iTunes 7.1 out, claims to play nicer with Vista

It looks like those legions of iPod owners who have been taking Apple's advice to hold off on upgrading to Vista can finally dust off their month-old DVD cases and get their upgrade on, as iTunes 7.1 has officially been released with "a number" of the compatibility issues accounted for. According to the release notes, however, a few known problems still remain, with the most serious being the nasty possibility that your iPod gets corrupted when you go by the book and select "Safely Remove Hardware" from the taskbar to, um, safely remove your hardware. Instead, users are advised to choose "Eject iPod" from the iTunes Control menu or "Restore" if they're reading this just a little too late. Other remaining quirks include sporadic address book syncs, messed up text and graphics (resizing the window should do the trick), and annoyingly, continued lack of support for any 64-bit editions of Windows, be it XP or Vista. Meanwhile, in other news, the ten Zune owners who also rock a Mac are still waiting patiently for Microsoft to acknowledge their existence.

[Via Digital Media Thoughts]

[Christian Martin @ Mar 6th 2007 12:17PM]

Hey, now I can install Vista! Thanks SteveCo!

Whatever. I ditched iTunes and Quicktime on my PCs long ago; the Macs in my home will surely benefit from this update...right?

[jblase @ Mar 6th 2007 12:19PM]

"You are attempting to install a product made by a competitor; Cancel or Cancel?"

[Manuel @ Mar 6th 2007 12:28PM]

I still prefer iTunes over windows media player or winamp

[Giltronic @ Mar 6th 2007 12:34PM]

full screen cover flow is nice.

thats the only thing i noticed

[Miranda Kali @ Mar 6th 2007 12:46PM]

Finally! Now I can install that great new OS that won't run on my system AND that wonderful media player that won't play video on my system...
(oops...I think I just burned out the sarcasm filter on my machine)

[Eric @ Mar 6th 2007 12:50PM]

Zune AND a Mac owner? Does this type of fool really exist?

[Nick @ Mar 6th 2007 2:22PM]

I doubt it - most Mac users are pretty smart people.. We'll stick with our iPods :]

[nima @ Mar 6th 2007 1:01PM]

does anybody with an ipod have a problem with ratings? Whenever I reconnect my ipod to my computer, the ratings I gave my songs goes away..I have synchronization turned off. I hope this release fixes that issue. The Apple Store people just randomly (and unsuccessfully) 'restored' my ipod a bunch of times. ipod forums were no use either..
Do Vista song ratings play nice with iTunes ratings?

[DM @ Mar 6th 2007 1:01PM]

lol @ Ten Zune owners. Please, that joke has become old. The first generation iPod sold less compared to Zune.

[Paula @ Mar 6th 2007 1:25PM]

Well, most of us who bought a Zune want to avoid Apple entirely...

Though if someone gets OSX running on a Zune, I wouldn't complain.

[james cordero @ Mar 6th 2007 8:44PM]

DM don't be so sure, when the original iPod first came out, the mp3 player market was considerably smaller than what it is now. So the iPod may have have had more impact on the market overall. It's impact overall cannot be denied since it's launch.

[Jason @ Mar 6th 2007 1:11PM]

The first generation iPod was hacking away at new territory. What's the Zune have that's going to revolutionize portable music? Squirting?

[Cupajo @ Mar 6th 2007 2:09PM]

"The first generation iPod was hacking away at new territory. "

Incorrect, fan-boy. The first MP3 player was the Saehan MPMan (from Korea) followed closely by the Diamond Rio. The first mass-storage player (with a hard drive instead of flash memory) was the Hango PBJ-100.

You might want to get your facts straight before you start spouting Apple's line of BS.

[Mrmean @ Mar 6th 2007 1:15PM]

Read much DM?

the ten Zune owners who also rock a Mac

[cs32 @ Mar 6th 2007 1:21PM]

That last line in the post is pathetic. Ignore all the bugs in Apple software, corrupting disks, incorrectly sending data to the iPod. If you can send music across correctly, why can't you send calendar data? Must be MS's (oh, sorry, M$'s) fault, right? All those problems, but you need to cover it up with a swipe at MS (sorry again, M$). This site is turning into more and more of a Apple fanboy site everyday. Not about showing off the latest gadgets, but doing whatever you can to promote the almighty Jobs. And I find myself clicking fewer and fewer ads to support this site.

[Kichigai Mentat @ Mar 6th 2007 2:50PM]

Funny, because the only thing that changed in many users lives was XP to Vista, not iTunes. Besides, didn't the Zune face a little trouble with Vista, as well as a selection of other MP3 players, including Samsung and iRiver players?

[MrE @ Mar 6th 2007 4:44PM]

How come I cannot sync my calendar and appointments with my new Zune? Oh, thats right, the Zune doesn't have those features you nitpicked about. And, a fanboy calling out another fanboy is sad. Just play with your toys regardless of whom manufactured them.

[ThePete @ Mar 6th 2007 1:39PM]

I actually saw a person WITH a Zune today--couldn't tell if she was a Mac-user or not, but she had a brown Zune... I was tempted to ask her about it, but I was afraid she'd do something disturbing. I mean, she did CHOOSE to have a BROWN Zune... >shudder

[Matt @ Mar 6th 2007 1:54PM]

Anyone else wonder when the iTunes logo will ditch that atiquated disc?

[Giltronic @ Mar 6th 2007 11:14PM]

how about just asking engadget to change it to the new blue color...

[nima @ Mar 6th 2007 1:57PM]

does anybody with an ipod have a problem with ratings? Whenever I reconnect my ipod to my computer, the ratings I gave my songs goes away..I have synchronization turned off. I hope this release fixes that issue. The Apple Store people just randomly (and unsuccessfully) 'restored' my ipod a bunch of times. ipod forums were no use either..
Do Vista song ratings play nice with iTunes ratings?

[Tom @ Mar 6th 2007 2:01PM]

don't forget to Run As Administrator on the installer....

[Jason @ Mar 6th 2007 2:47PM]

@Cupajoe (can't anyone not hide behind these silly nicknames?) - I'm not a "fan-boy" as you say. Please remember that when replying to others in the future that are simply pointing out the facts. I really don't think the iPod is a great player. It does its job and it's simple. That's great. Apple is working toward supporting their platform on Vista, which is also great.

As for your facts: Where are those players and how many people had them? Were they hacking into the market at the time? I remember portable CD players and minidisc players being pretty aggressive then. Did the iPod get it right and make those obsolete or at least push them into the background? Yes. Did those players have the same "revolutionary" interface, marketing, and integration? Not that I remember. Where do you not see new territory here? The only thing the Zune is bringing to the table is "squirting" with wifi, which is an idea, but poorly implemented.

The post I was replying to was a poor comparison. Now that MS is on the flip side, trying to break into the iPod market, people are up in arms because it's not working. It's the same "fan-boy" mentality that you say Apple supporters have been displaying with Microsoft's market share in the PC arena.

[holyhell @ Mar 6th 2007 3:14PM]

"I doubt it - most Mac users are pretty smart people.. We'll stick with our iPods :]"

More like, since we don't really have any choice, and Stevie says it's the best, I guess we'll stick with our ipods.

Doesn't take much shmarts to pick the one product available for the niche OS player.

[MacVicta @ Mar 6th 2007 2:43PM]

"Incorrect, fan-boy. The first MP3 player was the Saehan MPMan (from Korea) followed closely by the Diamond Rio. The first mass-storage player (with a hard drive instead of flash memory) was the Hango PBJ-100."

I believe you're the one who's incorrect, fanboy.

Jason said "the iPod was hacking away at new territory." He didn't say "but iPod IS THE VERY FIRST MP3 PLAYER EVER CREATED!" That's just how people such as yourself project iPod users when there's not a single one of us who thinks the iPod is the first mp3 player.

You might want to read more accurately before you start spouting the anti-Apple fanboy BS.

[scarpad @ Mar 7th 2007 10:02AM]

The Only Ipod I own is a Shuffle and I ditched Itunes and use it with Mediacenter 12.

[Cupajo @ Mar 6th 2007 3:36PM]

"Jason said "the iPod was hacking away at new territory." He didn't say "but iPod IS THE VERY FIRST MP3 PLAYER EVER CREATED!" That's just how people such as yourself project iPod users when there's not a single one of us who thinks the iPod is the first mp3 player."


Not a single one of you? That is one bold statement. And another incorrect one, at that. I have met plenty of iPod zombies who are under the impressions that it is the first, best, and last MP3 player. The Aplha and Omega. The MP3 player Jesus used and will use upon his glorious return.
But riddle me this. What exactly was the "new territory" that Apple was hacking away at? Because the only thing iPod has going for it is marketing. And that's certainly not new territory. In fact, Apple has been "hacking away" at that since the first iMac. Marketing. It's how you convince people that an inferior product is actually the best choice.

[nike @ Mar 6th 2007 2:45PM]

Meanwhile, in other news, the ten Zune owners who also rock a Mac are still waiting patiently for Microsoft to acknowledge their existence.
----------------
Damn engadget...the Apple check must have come in early this month.

[Ricardo @ Mar 6th 2007 3:18PM]

Cupajo, well said. Bunch of fanboys over here..even the so-called Editors...sigh!

Happy Zune owner! :P

[Ricardo @ Mar 6th 2007 3:22PM]

When ipod G1 launched there were already HDD players on the market from different manufactures. The Zune G1 is on the same boat as iPod G1 and it's selling much better than that ipod generation. Say what you want Apple fanboys. That is a fact after 4 months. We will see in 3 years. nobody can predict the future. I just want the Zune breathing over iPod neck and see the face of every iPod lover when this date arrive.

[Steve @ Mar 6th 2007 3:23PM]

Note to Kichigai Mentat:

Please don't be daft. The problem is that Apple was aware that Microsoft was releasing this new OS and did nothing to prepare for the inevitable compatibility issues that would arise.

Yes, yes... I get it. M$ is a big, evil cooperation. Apple is the smart, quirky underdog. I love my iPods. At the same time, this type of arrogance ("If we don't correct for Vista, then everyone'll buy Macs so they can use their iPods") deserves nothing but scorn.

[iam25boy @ Mar 6th 2007 3:26PM]

I freaking hate iTunes 7 nowdays.. It is painfully slow compare to other software on XP (ie, winamp, foobar, media monkey). It breaks the DAAP protocol that other has been supported with new fields. So now I can't share my music with other devices. Did I mention the it's painfully slow now compare to previous version?

[Steve @ Mar 6th 2007 3:26PM]

I used the Vista/iTunes downtime to take the plunge into Foobar/Rockbox with my (backup) 4G 20g Color iPod. I've since installed the firmware to my 2G 6g mini, and I haven't looked back.

The one thing that I thought that I would miss desperately (smart playlists) actually hasn't been that big an issue for me, surprisingly.

[íkaros @ Mar 6th 2007 5:21PM]

Greetings, Cupajo.

"But riddle me this. What exactly was the "new territory" that Apple was hacking away at? Because the only thing iPod has going for it is marketing. And that's certainly not new territory."

Apple is not good at marketing. Apple is good at marketing *their products*. They would probably suck at trying to sell used cars, for instance. So, your assertion that marketing is "certainly not new territory" is at best irrelevant.

Now, as to your other assertion - that Apple has going for it only "marketing." That's hardly a generally accepted fact. So, you probably ought to back that up with some facts - or at least a persuasive anectode.

To deny that the design itself - divorced from other factors such as performance, lifespan, etc - is novel and pleasant - if not brilliant, then either you're ignorant of the iPod itself or you have some interest in smashing Apple that compels you to ignore the obvious. Either way, that's at least *one* other feature that the iPod has "going for it."

[Aaron @ Mar 6th 2007 7:56PM]

"The MP3 player Jesus used and will use upon his glorious return"

Hahahaha, Apple will do one better. I can see it now...

Steve Jobs: "We here at Apple feel that Jesus fails to connect with todays consumer. Their image of the messiah is practically thousands of years old. And there's an opportunity there. Today, we are proud to unveil a new deity. And we call it... iJesus."

Anyway, don't let the fanboys get to ya. Whenever someone posts something even remotely anti-Apple, they get assaulted with angry replies... I wish it wasn't like that, it's unfortunate.

[tim. @ Mar 6th 2007 3:47PM]

i'm just amazed at the "Zune fanboys" who had nothing better to do than read a whole article/comments thread about an Apple product, apparently for the sole purpose of bitching about "Apple fanboys".

waaah waaah waaah, i hate apple! dude. then go buy a Dell. believe it or not, the people who are buying Apple products -- and thus, presumably, the only ones who should really be expected to care about things like new iTunes releases -- aren't going to read your comment, think to themselves "oh, my god, i've been wrong this whole time!! THANK YOU "cupajo" for showing me the LIGHT!" and run to the nearest Best Buy to shuck their dirty Mac overskins.

dear gods. it's people like you that make me BELIEVE the "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" commercials. where the PC is a silly old prick who can't get over himself.

[Ricardo @ Mar 6th 2007 3:52PM]

Tim, you should say the same to the iPod fanboys that go to every Zune news post(about fake screen cracks, the WiFi that the iPod doesn't have) were the Engaget editors bash it to no end. They said....a lot worse things than us HERE.

[richard hawkins @ Mar 6th 2007 3:56PM]

I've been getting weird problems with the syncing on XP. Album art is still on the ipod but is randomised. Apple we know you would like life to be random but album art is just going too far

[godgivemestrength @ Mar 6th 2007 4:13PM]

'Meanwhile, in other news, the ten Zune owners who also rock a Mac are still waiting patiently for Microsoft to acknowledge their existence.'

hahahahahaha

[Jason @ Mar 6th 2007 4:38PM]

Re-read the posts again, Cupajo and very, very carefully. "New territory" is an MP3 player in every pocket. "New territory" is how to manage a huge amount of music on one device in a relatively easy way. "New territory" IS good marketing. Those other players "failed" because they failed to see the big picture and how to make it all work. Give Apple some credit for that.

@ Ricardo - The Zune is competing in an MP3 and compressed music, hard-drive based audio playing world. CDs are the past. The iPod came out amongst physically different and established competing formats (CDs, minidiscs) and succeeded in doing what I said above to Cupajo. MS needs something better than a re-branded Sansa player with limited wifi to compete. They need killer marketing and a lot of user-control, which Apple doesn't really offer.

In other words, you are both missing the point. It's like comparing a similarly configured Dell to one of Apple's computers. What other factors are in play here? Apple has always been a savvy marketer. I'm sorry to say that Microsoft just doesn't get it most of the time. Perhaps they are too computer-oriented and are talking way over people's heads. I don't know. I don't wish the Zune to fail. I wish the Zune to "wow" me with something new. I'm really getting tired of the ipod thing, just like I've been tired of fixing PCs that are running Windows because they seem built to fail after a certain amount of time. When someone does something really well and people adopt it, the bar gets raised and it takes clever inventors to set a new level. That's your "new territory." I don't know how I can explain it any clearer or really, why I'm even trying. :P

[Cupajo @ Mar 6th 2007 7:02PM]

"Re-read the posts again, Cupajo and very, very carefully. "New territory" is an MP3 player in every pocket. "New territory" is how to manage a huge amount of music on one device in a relatively easy way. "New territory" IS good marketing. Those other players "failed" because they failed to see the big picture and how to make it all work. Give Apple some credit for that."

'An MP3 player in every pocket? Wow, you have a stunning gift for hyperbole. Anyway, I hate to disappoint you, but 'popularity' does not equal 'quality'. The fact of the matter is that the iPod is an inferior product. Poor battery life, poor compatibility, fewer features than it's competitors. But in case that wasn't enough to convince you, it's also $100 more expensive. To make up for all that, you get a very smartly designed box. Marketing. That's all the iPod has, or has ever had, going for it.+

[Andrew @ Mar 6th 2007 5:14PM]

I tried the "Safely Remove Hardware" Function (Because I have a huge set of balls, might I add) and it didnt do anything, Just didnt eject the iPod.

Of Course, if you REMOVE your iPod without looking at it, then yeah, your stuff is gonna be corrupted.


Having to open iTunes to eject is a pain. GET ON IT APPLE!

[Cupajo @ Mar 6th 2007 7:03PM]

How is the design any great shakes? It's a white box with a circle on it. Ooo! Somebody call Frank Lloyd Wright!

[Steve @ Mar 6th 2007 7:53PM]

I mean, if you actually want to go there, the original ipod is currently in the Museum of Modern Art, so...

[Linus Torvalds @ Mar 6th 2007 7:31PM]

It would be so much easier for us all if the Apple and MS fanboys would stop fighting. Between Zune vs. iPod, Windows vs. Mac, its annoying. We could all make piece by getting a Sandisk Sansa and a Ubuntu install disk.

[Linus Torvalds @ Mar 6th 2007 7:34PM]

I meant peace not piece, wow...

[Steve @ Mar 6th 2007 7:52PM]

Honestly, I used the Itunes/Vista downtime to explore the foobar/rockbox combination on my (backup) 20 GB ipod color. I've since installed the latest build to my 2G Ipod mini and haven't looked back. The one thing I thought that I would miss desperately (smart playlists) hasn't been as big an issue for me in practice.

I'll avoid the fanboy crowing about features and just suggest that people having iTunes issues consider alternative options (and, yes, QTFairUse is your friend if you make the plunge).

[Cupajo @ Mar 7th 2007 8:06AM]

"I mean, if you actually want to go there, the original ipod is currently in the Museum of Modern Art, so..."


Exactly. So?

[cswallow01 @ Mar 6th 2007 8:56PM]

In other news...
SonicStage 4.3/Sony CONNECT is now Vista Compatible.

-AAC protected with FairPlay @ 128kbps is no better than ATRAC3 protected with MagicGate @ 132kbps.
-At least Sony lets you re-download your entire purchase library for FREE!!!
(AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN)
-7 Audio CD Playlist Burn. (Same as iTunes.)
-Unlimited Portable Device transports with your Sony DAP authorizediwith CONNECT.
(Export Exludes: Memory Stick & Minidisc exportation Warner Music Group purchases which are limited to 3 check-in/out transfers.)

Sony haters would do good to remember that!

www.connect.com

[Snesgirl @ Mar 7th 2007 4:27AM]

Meanwhile, in other news, the ten Zune owners who also rock a Mac are still waiting patiently for Microsoft to acknowledge their existence.

LOL. Class. :)