Rhapsody: Let the Groovin' Begin Customizable, Commercial-Free Radio Stations and More Adam Stone
Customizable, Commercial-Free Radio Stations and More
For those who don't feel like picking their own playlists, Rhapsody comes with over 100 professionally programmed, commercial-free radio stations. Hear a song you like on the radio? If it is part of Rhapsody's on-demand playlist, a button click will add it to your personal library. The software also allows you to learn as you go, with information on artists and albums, reviews, photos, and even music videos for some artists.
Rhapsody is almost universally available – almost. It works on Windows XP, ME, 2000, 98SE, or NT 4.0 (Service Pack 6) and requires Internet Explorer 5.0 or later, Pentium II, 350MHz processor or better with 64MB RAM and 250 MB hard drive space.
Notice anything missing? Rhapsody doesn't work on Mac systems, and it is the software's single glaring omission. Our only other hang-up with the service is that a small percentage of Rhapsody songs cannot be burned to CD. This is not the fault of the service, however, but rather a choice made among certain copyright holders.
That being said, there is an awful lot that Rhapsody does well. First, it lets you play music easily. It can handle MP3, WMA, AAC, and CDs as well as Rhapsody subscription tracks, essentially making your entire collection available through a single access point.
Rhapsody also greets you with a user-friendly interface. After logging in users encounter a search box and a browsing menu, as well as music being highlighted by Rhapsody staffers. A radio station, album, and even a featured playlist all are within ready reach.
Perhaps Rhapsody's most useful features are its array of music-management tools and its overall ease of use. Practically every command has a keyboard shortcut. Users can bookmark songs, albums, and stations, or create and save playlists and then share playlists with other Rhapsody subscribers, or post lists to Web pages and blogs.
Want music to go? Burn your tunes onto CD or transfer them onto 100 portable devices, including iPod, with little more effort than a drag and drop. Music to stay? Rhapsody music is easily compatible with and transferable to your home stereo.
All in all, Rhapsody delivers as promised, with a capable and versatile mechanism for acquiring, collecting, organizing, and playing your tunes. Let the groovin' begin.
Date of Review: August 31, 2005
Pros: Easy to use, wide variety of music, rich functionality, customizable (and commercial-free) radio stations, ability to transfer music to portable players, music videos for selected artists
Cons: Got a Mac? Stay back. Your OS is not welcome here. Also, not all songs can be burned to CD
