Apple = 1, RIAA = 0

Back in February Steve Jobs released a letter denouncing the use of DRM protection on electronically downloaded audio and video files. There was surprisingly, little backlash (if you ignore the letters and blog posts from uneducated consumers and general Apple-worms (haters)). But, there was one letter, from one of the big 4 record companies that countered Steve's letter. I should have saved the link. I'm googling it now but can't find it. Anyway, other than that letter the issue started to fade away.

A lot of consumers blast Steve Jobs, Apple and iTunes in particular for not allowing them to have full rights to their iTunes purchases. I'm always surprised when I hear this. In order for iTunes to be the #1 distributor of downloadable media they need to maintain the largest library. In order to do that they need to appeal to all record and video companies. Those companies agree to "come on board" only if they can protect their music or videos from being pirated, hence DRM. Clearly, this isn't Apples doing, as mention in Steve Jobs' letter. As a matter of fact in Jobs' letter he mentioned how Apple was able to cut a better deal with these record companies than any other digital distributor;

"Apple was able to negotiate landmark usage rights at the time, which include allowing users to play their DRM protected music on up to 5 computers and on an unlimited number of iPods. Obtaining such rights from the music companies was unprecedented at the time"

To be fair, Apple is responsible for two things:

• They need to offer the consumer, user selectable bitrates. Right now they only offer 128kbps, Which is far less than CD quality. I prefer 192 kbps which is close to CD quailty and still maintains a reasonably, small file size.
  
• They need to adopt the MP3 file type. AAC, which Apple uses, is a newer, more advanced form of MP3 but the basic consumer links AAC to Apple and that further promotes the anti-Apple establishment. Give the consumer a selectable choice.

Well, low and behold, this letter, released today, announces that EMI, one of the big 4 music companies, is in agreement with Steve Jobs and, come May, will offer their catalog on iTunes as DRM-free. In addition, the entire DRM-free catalog will be encoded at 256 kbps instead of 128. This is fantastic news. I hope that EMIs decision pressures all other music companies to go DRM-free also. But please don't get complacent Apple. Keep up the good fight. Also, please address the two issues I listed above, haha.

In other news: Don Imus was fired today. It's great to see punishment exacted on those who commit racist acts.