-issue at the moment.
For me, I refuse to be play the part of enabler and allow Apple to lock me into buying nothing but their warez.
“Apple the Master” is not for me – it may be for many – but not for me.
Mac & PC Guy
– iPod user… but not iTMS
Actually… iTMS has the sticky DRM issues. To which the iPod is intimately tied to via iTunes. So actually, the iPod line is one big sticky DRM issue.
For many fans, it’s a non-issue at the moment.
For me, I refuse to be play the part of enabler and allow Apple to lock me into buying nothing but their warez.
“Apple the Master” is not for me – it may be for many – but not for me.
Mac & PC Guy
– iPod user… but not iTMS
Lance Ulanoff is a veteran AppleHater. Why would he ‘correct’ Louderback?
Mac and PC guy –
Since you seem relatively intelligent (just uneducated)…
Buy a song from iTunes. Burn onto a CD. Rerip to your hearts content.
How the hell do you think this means you are an “enabler” and locked into Apple “warez”?
Just another cluess idiot spreading false information.
To Mac & PC Guy –
Um – OK – that’s fair. But, I think the question at hand is whether one DRM is any better or worse than the other. Since you don’t use either microsoft’s or apple’s DRM you don’t really need to worry about it –
But, does that mean that the iPod has some ‘sticky DRM issue’ that the other players do not have?
MPCG: “For me, I refuse to be play the part of enabler and allow Apple to lock me into buying nothing but their warez.”
However, being locked into Word, Excel, IE is fine. No conflict in your soul. Anyway, I guess you prefer that M$ be the Master – as they should be.
Who cares. In the 21st Century, in the technology world, Apple wins hands down and everyone is spitting nails over it. The best player. The icon. The best OS. The best looking products. Chic. Sassy. Impressive. And just plain cool.
You can compete by copying their products. You can sue them to get some of their money. You can poo poo them by writing negative press. But it doesn’t matter. It’s come full circle. APPLE HAS WON!
“Not that this is clear from the article, but he may be referring to the recent problem many people had with their Shuffles not playing songs downloaded from iTMS.”
This happens from time to time and is usually easily fixed by updating the software on the iPod in question.
Louderback is a spasmo. Even still, he should haven gotten this right.
One person said to me once “when is Apple gonna get out of the proprietary business with iTunes.?”
My reply was “oh, and Windows Media ISNT proprietary?”
He quickly shut up.
MW ‘friends’ as in, friends don’t let friends do Windows.
DreamTheEndless & MDN:
Nothing’s changed — it’s still Apple’s problem. MS is willing to let iPod play tracks w/ their DRM. Apple refuses. Other players would be happy to play songs downloaded from iTMS with the FairPlay DRM, but Apple refuses.
Someone’s not playing nice with others, and in this particular case, it’s Apple. They’re the problem, not a solution.
“For me, I refuse to be play the part of enabler and allow Apple to lock me into buying nothing but their warez.”
It’s amazing to me this false sense of choice that Windows users display. They have no idea of how played they are by Microsoft.
Microsofts new ad campaign for Vista (blech) should be:
“Microsoft Vista: All your life are belong to us”
>DreamTheEndless wrote: Um – OK – that’s fair….But, does that mean that the iPod has some ‘sticky DRM issue’ that the other players do not have?
You’re absolutely right. To me, DRM is a one big mess. Companies are using it as a lock on customers to limit choice, fair use, and such. MS is doing it, Real is doing it, but Apple is the big leader with a extraordinary market share in downloads and hardware sales.
So yep, the more fair thing to say is… DRM/DMCA is a big hot and sticky mess.
BTW: Thanks for you comment. It’s nice that some here can disagree or comment on others thoughts without getting ugly. Have a great day!
—
>Wha…!? wrote: However, being locked into Word, Excel, IE is fine. Anyway, I guess you prefer that M$ be the Master – as they should be.
I do use MS Office. It lets me get an amazing amount of work done. I use it mostly on my Macs – I own several and my office runs Macs almost exclusively. I use FCP/LiveType/Motion/Compressor/etc, Media100, and a bunch of other stuff on Macs.
Are you still going to stick with the “you’re locked in to using Word and Excel” line of thinking?
Hmmm… there are Wordperfect, NeoOffice, Pages, etc… so are you really locked in? And besides, what does the Word/Excel have to do with DRM problems?
>Chris wrote: Since you seem relatively intelligent (just uneducated)…Buy a song from iTunes. Burn onto a CD. Rerip to your hearts content.
What a great way to counter-argue… open with an insult.
Anyway… isn’t that prohibited in the license agreement? I know, I know… we Mac users are honest and all that… but c’mon that’s a big hassle.
Download $1000 of songs from iTMS and what player will you buy in 2 years? I guarantee you will stick to iPod, like it or not!
As much as I love and use my iPod daily, I don’t want to get locked into Apple and only Apple. Every iTMS download is a $1.00 lock into buying an Apple in the future. And well… that’s just plain wrong to me.
Either open the iTMS/iPod/DRM license, or supply some sort of transition program to allow users to bring songs with them without having to resort to the hack/illegal burn-a-cd-and-rerip-to-your-hearts-content mechanism to get fair user out of your purchase.
Insults aside, have a great day just the same.
>DreamTheEndless wrote: Um – OK – that’s fair….But, does that mean that the iPod has some ‘sticky DRM issue’ that the other players do not have?
You’re absolutely right. To me, DRM is a one big mess. Companies are using it as a lock on customers to limit choice, fair use, and such. MS is doing it, Real is doing it, but Apple is the big leader with a extraordinary market share in downloads and hardware sales.
So yep, the more fair thing to say is… DRM/DMCA is a big hot and sticky mess.
BTW: Thanks for you comment. It’s nice that some here can disagree or comment on others thoughts without getting ugly. Have a great day!
—
>Wha…!? wrote: However, being locked into Word, Excel, IE is fine. Anyway, I guess you prefer that M$ be the Master – as they should be.
I do use MS Office. It lets me get an amazing amount of work done. I use it mostly on my Macs – I own several and my office runs Macs almost exclusively. I use FCP/LiveType/Motion/Compressor/etc, Media100, and a bunch of other stuff on Macs.
Are you still going to stick with the “you’re locked in to using Word and Excel” line of thinking?
Hmmm… there are Wordperfect, NeoOffice, Pages, etc… so are you really locked in? And besides, what does the Word/Excel have to do with DRM problems?
>Chris wrote: Since you seem relatively intelligent (just uneducated)…Buy a song from iTunes. Burn onto a CD. Rerip to your hearts content.
What a great way to counter-argue… open with an insult.
Anyway… isn’t that prohibited in the license agreement? I know, I know… we Mac users are honest and all that… but c’mon that’s a big hassle.
Download $1000 of songs from iTMS and what player will you buy in 2 years? I guarantee you will stick to iPod, like it or not!
As much as I love and use my iPod daily, I don’t want to get locked into Apple and only Apple. Every iTMS download is a $1.00 lock into buying an Apple in the future. And well… that’s just plain wrong to me.
Either open the iTMS/iPod/DRM license, or supply some sort of transition program to allow users to bring songs with them without having to resort to the hack/illegal burn-a-cd-and-rerip-to-your-hearts-content mechanism to get fair user out of your purchase.
Insults aside, have a great day just the same.
>DreamTheEndless wrote: Um – OK – that’s fair….But, does that mean that the iPod has some ‘sticky DRM issue’ that the other players do not have?
You’re absolutely right. To me, DRM is a one big mess. Companies are using it as a lock on customers to limit choice, fair use, and such. MS is doing it, Real is doing it, but Apple is the big leader with a extraordinary market share in downloads and hardware sales.
So yep, the more fair thing to say is… DRM/DMCA is a big hot and sticky mess.
BTW: Thanks for you comment. It’s nice that some here can disagree or comment on others thoughts without getting ugly. Have a great day!
—
>Wha…!? wrote: However, being locked into Word, Excel, IE is fine. Anyway, I guess you prefer that M$ be the Master – as they should be.
I do use MS Office. It lets me get an amazing amount of work done. I use it mostly on my Macs – I own several and my office runs Macs almost exclusively. I use FCP/LiveType/Motion/Compressor/etc, Media100, and a bunch of other stuff on Macs.
Are you still going to stick with the “you’re locked in to using Word and Excel” line of thinking?
Hmmm… there are Wordperfect, NeoOffice, Pages, etc… so are you really locked in? And besides, what does the Word/Excel have to do with DRM problems?
>Chris wrote: Since you seem relatively intelligent (just uneducated)…Buy a song from iTunes. Burn onto a CD. Rerip to your hearts content.
What a great way to counter-argue… open with an insult.
Anyway… isn’t that prohibited in the license agreement? I know, I know… we Mac users are honest and all that… but c’mon that’s a big hassle.
Download $1000 of songs from iTMS and what player will you buy in 2 years? I guarantee you will stick to iPod, like it or not!
As much as I love and use my iPod daily, I don’t want to get locked into Apple and only Apple. Every iTMS download is a $1.00 lock into buying an Apple in the future. And well… that’s just plain wrong to me.
Either open the iTMS/iPod/DRM license, or supply some sort of transition program to allow users to bring songs with them without having to resort to the hack/illegal burn-a-cd-and-rerip-to-your-hearts-content mechanism to get fair user out of your purchase.
Insults aside, have a great day just the same.
> hammer: It’s amazing to me this false sense of choice that Windows users display.
If you’ve read any of my posts in the past (I even mention it in this current thread)… I use mainly Macs. What were you saying about false sense of choice again of Windows users?
As a Mac user, I see that the Windows platform allows for way more choice. There are more than a handfull of items I see in the Windows world that I’d like to see available on the Mac…
But since we’re all about making fair commentary here on MDN, there are several things on Mac I’d like to use on Windows.
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> hammer: It’s amazing to me this false sense of choice that Windows users display.
If you’ve read any of my posts in the past (I even mention it in this current thread)… I use mainly Macs. What were you saying about false sense of choice again of Windows users?
As a Mac user, I see that the Windows platform allows for way more choice. There are more than a handfull of items I see in the Windows world that I’d like to see available on the Mac…
But since we’re all about making fair commentary here on MDN, there are several things on Mac I’d like to use on Windows.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
> hammer: It’s amazing to me this false sense of choice that Windows users display.
If you’ve read any of my posts in the past (I even mention it in this current thread)… I use mainly Macs. What were you saying about false sense of choice again of Windows users?
As a Mac user, I see that the Windows platform allows for way more choice. There are more than a handfull of items I see in the Windows world that I’d like to see available on the Mac…
But since we’re all about making fair commentary here on MDN, there are several things on Mac I’d like to use on Windows.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />
Mac & PC Guy,
I refuse to be trapped into a subscription based DRM.
Also, the iTMS is one of the only, if not the only, music store which works on both Mac and PC. And therefore I believe that instantly makes it a more open, flexible system. Unless someone is out to steal music and distribute it, I’ve never had a problem with the iTMS DRM. It allows me to do everything I want.
Why iTunes?
I use iTunes to manage my music and iTMS to listen to 30 sec clips. Okay, I’ve also downloaded over 600 legal songs. I have no problem supporting the artists and Apple for that matter. I now have over 600 songs that I WANT to listen to. I’ve spent somewhere around $500 over the last year on iTMS (several “buy CD”). Let’s see $500/$10 is 50 CDs I could have bought elsewhere($10 CDs is being generous). Off those, I would have acquired, at the most, 250 songs I would have really listen to (5 songs per CD, generous again). True, I have to use an iPod (or CD’s) to listen to my iTMS music. Then again, no company has tempted me to ebay my iPod.
Why not Napster?
Sure, I could have paid Napster $180 for the last year (wait, they haven’t had unlimited music that long). With Napster, I stop paying and my music is gone? Talk about being locked into buying someone’s warez, forever. Oh yeah, let me burn a CD to play in my car so I don’t have to use a low quality FM transmitter. What? I can’t.
Just my take, I may stand alone.
Mac & PC Guy,
I refuse to be trapped into a subscription based DRM.
Also, the iTMS is one of the only, if not the only, music store which works on both Mac and PC. And therefore I believe that instantly makes it a more open, flexible system. Unless someone is out to steal music and distribute it, I’ve never had a problem with the iTMS DRM. It allows me to do everything I want.
Why iTunes?
I use iTunes to manage my music and iTMS to listen to 30 sec clips. Okay, I’ve also downloaded over 600 legal songs. I have no problem supporting the artists and Apple for that matter. I now have over 600 songs that I WANT to listen to. I’ve spent somewhere around $500 over the last year on iTMS (several “buy CD”). Let’s see $500/$10 is 50 CDs I could have bought elsewhere($10 CDs is being generous). Off those, I would have acquired, at the most, 250 songs I would have really listen to (5 songs per CD, generous again). True, I have to use an iPod (or CD’s) to listen to my iTMS music. Then again, no company has tempted me to ebay my iPod.
Why not Napster?
Sure, I could have paid Napster $180 for the last year (wait, they haven’t had unlimited music that long). With Napster, I stop paying and my music is gone? Talk about being locked into buying someone’s warez, forever. Oh yeah, let me burn a CD to play in my car so I don’t have to use a low quality FM transmitter. What? I can’t.
Just my take, I may stand alone.
Mac & PC Guy,
I refuse to be trapped into a subscription based DRM.
Also, the iTMS is one of the only, if not the only, music store which works on both Mac and PC. And therefore I believe that instantly makes it a more open, flexible system. Unless someone is out to steal music and distribute it, I’ve never had a problem with the iTMS DRM. It allows me to do everything I want.
Why iTunes?
I use iTunes to manage my music and iTMS to listen to 30 sec clips. Okay, I’ve also downloaded over 600 legal songs. I have no problem supporting the artists and Apple for that matter. I now have over 600 songs that I WANT to listen to. I’ve spent somewhere around $500 over the last year on iTMS (several “buy CD”). Let’s see $500/$10 is 50 CDs I could have bought elsewhere($10 CDs is being generous). Off those, I would have acquired, at the most, 250 songs I would have really listen to (5 songs per CD, generous again). True, I have to use an iPod (or CD’s) to listen to my iTMS music. Then again, no company has tempted me to ebay my iPod.
Why not Napster?
Sure, I could have paid Napster $180 for the last year (wait, they haven’t had unlimited music that long). With Napster, I stop paying and my music is gone? Talk about being locked into buying someone’s warez, forever. Oh yeah, let me burn a CD to play in my car so I don’t have to use a low quality FM transmitter. What? I can’t.
Just my take, I may stand alone.
>PC Apologist wrote: MS is willing to let iPod play tracks w/ their DRM. Apple refuses. Other players would be happy to play songs downloaded from iTMS with the FairPlay DRM, but Apple refuses…Someone’s not playing nice with others, and in this particular case, it’s Apple. They’re the problem, not a solution.
Hmmmm… seems like you’re trying to confuse the issue with facts, thus you are a troll.
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Isn’t it amazing how this is never discussed?
Great point, PC Apologist!