Vitals

• Type: Software-based store/Pay per download
• Number of titles: 500,000
• Format: AAC
• Player: iPod, iPod mini
• Website: http://www.apple.com/itunes
• Comments: 30-second previews, Audible, gift certificates, 250 radio stations

Few digital audio players will play the AAC codec, and only the omnipresent iPod will play iTunes-downloadable AAC tracks. If you want tracks for a non-iPod, don't do your shopping at the iTunes Music Store (IMS).

That said, IMS deserves a lot of credit for pushing the online music business forward with Apple's typically intuitive interface and simple one-click purchasing. Kudos to Apple also for helping to set today's usage standards.

IMS has a pay-per-download model (or à la carte). Users can browse and listen to 30-second previews of a well-organized library of 500,000 songs encoded into the AAC format at 128 Kbps. Using a simple Amazon.com-like one-click purchase method, users can purchase songs at 99 cents apiece or $9.99 for most albums. Downloaded files are automatically added to the iTunes library into a playlist called Purchased Music.

IMS loosened many of the restrictions that have disappointed music fans in the past. You can burn music to CD (up to 10 of the same playlist) or transfer tracks to an unlimited number of iPods. You can also play your music on up to three computers.

The diverse Music Store selection includes recent albums and singles, including many tracks exclusive to the service. However, expect the library of 500,000 tracks from five major labels to be pockmarked with holes. Still, it ties with Musicmatch and Wal-Mart in providing the most Billboard Top 25 tracks (21) and it did extremely well in our genre/artist-based searches (with the exception of the band Air).

You'll have a good time exploring and no problem shopping, but after heavy use you may become bored. Although the Internet radio can be good, you won't be able to personalize the preprogrammed stations.

Official word from TechTV Labs

If you have an iPod, your choice is a no-brainer. The simple and intuitive iTunes Music Store seamlessly integrates with the iPod, the world's most popular MP3 player. Though it's not perfect, IMS leads the pack.