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Amazon releases MP3 Downloader for Linux
Getting legal digital music is not the easiest task for Linux users. Sure eMusic's download manager has greatly improved in the last year and Amarok offers compatibility with Magnatune's limited artist and album library, but a native solution with a library similar to iTunes has just not been an option. Even Amazon.com's DRM-free MP3 store has had its limitations for Linux users, only allowing for individual track purchases but not discounted full albums. Thankfully that has changed because Amazon has just released a Linux compatible version of their MP3 Downloader. Amazon has version available for four of the most popular Linux distributions: Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy, Debian 4 Etch, Fedora 8 and OpenSUSE 10.3.
After installing the program, users can then purchase a complete album (or only selected tracks) from the Amazon.com MP3 page. Purchased tracks can then be downloaded quickly from the Amazon MP3 Downloader, which can also playback the audio files. And because these are DRM free MP3 files, they should integrate easily with any MP3 player configured on your Linux desktop.
This is just another reason we think Amazon is approaching digital music distribution the right way. Not only are they not forcing users into buying a proprietary DRM format (nor are they charging more for not being DRM, as iTunes did for the first six months of their iTunes Plus program), they are making their service available to users on all platforms.
[via Digg]
Comments
11
Subscribe to commentsDG10050Mar 1st 2008 2:49PM
Well, here's one more customer thats moving over to Amazon's Music Store. Even though I usually just buy physical CD's, this will be nice for when I just want an individual song, but I don't want to reboot into Windows just so I can get screwed over by iTunes DRM.
RoyMar 1st 2008 2:56PM
Nice, but I'm running amd64, so it won't install on my Gutsy box.
AndrewMar 1st 2008 2:59PM
glad to see amazon picking up on this sort of thing, although i can't see them making a ton of money off this, it's a start in the right direction. Based on the assumption that i can't see many linux users that into buying music online, but i could be wrong.
Christina WarrenMar 1st 2008 3:01PM
Andrew,
It'll interesting to see how it pans out, because I think the Linux market has been excluded from lots of digital service precisely for that reason. I think that once given the opportunity to participate, they might turn out to be bigger consumers than we think.
PeteMar 1st 2008 4:39PM
About time! Love that Amazon did this :-D.
olextraplusMar 2nd 2008 3:23PM
We are sorry...
We could not process your order. The sale of MP3 Downloads is currently available only to US customers located in the 48 contiguous states, Alaska, Hawaii, and the District of Columbia.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
JonMar 3rd 2008 11:27AM
PLEASE no more MP3! Give us a real codec for the 2000's like AAC or Vorbis!
RingoMar 3rd 2008 4:44PM
This is nice, and miles better than iTunes, but why do they insist on having download managers in the first place. You can download files perfectly fine from an ordinary web page, and they are more cross-compatible than most anything. It would run out of the box on Windows, OSX, Linux, FreeBSD, BeOS, Solaris, Irix....and even your mobile phone. As for format, free choice would be the best, have the file available in multiple formats. Also, the US only thing sucks. It applies to so many movie and music download services that it's no wonder illegal downloads are huge in Europe and Asia.
monoapeMar 11th 2008 11:40PM
"US only ... it's no wonder illegal downloads are huge in Europe and Asia."
True, true.
monoapeMar 12th 2008 12:01AM
Well done Amazon for supporting Linux, but until you start offering lossless, I ain't biting.
WTApr 12th 2008 12:03AM
why do they insist on having download managers in the first place. You can download files perfectly fine from an ordinary web page, and they are more cross-compatible than most anything.
Spyware?
There is no legitimate reason for requiring a download manager to download files.