The Beatles USB is the MP3 Version of the Beatles in Stereo Box Set

There have been rumors of The Beatles music finally being released digitally swirling about for a long time now. Most people assumed that eventually their music would be made available to download on ITunes and Amazon MP3 (and possibly other MP3 retailers.) And it probably will, some day.

But with The Beatles USB due out on December 8th, The Beatles have entered the world of MP3s in a (somewhat surprising) different way. They are releasing an Apple themed USB memory stick which is basically an MP3 (and FLAC) version of The Beatles in Stereo Box Set!

That means it includes The Beatles entire 1960s catalog in remastered stereo. It also includes all of the visual elements that are included in the stereo box set such as the 13 mini documentaries on each of the band's 13 UK studio albums (including Magical Mystery Tour although it was originally released as an EP.)

320bitrate MP3s

The MP3s included are very high quality (320 is the peak bitrate.) These files should work fine in any mp3 player (including the iPod, the Zune, and all of the lesser known brands.) They, of course, can also be played on your computer (it's compatible with both PC and Mac.)

24bit FLAC

Don't confuse the 320 and the 24 number, they are measuring different things. The 24bit FLAC are actually of higher quality, and not only that but they are actually even higher quality than CDs (which are only 16bit.) The fact that all of the albums are also included in FLAC should make this a huge draw for serious Beatles fans who want to hear The Beatles music in the highest quality available (which this should be.)

The Beatles Entire Discography in the Palm of Your Hand

One of the things I find fascinating about this Beatles USB is that it includes The Beatles entire 1960s discography in something that someone can hold int he plam of their hand. While in 2009, this is obviously not new technology, I still find it neat to think about how far we've come since the 1960s to today technologically.

I'm sure if you had told The Beatles in the 1960s that all of their music would be available to buy on a device that's about the size of a lighter in the year 2009 they would have had their minds really blown.

Apple

For anyone confused on the Apple theme, it should be noted that it has nothing to do with the computer company. The Beatles created their own company named Apple back in the late 1960s and their stuff is still being released under that name today.