Honestly, iTunes is not the best media player available. Yes, anyone who bough a Pre and relyed on the music sync to continue working is foolish, but it was a nice feature. However, now is the chance to see what else is offered. I use iTunes up until now because my primary media device was a nano. My nano has seen little action since the 5th of June. With the Zune HD coming and the lack of any real advantage of having an iPod (without iTunes) I am free to shop elsewhere - maybe for a Zune HD or something with Bluetooth Audio.

Don't get me wrong, I love my iPod, I love my Mac, and am not bashing Apple. I am looking at how these gadgets integrate into my life. The iPod has become something that has become more difficult to fit into my life (no RAM mounts for 4th gen Nano, no use of scroll wheel in waterproof cases or with gloves, no bluetooth audio- even as crappy as BT audio is, no 12V charging) and iTunes has not kept up with this consumer's needs (networking support is junk, no auto-library update, ala watch folders). Without iTunes, it's time to move on. I understand Apple's move, and would do the same in their shoes.