Mac360 Twitter TweetsSponsorship and Advertising on Mac360Forums Member LoginRegister for Mac360 ForumsFrequently Asked QuestionsYouTube Video WatchDashboard Widget WatchPolls & SurveysMac360 Power Search Options
RSS FeedThe Mac360 Article ArchiveThe Cheap MacWhat's New!Mac Tips & TricksMacintosh User ForumsMac360 Reviews

Do Mac Users Really Need A New Media Player?

AMP AIRCompetition is a good thing, right? So, Adobe must think it’s a good thing to launch their new Adobe Media Player, AMP for Mac and Windows.

Why? Adobe seems to be leveraging their web page-based Flash into a DRM media management system. Do Mac users need yet another DRM infested media player?

Adobe created a cross-platform media delivery system known as AIR - Adobe Interactive Runtime. This is yet another media option for Mac users to view movies and TV shows on their Macs.

The first big AIR event of 2008 is Adobe Media Player for Macs and Windows PCs. What you get with AMP is not wholly unsimilar to iTunes, though a stylish black interface.

It’s slick looking, full of eye candy, a little short on content, and capable of playing up to 1080p high definition video. Make no mistake, though AMP is Adobe’s ubiquitous Flash with a new skin.

AMP marks a turning point for Adobe. No longer is Flash relegated to life as an embedded video or flashy graphics in a web page. Flash is liberated, which means you can download videos without using your browser. AMP works like iTunes.

Content choices appear thin for now, but are likely to increase over time, as Adobe offers a challenge to Apple’s iTunes hegemony for all things media, except music. How long before we see an Adobe Music Store?

Most of the content I’ve looked at via AMP is free, but it’s doubtful that will continue for long. Adobe is pushing their protected streaming capability, advertising protection capability, all wrapped up in their digital rights management system, DRM.

So, it looks as if you won’t be able to fast forward through advertisements.

For now, you can both stream video and download video, though it’s uncertain if those options will be available to all video through AMP. Without downloading and installing AMP, you can still check out Adobe TV. 35 pages and counting.

The AMP player is easily navigated and attractive. The video quality seems less than what you get with iTunes Store videos. For what it’s worth, I’ve always found QuickTime video to be superior to Flash, but that’s an opinion.

The big question here is a simple one. Or two. Do Mac users really need another media player? Will Adobe offer serious competition for Apple’s iTunes and QuickTime Trojan horse, for either Mac users or Windows users?

AIR is another name for Flash Everywhere. AMP is attractive, a bit gaudy, but seems to work well, even without much compelling content. Are you ready for AMP?

This Link gets you more AMP information, while This Link gets you to the download page.

Click Here to see reader comments on this article in the Mac360 Forums.

Classy Mac360 PhotoBy Kate MacKenzie | I'm a 15 year Mac user from Brooklyn, New York. I used Windows Vista for a whole year and lived to tell about it. My personal site, PixoBebo, is all about Apple. Follow me on Twitter.

• Email This Article  •  Follow Mac360 on Twitter
• Posted in the Forum Topics Section

Off Topic Note:  Check out more Mac software reviews on Page 2. You can help support Mac360. Order your copy of Mac OS X Snow Leopard from Mac360 through Amazon. Snow Leopard is $29 for the Single User Upgrade, and only $49 for the 5 User Family Pack Upgrade. Elsewhere around Mac360, Kate Mac is back after dumping Windows. Ron has updated the NoodleMac site to include more mini reviews of Mac software, and launched Mac musings on McSolo.

Mac360 posts daily Mac updates on Twitter, too. If you Twitter, give Alexis, Bambi, or Ron a tweet and follow Mac360 on Twitter to get daily Mac tips and tricks.

Chrome
Do Mac users really need another browser that is 1990s ugly?
Tue Nov 10 - Full Article »
xScope
Are you really a graphic professional if you're not using this utility?
Mon Nov 9 - Full Article »
Utility
If you could have only one utility on your Mac, what would it be?
Fri Nov 6 - View Topic »
Flock
Flock is the perfect Mac or PC browser for the social networker.
Thu Nov 5 - Full Article »
Animate
Animation is the domain of experienced graphic professionals, right? Not.
Thu Nov 5 - Full Article »
Diary
Journal or Diary. Your life is worth remembering beyond photographs.
Wed Nov 4 - Full Article »
Snow Leopard
What's in the FORUMS?
Mac360 Link Farm