I think the EPAC offering is just a water-tester... the labs have these algorithms (does this word make anyone else see the vice president dancing, or is it just me???) in their portfolio and are seeing if there is a market for them, just like Liquid Audio et al. MP3 does have the huge advantage of being loved by young computer users, who for them, MP3 is the equivalent of radio broadcasts of the fifties and sixties... grainy, but free and exciting. Sure audio perfection is cool, but my kids would rather listen to noisy AM Radio Disney than 24bit, four-times oversampled, crystal-clear Johnny Mathis DAT masters. Kids prefer content over clarity. Besides, ANY music protection scheme is absolutely worthless when kids are happy with cassette copies of radio broadcasts, if it's their favorite artist.
I'm still baffled by the music industry's silence on computer CD burners. Drag and drop... and fifteen minutes later you've got a PERFECT copy of your buddy's CDs, for under a buck.
Sorry for the babble-on. As for EPAC, I think you'll find that technology in other places soon, like elevator music streamed by subscription into your dentist's office via his DSL internet connection, with a playlist specified by the receptionist. A little Johnny Mathis, perhaps? |
