Technically, this practice is illegal and infuriates music companies as it means less and less people are going to the shops and actually purchasing the CD's for themselves, thus leading to a big loss of profits for the music industry.
However, there are proposed changes to the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 that should be in place by April 2008. This will be a godsend for music lovers all over the country as it means that the copying of CD's onto computers and mp3 players will be legal.
However, the term 'for private use' will be strictly enforced. Music downloads are not meant for public use in pubs, bars, clubs or parties. Even sharing these with your friends will be illegal. This comes under the terms of 'multi sharing' and will incur severe problems with the relevant authorities.
The new changes will also allow movies to be put onto a DVD legally but not the practice of 'multi copying'.
Legalising the practice of music downloads will still have the detrimental effect on music companies that they have struggled with for some time but maybe it will also force them to look at what they are charging to make music accessible to all.
The younger generation have never had a huge disposable income and this has been an easy way for them to enjoy their music. Even though music downloads have been illegal, many people have continued to do so and trying to stop people doing it was proving impossible. It is far easier to make music downloads legal but try the lesser enforcement of stopping the public use of these downloads.
The argument among those in favour of music downloads is that it makes new bands reachable to a wider audience. These bands are not so concerned with losing the revenue that their music could bring because they first need to get heard. They are all in favour of music downloads, and even sharing these as they receive a wider audience, more publicity and all the benefits that accompany this, such as the chance of getting 'discovered' by a musical company.
If the record industry is so against music downloads does it make sense that they would use it to find new bands for them to sign? Or is it a case of them wanting the music downloads stopped to prevent their record sales from taking a nose dive but it's ok for them to use the system to find new, unsigned bands that are likely to generate money for the record company?
At the end of the day, people the world over enjoy music and the more access they have to different types, the more competition will be generated bringing choice and benefits to music lovers and music makers alike.
While music downloads are a quick route to enjoying this music but if a person likes it enough, they will still go out and buy the CD.
iPhone owners are getting excited about loading their new gizmos with iPhone music downloads. After all, the phone-cum-digital portable media player can store up to 100 songs easily and allow a playtime of up to 24 hours of audio. This article will show you 7 hot tips to find the top service befitting of your new toy when it comes to iPhone music downloads.
1. Free or Paid
Freebie seekers probably would argue with me on this. There is nothing wrong with wanting free iPhone music downloads. Who doesn’t anyway? But the trouble is that free websites that give you music for free are often associated with exposure to viruses, spyware and adware when downloading media files there. Our phones are too new and precious and to risk exposing them to these harmful elements is a No No.
How about downloading each iPhone song for $0.99 or more at online music services like HMV, iTunes and so on? People wouldn’t mind if it is only one or two song. But if we are going to load up at least a 100 songs or soundtracks, this is going to be expensive.
There are now services that offer a lifetime membership for a flat fee of lower than $49.95 to access unlimited iPhone music downloads. These are the real gems!
2. Variety & Size of iPhone Music Library
Music lovers probably have their preferred music. You may not like pop but to another, pop may really sound heavenly. If you love all kinds of music, go with the services that offer multiple genres from Rock, Hip Hop, R&B, Classical to many unheard music genre. Several top sites now offer over 100 million media files including music videos, TV shows and even movies and games.
3. Download Interface
This is a key feature that must not be overlooked. For easy navigation, the interface must be simple to use and does not take long to search and find your music files. One way to get a rough idea is to see how professionally done the site is and to read comments of existing users.
4. Software Applications for Download and Conversion
Several of the more established services are providing free software applications required to download iPhone music as well as movie and video files. They also provide the conversion software needed to convert movies and music file formats into iPhone-compatible formats. The top services also offer you a free DVD conversion software that transfer movies from DVDs to your iPhone.
5. Fast Downloading Speeds
Make sure that the download speeds are fast. Music file sizes are about 3-4 MB per song. Assuming you are downloading 20 songs at a go, the service must not limit your bandwidth usage by slowing down the speed. This is what some poorly run B-grade services do.
6. Safe Download Environment
Some services do not provide good secured environment with a high level of security and safety when you download iPhone music downloads. The last thing you want to worry about is adware, spyware and viruses that could make their way to your computer because the music store refuses to buck up on its system architecture.
7. After-sales Customer Care and Support
Many services just want to make more money. While they promise a 24/7 technical support to entice you to join them, they are hardly around when you need them to help troubleshoot when you face difficulties. Thankfully, there are a few reputable ones who can deliver an excellent level of after-sales service.
Look around and use these tips to find a good service for your iPhone music downloads. Want to know which services score well in every aspect mentioned? Read up my iPhone blog.
Both Catherine Harvey & Davion Wong Wong are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Catherine Harvey has sinced written about articles on various topics from Culture and Society, Home and Wedding Gowns. Music expert Catherine Harvey looks at the use of and the laws governing them. To find out more please visit. Catherine Harvey's top article generates over 1500000 views. to your Favourites.
Davion Wong Wong has sinced written about articles on various topics from Beauty Tips, Car Auctions and Car Auctions. Davion is an ardent lover of techno gizmos. He runs a hugely popular iPhone review blog where he reveals where you can find . Davion Wong Wong's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.