Itunes For Windows

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At the Moscone Center West in San Francisco, Apple are making the following announcements revolving around their iPod and iTunes Music Store...

iTunes for Windows launched....

Exaxtly the same interface and functionality. "iTunes for Windows is the best windows app ever written."

Runs on Windows XP and Windows 2000.

Offers jukebox functions - even if you don't use the store.

Jobs compares with Microsoft and MusicMatch offerings. They have crippled and/or limited features, looking to drive paid upgrades. iTunes best the competition by more MP3 encoding optins, CD burning, iPod integration, music sharing among several computers.

Full integration with Rendezvous, sharing songs with a Mac and/or PC's on a network including streaming of songs.

iTMS built directly into iTunes for Windows. Same store, same functionality. "Best" personal Content rights are the same (own music, unlimited CD burning, burn unchanged playlists up to 10 times, etc.

"Hell freezes over" Poster announced... (referring to introduction of iTunes for Windows) and $20 gift certificate to iTMS.

iTunes Music store - sold over 13 million songs in 6 months, and will have over 400k songs by the end of October.

Gift Certificates for iTMS, from $10 to $200, fully integrated into iTunes, both Windows and Mac.

New Audio Books in conjunction with Audible, 5000 books with free preview of content and prices range from $11 to $16, full iTunes integration.

New iPod accessories, Belkin flash card reader, up to 20,000 photo's that auto-sync's with iPod, and all dockable iPod's will do voice recordings which auto-sync's with new version of iTunes giving up to 4 weeks of voice recordings.

AOL exclussive partnership with iTMS, integratting directly with AOL database, Users can enter AOL name and password for instant account, no need for credit card. iTunes button will appear next to every song on AOLMusic.

Pepsi to give away 100 million songs in deal with Apple. 300 million bottle with yellow caps, 1 in 3 chance to win (Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, or Sierra Mist). Winning cap entitles one free song on iTMS. Promotion begins Superbowl 1st February 2004 and runs for 60 days

Lots of new exclussive content for iTMS, REM, Black Eye Peas, Eagles Album ("The very best."), Grateful Dead, Cold Play (new exclusive), Rolling Stones EP, iTMS-Sarah McLachlan EP and 8 exclussive Grateful Dead albums.

Live chats with Dr. Dre in Los Angeles "No more carrying around duffle bags of CDs" (via iChat), and video conferences with Bono/U2 in Dublin. Bonno praises iTMS and Apple and is "here to kiss the corporate ass. I don't kiss many corporate asses."

Live performance by Sarah Mclachlan.

source: Neowin