The iTunes store has been the one-stop shop to get your legal download on for almost 9 years now. While the RIAA was busy handing out lawsuits, Apple decided a different approach. Instead of fighting a technology that was not going away anytime soon, they decided to embrace it. This very fact is what sets Apple apart from other companies – they are forward thinking, while others are just following their lead (MS, I’m looking in your direction). Out of this era, the now ubiquitous iPod was born and along with it came the iTunes store.
While iTunes has evolved over the years, think genius and smart playlists, the iTunes store mostly has stayed the same. Sure, as of April this year, they finally have changed the pricing structure of some songs, .69 cents for lesser know songs, and $1.29 for the more popular songs, but most are still priced at .99 cents. While I’ve heard that there are some songs out there at .69 cents, I sure haven’t seen any, and I frequent the store often. While I applaud their move to a more varied price structure, I’ve wondered privately why they haven’t been more aggressive in lowering their costs. I guess they haven’t needed to because they are the eight hundred pound gorilla and still hold a considerable market share. The main problem about being in this position is that you don’t always have a good pulse on what your competition is doing and risk either becoming complacent and/or just out of touch with the current market environment. I'm not accusing Apple of being either at the moment, but they might be banking too heavily on brand loyalty with out thinking about the customers bottom line. Remember, money talks, and this tough economic climate, all bets are off when it comes to this line of thinking.
A couple of sites have been catching my eye lately, one of them being the Amazon MP3 store. Lately, they have been putting up daily deals for new (and old) releases that range anywhere from 1-4 dollars. Every now and then there are some great finds, but it was not until last month that I would have to say that the Amazon store has found its sweet spot. They advertised 50 albums for $5 in May that featured such artists as Kanye West, Metric, Death Cab For Cutie, and Marvin Gaye. This month they have the same type of deal with picks coming from their editors. In case you're wondering, I do check this site daily:). There’s another site that I am really starting to like, called Amie Street. This site, I think, has the potential to be the next big thing. As of right now, when a new album is released, you can download it for free (or at a very minimal cost). Based on the album/songs popularity, it goes up in price with a cap at .98 cents a song. Their main focus right now is Indy based, but that might change over time.
Given the buzz that is flying around the interwebs over these two sites, I would definitely be worried if I was Apple, because people such as myself are finally starting to go elsewhere. Although the iTunes store is still king, I would say that the two sites above offer a glimpse into the future that should keep things interesting, namely site loyalty and much needed price wars. Let the games begin!
My little man, you are growing up way to fast for this proud parent, and with each passing month, every little new thing that you do fills my heart with so much joy. As fathers day approaches, which will be my first, I realize how lucky I am to have you as a son. From the never-ending smiles, to the cheerful laughter, to the handle bar waves, it sure doesn’t take much to tear up these days. Perhaps, it’s my old age that has me so welled up inside, or maybe this is just part of the experience of being a parent. If the latter, then I’m sure all of the proud mama and papas out there can relate. It’s crazy to think that in two months he is going to be one already, but I suppose that this is part of the process as well, that time flies and to enjoy every spanking moment, for if you blink, you might miss it. This is my short and sweet Father’s day rendition to you my little man, daddy loves you tons!
Ok, enough with the sappy stuff and on to new developments. Speaking of handle bar waves, yes folks, he waves now! It’s the cutest thing ever and I can boast on this here blog and say that I taught him that. James coined the term, because, well, heck, he looks like he is trying to rev up a motorbike when he waves back at ya☺. He’s got one tooth poking through his gums finally, and I got to say, it’s about damn time! We are also slowly graduating him to table food and are introducing avocados (daddy’s favorite), blueberries, beans, and other mashing up types of food. We have learned quickly though that beans upset his stomach, so we’re going to wait a few months until we re-introduce that to him. Oh, yeah, we have a food chart thingy that we just found again that said to hold off on pinto/black beans until 18 months…oops! Well, that just about wraps it up here. I’ll leave you all with a picture I took yesterday that displays his classic “stink face.” Until next month…
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