iTunes in retail stores?

Not to be a downer, but I wouldn't want to be the next person in line waiting for that music to download over Bluetooth, remember it's 12x slower than USB 1.1!

Why do people think that this will replace the itms as it currently stands, you wouldn't have to choose which one you would use, but can use either.

Starbucks CD-burning kiosks is one thing -- explore music there, find songs you like, download it to CD and then later put it on your iPod or do whatever you'd like with it. The DRM isn't there. I still really don't see why I'd want to use a kiosk in the mall to do exactly what I can do at home. You'd have to give me some reason to do it at the mall. Dell stores in the mall? Sure, that works. People like to see things before they buy them. That makes sense. But an iTunes kiosk? I don't see it.

Malls? That's 1980s, mang. Like I want to share meatspace with soccer non-MILFs and their millennial gimme-gimme brood. Where's the Kozmo/WebVan future I was promised?

Better idea: Way back in late late 2001 I suggested to someone that we start making pub juke boxes out of iPods and really I can't see the problem - the juke box's collection could be updated over the internet and users could buy tracks they like by inputting their account details with a confirmation dialogue box next time they use iTunes at home. The interface would just be a screen with CD artwork and track listings. S'pose if no one else does it, I'll have to!

Definitely a great idea. But have any of you wondered how much greter will it be if implemented in small developing countries (latinamerica)? -> not everyone here has access to Broad Band Internet Acces or Portable Music Players (among other things). I have bunches of ideas upon the subject, even tried to contact Apple directly with them (so far now news :(). But just for starters think about this: - won't it be a major tool to fight of music piracy? - wouldn't it be nice to have a "you cd in an hour" service? I have even thought on some of the problems you might stumble upon: - Virgin CD inventory - Speed - Purchasing method... If anyone hear wants to give this idea a try, please ring me back via this great blog :) How knows, maybe this will end up beign the Tower Records of the future.

I can see a kiosk selling digital videos for a portable video player, less so with music and an iPod. I can see people selling albums (and video) on memory cards rather than CDs though... hasn't that happened already? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3754094.stm Oh yes, I can't keep up with these technologies...

I think people are missing the point of the kiosk. If you set them up at various places, and you hear a song in the mall you want to have (it could happen), you can grab it right away and peruse some others. Second, this would open the market more to those who want an ipod but don't have a computer. I know that kind of concept would never occur to readers here, but it does happen. If they could go darn near anywhere to buy songs, you just opened a huge potential market. Lastly, you could probably build a transfer mechanism that anything bought at a kiosk could be transfered to the main computer where the ipod is connected one time. Probably a simple enough program. There, a huge new profit stream for apple (and potential franchises/places who want to maintain a kiosk).

Ya know, Starbucks has been piloting something like this in WA, but without the iPod. Self-contained music kisoks that burn a mix-disc right there. Select burn and go... so the technology is nearly there now - should be interesting.

If I'm in a retail store and see a kiosk, then look around and see the album being sold on the kiosk for the same price, I'm going with the physical media. When it comes to digital music, I download based on convenience (not having to leave the house), price (if an album is priced much higher at retail stores), and exclusivity (I can't buy this track anywhere else but online). The kiosk doesn't help with any of these factors...