by SHANE SINNOTT

A few weeks ago, our jeans-wearing pal Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, released a statement entitled “Thoughts on Music” (www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/). In it, he calls for the abolishment of Digital Rights Management (DRM) software used by the download-only music stores. DRM software is the stuff that restricts the use of music you pay to download, so you can’t share it—or “steal it,” in the parlance of the RIAA—with others online. All this begs the question: Why use the download store in the first place, if what you’re getting has restricted use and isn’t free? The answer, I suppose, is that we’re not all jackasses, and have some sense of obligation to support the artists we enjoy. Plus, it’s really nice to just find a song you want and download a high-quality copy quickly, instead of messing around with filesharing applications. With this in mind, here’re some options.

The first one most people think of, and the biggest, is the iTunes music store (www.itunes.com). It’s got a lot going for it—the biggest catalog (1.5 million songs), compatibility with the iPod and an easy-to-use player and interface. At 99 cents a song and $10 to $14 an album, you’re not getting any deals, but as with most things Apple, you pay more for less.

A more interesting option (and, incidentally, closer to the type of thing Mr. Jobs is talking about) is Rhapsody.com. This service has over a million songs, and allows a subscription, which makes way more sense. For $14.99 a month, you get unlimited downloads, and can transfer these to a portable device.

Yahoo Unlimited (music.yahoo.com/unlimited) is a similar service for $9.99 a month. There is one massive catch, however. You can only play songs as long as you are a subscriber. If at any point you cancel your subscription, you can’t listen to your downloaded songs anymore (!).

Finally, iPod owners should be aware that Apple knows when it’s being threatened. Every time Apple releases an iPod software update, it blocks use with Rhapsody and Yahoo Unlimited, who then update their software to re-allow, and the cycle repeats…

Owning it! ssinnott@gmail.com