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Best music downloads for iPods
- Excellent music selection
- Full-featured
- Intuitive interface
- Hardware compatibility limitations
- Digital Rights Management
- Processor-intensive software
Macworld.com, the online companion to Macworld magazine, has the most in-depth review of iTunes 8. CNet.com and PC World also offer detailed write-ups, critical analysis and credible ratings. About.com: Digital Music has reviews of all the major music download services including iTunes; site guide Mark Harris keeps the reviews fairly short but well balanced. WinSuperSite.com also has a decent article with some interesting background on the history of Apple's download service. ReviewCentre.com is a U.K.-based user review site with a modest selection of posts on iTunes.
iTunes is a music download service from Apple, makers of the iPod. Not surprisingly, reviewers recommend iTunes primarily for iPod users, although songs can also be played on any computer. What frustrates some users is the Digital Rights Management, which limits both hardware compatibility and the number of copies that can be made. If you own any digital music player other than an iPod, Napster (*est. 99¢ per track), which has a comprehensive library of DRM-protected songs, has more hardware compatibility. eMusic (*est. $10 per month and up) has a smaller selection of songs and a larger proportion of independent labels, but downloads are DRM-free.
Our Sources
1. Macworld
Macworld.com has the most in-depth review of Apple iTunes 8. Scott McNulty discusses version 8 upgrades including Genius Playlists and Sidebar, grid view and the new visualizers. The included screen shots give readers a sense of what to expect once they've upgraded.
Review: Review: iTunes 8, Scott McNulty, Sept. 2008
2. PC World
PC World reviews Apple iTunes 8 primarily in terms of how it rates as an upgrade from version 7. Overall, editors say iTunes 8 is "solid," but "far from a groundbreaking update."
Review: Apple iTunes 8, Editors at PC World, Sept. 2008
3. CNET
CNet.com has an expert review of Apple iTunes 7 plus over 200 owner-written reviews. Users themselves are critical of iTunes - the overall rating is a below-average two out of five, but authors James Kim and Donald Bell are more enthusiastic, insisting that it's a "required upgrade" for movie lovers.
Review: Apple iTunes7 Review, James Kim and Donald Bell, Updated Aug. 2008
4. About.com
About.com's digital music section has credible reviews of several music download services including iTunes. Site guide Mark Harris says iTunes "has matured into a feature rich Ã"total solution' with a user-friendly interface," but cautions that it's primarily for Apple iPod owners.
Review: Apple iTunes Store: A Review of the iTunes Music Store, Mark Harris
Paul Thurrott calls iTunes "without question the finest media player on any platform." There's some background information here followed by a discussion of how version 7 differs from previous releases.
Review: Apple iTunes 7 Review, Paul Thurrott, Sept. 2006
ReviewCentre.com is a U.K.-based user review site with just over a dozen posts on iTunes. There's an overall rating from each contributor plus individual marks for music quality, ease of use and value.
Review: iTunes, www.apple.com/uk/itunes Review, Contributors to ReviewCentre.com
Music Downloads Runners Up:
5 picks by top review sites.
2 picks including: About.com, PC World…