| When Apple first revolutionized the music industry | | | | To step in and solve the problem and bridge the |
| with the release of the Ipod, little did anybody | | | | gap between free peer-to-peer downloads and |
| know just how far reaching the impact of that | | | | expensive music shops, several membership sites |
| little device will be. With the 1 billionth Ipod being | | | | came to the rescue. For a monthly membership |
| sold recently, it's no surprise that Apple are | | | | fee, you can download as much music and video |
| investing even more resources into developing | | | | as you please - and it's all legal. Since most of the |
| their Ipod. With the new versions of the Ipod | | | | mainstream music stores charge you per song, |
| supporting video playback, the attention once | | | | the membership sites will only charge you a |
| again shifted and added a new market. What was | | | | monthly fee - regardless of how much or how |
| once a problem for the music industry is now a | | | | little you download. Since peer-to-peer downloads |
| problem for the movie industry with illegal | | | | come with many obvious risks of viruses and the |
| downloads. Regardless, movie downloads for Ipod | | | | frustration of incomplete and misleading |
| are set to soar and maybe even overtake audio | | | | downloads, these membership sites are indeed a |
| downloads. | | | | welcome addition to the web and one that most |
| The biggest frustration for Ipod users is where to | | | | Ipods just love. |
| find movies to download? There are currently | | | | The two biggest membership sites are Ipod |
| hundreds of online music shops where you can | | | | Blender and Feed Your Ipod, and both offer a |
| legally buy music, but there are very few movie | | | | massive selection of movies and videos, all neatly |
| sites and it seems like the technology caught the | | | | indexed and with stable and efficient download |
| supply off guard. Only recently a couple of sites | | | | speeds. Movie downloads for Ipods really need to |
| sprang up that provide downloadable Ipod movies | | | | be optimized and you don't want to fill your entire |
| of virtually anything you can think of. | | | | 80GB Ipod with only 2 movies. The appropriate |
| Then there is also the whole debate of legal | | | | format, size and quality is important in getting the |
| downloads. The landmark lawsuit against Napster | | | | most out of your Ipod and these membership |
| in the 90's marked a turning point in peer-to-peer | | | | sites does all the grind work for you. All you have |
| (P2P) downloads and today these sites are illegal - | | | | to do is download and enjoy. |
| despite the rumors that the 'law' can't touch you | | | | If you are only downloading one or two albums or |
| when it comes to P2P. Several agencies are | | | | movies a month then a membership probably |
| actively persecuting illegal downloaders and | | | | won't be worth it, but if you are a more serious |
| recently a 19 year old kid from New York was | | | | downloader, then it really is well worth it. Movies is |
| fined $500,000 for illegal downloads. No matter | | | | the next big thing for the Ipod and with the next |
| which way you look at it, this is theft and the | | | | generation of Ipods you can expect an even |
| music industry really is feeling the punch. In the | | | | bigger and better screen for even bigger and |
| long run it really isn't worth it to download illegally. | | | | better movies on your Ipod. |