ralphpnj;313117 Wrote: > Once again you bring up some very valid points but once again you fail > to take into account what that annoying little device, the iPod, as > shown us about people's willingness to learn about how to work with > digital music files. The iPod has indeed demonstrated a model that works for the mainstream, and because it's so dominant, it points towards the likely future. Remember what I said previously?: > What's needed is a mechanism whereby they go online, buy the music they > want, and it appears in their audio playback system ready to go. That > will require an industry agreement as to how music will be delivered > electronically. iTunes is precisely such a mechanism. People can buy stuff from ITMS and it just appears in iTunes. Additionally they can rip their own CDs with iTunes and the music appears, ready to go. This is precisely the model that is needed. The problem here though is that (apart from listening via the computer itself) you're restricted to using Apple hardware to actually play your music. Unless some enterprising third parties decide to integrate with iTunes - third parties like Slim Devices, for example.
You see where this is going? If there's ever going to be a universal technology for non-physical music distribution and playback, then due to its dominant market position Apple is on the brink on making iTunes that technology. By integrating with iTunes, third parties like Slim Devices are merely strengthening Apple's position. Of course the fact that other systems like SqueezeCenter *are* integrated with iTunes means that the consumer at least has a choice of playback hardware. But quite frankly if they are already running iTunes and just want a convenient playback device, aren't they more likely to just buy an Airport Express or Apple TV? If anyone is in a strong position to license their playback technology to third parties, it's Apple. ralphpnj;313117 Wrote: > Perhaps the greater issue will not be file format but rather file tags > since tags are at the heart of every software based digital music > system, especially Squeeze Center. I never mentioned file formats. The codecs and containers used are secondary. The crucial issue here is the protocols used to deliver and play music content. (And as you rightly point out, tagging must be a central part of that protocol). The Slim Devices protocol is one such candidate (although it only addresses the playback side of the equation, and is somewhat hostage to the tagging quality of the files it's pointed at). iTunes is another, and has the advantage of being beautifully integrated with the largest digital music distribution system around. So instead of the industry arriving at an agreed mechanism based on technical excellence, it will drift into one based on commercial muscle. It only needs a Sony, Panasonic or similar hardware vendor to get into bed with Apple and it'll be done and dusted. I can't see how Slim Devices can realistically hope to influence this process. Of course, if iTunes does become the dominant hard disk music organisation mechanism, then by being integrated with it the Slim Devices players remain viable. But only as niche offerings - the man in the street isn't going to want to bother installing SqueezeCenter if he can buy some other playback device that is driven directly from iTunes. (I'd better just point out that I do not use iTunes or an iPod). -- cliveb Transporter -> ATC SCM100A ------------------------------------------------------------------------ cliveb's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=348 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=48945 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
