iTunes Movie Rentals

I see some rumors out there that I'd like to make a prediction on.

Variety is reporting that Fox and Apple are signing a deal to offer movie rentals on iTunes. Their reported price is $2-$5 per rental for a 24-hour period.

If that is all there is to the deal, then it seems destined to be lackluster. They should be aiming at the $1-per-day DVD rental market, and not the cable on-line rental market -- that's the real competition out there.

Play to win, Apple; play to win.

Personal Connections with Music

Isn't it amazing when you listen to a piece of music, and subtly feel what you did in the past when listening to that same piece of music? My brain just amazes me at it's capability to do that. It's like the emotions creep in first, and then your brain nags at you to remember that time in your life.

I just dug out a couple of old pieces of music, thanks to the miracle of iTunes and that I have my entire old CD collection converted to an always on-hand digital music library. I was listening to Christmas music today, and it reminded me of a song in the movie Toys from 1992, "The Closing of the Year". Don't bother looking on iTunes for it, as that soundtrack isn't part of their collection -- the closest they have is this. It's the same song, for the most part, but by totally different singers. I had to check, but it's the same composer, Hans Zimmer. Funny to find a song from a non-so-successful movie on an operatic Christmas album - "A Gala Christmas in Vienna". Ha!

Anyway, I was thinking about this song, didn't quite know why, but after I started listening to it, I remembered what I was when first hearing it. I had lived in Texas for about 6 months at the time -- almost exactly 15 years from today. I spent a lot of time listening to CDs back then. I just love how music can shape or enhance your mood. You have to let it in, but it's such a great release. BTW, the song "Happy Worker" from Tori Amos is also on that CD is quite good as well.