Bonus Footage (Videos & Props)

Props to all my classmates who gave me great advice in making my blog better.  Without you guys, I don't know what I would have done.  Props to Ms. McKoy for all the help she gave me.  Once again props to the paraphrase website and citation machine.  Props to youtube for letting me borrow their videos.  Major success! 

My Works Cited

 Works Cited

"Amazon MP3s." downloadsqad.com. Web. 10 Nov 2010. <http://www.blogcdn.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/amazon-mp3-200.jpg>.

"Apps getting more popular at iTunes than music." theiloop.com. WordPress Admin, 08 Sept 2010. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://www.theiloop.com/apps-getting-more-popular-at-itunes-than-music/>.

Berenstain, Adam. "10 Best Alternatives to the iTunes Store." maclife.com. Future US, 1 Jan 2010. Web. 10 Nov 2010. <http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/shop_different?page=0%2C2>.

Bylin, Kyle. "iPod Sales Dwindle, But Apple Isn't Worried." hypebot.com. TypePad, 30 Aug 2010. Web. 17 Nov 2010. <http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2010/08/ipod-sales-dwindle-but-apple-isnt-worried.html>.

"iTunes15." thethriftycouple.com. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://thethriftycouple.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/itunes15.jpg>.

"iTunes (Music) Store Growth." worldofapple.com. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://images.worldofapple.com/growth.jpg>. 

Kirkpatrick, Marshall. "If Apple Allows Competition for iTunes on the iPhone...." readwriteweb.com. ReadWriteWeb, 24 Aug 2009. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/if_apple_allows_competition_for_itunes_on_the_ipho.php>.

"Masterbeat." music-download-review.toptenreviews.com. Web. 11 Nov 2010. <http://music-download-review.toptenreviews.com/masterbeat-review.html>.

Sams, Brad. "iTunes: $1.29 for a popular song on April 7th." neowin.net. Ignition, 26 Mar 2009. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/03/26/itunes-129-for-a-popular-song-on-april-7th>.

Paul, Ian. " * Social Web * Email * Close Digg Slashdot Fark Stumble Reddit MIXX del.icio.us Newsvine Technorati Facebook Buzz up! Twitter Your Name: Your Email Address: Recipient(s) Email Address: (Comma separation for multiple addresses) Your Message: Apple: The King of Digital Music." networkworld.com. Network World, Inc, 3 Sept 2010. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/090310-apple-the-king-of-digital.html?hpg1=bn>. 

Peace, Ebony. " iTunes Competition on the Way: Spotify." brooklynbodega.com. Cirefly Studios, 8 Mar 2010. Web. 8 Nov 2010. <http://www.brooklynbodega.com/2010/03/08/itunes-competition-on-the-way-spotify/>.

Placide, Krislyn. "Lowered CD prices still can’t beat iTunes." northbynorthwestern.com. North by Northwestern NFP, 1 April 2010. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/04/74338/lowered-cd-prices-still-cant-beat-itunes/>. 

"10 Billion Songs." wirelessandmobilenews.com Web. 3 Nov 2010. <http://www.wirelessandmobilenews.com/102art/showcase_lead_10billion20100218.png>.

My Reflection On My Sources

It took me a while to really get in the groove of finding good credible sources, but I think I managed and out came a great project in my eyes.  I think all of the sources that I cited on my blog are credible and had great information.  Not all of the articles that I read were interesting.  Some of the articles were extremely boring yet they gave great information.  Yes, that sounds like a contradiction, but more like a paradox.  All in all, I feel like the sources for my project are good sources that can be trusted, and known for good articles.

My Reflection On "The Process"

All throughout the project I found the same level of simplicity.  Just do the research, and paraphrase the quotes without using exact wording from the article.  I had to make sure I had all of my citations correct.  Props to http://citationmachine.net/ for making it easier to do my citations.  My fellow classmates also made it easy for me because of the commenting and advice to make my blog better.  The hardest part was the beginning where I was just starting my research, because I couldn't choose a consistent topic.  I enjoyed the whole process, because doing a blog is much better than a normal research paper.  It's just a different way to learn, which I like it that way.  There's nothing that I really didn't like about the project.  If I could do the project over again I would choose a topic that is harder to research, because I like challenging things. 

Check Out My Wordle x2

 

This is my 2nd Wordle and this is on 25 words that are important to my blog.

My Reflection On Findings

The most important fact I found in all of my research was that on February 25, 2010, Apple reached the 10 billion songs sold mark.  That in my opinion is astonishing.  It shows just how big the company is and how much money the company has made since its founding in 2000.  One of the most surprising facts I found in all of my research was that iPods are 77% of MP3 player sales in America.  More than half and more than three fourths of all MP3s are iPods.  I personally think that iPods are a great device and that iTunes is an amazing program, but the varying prices for songs is what I don't exactly agree with.  I think iTunes' prices should stay at $.99 just like Amazon.  It's a good idea to make more money off popular songs; the fact of using a 10 dollar iTunes gift card and purchasing songs that are $3.29 is ridiculous.  I like the fact that Apple releases a new generation of each iPod once a year.  The great propaganda techniques that Apple uses is another key factor that gets people interested--mainly the commercials--in buying Apple products.

Coming Together Vol. III (Finding Paragraph #3)

For now, there doesn't seem to be any MP3 device that is close to taking down the iPod.  The reason for that is because, there is a new generation of every iPod released once a year.  The demand for iPods continues to stay at a high level with the new generations continuing to sale.  Whether it's an iPod Classic, an iPod Nano, or an iPod Touch, there will be a high demand for iPods.  iPod Apps are said to be on there way to taking down iTunes' music sales, and since iPod Apps are specifically made for Apple products, Apple will not be taken down--at least for now--anytime soon.

Here's proof of how Apple's Apps will eventually take down the music sales (Zaib):
Asymco has released a report that suggests that not only the number of apps and song downloads are increasing every month on iTunes but app downloads are increasing even faster. The number of apps downloaded per month is so large that if we compare it with the song downloads then we will see that the app downloads now have reached (after 2.2 years of launch) where song downloads reached after 5 years of launch.

"Apps getting more popular at iTunes than music." theiloop.com. WordPress Admin, 08 Sept 2010. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://www.theiloop.com/apps-getting-more-popular-at-itunes-than-music/>.

Coming Together Vol. II (Finding Paragraph #2)

Rhapsody is not the closest in taking down iTunes.  The reason for that is because their sales are no where near the tier that iTunes is on.  Their music catalog is not as broad as the iTunes' Store, and that is a turn down for frequent music buyers.  The closest to taking down iTunes in the deep future--and I do mean the deep future-- is Amazon.  Amazon's prices for single songs remain $.99 unlike iTunes varying prices depending on the popularity of the artist.  Although Amazon doesn't have its own MP3 player, it still sales a great deal of music, and by far more music than Rhapsody.  Amazon's music catalog is about the same size as iTunes without iTunes' bonus tracks on official albums and EP's.

Here's my proof of iTunes solidifying there spot as #1 (Kirkpatrick):
Music subscription service Rhapsody has very publicly submitted an iPhone app to Apple and there's widespread speculation about whether Apple will approve an app that could be seen as competition to its own iTunes store. Like the Google Voice for iPhone fiasco, this is a story about freedom and platforms, about competition for filling consumer demand and about the long-term viability of the iPhone vs. open platforms like Android. Let's assume for a moment that Apple allowed apps that competed with iTunes on the phone. What kind of music app would you like to see? Here's our wish list.

Kirkpatrick, Marshall. "If Apple Allows Competition for iTunes on the iPhone...." readwriteweb.com. ReadWriteWeb, 24 Aug 2009. Web. 16 Nov 2010. <http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/if_apple_allows_competition_for_itunes_on_the_ipho.php>.

Coming Together Vol. I (Finding Paragraph #1)

While inquiring my number one overall question, I've found several answers that could suffice.  So why is Apple-iTunes number one in the online music industry?  The answer to that is simple.  The sell of Apple's iPods affects why iTunes is so popular.  The sales affect it greatly because without any iPod sales there would be minimal sales in the iTunes store.  Although iPod sales have declined in the last year, Apple has sold so many of them in the past that they have set a large standard for the MP3 business.  You do need an iTunes account if you have an iPod, because with internet security increasing, it will be harder to download illegal music.  This is the reason that Apple-iTunes has a slight monopoly on the online music industry.  Except Zune, there is no other MP3 player that has its own music downloading program.

Here's my proof of how iPod sales have declined, yet Apple is still in good position (Bylin):
While no one is calling for the death of the iPod just yet; it has been reported that "the latest sales figures for the quarter to June showed 9 million sold—the lowest quarterly number since 2006." Once deemed the silver-bullet savior for a record industry in terminal decline—that re-engendered enthusiasm for music across all generations and demographics—it's downward trajectory is mirroring that of the very business it was supposed to rescue.

Bylin, Kyle. "iPod Sales Dwindle, But Apple Isn't Worried." hypebot.com. TypePad, 30 Aug 2010. Web. 17 Nov 2010. <http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2010/08/ipod-sales-dwindle-but-apple-isnt-worried.html>.

It Will Not Work (Quote-Paraphrase-Citation #5)

You could pay iTunes, eMusic or Amazon. Cheaper than buying a physical CD, these alternatives allow you to purchase individual tracks, typically for $0.99, and you don’t have to bother with the songs that you don’t like as much. But if you do want to buy every song, albums like Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster are available for as low as $5.99. But maybe you are a huge fan of an artist and want the whole package –– album, cover art, lyrics and all. You consider buying the physical album from a store.

My take on it:
Buying music from iTunes, eMusic or Amazon is cheaper than buying a physical CD, because all three of those online music distributors offer the ability to buy single tracks instead of the whole album at a rate of $.99.  When thinking which way helps you more, you have to look at the trade-offs.  Maybe you want the physical album because you are a huge fan of that artist.  Maybe you just want one or two songs off the album.  Just depends on your preference.

Placide, Krislyn. "Lowered CD prices still can’t beat iTunes." northbynorthwestern.com. North by Northwestern NFP, 1 April 2010. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2010/04/74338/lowered-cd-prices-still-cant-beat-itunes/>.

Still On Top! (Quote-Paraphrase-Citation #4)

Looking at the cold hard numbers, it's apparent Apple has a huge edge over its competitors for MP3 players and digital music sales. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said on Wednesday that the company has sold 275 million iPods since Apple introduced the first iPod device in 2001. Although iPod sales have recently slowed year over year, Apple's portable music player still accounts for 77 percent of MP3 player sales in the U.S, according to market research firm NPD.  By comparison, SanDisk, Apple's closest competitor for MP3 hardware, owns just 8 percent of the U.S. MP3 player market.

My take on it:
When reviewing the statistics of Apple's sales, it's pretty clear to see that Apple has a great advantage over its counterparts.  The CEO of Apple, Steven Jobs, recently said that Apple has sold 275 million iPods, since the earliest iPod was created in '01.  Even though the iPod sales have declined in the preceding years, Apple still has 77 percent of all MP3 sales in America.

Paul, Ian. " * Social Web * Email * Close Digg Slashdot Fark Stumble Reddit MIXX del.icio.us Newsvine Technorati Facebook Buzz up! Twitter Your Name: Your Email Address: Recipient(s) Email Address: (Comma separation for multiple addresses) Your Message: Apple: The King of Digital Music." networkworld.com. Network World, Inc, 3 Sept 2010. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/090310-apple-the-king-of-digital.html?hpg1=bn>.

2003-2007: The Growth of the Music Store (Graph-Caption-Citation)

As you can see by looking at this graph, iTunes skyrocketed in sales between the years 2003-2007.  The peak of this graph or the highest point is April 28, 2007 with approximately 3000 million or 3 billion songs sold.

"iTunes (Music) Store Growth." worldofapple.com. Web. 15 Nov 2010. <http://images.worldofapple.com/growth.jpg>.

$.99 or $1.29? (Quote-Paraphrase-Citation #3)

"True to supply-and-demand economics, the price of music downloads will be geared to the artist's popularity. Releases from new artists would receive the lower pricing, while tracks from popular acts would get slapped with the higher rate. Even classics, such as Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA," could retail for the higher price. Most of the 10 million songs in the iTunes catalog are expected to remain at 99 cents."

My take on it:
Similar to the economics & its supply & demand, the price for music will depend on how popular the artist is.  Songs from lesser-known artists get cheaper prices, and songs from the more trendy artists are more expensive.  Although there is an increase in prices on songs depending on the artists' popularity, a great deal of the 10 million songs in iTunes are believed to stay at $.99.

Sams, Brad. "iTunes: $1.29 for a popular song on April 7th." neowin.net. Ignition, 26 Mar 2009. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/03/26/itunes-129-for-a-popular-song-on-april-7th>.

It's All In the Cards (Photo-Caption-Citation #3)

It's all in the cards.  This is one of the reasons iTunes is so popular.  It is because of the success of these gift cards, that they make so much money.  They have several values starting at $10 going all the way up to $100.  These gift cards allow you to redeem them on your iTunes store account for credit to purchase music, videos etc.

"iTunes15." thethriftycouple.com. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://thethriftycouple.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/itunes15.jpg>.

What is Masterbeat? (Quote-Paraphrase-Citation #2)

As its naughty name suggests, Masterbeat (www.masterbeat.com) isn’t your grandma’s music store. Not unless she’s down with the dance, hip-hop, and electronica that abounds in its million-plus catalog, alongside instrumental and a cappella samples for your (or your grandma’s) party-starting needs. Tracks are DRM-free MP3 files encoded at 320kbps (some at 256kbps), and many are also available as uncompressed WAV files. Prices range from $0.99 to $1.99 per song, and WAV files cost a dollar extra. Full albums start at $9.99, but Masterbeat’s many EPs cost $5.96.

My take on it:
Judging by its title, Masterbeat is no where near being the average online music retailer.  The main genres that flood its extensive inventory are hip-hop, dance, and electronica.  The songs are all encrypted and protected from file errors.  The cost for songs cost from $.99 to $1.99.  Album prices start at $9.99 depending on the album.  EP’s are $5.96.

Berenstain, Adam. "10 Best Alternatives to the iTunes Store." maclife.com. Future US, 1 Jan 2010. Web. 10 Nov 2010. <http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/shop_different?page=0%2C2>.

"Masterbeat." music-download-review.toptenreviews.com. Web. 11 Nov 2010. <http://music-download-review.toptenreviews.com/masterbeat-review.html>.

Head of its Class! (Photo-Caption-Citation #2)

Look at which type of MP3 player is at the front of the line of other various MP3 players.  That first type is of course an iPod Classic.  I chose the title of this picture "Head of its Class" because, I'm sure when you think of MP3's, you think of an iPod first.  Whether you have one or not, I'm sure you know what they are.

"Amazon MP3s." downloadsqad.com. Web. 10 Nov 2010. <http://www.blogcdn.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/amazon-mp3-200.jpg>.

Spotify? (Quote-Paraphrase-Citation #1)

Although iTunes is still the Internet’s biggest music retailer, more music is still traded illegally than ever gets sold on iTunes. Now, the big labels are looking at another way to entice fans into buying music. A lot of buzz is circulating about one service in particular: Spotify. According to Ted Cohen, EMI’s senior VP of Digital Development and Distribution, it’s been a hit with more than 7 million fans overseas.

My take on it:
We know that iTunes is of course the web's largest seller in music, but there is nonetheless a great amount of music that is pushed through the underground market for music.  Big league labels are searching for an alternative to interest fans in purchasing music.  There is great talk about a popular service that can do just that.  The name of it is Spotify.  Affirmed by Ted Cohen, it has been used by a myriad of people, that includes over 7 million fans abroad.

Peace, Ebony. " iTunes Competition on the Way: Spotify." brooklynbodega.com. Cirefly Studios, 8 Mar 2010. Web. 8 Nov 2010. <http://www.brooklynbodega.com/2010/03/08/itunes-competition-on-the-way-spotify/>.

10,000,000,000? Really? (Photo-Caption-Citation #1)

Until I see any other company sell this much music in a span of almost 10 years, I say that the competition is far far away from iTunes.  Considering iTunes was created in January 2001, and in two months it will be January 2011, a rough average says that iTunes is selling around 1,000,000,000 songs a year.

"10 Billion Songs." wirelessandmobilenews.com Web. 3 Nov 2010. <http://www.wirelessandmobilenews.com/102art/showcase_lead_10billion20100218.png>.

Check Out My Wordle

Check out the Wordle I created for my iTunes theme.

(4) Useful Preliminary Links

http://www.apple.com/itunes/
This first link above the text is the link to the iTunes page under the Apple website.  I chose this particular website because, for anyone who doesn't know what iTunes is, can get a little information on it.  So as for the people who created this website, I'm pretty sure it was Apple Inc. that created it.  This website can be useful because it tells what iTunes is, what is on iTunes, and has the download link for the latest upgrade on iTunes software.

http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/itunes-sales-top-1-billion-apple-beats-expectations/2010-07-21
The second link above the text is a link with an article about iTunes' sales.  Just to open someone's eyes as to how big iTunes really is, they should read this article.  This website is a subdivision of the 34 FierceMarkets publications and is under FierceMobileContent.  The article suggests content that is highly valuable because, it gives a bit of some background as to how popular iTunes is to the audience who isn't familiar with iTunes.

http://www.rhapsody.com/-discover
I'm taking a bit of a different approach with this website I posted above.  This is a link to a page under rhapsody.com that tells what rhapsody is all about.  The reason I posted this one is because, now there is the ability to compare Apple's website and this Rhapsody website.  So, this article becomes one of my "useful preliminary links" because of it's catch propaganda techniques to get you to buy into it.

http://www.cduniverse.com/
This is a very different approach compared to the previous three posts.  The link above the text is the link to CDUniverse.  Basically it is an online Amazon.com built solely for music only.  I chose this simply to show my readers that there is more out there than just iTunes & Rhapsody.  This is a helpful website because, I bet most of my readers (Ms. McKoy & whoever else follows/comments me) didn't know that CDUniverse is the leading online seller in music around the world.