Apple launched its higher-quality audio/DRM-Free store iTunes Plus (as in “Plus” thirty cents) this week to the delight of some and the disappointment of others — but for those still into the whole pay-to-play music thing (we salute you), this is the start of something beautiful. Just don’t go sharing those tracks with the internet just yet. Via ars technica:
With great power comes great responsibility, and apparently with DRM-free music comes files embedded with identifying information. Such is the situation with Apple’s new DRM-free music: songs sold without DRM still have a user’s full name and account e-mail embedded in them, which means that dropping that new DRM-free song on your favorite P2P network could come back to bite you.
Of course embedding user info into purchased tracks is nothing new for iTunes, but nobody was thinking about sharing DRMed tracks. According to ars technica, you can strip the DRM by converting to MP3, but then you’ll degrade that enhanced audio quailty you’re dropping dimes for. Until LifeHacker gets their mitts on it, consider this your DRM-Free-to-P2P PSA.
 |
 |
%s1 / %s2
Not a big deal, I’m sure someone will eventually write a little app to strip the info. I’m just glad I’ll be able to have a damn song on more than three whole devices at once. Or is it five these days?
There’s also the ripping to CD and ripping back to whatever format they were. It’s a few steps, but it works like a charm. Strips DRM as well.
Pretty cool, I must admit. I wonder how iTunes is going to stand up against Amazon — and you know, even the smaller specialty shops like We7 and Grooveshark.
God… I hate Bob Lefsetz with a passion that burns brightly.
Has anyone taken these tracks under MP3Tag or another “extended tag” viewer.
I don’t know why everyone has their panties in a knot over this, Apple has ALWAYS done this, it’s not new.
http://weblogs.jupiterresearch.com/analysts/gartenberg/archives/2007/06/thoughts_embedd.html