Everyone seems to be making comparisons to Apple in regards to just about any product that rolls off the lines in China. The Zune was supposed to be the iPod killer and this and that. There are clearly some very good rivals when it comes to hardware, but iTunes seems to have weathered the onslaught from various foes over the years and now Amazon has launched their mp3 into Beta. How does it stack up?
For starters, songs are priced at a low 89 cents on up to 99 cents with albums as low as $4.99. They’re also DRM-free in case you were wondering. EMI is on board, but Amazon needs to lock down the other three major labels, which isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. The interface is easy to navigate and samples of tracks last 30 seconds. You have to install the Amazon MP3 Downloader with the purchase of your first track and then your music is automatically pushed onto your iTunes or Windows Media Player library. I couldn’t find any free tracks to test out the downloader, but maybe when one of you has. Anyone? Good luck, Amazon!
There were breaks all over the first track I downloaded. I love Amazon but this sucks. And where’s the Linux client?
Don’t need the client piece. It’s completely optional. You can skip the downloader install and then download the MP3 tracks directly. This method works in Linux just fine. This is truly unfettered MP3. iTunes needs to take notice. Amazon, with more agreements, can uncouple the iPod from iTunes (and maybe keep honest people honest and off of torrents and allofmp3 shadiness).
I just used the amazon service.
I am super pleased. the album was 8.99 (15 tracks). I had to install the amazon downloader the first time, wasn’t a huge deal.. After installing the downloader, Mac or PC (they are working on a linux version) It was a really simple shopping experiance. i clicked the “buy mp3 album” button, and amazon downloader started fetching the tracks. The downloader also adds tracks automatically to iTunes, or WMP. it was really that easy: 1.) click the download link 2.) plug in my iPod 3.) save 1.00 off of iTunes price. 4.) the files work in my car, phone, iPod — anywhere! novel idea, huh.
i did notice that super fresh stuff might have tiered pricing (do a search for the bled - silent treatment) just came out today — and they are selling the tracks for 1.28 — the entire album price hasn’t changed though (also to note, silent treatment isn’t yet up on iTunes, but it is on amazon)
hmmmmmm
i hope apple is working on something, because if played right amazon could take a lot of business from apple.
I’m glad to see Amazon do this. I tested it out; and, like Timmy above, was able to download the file without using Amazon’s app. I downloaded John Lennon’s “Imagine.” The bit rate was 218 kbps at 44.100 kHz.
It’s for US costumers only!! this sucks, same with iTunes… then the record labels are asking why people pirate music…
I agree with Filipe. I would love to give it a try - unfortunately, I live in Denmark.
My suggestion to those few people in China, India, Russia, Europe, Japan, and some other tiny places is to get your mp3 from a good source of “shared” content. And the records complain, actually, about that “sharing”? Shame on them.
Yup, long live allofmp3.com! Maybe in ten years’ time places like Amazon will wisen up to the $1 album.
For those of you that live outside of the US, there is a site that searches several non-DRM music stores at once: http://www.songboxx.com“. You’ll certainly find a store that will work for you.
Wish Amazon success, if only to stop Apple becoming the Microsoft of music.
I am still not sure why consumers would flock to this service, given the intense competition in the space. Check out http://www.skreemr.com for instance, they have mp3’s available for free.