Choosing the best online music service

Choosing the best online music service Well, he? S time for me to finally say goodbye to my portable disc player, and participate in the laptop and the online music revolution. Well, the revolution ISN? Not so new, neither is my team, but as I wade through the sea of options to download music, listen and buy music online, more and more anxious to get my feet wet suit, and finally taking this step. But I am a little 'more practical than that. So I? I spent a considerable amount of time in recent weeks trying to determine what? And the best for my lifestyle, my wallet and my computer.First when I realized that the pursuit of music services is that things seemed to run much smoother with a broadband connection (and the majority suggest that part of the services, go by). Like my CD Walkman, it is time for me to lose my old dial-up for the online experience. In fact, he went to work in my favor, as my company gave me the lead of a good deal on high speed, and even threw in a discount on the cost of my cable that I was TV.Now? Connected? a pace acceptable to the web, I had to determine what he was trying to get out of the experience of online music. After an intense melodic soul searching, I realized that the only thing that separates me from the perennially hip is probably the kind of music you are looking for, and how long they wanted to spend online looking for a man who music.The is sitting next to me has a 60 GB iPod, and complains that it is almost full. What? S over seven thousand songs. I do not know that I have lived long enough to listen to many songs. My needs were simple. I had an MP3 player still in box with two Christmas? ago, and pledged to hold over 500 songs. That would be perfect for me, at least in the short term.Next what I wanted in my new experience of online music? I want to listen to music on my PC in my car or my MP3 player? Yes to all three. I do not want to listen to the radio while I was on my PC? Again, yes. I want to share music with other online users in a peer-to-peer Napster-like environment? Eh, that scares me a little ', and I decided that the opening of the files to my dirty made me feel strange, so I put in a hold.My next step in the determination of how I? Music on-line? is the price. I have searched dozens of sites and services, but a look at my cut of the big three: AOL Music Now, iTunes and Rhapsody music service (provided by Real Networks). I have AOL, so I signed up to date on his music for the product $ 8.99/month (who? S, plus a monthly fee to your ISP). I had the opportunity to download music, listen to the same time? Offline? and bu to CD or transfer to my MP3 player for an additional fee for each song. Seemed to be the norm in most services. Now the music is a follow-up original AOL Music Net, which I liked more, as it was running on the local machine and the new Web-based music now takes much longer. AOL has also partnered with iTunes, so that may be of AOL, but then launch iTunes? Re actually applying iTunes. What? S confusion. If I want my songs to my MP3 player, the monthly payment jumps to $ 14.95 a month, and if I put on a CD, and pay 99 cents extra for each song. This is too much money for me. I usually buy a CD or two? Sa month, and that it would be cheaper than the online service. Not to mention what must be a member of AOL (more money per month) for use. I? I go to YouTube Now.On iTunes. Well, there is no monthly fee iTunes. This love. And I can buy songs for 99 cents for each song. Love that too. But wait. I have an iPod, iTunes and the songs are in MP4 format properties. Ugh. The iPod is cheaper there is about $ 99 (no monthly fee for both), and? S model I would select. I like my MP3 player. If you already have an iPod, may be the route I would go, but Apple tends to be very hard, and I hate being tied to one supplier, and format the player. There is also a limit to what you can share your tunes on your home network. I feel even if they do not own the song, I? M is in what I do with it. Bye brother.Rhapsody major music services of Real Networks. So far the least expensive. $ 9.99 per month and that? S with unlimited access to over 1.3 million songs. I paid the additional cost of 99 cents if I want to bu to CD or transfer to my MP3, but this is the industry standard for payment of the artists, and the monthly fee is five dollars a month less than AOL. The music is the most widely supported MP3 format and rip the songs are my shares for transfer or with my other computers on my home network. Like the other two, I can not listen to the radio live on my pc, but I love the freedom I have with the Rhapsody music service. I? Were not, and the music is so mine.Now how to download music and chose the music service Rhapsody, me? I am on my way to join the new world of portable digital music. I? I have already bued CD? S for my car, but with an old man? S strain at the moment? S favorites, and the same songs transferred to my MP3 player just for old walks.Now The long week-end? I have to start looking for a replacement for my VCR. And then to top! Scott Parks is a freelance writer who lives just outside of Boston, who has spent the last 15 years working in high technology and telecommunications. Most of his career was spent focused on project management and business development of the Inteet, intranets and portals for XO Communications and Lucent Technologies. Its current portfolio includes companies such as Digital Photo Frames, Digital Promotions, a Washington and Choice Hotels, Maryland.