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RealNetworks vs iTunes Music Service
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I would rather floss with Steve Ballmer's back hair while getting my testicles pounded with a sledgehammer by a guy in a Chewbacca costume than pay for their stupid service.
Say "NO" to Real Media format.
Say "NO" to Real Media format.
Either these services will put each other out of business or there will be stiff competition for iTMS for windows. Apple needs to kick this thing into overtime.... NOW.
Hey at least release a windows beta now... just to get in the game.
Hey at least release a windows beta now... just to get in the game.
Why ya gotta bring Chewbacca into this? What'd he ever do to be associated with Steve Ballmer and your testicles?
No, that's wrong, sorry.
This is a not a bandwagon that Apple must desperately jump on to save itself. Apple is the leader here.
Poor imitators (ie BuyMusic) will make iTunes for Win look even better when it's released.
Let Apple bring out a fully functioning non-buggy version and the Windows world will go into hysteria. Not because they can buy music but because iTunes is in itself, a great app.
If Apple makes the iTMS available for Windows, does that mean that it will be the full program? So Windows users can use that for thier iPod instead of Music Match?
Not on a bet.
My home machine is a Winbox (until the revised 12" Powerbook comes out - and then when I can afford it ) and I WILL NOT run anything with the word "Real" on it, on this machine. RealPlayer sucks so badly as to redefine the word "suck." It plays the media very badly, the player window is horrifically ugly and consumes massive amounts of screen real-estate, and then when you think you're done with the POS, it tells you (every time you run it!!) there's an updated version of the player and do you want to download it now? So you click "yes" and it takes over your web browser and takes you to their web site and shows you how much better the pay version of the player is and c'mon, don't you want the pay version of the player? Huh? Huh? Huh? Don'tcha?
And then of course if, when it asks you (every time you run it!!) if you want to upgrade and you tell it to f**k off, eventually a .ram file shows up that your player can't play 'cuz it's not "current!!!" So you go looking for an upgrade and oh, it's there, on the web site, someplace, really it is. Click this link - okay, put in your credit card number here - oh, you wanted the free version? Well, just click this link here, okay, now put in your credit card number... oh, you wanted the *free* version? Okay, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and look next to the disclaimer in 1-pixel-high letters, now make sure you give us your email address so we can spam you to death, and check this box, and then click this link... now put in your credit card number... GGYAAAAAAACCCCCHHHH!!!
I'd sooner play naked Crisco Twister with Roseanne Barr than ever, ever run anything from Real on any computer I ever own.
In short, Apple has nothing to worry about. Thank you.
My home machine is a Winbox (until the revised 12" Powerbook comes out - and then when I can afford it
) and I WILL NOT run anything with the word "Real" on it, on this machine. RealPlayer sucks so badly as to redefine the word "suck." It plays the media very badly, the player window is horrifically ugly and consumes massive amounts of screen real-estate, and then when you think you're done with the POS, it tells you (every time you run it!!) there's an updated version of the player and do you want to download it now? So you click "yes" and it takes over your web browser and takes you to their web site and shows you how much better the pay version of the player is and c'mon, don't you want the pay version of the player? Huh? Huh? Huh? Don'tcha?And then of course if, when it asks you (every time you run it!!) if you want to upgrade and you tell it to f**k off, eventually a .ram file shows up that your player can't play 'cuz it's not "current!!!" So you go looking for an upgrade and oh, it's there, on the web site, someplace, really it is. Click this link - okay, put in your credit card number here - oh, you wanted the free version? Well, just click this link here, okay, now put in your credit card number... oh, you wanted the *free* version? Okay, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and look next to the disclaimer in 1-pixel-high letters, now make sure you give us your email address so we can spam you to death, and check this box, and then click this link... now put in your credit card number... GGYAAAAAAACCCCCHHHH!!!
I'd sooner play naked Crisco Twister with Roseanne Barr than ever, ever run anything from Real on any computer I ever own.
In short, Apple has nothing to worry about. Thank you.
My iTMS Rip Off
Since everyone else is doing it, I'm going to announce my own iTunes-like music store. Songs will be .98 cents though, so it's totally different and much better than Apple's service. It's so easy.
Seriously, I don't see too many companies in a position to offer the end-to-end service that Apple is offering. Apple seems to be big enough and well-versed enough to provide the software, hardware, network and usability expertise, yet small enough and non-partisan enough to not be a threat to any of the music industry heavies.
Microsoft - Don't think too many music content providers are eager to give Microsoft the keys to the content. But they have enough money to do anything they want.
Sony - Has a lot of the same expertise as Apple, but Sony Music competes directly with the other music providers. You'd get Sony music and nothing else.
Comcast or some Cable TV conglomerate - It's unlikely they would offer anything other than a streamed service. That's their business model.
Roxio Napster - I wouldn't think they're big enough to have the industry's ear or gather consensus.
Nokia - This company would seem to have potential. Well respected in usability and technologically. Non-threatening. Hardware that people consider essential have a passion for, brand recognition, software integration with PCs. Given the size of my iPod, I don't know why not.
Any others?
Since everyone else is doing it, I'm going to announce my own iTunes-like music store. Songs will be .98 cents though, so it's totally different and much better than Apple's service. It's so easy.
Seriously, I don't see too many companies in a position to offer the end-to-end service that Apple is offering. Apple seems to be big enough and well-versed enough to provide the software, hardware, network and usability expertise, yet small enough and non-partisan enough to not be a threat to any of the music industry heavies.
Microsoft - Don't think too many music content providers are eager to give Microsoft the keys to the content. But they have enough money to do anything they want.
Sony - Has a lot of the same expertise as Apple, but Sony Music competes directly with the other music providers. You'd get Sony music and nothing else.
Comcast or some Cable TV conglomerate - It's unlikely they would offer anything other than a streamed service. That's their business model.
Roxio Napster - I wouldn't think they're big enough to have the industry's ear or gather consensus.
Nokia - This company would seem to have potential. Well respected in usability and technologically. Non-threatening. Hardware that people consider essential have a passion for, brand recognition, software integration with PCs. Given the size of my iPod, I don't know why not.
Any others?
iTunes is on schedule
As I see it, let the PC'ers have lots of fun trying to use the iTunes knock off music stores. After a few months, they'll be searching for a better mouse trap. (Insert drum roll here) Then out comes the iTunes Music Store for Windows.
Real Player files? Ya, now that is a popular choice of format.
Unfortunately (well, actually fortunately) all of the other competitors do not have AAC nor is their music quicktime based.
Oh ya, and how about album art built into the song? Gotta love that from Apple.
As I see it, let the PC'ers have lots of fun trying to use the iTunes knock off music stores. After a few months, they'll be searching for a better mouse trap. (Insert drum roll here) Then out comes the iTunes Music Store for Windows.
Real Player files? Ya, now that is a popular choice of format.
Unfortunately (well, actually fortunately) all of the other competitors do not have AAC nor is their music quicktime based.
Oh ya, and how about album art built into the song? Gotta love that from Apple.
Uhm...yeah...
The iTunes Music Store is built into the latest version of a free application distributed with every currently shipping Mac OS X operating system....
But I guess if Netscape could do it.
-Hertz
Oh, wait.
The iTunes Music Store is built into the latest version of a free application distributed with every currently shipping Mac OS X operating system....
But I guess if Netscape could do it.
-Hertz
Oh, wait.
Exactly. I tried to download Realplayer recently because I needed it or Windows Media Player for some movie file. It was so damn hard to get at the player that I just forgot about it and left the site. Nothing is worth that. My philosphy now is if it is a hassle to get, use, or do, I simply ignore it completely. If a site lacks quicktime support, I say screw 'em.
Hey I got an idea for a shocker. Why don't they just port it to Windows and linux at the same time. The penguin crowd will be going nuts and all these other services will be like ... doh!
Waiting...
Still waiting for iTMS in Europe.... it'd be great to listen more than 30 secs. , Fasttrack & co. are getting boring ... Apple hit Europe!!!
Still waiting for iTMS in Europe.... it'd be great to listen more than 30 secs.
, Fasttrack & co. are getting boring ... Apple hit Europe!!!
Is the Real One Player that people knock the one that plays .ram files? Maybe I am not using what I have properly, but if I download a.ram and open it, the little ugly green Real One player control box opens and the stream plays OK. Just seems very basic. Where are these other features that dont work?
I am sure iTunesMS is good enough to blow the competition away head to head, it better had, I put some of my hard earned into AAPL on the strength of what I found out a few months ago, but there isnt a level playing field and Apple have to do more than Windows tin pot music operators in order to secure their market share. Even if its crap, Real has 300 million names on its database, and even if they are all stupid people and download a song each, that´s 300 million 99 cent sales Apple wont get.
Quality product gets you so far, ie at the front door, but in this day and age you need to be a slick salesman to get into the house.
I am sure iTunesMS is good enough to blow the competition away head to head, it better had, I put some of my hard earned into AAPL on the strength of what I found out a few months ago, but there isnt a level playing field and Apple have to do more than Windows tin pot music operators in order to secure their market share. Even if its crap, Real has 300 million names on its database, and even if they are all stupid people and download a song each, that´s 300 million 99 cent sales Apple wont get.
Quality product gets you so far, ie at the front door, but in this day and age you need to be a slick salesman to get into the house.
Uhm, have you considered complaining to the source? If not, then posting your complaints here will most likely do little good.
People, did anyone read the article in the OP? Apple's iTMS sales are going down, down, down. Listen.com's numbers, which existed before iTMS, are going up, up, up.
I realize the Apple faithful are never in doubt, but anything other than MS is good. Anything which makes getting music legally for a reasonable price is good. Anything which keeps the RIAA off our backs is also good.
Apple's offering is not perfect, nor is it the first, but that is a moot point. I want to pay for my music once and use it as I see fit. So far, eMusic and Listen.com suit my needs better than anything else I have encountered.
I realize I am being heretical, but iTMS is not the perfect solution. It uses a format which I can't play on non-Apple hardware (or at least the hardware I currently own), it does not have enough artists and the bitrate is marginal. Rhapsody has a lot of features I really like. I can't wait for a Mac version.
I am sure Real will make a Rhapsody for the Mac. The competition will be good for all of us.
Consider the consequences if one company controls how we access music. If a company is letting you down, I highly reccomend that you complain to them directly.
In Real's case, you should go to:
http://forms.real.com/service/emailform.html and bitch and moan. I've been doing it and it finally works: there is, at last, a prominent link to the free player on the home page.
Now that's an interesting idea...
To the best of my knowledge, there is no legal way to download music if you're using Linux. And I know plenty of people that prefer Linux over anything that MS has to offer (myself included, though I'll stick with my PB and OS X).
Images VERY clear
People can complain all they like about Real's image quality. But the imagery in this thread is crystal clear and supremely vivid, from Chewbacca to Crisco. And, like Real, very difficult to remove from your system once it's been introduced.
I will say that the OS 9 version messed up my Mac badly (the OS X version hasn't). I wouldn't be eager to use anything named Real.
People can complain all they like about Real's image quality. But the imagery in this thread is crystal clear and supremely vivid, from Chewbacca to Crisco. And, like Real, very difficult to remove from your system once it's been introduced.
I will say that the OS 9 version messed up my Mac badly (the OS X version hasn't). I wouldn't be eager to use anything named Real.
jayscheuerle
macrumors 68020
Why knock the service?
PC users don't have the ITMS as an option, so any service is a plus for them. It doesn't have to be better than ITMS because there is no ITMS for them.
We should be knocking Apple here for failure to have the foresight to develop a Windows version of the ITMS concurrently with the Mac one.
Unless they have it already and are not allowed to release it. If that's the case, they're praying for incoherent failures until their PC ITMS hits the other 90+%...\
- j
PC users don't have the ITMS as an option, so any service is a plus for them. It doesn't have to be better than ITMS because there is no ITMS for them.
We should be knocking Apple here for failure to have the foresight to develop a Windows version of the ITMS concurrently with the Mac one.
Unless they have it already and are not allowed to release it. If that's the case, they're praying for incoherent failures until their PC ITMS hits the other 90+%...\
- j
Don't forget the iPod
I know I said something similar to this before, but here I go again. Remember what happened with the iPod. Apple first released it for the Mac and then months later they released it for the PC. Everyone thought that Apple would never regain the time they lost for not being first in the PC market, esp. with copycat MP3 players such as the Nomad. But happened, Apple took their time, did it right and they are now the number 1 MP3 (now digital music with AAC) player in the world. In fact I see the name iPod used more often than MP-3 player. When Apple is ready they will release iTunes for Windows and I'm sure a handy dandy install disc will be in the iPod's box.
You have to remember it's more than selling songs on the web, it's the experience. I think we all agree iTunes is the best computer based music player out there right.
Whatever
I know I said something similar to this before, but here I go again. Remember what happened with the iPod. Apple first released it for the Mac and then months later they released it for the PC. Everyone thought that Apple would never regain the time they lost for not being first in the PC market, esp. with copycat MP3 players such as the Nomad. But happened, Apple took their time, did it right and they are now the number 1 MP3 (now digital music with AAC) player in the world. In fact I see the name iPod used more often than MP-3 player. When Apple is ready they will release iTunes for Windows and I'm sure a handy dandy install disc will be in the iPod's box.
You have to remember it's more than selling songs on the web, it's the experience. I think we all agree iTunes is the best computer based music player out there right.
Whatever
Re: Why knock the service?
Why should we knock Apple. Alright as an Apple share holder I think they may have been able to make more money. But as a Mac user, I could care less if they ever release iTunes for the PC. Why should I care. Apple has survived serving just the Mac market in the past. Why the hell would they ever want to support a half dozen different versions of Windows.
jayscheuerle
macrumors 68020
Re: Re: Why knock the service?
Because it would benefit Apple (therefore you) to be the biggest player in the iMusic industry. Apple would make more money to make more and better products.
Apple is surviving, but their market-share of the personal computer industry has been regularly declining. Remember, they had a greater market share than "IBM compatibles" at one time.
Knock Apple because they dropped the ball at that junction and we don't want them to do it again.
Because it would benefit Apple (therefore you) to be the biggest player in the iMusic industry. Apple would make more money to make more and better products.
Apple is surviving, but their market-share of the personal computer industry has been regularly declining. Remember, they had a greater market share than "IBM compatibles" at one time.
Knock Apple because they dropped the ball at that junction and we don't want them to do it again.
I heard somewhere that apple might be forced to have stricter licensing for their windows customers. This might be why all these other services are so lacking in portability. I doubt apple will be able to make the music exec's pens dance on the dotted line again for the windows version. Just my $0.02.