Support Our Site
Get Better Gear!
- Akron’s TAB802 Table Mount For iPad Is Sturdy from Akron, US$99.95
- Dinosaurs Roar to Life on the iPad with Stephen Fry from M58959 Studios, US$14.95
- Poldera’s iKeep Holds Your iPhone Close from Poldera LLC, US$19.99
- Mediadevil’s Easyscreen Screen iPad Protector Is Unusual from Mediadevil, £16.97 (US$22.09)
- ecodock Brings a High-Tech Megaphone to the iPhone 4 & 4S from K-Array, US$19.95
Top 5 Free Apps
iTunes New Music Releases
Top 5 Paid Apps
Discover New Music
- Bauhaus
Go Away White is an album I've been waiting more than 20 years to hear, and the good news is that it was worth the wait. The latest -- and last, no...for real this time -- album from
- Belle & Sebastian
The Life Pursuit is a sort of Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. You get Belle & Sebastian's peanut butter (its wistful, often irresistible pop) dipped in a 'Have A Nice Day!' and glam 70s chocol
- 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
- Alanis Morissette
- Ten years after the original release, comes the traditional celebratory acoustic re-recording. The album has held up remarkably well. While it is not as meaningful to me as it was when I was sixteen,
- Phish
- This quasi-concept album (the only of its kind) from these Vermonters finally showcased their ability to convey a message with a studio album, whereas previously they only succeeded in doing so live.
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
Thursday, August 25th, 2005 at 4:00 PM - by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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 cant 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 companys 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 doesnt. Mr. Hill was able to reach an Apple spokeswoman for his story, but she wouldnt 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 theres been no problems so far."
Recent Headlines
- Microsoft Echos Apple’s Call for FRAND Standards
- Air Force Might Replace Manuals with 18,000 iPads
- Vonage Mobile for iPhone Offers Free Texting, Calls
- iPhone App Path Uploads User Contact Lists to Servers [Update]
- Akron’s TAB802 Table Mount For iPad Is Sturdy
- Paul McCartney to Stream Live Performance on iTunes, Apple TV
- Sprint Activates 1.8M iPhones, 40% are New Customers















Post Your Comments