Get Better Gear!

Premier Sponsors

TechRestore

Other World Computing

Top 5 Free Apps

Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Date: August 07, 2009

iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Top 5 Paid Apps

Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Pressure Chief

    • 6 out of 10
    • Cake
    • Pressure Chief, Cake's latest album, didn't immediately grab me. In fact, it took perhaps half a dozen listens before I started truly enjoying it. Any

  • The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered)

    • 10 out of 10
    • Pink Floyd
    • Okay, someone had to say it, and though others on the iPO staff are more qualified to review this album, I decided the time was now. This is the quintessential concept album. Though others came before
  • Velocifero

    • 6 out of 10
    • Ladytron
    • "Back to the future" isn't the right turn of phrase for Ladytron's newest album,

  • So Jealous

    • 8 out of 10
    • Tegan and Sara
    • So Jealous is the third album from these sisters, and easily the one to single out for an introduction to their music. Some people may not get on board with their vocal styles, which are slightly

  • Plans

    • 8 out of 10
    • Death Cab for Cutie
    • With the introduction of Plans, Death Cab for Cutie became a new addition to many user's Artist list after the single "Soul Meets Body" became a hit on iTunes. Offering a fresh alternativ

Reader Specials

Visit Deals On The Web for the best deals on all consumer electronics, iPods, and more!

News

Libraries Offer Downloads of Audio Books, But iPod Left Out

More and more libraries are offering downloads of audio book files to their patrons, but the prevalence of the Windows Media Player format means that iPod owners can’t take the materials with them.

Michael Hill, writing for the Associated Press, notes: "Vendors such as OverDrive Inc. and OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc.’s NetLibrary have licensing deals with publishers and provide digital books using Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Media Audio format, which includes copyright protections designed to help audiobooks stand apart from the often lawless world of song swapping."

When an audio book file is due to be "returned" to the library, the patron must renew it or find that the accompanying encryption has rendered it useless, Mr. Hill explains. He talked to OverDrive CEO Steve Potash, who said that he has around 1,000 libraries signed up for his company’s service. NetLibrary has 200 libraries using its audio book services.

To get around the compatibility problem, users can burn the audio book files to a CD and then import those into iTunes, an option that OverDrive offers but NetLibrary doesn’t. Mr. Hill was able to reach an Apple spokeswoman for his story, but she wouldn’t comment on the incompatibility issue and only said that the company "has no plans to change its copy-protection formats."

According to Mr. Hill, one library has avoided the download services because of the iPod problem. He writes: "Newport Beach Public Library bought 15 iPod Shuffles and loaded them up with audiobooks from iTunes to loan out. Patrons are liable for any loss or damage, though librarian Genesis Hansen said there’s been no problems so far."

Post Your Comments

  Remember Me  Forgot your password?

Not a member? Register now. You can post comments without logging in, but they'll show up as a "guest" post.

Commenting is not available in this section entry.