« Coconut Oil - One Product Nirvana | Main | "Oh look, she's wasting plastic!" »

AmazonMP3: Too Legit to Quit

Posted at 04:31 PM on December 07, 2007 comments (1)

By Zem Joaquin, ecofabulous.com

Amazon MP3.jpg

Consuming music digitally is clearly better for the environment than the shrink-wrapped, plastic-cased, truck-shipped CD alternative. But until recently, consuming digital music legally has been fraught with headaches. Amazon has changed all that with the launch of their new 'amazonmp3' music download store.

Why am I so excited? Three reasons:

1. All songs on amazonmp3 are in, you guessed it, standard mp3 format.
2. All songs are 'DRM-free' - meaning they have no copy protection. You can move them from one computer to another, one portable player to another, burn them to CD, etc.
3. Amazon provides a great software utility for PCs and Macs that adds your purchased songs directly into your iTunes library. Nicely done.

What about iTunes, you say? The iTunes application is my music organizer and player of choice, and the iTunes Store has a fantastic selection of music for sale. Some of the music for sale on iTunes is available in a DRM-free version called 'iTunesPlus'. The problem is these DRM-free tracks, when you can find them, show up on your computer in Apple's AAC format which is not supported on mp3 players other than the iPod. To make matters worse, iTunes Plus tracks also cost more than AmazonMP3 tracks ($1.29 vs. $0.89). Will Apple learn from past lessons and adopt the tried and true MP3 format for the iTunes Store? I doubt it... but I'm happy to know that my AmazonMP3 music purchases play perfectly on my iPod. Full review here.

Zem Joaquin
ecofabulous.com

comments

Posted by: In addition to MP3 they have on December 7, 2007 04:50 PM

Don't forget that in addition to the MP3 players, Amazon also launched an electronic book reader. Pretty nice - read a nice book review and immediately download the whole book.

post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

blog archive

Bamboo-zled!
March 31, 2008
Locavore for the Day
March 31, 2008
Apple Cider Vinegar
March 31, 2008
Earth Hour
March 26, 2008
Green Medicine
March 24, 2008
Time to Make the Water...
March 10, 2008
Stirring It Up
March 07, 2008
Compai!
March 05, 2008
Uncovering The Milk Story
March 03, 2008
Tea Time
February 25, 2008
Unscrew America
February 21, 2008
Happy Hundredth SIGG!
February 21, 2008
Loomstate of Mind
February 20, 2008
Easy Being Green
February 19, 2008
Toxic Teeth
February 19, 2008
Everyone Wants Good Karma
February 15, 2008
Guide to Creatures of the Sea
February 15, 2008
Don't Forget to Vote!
February 05, 2008
The Greenest Super Bowl Ever
February 01, 2008
Painting A Greener World
January 28, 2008
Rubber Band Ball
January 25, 2008
Green Dream Kitchens
January 23, 2008
Good Citizen
January 21, 2008
I bamboo, do you?
January 21, 2008
Green Is... Habit Forming
January 17, 2008
My Green Garden of Eden
January 16, 2008
Texas is Turning Green
January 15, 2008
Set the Mood for Savings
January 14, 2008
What Triggered It For Me
January 03, 2008
This Product is Garbage
January 02, 2008
Calling the Green Watch Dog
January 01, 2008
Garden Art
December 27, 2007
Green Eyes and Greener Face
December 27, 2007
Paris Hilton Goes Green
December 19, 2007
Green Gift Re-Wrap Mishap
December 19, 2007
Winter is a Green Season
December 17, 2007
A Guilt-Free Gift Solution
December 14, 2007
Merry Greenmas
December 14, 2007
AmazonMP3: Too Legit to Quit
December 07, 2007
Organic Christmas Menu
December 04, 2007
Six Sins of Greenwashing
December 03, 2007
The Great Dehydration Scare
November 28, 2007
All Wrapped Up
November 27, 2007
Great Green Gifts
November 26, 2007
The Seas Are Growing
November 21, 2007
Sanctimonious Dishcloth Rant
November 21, 2007
Green Dad...
November 20, 2007
Green and Grateful
November 20, 2007
Green Weddings
November 19, 2007
It's All About the Timing
November 15, 2007
Top 8 Fuels of the Future
November 15, 2007
Green is Good (Business)
November 14, 2007
Solar Panels... in New Jersey?
November 14, 2007