Posted Tuesday, April 29, 2003

New iTunes, New iPod, New Music

Yesterday was a big day in the iLife world. Apple introduced iTunes version 4, redesigned iPods, and a downloadable music store called the iTunes Music Store.

I've been playing with the new iTunes, and will be posting some updates, tips, and observations as this week progresses.

And here's my first observation: Don't even think about using the iTunes Music Store if you have a slow modem connection. I'm on the road all week, saddled with a connection that rarely goes above 26.4kbps. And with a connection like that, the music tempo is s-l-o-w. I've been unable to preview songs without frequent interruptions (technically, rebuffering).

That isn't surprising, and indeed, Apple recommends a broadband connection for music browsing and buying. But from where I sit, it's a requirement.