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When iTunes lock-in strikes

By | March 16, 2009, 2:03am PDT

Summary: Did you ever have the feeling you’ve been had? I was slapped in the face with an iTunes lock-in problem over a setting that took every CD I imported and made it an almost permanent member of Hotel Apple.  Now I knew what I was getting into with Apple. Buy from iTunes and until recently songs [...]

Did you ever have the feeling you’ve been had? I was slapped in the face with an iTunes lock-in problem over a setting that took every CD I imported and made it an almost permanent member of Hotel Apple. 

Now I knew what I was getting into with Apple. Buy from iTunes and until recently songs were bogged down with digital rights management restrictions. That’s why I buy my MP3s from Amazon. But I mistakenly thought that any CD I imported into iTunes would be in an MP3 format. Seemed fair right? Why would iTunes import your CDs with a format that could only benefit Apple by default? Apple wants to lock you and your music library in. 

Turns out iTunes puts your CDs in a MP4a format by default. Why? Use any other MP3 player—like one from SanDisk—and you either have to a) convert an entire music library from iTunes’ favored format to MP3s or b) stick with the iPod. Update: I’ve gotten some early flack for realizing this importation thing late and not “knowing” the application enough to adjust settings when I imported CDs. To that point I have the following response. Ideally, Apple would import your CDs in an MP3 format or at least give you a prompt to allow you to make the choice on the fly.

Here’s how to avoid the lock-in:

Go to prefrences in iTunes:

Click Import Settings and you’ll find the default setting for iTunes (Apple’s format):

Change it to the MP3 Encoder.

If those settings are news to you you’re locked in. 

This adventure started after I lost—then found—my trusty iPod shuffle. I wasn’t going to get the latest generation iPod shuffle because I need headphones I can run with. But the 4GB in the new iPod shuffle (review) was enticing. So after a trip to Best Buy I decided to take a flier on a SanDisk Sansa Clip. The reviews were decent, it had a FM tuner and could also hold 1,000 songs. 

I knew the Clip worked with Windows Media Player, but since my library was nearly all MP3—so I thought—I wouldn’t have a problem. When I got home my first mission was to get Windows Media Player to import my library. I figured about 20 songs or so wouldn’t get imported because they were bought on iTunes. 

Boy was I wrong. About 70 percent of the library never made the cut. After a few Web searches I learned that iTunes encodes CDs into MP4a instead of MP3. In other words, you can check in your CDs, but they never leave. 

Simply put, I’m not the brightest bulb sometimes and should have checked the settings from the very beginning. But I didn’t. My choice from this point was to use iTunes to create MP3 duplicates, download an app to do a MP4a to MP3 translation en masse or just get an iPod (even though I’m way annoyed) to go with the iTunes handcuffs. 

Out of principle, I began the conversion route I selected my entire library and told iTunes to create MP3 duplicates. From there, I’d delete the MP4s and my music library would be future-proofed and I could use any player I wanted. That process wouldn’t scale. Meanwhile, a shareware app I used crashed after about 100 songs. 

And here’s where the lock-in part comes. I could waste 8 hours or more converting a library, but it was a nice day and the kids want to play. 

My game plan from here:

  • Make sure all incoming CDs encode under the MP3 format. Check this with every iTunes automatic update. 
  • Gradually convert my library to MP3 from MP4 over time. The bright side: A lot of the music I own is still on CDs.
  • Get a 2GB iPod shuffle because a) I like it; b) I need tunes to run with and c) it will probably be discontinued.

So for now, I’m locked in and not terribly pleased about it. But I’ll play the game because the time trade-off for me isn’t worth it just to make a point. Over time, my library will be future-proofed and I can choose any player I want.

End note: The larger question here is this: Why couldn’t Sandisk just import the MP4a files? I don’t have the answer to that one, but do know that Research in Motion figured it out. The BlackBerry Storm and the RIM desktop software had an iTunes sync feature that just put my library on the Storm. From that experience, I just figured that the Storm grabbed all the MP3 files. On further review, the Storm acquired all the MP4a files. Simply put, I’m not paying for my previous formatting errors. 

The lesson: If there is any Apple rival that wants to give the iPod a run it will have to sync with iTunes and accept the formatting that goes along with the software. It’s likely that there are a lot of music libraries out there that are locked into iTunes. The only way to compete with Apple will be to play ball with those locked-in libraries. After all, mass reformatting isn’t something the average bear will go through unless Apple completely jumps the shark.

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More from “Between the Lines”

Topics

Apple iPod, CD, Apple Inc., MP3, Apple iTunes, MP4a, Digital Music, Digital Media, Personal Technology, Consumer Electronics, Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and SmartPlanet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic.

Disclosure

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan has nothing to disclose. He doesn’t hold investments in the technology companies he covers.

Biography

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and SmartPlanet as well as Editorial Director of ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic. He was most recently Executive Editor of News and Blogs at ZDNet. Prior to that he was executive news editor at eWeek and news editor at Baseline. He also served as the East Coast news editor and finance editor at CNET News.com. Larry has covered the technology and financial services industry since 1995, publishing articles in WallStreetWeek.com, Inter@ctive Week, The New York Times, and Financial Planning magazine. He's a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and the University of Delaware.

For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.

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Innaccurate
agredon 22nd May 2009
"The cost of admission for AAC is free. iTunes is free. The iPod is by far the most popular portable music player, etc."

AAC is far from free. While the software to support it on a PC is free, devices that support the format are substantially more expensive than their MP3-only counterparts. An iPod Nano costs $149, whereas I got an 8 GB touchscreen MP3-only player with Video, Radio, and a larger screen [than a Nano] for $30 on eBay a while back. I just checked and they now have a 32 GB version for $50. The closest thing Apple makes to a reasonably priced iPod is the shuffle and that doesn't even have a screen.

BTW, on the topic of HDTV...it is no more prohibitive [anymore] than an iPod. I'm using an LCD Monitor (19", HDMI Input, 720p) that cost $130. Best Buy has a 20" (720p) for the price of an iPod Nano ($149-199). For the price of an iPod Classic ($249) they have a 23" (Full 1080p). How about a 25" (Full 1080p) with 2xHDMI Inputs for only $20 more than an iPod. HD Service is an extra $10/month, which is about the cost of 2 movie rentals [or slightly more than 1 game rental] at Blockbuster.

Given than HDTV and iPods are of comparable price...if HDTV is prohibitive then iPods (AAC) must be even more prohibitive since a TV has generally been considered more useful [and therefore worth spending more on] than a music player.

On a side note, smart phones might reduce that cost. While, I'd never buy an iPod [unless I had so much money I could afford to throw it away on an overpriced music player] I almost bought an iPhone (Best Buy had a sale a while back for Reward Zone members, but only for new subscribers - I've been with Bellsouth/Cingular/AT&T for 14 years so I get screwed). The phone I ended up buying was Windows-based (AAC files skip and break up when playing in Media Player, whereas MP3s play perfectly) so no AAC until Microsoft releases a patch.
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All I can say is
kcredden2 16th Mar 2009
I'm glad I didn't get started with Itunes. Not only is it bloated as heck, doesn't run on linux, and requires MS's latest/greatest bloat. Now locks you in?

Forget it, it's not worth it. Winamp (or Xmms in linux) and a good ripping program does a much better job with my Ipod.

- Kc
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when mediocrity at zdnet strikes | mp3 is a dinosaur format
davidf01 Updated - 16th Mar 2009
where did zdnet find this buffoon?

this editor's gross display of technical ignorance is yet more proof that the
cnet/zdnet management team is totally out of touch with the market & its
readership, and the needs of its advertisers.

... let alone common sense! ... even a school child knows to google some basic
facts before trying g something new.

what is especially apalling about this dofus is that apple made a HUGE point of
promoting the transition to & the advantages of the AAC codec when it
launched the iPod (and when it made the over-all transition to mpeg4 in
QuickTime).

so in what cave was this incompetent fool hiding while all of his other
jounalistic collegues were covering one of the biggest CE phenemona ever?!

surely, the publisher at zdnet - and execs at cbs interactive - should be taking a
hard look at whether this sort of editor should be allowed to continue to
embarrass them with such incredibly lazy reportage.

and one more thing: aac is supported on almost every new phone & media
player sold on the planet - so there is no compatibility issue whatsoever!

the reason aac replaced mp3 a decade ago is simple: its acoustic model is
MUCH more effecient at CE bit-rates.

this ignoramus should issue a public retraction & admission of incompetence -
a serious one, not the half-hearted one tacked on to his original al piece when
he was called out; or else he should be fired by his boss.

in any case, just one more reason not to waste time with zdnet - it is not a
brand that is reliable trustworthy anymore.
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When feelings run high
email@... 16th Mar 2009
Dear davidf01,

Vituperative invective -- name-calling to you -- is neither called for nor effective, however badly upset you are and how provoked you feel; it just makes you look like an apoplectic and inarticulate buffoon.

No-one cares about the opinion of someone who has clearly lost their temper, their sanity and the plot.

Larry Dignan is a long-standing and very highly respected member of the ZDNet team; when you have similar status in an organ of similar standing we might value your opinions, too.

Might I suggest that the next time you feel so strongly negative about something -- like the way I feel about your contribution to the discussion -- you consider presenting your opinion(s) less, ah, offensively?

Perhaps a little time to reflect, to cogitate, and only then to formulate a more considered and cogent contribution.

And even then, to probably hold hitting the 'send' button until your blood pressure and breathing have at least had a chance to return to normal? Say, twenty-four hours, maybe?

It's a well-known fact: you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar!

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10.0
rtk 16th Mar 2009
well said!
  • Flagged
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sounds like
richvball44 16th Mar 2009
someone has their lips permanently attached to the zdnet backside
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Name calling aside...
techconc 17th Mar 2009
Dear email@...,

While I'd certainly agree that name calling
isn't helpful, Larry Dignan has openly invited
mockery with this blog post.

I'm not here to critique Mr. Dignan's
history of blog posts. However, I agree with
the previous poster in that this blog post was
the height of ignorance and is quite
embarrassing for ZDNet in general.

It's one thing to simply not be aware of
things such as the AAC standard or of the
iTunes default settings or the various other
players that work well with .m4a files. It's
another thing to ignorantly and arrogantly
blame Windows Media Player's deficiencies on
Apple's lock-in.

The reality is that the MP3 format is an old
standard. Yes, it is the lowest common
denominator. For this reason, Apple makes
encoding in this format an option. However,
the AAC encoder/format is superior in every way
to the MP3. For this reason, Apple makes AAC
the default encoder. This is no different from
the fact that Microsoft makes WMA the default
encoder for Windows Media Player. What's worse
is that WMA is a proprietary format and truly
does lock users in. Why does Mr. Dignan not
mention any of this?

In any case, Mr. Dignan is being taken to
task in this thread and rightfully so. Again,
it's one thing to be missing a few facts. It's
another to wrongfully attribute your problems
to things like vendor lock-in, etc. No matter
how you spin it, this blog post is an
embarrassment for ZDNet.
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It doesn't matter whether it's a superior format or not
hasta la Vista, bah-bie Updated - 17th Mar 2009
The question is, will it play on my non-iPod player?

AAC won't play on everything, ya know... Maybe it should, but it doesn't.

In which case it's better to stick with mp3 for now.
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Superior format is reason for default setting.
techconc 17th Mar 2009
"It doesn't matter whether it's a superior
format or not"

Changing the default setting to the superior
quality encoder makes absolutely perfect sense.
Apple still offers the MP3 encoder if you
prefer the lesser quality. The assumption is
and should be that if you are using iTunes to
decode your music, that will be your primary
means of accessing your music library on your
computer. Many devices, including the Zune
support AAC.

"The question is, will it play on my non-
iPod player?"

If you're using iTunes, why do you care? Are
you planning on syncing your iTunes library
with a non-iPod player? Since Apple doesn't
support other devices with their software, who
cares? If you're planning on using another
device, then don't use Apple's free software to
rip your music. Use someone elses.

"AAC won't play on everything, ya know...
Maybe it should, but it doesn't."

It plays on enough devices that it shouldn't
matter. According to Wikipedia, it plays on...
Creative Zen Portable
Microsoft Zune
SanDisk Sansa
Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) with firmware
2.0 or greater
Sony Walkman
Nintendo DSi
Slacker G2 Personal Radio Player
Cowon

If the device you want doesn't play AAC, blame
that device maker for not supporting an open
standard.

"In which case it's better to stick with mp3
for now."

...and Apple provides that option. The point
is, if people are to lazy to check their
settings, then they have no business
complaining about what Apple or anyone else has
chosen for them by default. I don't know about
you, but I would be embarrassed to write a blog
post which did nothing but expose my own
laziness, stupidity or possibly both. There's
a saying... what happens when you assume?
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You're not saying anything new
hasta la Vista, bah-bie 17th Mar 2009
Changing the default setting to the superior quality encoder makes absolutely perfect sense.

Not if you're using a player that doesn't support that format, it doesn't.

Apple still offers the MP3 encoder if you prefer the lesser quality. The assumption is and should be that if you are using iTunes to decode your music, that will be your primary means of accessing your music library on your computer.

But for many people, it's not. I only use it to access my iPod. I have two Samsung Yeep?s that I bought two years ago that won?t recognize AAC, and I'm not about to throw them out because they don't. If you're using a player that isn't AAC compliant as Larry has, then that can put you in a bind.

Many devices, including the Zune support AAC.

But not all.

If you're using iTunes, why do you care?

But I have a means of listening to digital music besides iTunes and Apple, so YES, I do care.

Are you planning on syncing your iTunes library with a non-iPod player? Since Apple doesn't support other devices with their software, who cares? If you're planning on using another device, then don't use Apple's free software to rip your music. Use someone elses.

Which I do. But I also have a Nano that has to use iTunes. In my case, I'm not going to rip my music to two different formats to cater to each player. I don't have the desire or the storage space to do that, not to mention I also think that's a waste of time. AAC won't play on all three of my digital players, but mp3 will.

It plays on enough devices that it shouldn't matter.

It's more numerous than it was two years ago, no doubt. But in my case (like Larry?s) it still matters.

If the device you want doesn't play AAC, blame that device maker for not supporting an open standard.

Why should I blame anybody? I'm not crying the blues because my older players won't play AAC. It's you all who are insisting everybody switch to AAC. Me? I've got better things to do with my music time.

Besides, we're talking about a LOSSY format here ya know, so the music quality through a pair of buds isn't going to equate to the quality of a audiophile system, let alone a LOSSLESS format like FLAC.

...and Apple provides that option. The point is, if people are to lazy to check their settings, then they have no business complaining about what Apple or anyone else has chosen for them by default.

The point is Apple doesn't make it too apparent that it's going to convert your music library without your permission. They should be upfront about it before it happens. The reason I say this was I was in the same situation as Larry was a couple of years ago, so I know where he's coming from.

I don't know about you, but I would be embarrassed to write a blog post which did nothing but expose my own laziness, stupidity or possibly both.

Why? Because he was honest that he made a mistake (that I don?t believe was entirely his fault, btw) and let people know about it?

No, I appreciate his candor. Been there, done that myself. There's no shame in that. None whatsoever.

There's a saying... what happens when you assume?

Just because you knew about it, and I knew about it, doesn't mean everybody else out there knows about it.

It seems to be in the nature of the (alleged) techo geek-computer guru to assume that if they knew about this not so obvious setting in iTunes, then everyone else is supposed to know about it as well. Talk about assumptions.

You're right, there is a saying...what happens when you assume. But not in the way you see it.
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RE: You're not saying anything new
techconc 18th Mar 2009
"Not if you're using a player that doesn't
support that format, it doesn't."

If you're using an incompatible player, than
you shouldn't be using iTunes. Remember,
you're adding songs to your iTunes library,
right? Why people hold Apple responsible for
making AAC compatible with other players is
beyond me.

But for many people, it's not. I only use it
to access my iPod. I have two Samsung Yeep?s
that I bought two years ago that won?t
recognize AAC, and I'm not about to throw them
out because they don't. If you're using a
player that isn't AAC compliant as Larry has,
then that can put you in a bind.

Again, you're complaining about the
deficiencies of other players, not iTunes.
You're also blaming your own laziness to check
settings on iTunes rather than yourself.
Again, do you blame Windows Media Player for
defaulting to WMP? No? Why not?

But I have a means of listening to digital
music besides iTunes and Apple, so YES, I do
care.

Fine, then since you are different from most,
how about taking some responsibility for your
own actions. Is that a foreign concept for
you?


"Which I do. But I also have a Nano that has
to use iTunes. In my case, I'm not going to rip
my music to two different formats to cater to
each player. I don't have the desire or the
storage space to do that, not to mention I also
think that's a waste of time. AAC won't play on
all three of my digital players, but mp3
will."

Fine, then rip your music in the MP3 format.
iTunes like others provide that option.

"Why should I blame anybody?"

Because you have a problem and apparently
refuse to take any responsibility for your own
actions.

"I'm not crying the blues because my older
players won't play AAC. It's you all who are
insisting everybody switch to AAC. Me? I've got
better things to do with my music time. "

Nobody is insisting that you switch to AAC.
What we are insisting is that it makes
perfectly valid sense for AAC to be the default
for most people. AAC is better than MP3,
combined with the fact that the overwhelming
majority of players on the market handle AAC.
For those with unique situations, you should
expect to have to modify your settings from the
default.

"Besides, we're talking about a LOSSY format
here ya know, so the music quality through a
pair of buds isn't going to equate to the
quality of a audiophile system, let alone a
LOSSLESS format like FLAC."

Right. All the more reason to default to the
better format.

"The point is Apple doesn't make it too
apparent that it's going to convert your music
library without your permission. "

Whoa... Since when does Apple convert your
music library without your permission? It
doesn't.

"They should be upfront about it before it
happens. The reason I say this was I was in the
same situation as Larry was a couple of years
ago, so I know where he's coming from."

Yes, I'm sure misery loves company. I love how
people play the blame game rather than just
accept their own mistakes. If you accept the
default settings, then you have no business
complaining about those settings. Changing the
settings in the preferences isn't exactly
rocket science. Even if I wanted MP3 files,
I'd still check the default settings to make
sure the bit rate was what I expected, etc.
Admit it, you made a mistake. Now own it.

"Why? Because he was honest that he made a
mistake (that I don?t believe was entirely his
fault, btw) and let people know about it?"

If the blog post was simply about someone
making a mistake and putting it out there to
warn others, that's one thing. This blog post
arrogantly attributed his mistake to something
absurd like "Apple lock-in". That's what made
this post both laughable and embarrassing.
Mistakes happen, we get it. How you handle
mistakes says much more about your character.

"No, I appreciate his candor. Been there,
done that myself. There's no shame in that.
None whatsoever."

Agreed. There's no shame in making mistakes.
There is shame in blaming others for your
mistakes though. That's actually where the
ignorance and arrogance comes in. In doing so,
any sympathy others might have for your problem
is replaced with negative responses and harsh
criticism.

"It seems to be in the nature of the
(alleged) techo geek-computer guru to assume
that if they knew about this not so obvious
setting in iTunes, then everyone else is
supposed to know about it as well. Talk about
assumptions. "

I don't expect everyone to know about every
change. However, when someone makes an
incorrect assumption, I'm saying they have no
business blaming anyone but themselves.
Period.

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You're still not saying anything new
hasta la Vista, bah-bie Updated - 18th Mar 2009
If you're using an incompatible player, than you shouldn't be using iTunes. Remember, you're adding songs to your iTunes library, right?

If you read down below, I said I have three players. One Nano and two Samsung Yeeps

Currently, if I want to create new playlists in iTunes, I drag and drop my mp3 folders into iTunes. But that doesn't tie my music library to iTunes. All it does is supplement it in order for me to load it on to my Nano. I still use many of the same tunes to load on to my Samsungs. With those, all I do is drag & drop the folder directly onto the player through My Computer.

Why people hold Apple responsible for making AAC compatible with other players is beyond me.

I don't know where that came from. I really wasn't talking about Apple. I was talking about the compatibility of AAC with the players I have, and some of the other players that are currently marketed out there.

Again, you're complaining about the deficiencies of other players, not iTunes.

Jeez man, I'm not complaining about the deficiencies of the other players I have. They do me just fine. But I'm certainly not going to scrap two perfectly good digital players I have just because they won't play in the AAC format. That is ridiculous. And it doesn't sound Larry's gonna get rid of his anytime soon either.

You're also blaming your own laziness to check settings on iTunes rather than yourself.

Uh sir, I know how to check the settings in iTunes. I've known how to do that for a couple of years now. I only identified with what Larry went through because I've been there myself a couple of years ago. Stop assuming everyone else out there is supposed to know what you know. That's just plain arrogance.

Again, do you blame Windows Media Player for defaulting to WMP?

Yes I do. I avoid any Windows codec like the plague. DRM and all.

Fine, then since you are different from most, how about taking some responsibility for your own actions. Is that a foreign concept for you?

Jezzz, do you really bother to read? Or are you always this nasty?

It's times like these when the MS shills have a point.

Fine, then rip your music in the MP3 format. iTunes like others provide that option.

And? Your point? Did I say I didn't believe it had that option?

I don't think so...

Because you have a problem and apparently refuse to take any responsibility for your own
actions.

BWHAW HAW HAW HAW... grin

Jesus man, that is really dense. Ya know that?

I don't have a problem my library or my players, thankyouverymuch...

But it sounds like you have a reading comprehension problem. No doubt about it.

However, I will take responsibility when it's warranted, but I will not accept responsibility for poorly designed software just because it's become second nature for some iPod fanboys around here.

Nobody is insisting that you switch to AAC. What we are insisting is that it makes perfectly valid sense for AAC to be the default for most people.

Well what's valid for you may not be valid for the next person. Did ya ever stop to think about that? Or are you so wrapped up in your own techno fanbui world of the way you think the way things are supposed to be.

AAC is better than MP3, combined with the fact that the overwhelming majority of players on the market handle AAC. For those with unique situations, you should expect to have to modify your settings from the default.

I don't argue that, but for some people, that's not possible right now.

Right. All the more reason to default to the better format.

WhatEVER. I guess you have your own rationale for that. Not everybody shares it, or didn't you know that...

Whoa... Since when does Apple convert your music library without your permission? It doesn't.

Whoa... well it did Larry, now didn't it. He's not the only person this has happened to before.

Yes, I'm sure misery loves company. I love how people play the blame game rather than just accept their own mistakes.

Oh I'll take part of the blame. For using iTunes to begin with. LOL... grin

If you accept the default settings, then you have no business complaining about those settings.

Sure I do.

If they're buried in the Preferences Menu under the General Tab clicking on the Import Settings button and having to make the selection that way instead of Apple just being up front by letting people know it's going to change your library without letting them make a choice ahead of time, then yeah, I'm gonna complain about it too.

Changing the settings in the preferences isn't exactly rocket science.

No, but it's not readily apparent to everybody, either. And yes, I still blame Apple for that.

Even if I wanted MP3 files, I'd still check the default settings to make sure the bit rate was what I expected, etc. Admit it, you made a mistake. Now own it.

Well what happened to Larry happened to me two years ago, so I've pretty much gotten over that part. That still doesn't let Apple off the hook as far as altering you files without your permission.

If the blog post was simply about someone making a mistake and putting it out there to warn others, that's one thing. This blog post arrogantly attributed his mistake to something absurd like "Apple lock-in". That's what made this post both laughable and embarrassing.

Ok, so he didn't know. At one time, I didn't know either. So what. We all had to learn at some point.

I do agree with you on that part about "lock-in", though. I thought the same thing myself back in 2007, only I'm not gonna blame Larry just because he's a couple of years behind. LOL... grin

Mistakes happen, we get it. How you handle mistakes says much more about your character.

True that.

There is shame in blaming others for your mistakes though.

Oh I still blame Apple for not being forthcoming about that change. You wanna call that shame, you go right ahead, but I won't take responsibility for Apple not giving us an apparent choice when we load our libraries into iTunes for the first time as first time users.

Yes, with experience, you learn. But you shouldn't have to get burned like that the first time. For some people, it may not be that big of a deal to change over. For others, it still is.

That's actually where the ignorance and arrogance comes in. In doing so, any sympathy others might have for your problem is replaced with negative responses and harsh criticism.

No, it's just part of the sneaky BS Apple & Microshaft like to pull sometimes. And yes, I do lump the two of them together when it warrants it.

I don't expect everyone to know about every change. However, when someone makes an incorrect assumption, I'm saying they have no business blaming anyone but themselves. Period.

Uh, when I used iTunes for the first time, I expected it to just load the playlists into the iTunes folder it created under the My Music folder. I didn't expect it to alter the music file itself. I believe not having to expect that is a reasonable assumption. Period.
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Hey everyone, let's ignore this truth...
GSavage777 18th Mar 2009
"This is no different from
the fact that Microsoft makes WMA the default
encoder for Windows Media Player. What's worse
is that WMA IS A PROPRIETARY FORMAT (emphasis added)and truly does lock users in. Why does Mr. Dignan not mention any of this?" And why don't other posters concede this point?
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when mediocrity at zdnet strikes | mp3 is a dinosaur format
Daiv_Skinner 17th Mar 2009
And you need to be aware that you are a troll.

If you would think a little before you start typing you might realize that it is possible to express your sentiments respectfully.

Or, in your case, maybe not.
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Doofus
SpatsnHats 28th Mar 2009
He's right to call the author a doofus. I'm a techie - I care about content more than presentation. Which audience is ZDnet trying to address?
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Punctuation and capitalization are our friends.
dogmo1001 17th Mar 2009
I don't have too much to add to davidf01's screed... even though he and I seem to have quite different feelings about iTunes, we both are somewhat aghast that tech journalist Larry Dignan would display such ignorance of such a common application.

But I have to say that reading davidf01's post was more than a bit of a chore because of his rather odd formatting choices: no caps, idiosyncratic punctuation, and, apparently, a hard carriage return at the end of every line as he typed it in the comment editor window.

Clearly davidf01 had a big head of steam. But as I've found out over the years, it's *especially* important, when one goes off on a good rant, to adhere to conventional standards.

Now... let's see. I've complained about Larry Dignan. I've complained about davidf01... I guess it's come down to me.

What is wrong with me today? Why am I wasting my time commenting on a comment that will, itself, probably be seen by few and read by fewer still.
0 Votes
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Bingo
eldernorm 4th May 2009
ZDNET just hates APPLE... or loves MicroSoft.. I am not sure which. sad

Er, maybe they just love M$ ad dollars?? Either way a tech editor
should know enough to check prefs and be sure things are working
the way they want them to.

PS. right about the AAC format but many CHEAPO mp3 players still
only address WMA and mp3 files, Heck many of them still do not
have a UI that lets you use them. sad As I recently found out. sad

Just a thought.
en
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No knocking him
daengbo 16th Mar 2009
While it may seem obvious to some on this board that iTunes uses m4a, long-time rippers from back in the 90's have become accustomed to MP3 being the norm for ripping programs so I can understand how one would assume that iTunes does the same.

I won't use it. I won't buy an iPod. I don't want hardware that requires a single piece of software to administer (portable music player or not), especially when the parent company litigates to keep anyone from reverse engineering the thing. The iPod/iTunes combo may be great for Apple, but it woulod truly suck for me. I'll stick with accessible formats, thank you.
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RE: When iTunes lock-in strikes
bonobo_slr 16th Mar 2009
I just checked the date of this post and I was not mistaken - it does say 2009. Dude... this is old, old, old news. If you still have your CDs then how are you locked in?

I never usually leave comments on blogs, but this ridiculous post compelled me to.

itunes does not lock you in - if you know how to use the application. Try to rtfm next time and spare us from your insightful journalism.

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Staff
Well congrats to you
Larry Dignan 16th Mar 2009
For knowing how to use an application. I
acknowledge that this is a late discovery on my
part. However, how many libraries are out there
are in the same situation and don't know it?
I'd bet a lot. And yes it's very comforting
that my CDs are still there and I have to
either convert what has been imported or re
import a few 100 CDs. Gee thanks. I'm not
locked in just inconvenienced to the point
where I'm effectively locked in.
0 Votes
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Heh
mtgarden 16th Mar 2009
I used to have my system always import to MP3. One of the later versions of iTunes quietly converted everything to MP4A and didn't tell me. Or I missed it somehow. And since Apple deliberately makes it hard to locate those settings....

I didn't bother tracking it down because I only have an iPod nano (1G). Thanks for pointing it out though.
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Staff
Exactly
Larry Dignan 16th Mar 2009
I don't know when the change happened, but all of my early CDs were imported as MP3s. My entire library was imported on iTunes.
0 Votes
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iTunes M4a audio
jhenneike@... 16th Mar 2009
Did you know that you can right-click the songs in your library and choose to convert to MP3? This works on any unprotected M4a... like your own imports from CD...

John
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Wow....
GSavage777 18th Mar 2009
He's messing with us. I think Larry knew about the right click to MP3 conversion on this but was irritated.
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What's the big mistery
jaypeg 16th Mar 2009
AAC is mp4, it's an upgrade in quality and compression over mp3 and
iTunes gives you more than one option for transcoding back to mp3 if
you wish.
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I hate Apple but
tikigawd 16th Mar 2009
come on...
The least you can do when you get new software is figure out the settings, especially when you're a tech guy...

That said, besides the fact that iTunes lets you convert to MP3 quite easily (you don't need any 3rd party SW), there are other players out there besides iPods that can play AAC/MP4 format. MP4 compression is an improvement over MP3, so hopefully SanDisk will support the format in the future.
0 Votes
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ZDNet is routinely trolling to get more visitors and clicks on the ads
Mikael_z 16th Mar 2009
It was time for that now, right! happy

AAC/Mp4 sounds a LOT better.
Mp3 should have been history years ago.
  • Flagged
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If that's the case...
Hallowed are the Ori 16th Mar 2009
AAC/Mp4 sounds a LOT better.

If sound quality is the deciding factor, shouldn't flac be used?
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yagottabekidding
richvball44 16th Mar 2009
trolling to get adhits? i have never clicked on thei links for ad's, or anyone elses.
If i need to find something i do a search..ad's never do it for me
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mp3 will play on anything
hasta la Vista, bah-bie 17th Mar 2009
AAC won't. Unless Zune (and some others) has joined in
0 Votes
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Hate to tell you...
msalzberg 17th Mar 2009
but Zune's support AAC. As do players from SanDisk, Nokia, Motorola,
Sony, Nintendo, Siemens, Philips, RIM....

So your point is moot. And has been refuted here, over and over and
over.
0 Votes
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Gee, did I step on your foot?
hasta la Vista, bah-bie 17th Mar 2009
There are still players out there that don't as Larry had mentioned.

Otherwise it wouldn't be an issue. Why should he go out and buy another player just to support the AAC format? I certainly wouldn't and some others won't, either.

When the numbers are 99% of what mp3 is, then I'll be convinced.
0 Votes
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I've heard a more horrifying story
jaypeg 16th Mar 2009
I've heard a much more horrifying story from those who ripped their
cd collections using Windows Media Player only to find that they've
drm'd their entire collection!

At least with iTunes you haven't added any drm and it's an easy fix to
use iTunes to transcode all the AAC files to mp3:

1. Set your import preferences to mp3 at your desired bit rate.
2. Under View, select View Options. Check "Kind"
3. At the Main Library listing, click the Kind column header. This will
the group the listing by file type.
4. Select all of your AAC's and then select Advanced/Create MP3.
Conversion ensues.
5. Clean up by deleting the AAC from the Library.

Pretty simple stuff.
0 Votes
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then you heard it wrong
Samic 16th Mar 2009
Any WMP by default is ripped to WMA without DRM. The way of how WMP handle rip music is as same as to iTunes -- which rip to propitiatory format by default...

except WMA actually supported by all other MP3 player manufacture and WMP supports all of the third party MP3 players, while iTunes/AAC only supported iPod.

Talks about user friendly...
0 Votes
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Umm. no...
msalzberg 16th Mar 2009
WMA is a proprietary Microsoft format. AAC is an open, ISO standard
format, not a proprietary one. Most players support AAC, which is the
replacement for the MP3, and has been a standard since 1997.

Your 'facts' are wrong.
0 Votes
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Wrong on so many levels.
Bruizer 16th Mar 2009
The way of how WMP handle rip music is as same as to iTunes --
which rip to propitiatory format by default...

No. WMP rips (by default) to a proprietary format that plays on the
minority of players sold.

iTunes rips to a standard format (ISO/IEC 14496-12:2005) that plays
on the vast majority of players sold.

WMA actually supported by all other MP3 player manufacture

WMA is supported by MOST (but not all) media players outside of
Apple. WMA DRMd music (PlaysForNotSure) was not even handled by
the Zune.

Talk about user hostile.
0 Votes
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RE: Wrong on so many levels...
PollyProteus 16th Mar 2009
--> No. WMP rips (by default) to a proprietary format that plays on the
minority of players sold.

This is only true because of iPod. Prior to the arrival of iPod few players supported AAC.
0 Votes
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Which begs the question...
KaplanMike 16th Mar 2009
Prior to the arrival of iPods, few people bothered to own MP3 players...
0 Votes
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WMP rips (by default) to a proprietary format.
Bruizer 16th Mar 2009
That is 100% true and would be true even IF the iPod did not dominate
the market. WMP default is WMA and this is a very proprietary format.
0 Votes
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WMP and DRM Ripping...
PollyProteus 16th Mar 2009
"I've heard a much more horrifying story from those who ripped their cd collections using Windows Media Player only to find that they've drm'd their entire collection!"

That was the default setting in WMP 7. Every version after that asked the user if they WANTED to use DRM...

Yeah, I've been around a while and used many different media players. My favorite is the Media Player Classic: http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_players/media_player_classic.cfm
0 Votes
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The opposite happened to me!
BlowingSnow 16th Mar 2009
I imported some CDs and then found out the setting on my iTunes was to
import in MP3 format, when what I really wanted was AAC, arguably a
superior format, soundwise. Dang! happy
0 Votes
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What dinosaur player....
arminw 16th Mar 2009
do you have that will not play standard every day AAC files? It has
been shown again and again that this format yields far superior
audio at any given bit rate than MP3. If you can't afford or don't
want an iPod, I am sure, that you should be able to find a music
player to your liking that will play AAC files as well as MP3. As a
journalist, you should know better than to pan the best and most
popular music playing and archiving program out of your
ignorance of the music player market place.
0 Votes
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Sansa, for example...
hasta la Vista, bah-bie Updated - 17th Mar 2009
What dinosaur player....do you have that will not play standard every day AAC files?

Except for one model.

0 Votes
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So some of Sansa's players...
msalzberg 17th Mar 2009
don't support AAC. Most others do. I'd say this is a reason not to buy a
Sansa product that doesn't support a 12-year-old standard format.
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That's your opinion
hasta la Vista, bah-bie 17th Mar 2009
Not everybody does what you do. Get a clue.
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Surely the more alarming point
bishofthedump 17th Mar 2009
is that you don't know how to use a MEDIA PLAYER?

It has been pointed out that within iTunes you can just select the files you want, right click and convert to mp3, but you've not updated your post to acknowledge the reality that you're not locked in... So basically you're just trolling FUD, Mr editor in chief, sir.

And your 'lesson'!??
"If there is any Apple rival that wants to give the iPod a run it will have to sync with iTunes"

Yeah, because it's oh-so-easy to manufacture an mp3 player that syncs with a proprietary piece of Apple software designed to only syncs with iPods.

Seriously dude, if you can read back through what you wrote and not be embarrassed, you may need a brain scan.
0 Votes
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Easy enough to convert in iTunes
Mach5RR 17th Mar 2009
Now that you've selected your encoder as "mp3", you can highlight all the music you wish to convert, right-click and it gives you the option to "Create MP3 Version". Once this is done, you can add the column "kind" to your itunes display, sort by it, and remove the offending aac files en masse. The long part is waiting for it to convert.
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How is this Apples fault.
randomnoise 18th Mar 2009
You blog seems to be an embarressed rant more than anything else! How is it
Apples fault if people don't RTFM? WMP defaults to the WMA format. Is that a
deliberate attempt at lock in? Didn't think so. Suck it up. You made a mistake.
Kick off a conversion over night and it'll literally be alright in the morning.
0 Votes
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"I never usually leave comments on blogs... "
Hallowed are the Ori 16th Mar 2009
You shouldn't have broken your streak on our account.
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RE: When iTunes lock-in strikes
jwspicer 16th Mar 2009
Okay, did someone have a LONG weekend? This is so old it's strange to find out mow - Apple = iPod = iTunes = AAC (native format). Knew this before even getting an iPod.

I actually switch that setting a lot. My routine is to (when I get a new CD) rip it into my master library in Apple Lossless and then file the disc and booklet in a binder as the ultimate backup. The jewel case gets stored for a while and if in a few months it isn't needed it is discarded.

Once in there, I switch to MP3 at 192kbps and create a second copy. This one goes into the library I export to for my iPod, etc. Reason, space on the portable device, and it works with Windows too (the AAC codecs for WMP and Media Center are a bit flaky). Now all bases are covered.

And I thought I missed something.
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RE: When iTunes lock-in strikes
ilenesmachine 16th Mar 2009
I think ZDNET should be embarrassed to have this blog
post on the site. iTunes has always been able to import
songs in a variety of formats. It used to be under a
different Preference Tab, but the newest iTunes includes a
button on the main Preference screen now.

You don't need any other application to convert your
current iTunes Library of music either. You can change the
import setting, select a bunch of songs, and reconvert
them into any other format, EXCEPT .wav. I did that when I
had to load my old Shuffle too.

Generally, MP3 format sounds like crap, so Apple chose, as
default, a format that actually still compresses your music,
but does sound decent; not best, but decent.

I rarely comment on blogs, but this one was so blatantly
dumb, I had to comment. Maybe Larry should check with
the Mac guys on the ZDNet staff next time before posting
a rant on something he's clueless about?
ilene
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Innaccurate
agredon 22nd May 2009
"The cost of admission for AAC is free. iTunes is free. The iPod is by far the most popular portable music player, etc."

AAC is far from free. While the software to support it on a PC is free, devices that support the format are substantially more expensive than their MP3-only counterparts. An iPod Nano costs $149, whereas I got an 8 GB touchscreen MP3-only player with Video, Radio, and a larger screen [than a Nano] for $30 on eBay a while back. I just checked and they now have a 32 GB version for $50. The closest thing Apple makes to a reasonably priced iPod is the shuffle and that doesn't even have a screen.

BTW, on the topic of HDTV...it is no more prohibitive [anymore] than an iPod. I'm using an LCD Monitor (19", HDMI Input, 720p) that cost $130. Best Buy has a 20" (720p) for the price of an iPod Nano ($149-199). For the price of an iPod Classic ($249) they have a 23" (Full 1080p). How about a 25" (Full 1080p) with 2xHDMI Inputs for only $20 more than an iPod. HD Service is an extra $10/month, which is about the cost of 2 movie rentals [or slightly more than 1 game rental] at Blockbuster.

Given than HDTV and iPods are of comparable price...if HDTV is prohibitive then iPods (AAC) must be even more prohibitive since a TV has generally been considered more useful [and therefore worth spending more on] than a music player.

On a side note, smart phones might reduce that cost. While, I'd never buy an iPod [unless I had so much money I could afford to throw it away on an overpriced music player] I almost bought an iPhone (Best Buy had a sale a while back for Reward Zone members, but only for new subscribers - I've been with Bellsouth/Cingular/AT&T for 14 years so I get screwed). The phone I ended up buying was Windows-based (AAC files skip and break up when playing in Media Player, whereas MP3s play perfectly) so no AAC until Microsoft releases a patch.

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