2008 Woodie Awards
With iPods and iTunes, Manhattan College Students Beat the Winter Blues, and Music Piracy
Brian O'Connor
Issue date: 2/2/05 Section: Features
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As the holiday season ends and the Spring semester begins, many students bring their newest gadgets to school. One such display of technology at work is as ubiquitous as it is useful: the Apple iPod. Premiering in 2001, the iPod gained dominance in its field due primarily to its internal hard drive, making complicated memory sticks and mini-disks obsolete. With the iPod, users could simply place their music directly into the player from their computer, and not have to worry about losing disks or sticks. By 2002, the iPod became a staple of larger electronic stores, such as Best Buy and Circuit City, which made many people aware of the device. The ever-versatile music player became a favorite of music lovers and hipsters alike once the device became compatible with both the Macintosh and Windows operating systems in 2003. With the Apple iPod, up to 20 Gigabytes of music can be held on the device, stored by album, title, or artist. Wide-ranging in available colors and accessories, the iPod became a fashion statement as well as a way to bring a music catalog along in a coat pocket. Soon enough, it became almost impossible to take a walk or a subway ride without seeing the tiny white earplugs that come standard with the system, or a person scrolling through their collection. A staple item in the lives of many Manhattanites, the iPod became the most useful companion for errands since the cellular phone. As students at Manhattan College catch the trend, a walk across campus may result in several spottings of headphones in the ears happy music aficionados as an increasing number of students bring their music for companionship for their walk to class.
In a situation that may seem paradoxical, students are filling their players as soon as they get them with myriad artists, songs, and albums without violating copyright laws. In a post-Napster era, iPod-clad Jaspers need not to deal with peer-to-peer programs for music that are legally and technologically dangerous. With iTunes, users can upload their favorite albums onto their computers, and eventually their music players. Serving as the intermediary between the iPod and the owner's albums, iTunes allows for instant organization of files, CD burning, and a Radio feature that allows for streaming broadcasts over the Internet. One of the most remarkable features of the program allows the user to legally access songs on the computers of users in their Internet network. Usually ranging a few floors on each building, the Library feature of iTunes allows a user to "stream" music from another computer without having to download it. Since there is no file transferring, there is no legal problem with listening to other people's music. For students on campus, iTunes allows for quick, easy, and above all legal access to new music from all across their building. While the program was originally built for use with iPods, iTunes is available to all computer users and does not require the standalone player for use. With all iPod users and non-users on Manhattan College's computer networks, the library available averages at about a week of constant music per dorm room, and provides the typically tight-budgeted college student the ability to listen to music and save money for other expenses. After spending in upwards of $300 dollars for the device, the ability to listen to music for free begins to cover the expenses incurred from buying the device.
Though risking musical hoarding and antisocial behavior stemming from iPod obsession, students at Manhattan reap the benefits of the latest musical technology. As the iPod asserts superiority in the ears of students, and iTunes of memory within computers, Apple's success with college students is apparent as the season of gift giving ends, and musical sharing begins.
In a situation that may seem paradoxical, students are filling their players as soon as they get them with myriad artists, songs, and albums without violating copyright laws. In a post-Napster era, iPod-clad Jaspers need not to deal with peer-to-peer programs for music that are legally and technologically dangerous. With iTunes, users can upload their favorite albums onto their computers, and eventually their music players. Serving as the intermediary between the iPod and the owner's albums, iTunes allows for instant organization of files, CD burning, and a Radio feature that allows for streaming broadcasts over the Internet. One of the most remarkable features of the program allows the user to legally access songs on the computers of users in their Internet network. Usually ranging a few floors on each building, the Library feature of iTunes allows a user to "stream" music from another computer without having to download it. Since there is no file transferring, there is no legal problem with listening to other people's music. For students on campus, iTunes allows for quick, easy, and above all legal access to new music from all across their building. While the program was originally built for use with iPods, iTunes is available to all computer users and does not require the standalone player for use. With all iPod users and non-users on Manhattan College's computer networks, the library available averages at about a week of constant music per dorm room, and provides the typically tight-budgeted college student the ability to listen to music and save money for other expenses. After spending in upwards of $300 dollars for the device, the ability to listen to music for free begins to cover the expenses incurred from buying the device.
Though risking musical hoarding and antisocial behavior stemming from iPod obsession, students at Manhattan reap the benefits of the latest musical technology. As the iPod asserts superiority in the ears of students, and iTunes of memory within computers, Apple's success with college students is apparent as the season of gift giving ends, and musical sharing begins.