So, Amazon's shipped my 20GB Karma. Around the same time, I was browsing the iTunes Music Store, and very nearly bought several tracks before I realized that I didn't know if Karma supported AAC (it doesn't).

It's previously been stated that AAC is feasible on the hardware, but that it would require Dolby licensing fees. Ignoring the fact that Apple's AAC has DRM, I'd like just to say that I'd certainly look forward to even "regular" AAC support on the Karma, and would pay for the upgrade to do so.

I mean, I had to pay $30 to get QuickTime Pro, and another $20 to be able to have MPEG-2 support in QuickTime Pro. I suppose that means I'd pay another $49 for Karma AAC support. Bonus points for Apple DRM support, and Mac integration in general.

Apple have the best marketing department in the world. More or less.

Nobody cared about AAC for four years, and now it's all you ever hear. It's funny the only reason they used it was because the record labels didn't like the negative connotations of the MP3 "brand" and of course Apple wouldn't touch WMA. Technically it's on a par with WMA, MP3 Pro, Ogg Vorbis etc.

Currently there's little reason to add it to a player except to support iTunes Store content. As you pointed out, this won't work anyway as it is wrapped up with DRM.

Rob

It seems like a more honest meaning for DRM would be Digital Restriction Management.

-Zeke

Yeah. It's not your rights. It's the record companies' rights.

Yeah. It's not your rights. It's the record companies' rights

Or more accurately, it not their rights but what they think their rights should be. To hell with your rights - the only right they want you to have is the right to bend over.

Sorry. I should have put the second instance of that word in scare quotes.