The iTunes Music Store finally opened in the Netherlands aswell this week (or was it last week?). Of course I had to try it. One snag: I'm in Denmark and apparently iTMS checks your IP address to determine your location. Denmark doesn't seem to have a music store yet so I was locked out.
I managed to get in after registering with iTMS and "switching country", after which it tries to log in again and it again complains about your location. Then you have to log in again, accept the fine print, set up your account etc. Although I did have any real problem I can imagine someone less adept with this stuff might. Then again, the chances of someone like that trying to download music from the dutch store when they are in some other country might be slim. I'm quite sure that this part would be fine if I was in my own country.
Once I did get in the rest was totally hassle free. Search music, click buy and watch the songs download at a tremendous rate. OK the latter of course is largely due to the (probably totally insane) network bandwidth at my current location, but of course iTMS will need to send stuff out at a pretty healthy clip too.
What can I say? Apart from the sign-up issue the thing works as advertised and I really couldn't imagine stuff being any easier. Now only if only they would greatly expand their stocks of unknown, independent, electronica...
Update: OK, this sucks. Just checking the Electronica department on iTMS the albums displayed (in big banners all over the page etc.) are pathetic. Not because they are bad, but mainly because they are OLD. Sounds from the Thievery HiFi for instance is mentioned THREE times on the page, one being a large banner at the top. The album (though very good) was released in 1998. Most other albums are less aged but still far from recent. Sorry Apple, this really needs to improve and I don't care if Steve-o is more of guitar man.
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