39 days to achieve the last 50 million - which is unbelievable in and of itself - but if Apple carries on this way (or rather, if we carry on purchasing this way), ITMS will reach a billion downloads sometime around the 22nd August.

I'm no expert, but I suspect that may spell the end of the road for some of the smaller online stores.

Isn't it about time once again for some CEO of one of the other barely-a-blip-on-the-charts online music sellers to proclaim that Apple's business model will never work, that the "the people" want "more choices" (the kinds of choices that only being locked into a world of Microsoft-controlled Windows Media formats can provide), and that monthly subscriptions models are the wave of the future?

...and the CEO of Sony Music and Glaser of Real Networks and that twit from buy.com and...

2004 was the year of the iPod (because of its transition from popular product to cultural phenom)
2005 probably will be the year of the iTunes shake-out as competitors wilt under the heat

Screed

That's good news. Apple could see a spike in purchases because of the new low cost iPod shuffle.

I think Apple needs more hardware offerings. I'm salivating over the possibility of a home unit and a car unit that is meant for permanent installations.

The excitement doesn't really kick off until I have a way of playing my files everywhere and easily.

Home unit = streaming from your home computer using AirTunes
Car unit = iPod plugged into car stereo

Apple partnering with various auto makers to include iPod connection options is where it will be at. I'm planning to get an iPod shuffle short term, but I still want a full fledged iPod down the road so that I have a portable way to tote all my music. Plug it in the car, unplug and take it into work or the house. That's why it's an "iPod". It's your portable entertainment peripheral.

Does this announcement make PowerBook G4s less likely tomorrow? Wouldn't Apple announce both at the same time? Increase the publicity each even achieved?

I´d love to help them kicking them in their ... well, you know..

no it's better to watch their faces as they watch the sales rise!

Far too simplistic. Many of us audio heads don't want to stream from a computer. We want local storage that can be accessed from the computer when we chose. I want to reserve the right to listen to my tracks sans the need for a computer running in the back room.




Yes and that's what my girlfriend does with her mini but that really isn't the best situation. The portables are meant to be portable. What if she forgets the mini or is using it at home while i'm on the road? The solution is clear. Multiple manufacturers are coming out with iPod interface kits that duplicate the UI as best as possible. Now imagine a permanent installation of a little "brick" sans LCD UI(not needed) using larger hard drives for more storage. Seems like the ideal situation for those firmly entrenched into the iPod way of music listening.


Streaming and slogging your iPod around isn't going to work. Apple's going to have to work a bit harder to keep these heady iPod sales going.

Frankly I'm no longer impressed with these type of press release. I'm concerned with what I can do with my purchased tracks and I want more options.