The iTunes Phenomenon, P2P Networks and Music Lite

Are people getting ripped off when it comes to compressed music from such online music stores like iTunes? According to an aritcle by the New York Times called "From a High-Tech System, Low-Fi Music" the answer is yes. The New York Times article states that "The iTunes store does not warn about the permanence of its method of compression; once freeze-dried, there is no way to reconstitute the music into CD quality for playing through a good stereo."

There was an interesting article in the New York Times over the weekend. Called "From a High-Tech System, Low-Fi Music," its focus was on compressed music files that are lossy by virtue of the fact that they've been compressed and, hence, are missing information.

So people who use iTunes for their iPods aren't getting value for money, the story suggests: "Customers are led to believe that they are getting a CD in all respects except the trouble of going to the mall. The iTunes store does not warn about the permanence of its method of compression; once freeze-dried, there is no way to reconstitute the music into CD quality for playing through a good stereo."

In other words, iTunes-cum-iPod users are paying way too much for far too little -- literally. While this is correct, Apple is far from being the only villain in the piece. The same applies to the other corporate music sales sites.

View: From a High-Tech System, Low-Fi Music (Free Subscription Required)