Music Enthusiasts Disappointed By Apple!
By: Carlos M. Perez/peacerocker September 2, 2010
After Lala was acquired by Apple and shut down 6 months later, music enthusiasts are still without a true music streaming social website. Having the capabilty of taking over the music streaming business, Apple again has ignored consumers. By Introducing the new iTunes feature 'Ping' and calling it 'social,' Apple has fallen flat on their face and completely missed the boat.
The first problem I ran into while creating my iTunes Ping profile, was the inability to secure my screen name, 'peacerocker.' There can be as many peacerocker's as there are iTunes users. If I would have left my name as Carlos Perez, it gets even worse, there are already 4 pages of Carlos Perez's to look through to be able to find me. That is if you know what my avatar, which incidentally does not show up, looks like.
Hundreds of complaints have already been logged in the iTunes discussion board. User are complaining about not being able to upgrade from Tunes9.2 to 10, iTunes 10 crashing, uploaded avatars not showing up, etc. Artists are also asking how to claim their pages and numerous people have complained about the new iTunes logo.
It appears to me that the release of Ping was premature and just another example of Apple releasing products with complete disregard for quality.
Not only is iTunes' Ping dissapointing and not at all user friendly, it falls way short of any existing subscription social music websites such as; Mog or Rdio.
Why in the world would anyone want to share an artist, album or song on Facebook or Twitter, if you can't listen to the complete song? You can listen to a 'clip' of the song only if you have an iTunes account. If not, you have to download iTunes 10, create an account and put in your credit card information. Considering the recent security breaches of iTunes accounts, Apple needs to consider allowing users to create accounts without having to input a valid credit card. In addition, what's the use of following other Ping users if you can't recommend or listen to any of their music?
It's quite obvious that Apple has abandoned music streaming like Mog and Rdio are now providing. Apple has turned their attention and resources towards providing television programing and movies 'in the clouds.'
Once again Apple has disappointed music consumers. If Ping is Apple's response to 'in the clouds' music streaming or 'social music networking', Steve Jobs needs to get his head examined.
Locating MOG account...
Comments (25)
MOG!
I don't believe you need to enter credit card info to create an iTunes (and hence Ping) account. And 160 million people already have, so it's not too much of a hardship.
You lose credibility with generalizations like "just another example of Apple releasing products with complete disregard for quality."
That aside, there are plenty of flaws in Ping and they deserve highlighting. And they still aren't offering the streaming service that you are… focus on what actually makes you better.
Hansgerwitz, I respect your opinion and remind you that I am an independent music blogger and not associated with any music website.
I don't see how I loose credibility by speaking the truth. The fact is that lately Apple has been getting very sloppy by releasing defective products and software that does not work like it should.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.
Peace & Mog on!
Carlos
You say "fact", I say "citation needed". Both in your explicit assertion of Apple's production quality decline, and the implicit insight into the broad world of music enthusiasts.
If you're expressing an opinion, we can disagree. When you claim objectivity, I can't rest.
(Sorry, I confounded your tone to mean you worked for MOG.)
No problem. Healthy exchanges are good and so is agreeing to disagree.
Well, I had to create a new apple account to get Genius and Ping running. I didn't think the flow for Ping actually required a credit card to post to Ping.
On the other hand I could not enable Genius without creating a card AND entering my credit card information (or rather in my case linking to a PayPal account -- which I've since cancelled the "billing agreement" for).
I find iTunes 10 an inferior music player to WMP or MediaMonkey (the former is especially damning).
I find Genius offensive in it offering me all kinds of matches from the store, buy completely ignoring that I ALREADY OWN mor than 90% of what is suggesting I buy.
Ping is a sad and weak social service of essentially no value. It suggested I follow Lady Gaga... Last.FM is FAR superior in suggestions, in social, in information and exploration.
iTunes 10... uninstalled... just like 7 other versions before it.
MarcBrooks.. I totally agree.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.
Peace & Mof on!
Carlos
I am curious about how much of Ping was directly copped from Lala. But users could upload their own music to Lala. I can't see much appeal with Ping, other than very casual music fans being able to display their musical tastes to their friends by Liking artists and showing each other what they've bought on iTunes. A lot of Ping reminds me of iLike on Facebook.
Seems like the big advantage of Ping is that it gives iTunes and artists access to a big database of users to promote their music, and unlike streaming services, they get paid by the song.
Well done, my friend. You've done it again.*
*No Citation Needed :)
darmuzz, they incorporated several features from Lala. For example; the 'feed' you see from the people you follow, comments you can make, following other users & Artists, the profile information and page also look somewhat like Lala's.
I'm just disappointed that they totally dismantled Lala, which was the only true social music website and put out an inferior product. Using Lala's technology and roadmap, they could have blown away any existing social music website.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.
Peace & Mog on!
Carlos
Thanks David!
Haha. Citations are always needed or there is an opening to attack credibility.
Interesting review.
This is me on Ping...
AND THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS...
Any Questions?
aaaaw, poor Ping.
I don't think Apple will be adding streaming to iTunes anytime soon. Ex-Lala users will also remain sorely disappointed. Here's a blog post about why:
http://blog.psonar.com/2010/09/03/ex-lala-users-think-again/
In a way this is cool..all the more reason to keep pushing the streaming lifestyle so we can fight the (Jobs)MAN.
I still like my new iphone.
Hey Carlos, I agree with much of what you said, and share your frustration.
I'm generally very pleased indeed with the quality of Apple's products. I love my iPhone, iPad and MacBook Pro, and consider each to be at the top of its class. All that being said, I agree that Ping is utterly dismal. I signed up, looked for you and naturally couldn't find you -- couldn't find any of my other friends, couldn't find my Facebook feed -- and then wondered what the heck we all are supposed to do if we eventually find one another.
Attention Apple: SOCIAL MAKES NO SENSE WITHOUT STREAMING! Why on earth would I want to look at one of Peacerocker's playlists if it means I have to BUY 12-36 new songs? How dumb does Apple think I am? And Apple had all of ONE classical artist and NO jazz artists to follow. Sorry, I have no interest in Lady Gaga.
I have a feeling, actually, that Steve Jobs' heart wasn't in this service, and that it had been pushed by others on the Apple board -- because Steve is NOT dumb and must have seen the flaws in the Ping model. I think I saw him cringe a little every time he had to mention Lady Gaga.
I am also pretty sure that Apple bought Lala so that they could eventually have a streaming service -- and I'm guessing they just couldn't cut the right deals with all the publishers to make it happen this month. The record labels might have cut sweet deals with Mog and Rdio because they're small, but they may not be willing to make similar concessions to Apple. So Apple decided to roll out the social part anyway and now they look pretty silly.
So listen, Carlos -- I agree that Ping is inane and that Apple simply cannot compete right now with the likes of Mog and Rdio. I'm also guessing that the managers of Mog and Rdio uttered a collective groan of relief at about noon Pacific time. ;)
But Ping's silliness really didn't bother me as much as Apple TV -- a great idea with a lot missing. Wouldn't it have been fantastic if Apple TV could have been engineered to include APPS? Wouldn't it be great if we had a $99 product that could stream our iTunes libraries, PLUS MOG, Rdio and Hulu -- using our mobile phones as remotes?
I'm hoping that's coming down the road. In the meantime, I keep waiting for the MOG app to show up on my Roku box, as promised a while back.
Enough rambling.
Keep on Mogging, Arthur
I read posts about Ping at CNET and Low End Mac, then found this thread. Still, I signed up and found that my current Apple account was OK. Considering what Genius supposedly knows about me, the suggestions about whom to follow are ROTFLMAO funny. It's not as focused as last.fm, and looks more like a sales tool than anything else. (Buy Kenny Chesney? Does that suggestion have anything to do with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Dan Tyminski, Waterflow, or Michael Martin Murphey?) Oh well, it's good for a daily laugh, as Apple tries to square my World preference to what's at their store.
@Oatmeal...You have the 4G?
@Nate../LOve it thanks.
@RichardUrwin...Couldn't agree with you more.
@Cody... :)
@arthurpjohnson...Apple announced today that there will not be an update to their old Apple TV. It's all about the all mighty dollar. They want people who have the old one buy the new one. Personally I would have put out an 'optional' update to the old Apple TV and charge $49.95 for it.
@Aiea...With the talent they acquired when they bought Lala, I just can't believe what Apple put out. If they could have negotiated a one time stream of each song, like Lala had, they would have hit the jackpot. If Lala was able to negotiate contracts just to stream each song once, it's beyond my comprehension why Apple, the one company that is in bed with the record labels, couldn't, or should I say, didn't want to? IDK i'm still baffled by this whole Ping feature. If Apple didn't want to get into full stream or social music networking and just wanted the Lala programmers, they shouldn't have put out Ping! It's half ass done and in my opinion, makes Apple look bad.
Thanks to all for your participation.
Peace & Mog on!
Carlos
I for one think it has huge marketing potential for internet radio, indie bands, music blogs, etc.
Alot of the criticisms you mentioned are legitimate, and I expect alot to change with Ping in later versions.
I, for one, plan on making it work as it exists as a marketing vehicle and information gatherer for my brand.
Their are alot of music geeks out there who are thinking the same thing I am. How can we utilize this? We'll figure it out.
I wrote a blog post on a few ways that internet radio can utilize it for example:
http://genxradio.blogspot.com/
here's an idea (and it's just an idea), stop supporting Apple. Stop supporting itunes. Don't give them your money, don't use their products.
JohnGregg - I hope it all works out for you. I just heard yesterday that one of the record aggregators was starting to do profiles for their clients. If this happens and doesn't depend on the artist, there will be a lot more interest.
Sam - When I ran into lala.com 3 years ago and got sold on Internet music streaming a la Mog & Rdio, I sold my iPod and gave away hundreds of CDs. I have all my music backed up in a drive, but haven't used it in at least 5 months or so.When I matched my music to Rdio., I put it away... again.
I don't buy Apple but for the wrong reason because they are for the most part good products, I just litterally dislike their arrogant commander in chief, Steve Jobs.
I agree with you peacerocker and I am with Sam The Artist in his reasoning. The only thing that I have from Apple right now is a MacBook Pro that is 5 years old and I recently bought a new iPod. All my music I consume though is mostly here on MOG by streaming. I never have enough space on my computer nor on my iPod for the variety of tastes that I have so I rather stream. Also too, I use different computers from time to time so streaming from my MOG account has worked out best for me.
Thank you for an informative and insightful blog post!