iTunes may be the stand-out music purchase and download service, but there are several other music and streaming options out there that are worthy of consideration. Not everyone likes to be tied in to the iPod/iTunes alliance and there are plenty of non-iPhone users keen to enjoy digital music on the go.
Perhaps the best known examples in the UK are AmazonMP3 and MSN Music, but coming up fast on the outside track is 7digital.
Perhaps the best known examples in the UK are AmazonMP3 and MSN Music, but coming up fast on the outside track is 7digital.
The service exists in its own right, tempting users in with its offer of free tracks, but also providing the backbone to the hmvdigital download store, for example. It has also recently partnered with PURE and music-recognition service Shazam to offer ‘hear it, tag it, buy it’ purchasing of songs you hear online.
I recently tried out the 7digital app on a BlackBerry Curve 3G smartphone and quickly realised the appeal of the DRM-free music download service. For starters, 7digital has one of the broadest music catalogues around. It also links in with Last.fm.
You can purchase individual tracks or complete albums and, as long as there’s an active web connection, the tracks you choose are available almost instantly. You get either choose to download purchased music as soon as you’ve bought it or you can wait until you’re in a Wi-Fi area so you can download over the air without worrying about how much of your monthly 3G data allowance you’re using up.
You can purchase individual tracks or complete albums and, as long as there’s an active web connection, the tracks you choose are available almost instantly. You get either choose to download purchased music as soon as you’ve bought it or you can wait until you’re in a Wi-Fi area so you can download over the air without worrying about how much of your monthly 3G data allowance you’re using up.
Other useful features are the 30-second previews and the Similar to this prompt. Some weird associations come up as a result, but one of the joys of the web being filled with sound is the myriad ways you come across new music. The 7digital app also acts as a library of your songs, automatically offering up those you like best and playing them all over again. You get Napster or Spotify-like artist biographies and featured albums too.
Not everything is as smooth as it should be, but it definitely adds a useful new dimension to the BlackBerry entertainment line-up. For the full review follow the link to pcadvisor.co.uk.
Not everything is as smooth as it should be, but it definitely adds a useful new dimension to the BlackBerry entertainment line-up. For the full review follow the link to pcadvisor.co.uk.
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