The anticipated iTunes 8 release is now available for download. So far the updates appear mostly cosmetic despite Apple's insistence that this is a big release deserved of the 8.0 version number. Audiophiles will most likely appreciate the new Grouping feature. According to Apple, "If you’re a fan of classical music, you know that certain works — whether symphonies, concertos, operas, or oratorios — should be played together. And they can be with Grouping. Select the tracks you want to group. Choose Get Info from the File menu. Enter the name of the work in the Grouping field and click OK." Read more for some other bits of iTunes 8 info and screenshots.
Computer Audiophile reader Jim (jrebman) also pointed out that iTunes has made some serious headway in the accessibility department. From Apple.com
"Enhanced Screen Reader Support
iTunes 8 enhances screen reader accessibility. With VoiceOver in Mac OS X or Window-Eyes for Windows XP and Windows Vista, browse and play everything in your iTunes library. You can also purchase and download content from the iTunes Store, including iTunes U. And create and maintain your iTunes Store account."
The major focus for iTunes 8 appears to be the whole Genius sidebar. So far I'm not that in to it, although I do see some merit in the concept.
Other items to note:
The CD import settings are now on the General tab of iTunes preferences. This moved from the Advanced tab.
The new Grid view has been a long time coming and offers a nice alternative way to view your library.
Lastly, there are some interesting visualizations with iTunes 8. I'm not sure if Apple is trying to take us back to the Windows Media Player 9 days when visualizations were pretty cool. It seems like Apple needed a few more features to make the release part of an event.
Chris Connaker
Founder
Computer Audiophile
Comments
Posts: 98
iTunes? I remain unconviced by all the bells and whistles.
iTunes? I remain unconvinced by all the bells and whistles. Most of them are for milking the cash cow.
I use foobar on a PC which is very businesslike - pityy the interface is so un-pretty.
I am watching the development of Songbird.
Brian
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Beresford DAC - Quad 405-2 refurbished by 405man - Quart 980s German Tower Loudspeakers.
FLAC through Foobar, XP and ASIO
Virgin Cable Box - no FM reception for Quad tuner!
Squeezebox Classic.
Posts: 3146
Hi Brian - I too am watching
Hi Brian - I too am watching the development of Songbird closely. I think it has the most potential of all the applications available now.
Chris Connaker
Founder
Computer Audiophile
Posts: 35
songbird
had a quick look at the songbird site.. it does look good and strikingly like the view mode I use iTunes in.
i'll keep an eye on this as well. I currently use amarok in the linux environment and am interested in media players that rise above the basic. Now, if they could manage the output to a remote device like the airport express.....
Posts: 19
Genius!
The real genius of Genius is not in the sidebar: The Genius sidebar is just an update/reconfiguration of the old mini-store.
The COOL new Genius feature has little to do with the iTunes store, rather it has to do with creating bitchen playlists: just select a song in your library that you want to listen to, and then click on the Genius button (the one that looks like an atom) in the lower right and iTunes will create a playlist of songs in your library that should go well with the song you selected.
I imagine iTunes is using 'people who downloaded that song also downloaded these (or songs by these artists)' data from the iTunes store. I did a couple of random tests and definitely liked the results I got.
I used to use BeaTunes to create these playlists, but this is so much faster and more convenient.
However, since these Genius playlists are probably based on 'the wisdom of the crowd,' they might tend towards greatest hits while neglecting the more obscure gems in your collection (and tracks that are not for sale on the iTunes store). Apple says that as more people submit their libraries, the better Genius's results will become over time.
Pretty cool stuff, if you ask me.
Bill
Freedom of the press belongs to those who own one.
Posts: 98
Genius is of no interest
Genius is of no interest to Classical music listeners.
Brian
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Beresford DAC - Quad 405-2 refurbished by 405man - Quart 980s German Tower Loudspeakers.
FLAC through Foobar, XP and ASIO
Virgin Cable Box - no FM reception for Quad tuner!
Squeezebox Classic.
Posts: 57
^ Cheer up mate... You don't
^ Cheer up mate... You don't like iTunes' "bells and whistles", but Foobar is "businesslike" enough for you, if a little "un-pretty". Maybe try making your own player or learn how to customise Foobar - it wasn't really designed to stay in its original state after all...
Posts: 65
Big brother...
I decided NOT to accept the Genius conditions. It's all to much big brother for me. Why should you allow Apple access to your library? Don't get me wrong. I love apple and itunes. Use their products every day. But having to read a page of legal conditions before accepting genius, then effectively giving apple an insight into my music tastes for their own commercial benefits was too much for me. It's none of there darn business! Surely they could have written genius code to work within ones own library, without sharing with everyone. Call me paranoid but hell it's my darn personal collection! In any case, would Genius throw up the worlds best rock and roll tracks of all time:
ACDC "long way to the top"
Queen "Bohemiun Rhapsody"
Nirvana "Smells like teen spirit"
Muse "Map of Problematique"
Radiohead "Lucky"
Deep Purple " Child in Time"
...and the greatest of them all....Led Zepplin "Since Ive been Loving You"..
I highly doubt it!
AB
Posts: 12
Disappointed with Genius sidebar
As noted above the Genius sidebar is a real disappointment if your music collection strays off the beaten path of popular music. I have a sizable jazz and classic rock collection which the genius conveniently shuffles into a playlist though it does not distinguish between vocal jazz and instrumental jazz which is a put off.
If your music collection does not include a majority of pip chart busters then the feature is pretty much useless. I bit the hook and let itunes scan my 1.5 TB library which took around 5 hours only to find that the program only recognizes about %15 of my total music collection. All other songs and albums retrieve a generic error message.
If this was to be on of the most touted features it really only works for the pop music masses.
Malahki Thorn
Founder / Lead Editor
Heathen Harvest Magazine
www.heathenharvest.com
Posts: 17
Genius?
I heartily agree with Brian.
Most of this is for kids!
Playlist, shuffle, most recently played and crap like that and now Genius are all things I find highly annoying and totally useless for serious music listening.
If instead Apple had provided better sound through iTunes I would have been pleased.
From what I can read here no such thing has happened.
Therefore I see no reason to upgrade, or should I rather say change from what I already have!
I don´t need Apple to tell me what to listen to and download!
I have never ever downloaded anything from iTunes and until they actually start selling hi res files, I never will!
Chrille
Posts: 65
Off topic!
Off topic, but very pro looking website ironwood, are you really into jazz too? ;)
I like the article about werewolves.
Peter
Western Australia