mp3

VidConvert for Mac 1.4.2 Review

The number of video conversion programs available makes choosing a good one difficult. Though it's basically functional, the lack of features and problematic setup make VidConvert for Mac a less desirable option.

VidConvert is available as a free trial version with a three-minute conversion time limit; the full, unrestricted program requires payment of $7.99. The program installs quickly. Unfortunately, after initiating the program, the user must complete an additional download from a separate site before conversion can take place. This second download requires Terminal operations, which is a lot to ask of all but the most experienced Mac … Read more

Edit your music files with Free MP3 Cutter

No matter what the reason, there are times when listening to an entire song is just too much. Free MP3 Cutter helps you slice off any unnecessary parts of an MP3 track you don't want. The program has no extras but does what it is supposed to do well.

This program's outdated layout isn't going to win it any awards. That does, however, mean it's easy to find the exact feature you're looking for. It's hard to say if that's a testament to how simple the layout is or how lacking the program … Read more

Reuse and reburn mix CDs with 3Nity Music CD Burner

Though CD-burning software is built into just about every music player, most don't offer enough features. 3Nity Music CD Burner bucks the trend, giving you much more information about the CD you're working on. Though it's advertised as a CD burner, its biggest perk is the ability to delete written CDs.

In order to burn a CD, you will have to have a CD-RW drive on your computer. That's a given on most setups, though. You can preview any track and arrange your list of tracks however you want. There's no shuffle option on 3Nity … Read more

Edit audio clips with NGWave

If you've ever dubbed LP records to your PC, you have already figured out that it's a whole lot easier to record each side as one big WAV, cut them out into singles, and convert them with audio editing software. The same goes for editing MP3s, movie sound clips, ringtones, and other digital audio files. NGWave is a shareware audio editor with plenty to recommend it to music lovers and others who need something more than they can find in freeware, such as 32-bit processing for fast editing, unlimited undo and redo, filters and effects, and a sound … Read more

MP3 resale violates copyright law, court rules

A court ruling has put the kibosh on reselling digital media.

In a lawsuit between Universal Music Group's Capitol Records and MP3 reseller ReDigi, U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan has sided with the record label and said that reselling songs bought on iTunes, Amazon, or other digital music venues is akin to copyright infringement.

"The court grants Capitol's motion for summary judgment on its claims for ReDigi's direct, contributory, and vicarious infringement of its distribution and reproduction rights," Judge Sullivan wrote in a summary judgment filed Saturday. "The court also denies ReDigi's … Read more

When will Apple kill the iPod?

Physical music formats were so 20th century, so we put our music on computers. But even that was too much of a burden, so music is going up, up, and away, into the cloud and streaming. The iPod Classic is firmly rooted to the ground, and I like it that way.

I can live without Siri, iCloud, a camera, iOS 6, a Lightning connector, Bluetooth, AirPlay, or any of that jazz to keep the Classic's 160GB storage capability, and the Classic's "classic" 30-pin connector that still works with gazillions of docks and accessories. Is there another … Read more

Rip, convert, tag, and now burn CDs with FreeRip 4.0

FreeRIP extracts and converts your audio tracks, as well as detecting CD and song info and making all of that info editable right from the interface. It's easy to start right up with FreeRIP, which supports the most common audio formats--MP3, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, and WAV. It can also convert files between any of those formats, play your audio files, and edit tags. With the release of version 4.0, the app now adds burning audio CDs to the mix of features that free users can access.

FreeRIP's bare-bones interface is set up for easy access and … Read more

Get 100 free MP3s from SXSW 2013

Can't make it to this year's South by Southwest (aka SXSW) conference in Austin? At least you don't have to miss out on the music.

As part of its SXSW: Live from Austin series, NPR is offering The Austin 100 -- a collection of 100 songs by 100 artists, all in MP3 format, all absolutely free.

And I mean really and truly free: There's nothing to register for, no form to complete, and not a single Facebook or Twitter sharing requirement.

Just scroll down a bit until you see the Download the Music box on the … Read more

Carry the sounds of your online videos with you offline through MediaHuman YouTube to MP3 Converter for Mac

Often, songs or remixes are produced on YouTube but are not available anywhere for download. For people who want to listen to the audio in their favorite YouTube videos while offline, MediaHuman YouTube to MP3 Converter for Mac turns these videos into portable MP3 files, but with mixed results.

Available as freeware, the program supports multiple audio formats and allows you to select the desired sound quality, although this is ultimately limited by the nature of the original YouTube video selected. YouTube to MP3 Converter's download and installation are smooth, with minimal load time and space required. Simplistic at … Read more

Convert audio files with Free WMA to MP3 Changer for Mac

Depending on the source of audio files, the format may prevent some songs from working with different players, making it important to be able to convert files. Free WMA to MP3 Changer for Mac is a simple, but effective program that performs its limited functions well.

Available as freeware, Free WMA to MP3 Changer for Mac's small size allows it to install easily. There does appear to be support for the program, since it prompted for an upgrade to fix reported bugs. After a quick startup and the upgrade prompt, the program was up and running. Instructions for how … Read more