Dell Announces Music Service

Dell Delves Into Digital Music — It’s disappointing to find out Dell is just repackaging the MusicMatch service. The more real competition there is, the better. I think the article gets something wrong: They say users will be able to download in MP3 or WMA format. Nobody lets you download MP3; MusicMatch, so far, has only offered WMA.

I’ve been using iTunes since it was released for Windows. I love it. It’s the best music organizer I have ever used. I’ve even bought a few things in the music store. It’s easy to use, and really great for getting that one new song on your favorite band’s latest greatest hits album. I don’t see myself using any of the other online services: I have an iPod, so the AAC format is fine, and WMA is not. Honestly, I would not download WMA files even if I had a portable music player that supported them.

iTunes is still missing a few features, like the ability to customize file naming when you rip a CD. But, like I said, it’s the best there is currently, and I can’t wait to see how Apple improves upon it.