AFAIK this program is 100% legal even in the USA.
I must amend this comment because of new information I just learned. It should say that “AFAIK this program is 100% legal even in the USA as purchased.” Read the Mp3VideoRaptor section below for the caveats.
Audialsone is really 4 programs packaged together, you can actually detach them and have them run in separate skins but they are so well integrated there in no advantage I can see in doing that.
The one I use the most is “RadioTracker.”
It’s source is streaming internet radio from 1,000s of stations. AFAIK it’s just as legal as recording any radio or TV broadcast for private use as long as you don’t share it. Also I don’t think that there is any way to get a virus from streaming internet radio but I may be wrong.
Mp3VideoRaptor is a meta-search engine that uses many sites to find and record streamed internet music and videos.
AFAIK none of these are direct downloads but all streaming. However, I just found that since I last used it this program has been modified.
It no longer comes with all the available music streaming sites preloaded. All the video sites still come standard but now the music sites have been offloaded to installable 3rd party plug-ins. I imagine I relates to this:
http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3ie1a7ca1ab495f9f44c9b4b8443d81cacAnd Audialsone now comes with the following disclaimer:
Plug-ins are created by third parties and not by RapidSolution. Plug-ins placed in the community by third parties from their internet sites to be downloaded by another party will not be inspected by RapidSolution Software for functionality, viruses or the legal validity of such plug-ins.
Users install and use plug-ins at their own risk. RapidSolution neither guarantees nor assumes liability whatsoever for the use of plug-ins and the consequences associated with using such plug-ins to acquire media.
Media acquired with the MP3videoraptor in general, and with the plug-ins specifically, are solely for private use as a private copy and may not be passed on to or made available to a third party. The user is responsible for ensuring the legality regarding the copyright status of the sources in connection with such media before use.
This was always the most legally questionable part of the program IMO mainly because I wasn’t sure of the legality of the sites hosting the sharing. I thought these sites would remain legal since they are streaming and not file sharing like Napster but it looks like the RIAA has other ideas. Perhaps they will go after internet radio next?
Tunebite - is the conversion software that allows you to convert between 50 or so file formats. Part of the cost of the program is for the licensing to copy to and from some proprietary and copy protected formats again the assumption is not to share them.
Tagrunner - searches for mp3 tags, album covers and lyrics for your downloads. It’s pretty hit or miss and I think that Mediamonkey does a better job.
