Re: [OT] NOW : iShuffle WAS: iTunes DRM

[Jim Noble <yahoo-groups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Keith Doxey wrote:

> Hi Paul
>
> > SWMBO has an iPod shuffle, - and in a classic example of
restrictive and
> > anti-competitive practice (which if perpetrated by another
well-known
> > I.T. company would have lawyers hopping up & down all over
the world..)
> > the use of this piece of hardware demands (as far as I'm aware)
the use
> > of the accompanying iTunes software to manage it... - certainly
the
> > device comes covered with a large sticker with dire warnings of
global
> > meltdown if you don't install the software before plugging it in
to the
> > PC...
> >
>
> Does this mean that the music transferred to an iShuffle also has to
be
> downloaded from iTunes or can any MP3 be transferred to it.


Nope. It'll play anything MP3/AAC encoded. Stuff downloaded from iTMS
will only play in iTunes on one of your 5 PCs, or on one of the portable
devices that's synced to one of those PCs.

You do have the option of "burning" the tracks to CD and
re-encoding
them however you like though. There will be a loss of quality, but if
you're that worried about it you'd buy it on CD anyway...?

> Do you have to subscribe to iTunes to be able to use the iTunes
> software or
> does it come with the iShuffle?


It's a free download from Apple.

Jim