I believe it is an issue of both Microsoft and Apple being unwilling.
>From the Overdrive website for our patrons Overdrive has these comments
for ipods users.
Start of quote***
Our audio titles, provided by OverDrive, Inc., use Windows Media DRM
copyright protection technology from Microsoft Corporation.
Unfortunately, neither iTunes nor the iPod currently support
copyright-protected Windows Media Audio (WMA) files.
The Library and OverDrive, along with hundreds of online music and audio
book providers, are hopeful that Apple and Microsoft can reach an
agreement that would enable support for Microsoft-based
copyright-protected materials on the iTunes/iPod platform.
Why doesn't the Library purchase digital audio content from another
source?
Unfortunately, at present we have been unable to identify another
digital audio content solution that is available to libraries and would
support iTunes and the iPod. Audible.com does sell audio books that can
be downloaded to iTunes and transferred to an iPod, but they do not
support the type of lending model required by libraries which would
allow content to be "returned" automatically at the end of the lending
period. ****End of quote
Our patrons want to use their ipods with our audiobooks, we want them to
be able to as well. Overdrive wants them to. Yet it still hasn't
happened. So where is the hold up?
Dawn
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries
[mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Mark Matienzo
It's not an issue of just Apple being unwilling. It was the decision of
the other companies to use Windows Media format audio. iPods don't play
WMA files, but most other MP3 players don't play AAC audio, the format
that music from the iTunes Music Store is stored in. Apple chose to make
Audible.com the exclusive provider of downloadable audiobooks from the
iTunes Music Store. I don't know the details of the contract, however,
so I don't know if that precludes NetLibrary et al. from doing business
with Apple.
Mark A. Matienzo | mmatienz_at_aip.org | 301.209-3180 | fax 301.209-0882
Assistant Archivist, Niels Bohr Library/Center for History of Physics
American Institute of Physics, 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park MD 20740
Disclaimer: Opinions in this message are mine alone and do not represent
those of the American Institute of Physics or any of its member
societies.
Received on Fri Jun 30 2006 - 14:31:05 EDT