USVI-On-Line

Just thought I would share the great experience I have had with Amazon dot com's MP3 store. We use MP3 players and IPods in our house...MP3 players haven't been very popular since we got our iPods a few years ago. I also have a Sony car stereo that has a gig of memory in it so I also use MP3s in my car.

Anyway, Amazon has an awesome digital music store that kicks iTunes butt! They run daily specials on albums (usually $1.99-3.99) and they also have free music (yes, really free)available for download almost all the time. Here's the frosting on the cake, their downloading software automatically adds downloads to your iTunes music library...no muss-no fuss.

I love it and haven't bought a single song from iTunes since I found it...I love competition and Apple needs some.

Now I get an MP3 file for my car and it is in my iTunes library for less money than through iTunes...YES! Bye-Bye iTunes?

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html? ... 57">Amazon MP3 Store</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=car ... &l=ur2&o=1" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="">

Cheers

definitely going to check that out--thanks for the heads up!

iTunes is not going bye-bye.

There have been other music sites for years. This isn't anything new.

Pete (Mr. Marcia) wrote:iTunes is not going bye-bye.
There have been other music sites for years. This isn't anything new.

Pete- What other music sites compete with iTunes...I'd like to check some out.

I think Amazon has the capability to have some market impact.

For me, iTunes may quickly become obsolete...why would I pay higher prices for a limited digital rights format when you don't have to...

You've said it yourself...the attraction of the Amazon approach is that it downloads directly to iTunes. Meaning, you like the iTunes interface. So, you are hooked on iTunes, but just want to get your content for less money.

The iTunes interface is proprietary to Apple. If they perceive Amazon to be a threat, they will block its access to iTunes. They just did the same on the movie side to Boxee.

On the other hand, think of it this way. Back when you and I were buying albums, we had plenty of places to get them. You may go to the record store with lower prices or you may go to the store with more selection and better service. That's up to you. But, the market can sustain both.

All I am saying is that your prediction of iTunes' demise may be a bit premature.

I edited this to point out one other fact...Apple has dropped DRM. So, you no longer are limited in that regard.

That is so good to know! I use amazon for a lot of other things so it will be good to have it all together!

Gina

Pete (Mr. Marcia) wrote: The iTunes interface is proprietary to Apple. If they perceive Amazon to be a threat, they will block its access to iTunes. They just did the same on the movie side to Boxee.

I think Apple has designed two execellent products in iPods and iPhones...both home runs. I'm lukewarm on the iTunes software on my computer...it is alot better than their first version but still not real impressive.

Introduction of controlled/proprietary formats always worries me, I have never liked what Apple did when they introduced their proprietary format with DRM restrictions. This added NO value to the consumer (me), it only complicated things. MP3s were working fine, good audio quality, etc... Why did I need a new format?...Oh yeah, I didn't. Itunes complicated the hell out of digital audio files...all of the sudden I am having troubles playing songs that I bought...getting messages like "this computer is not authorized to play this song"...WTF? How about transferring iTunes songs from one computer to another...that's alot of fun now.
Anyway, like most other people I bought an iPod and got in the groove of being locked into one source for my digital music.
I'm glad to see Amazon stepping into the market and I hope Apple feels it because competition is a really important factor to a healthy, balanced market.

I bought a Jack Johnson album and a few others from Amazon for a couple bucks each (they were offered as daily specials). I am now a return customer. Yesterday I downloaded three free songs from Amazon(a Chess Records black history month special)...this is starting to feel good.

They are also doing a real time video rental thing that is pretty cool, on Christmas day we rented Vince Vaughan's "Fred Claus" for 99 cents...hard to beat that value...

The new U2 Album is available for download from Amazon.com for $3.99 today.

Not sure how long this price is good. I am downloading my copy now...

Cheers

sherban wrote:The new U2 Album is available for download from Amazon.com for $3.99 today.

Not sure how long this price is good. I am downloading my copy now...

Cheers

Nice!

They are on Letterman all week too.

Glad I saw this topic yesterday. I downloaded a few from amazon last night including the new U2 album for 3.99! Its super easy to use and it just pops the song and album cover into itunes for you.

This is going to save people even more when itunes goes to the new price structure they have announced!

Thanks for the tip Sherban

We installed a Sonos system in our house, and I was greatly annoyed to see that iTunes didn't let the Sonos system read the 300 plus songs I had purchased. I had to rip everything by hand to get it on the Sonos system.

I recently read that iTunes is not going to do the proprietary thing on their songs anymore, but in the meantime, I, too, found Amazon for new downloads and have liked it.

FYI- Jack Johnson's "Sleep Through The Static: Remixed" is on sale today for 99 cents...

For all you old farts....hehe...they have a Rod Stewart collection of 31 songs on sale for $4 today...Maggie, I wished I'd never seen you face....

http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Downloa ... HV6DY13J7E

Today's special in Amazon MP3 store is---
"In Session"
---Stevie Ray Vaughan & Albert King

Price - $1.99

I've downloaded my copy.....Cheers!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000UB ... =dm_ty_alb

i prefer the i-tunes interface, but it was really annoying that they protected the files you bought from them.... i have a Sonos system in my house and it can only extract unprotected songs from the itunes library...

pretty annoying not to be able to play in your own house the music you legally purchased

i started buying from amazon because of that...

but i've vaguely heard that itunes has changed/is going to change the protection factor?