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Roundup of the other new iTunes 7 features
We've given you a walkthrough of the heavy hitting new features in the just-released iTunes 7. We've shown you the new backup feature, as well as the slick new reverse syncing, and we've even explored how the new iTunes 7 UI could hint at an Aqua renaissance in the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Now, we'd like to round up all the other little changes in this new version. You know, the missing and relocated buttons, the new preferences, the tiny quirks and the new whathaveyou's. Here is a list of what else we've found in the new iTunes 7, compiled from tips, our own tinkering and comments on our previous posts.The browser button (which also doubled as the Burn button) has been moved from the top right, next to the search box, to the bottom right corner of the window. It is also an intelligent button, for example: if you have set your burning preferences to Data Disc, as I have, the button will change to display "Burn Data Disc." Nice.
Apple announces iTunes 7
Scott nailed it right on the head ladies and gents: one of the big announcements of today's event was a much-updated iTunes version 7, bringing a slew of new shopping, organizing and playing options to Apple's media software. As of this writing, Apple hasn't made the new software available yet, so we're going to recap the announcement to help you stay on top of the essentials. Here's a rundown of what's new: The iTunes Music Store is now, simply, the iTunes Store. While removing 'Music' from the title certainly helps move the store's branding into the multi-media monster it has become, it sounds like they're stuck with the 'iTunes' (music related) branding Album & Cover Flow views - you can now view your library by album art covers, or use a snazzy 3D 'cover flow' (you mean, like CoverFlow?) to really show off New Source organization - each media type gets its own library and source, offering much easier access and organization Gapless playback - MP3, AAC and Apple Lossless files that are one cohesive album can now sound like one 640 x 480 video resolution for TV and - as everyone predicted - movie downloads from the likes of Disney, Pixar, Touchstone, Miramax. Movies adopt the same usage rights as TV shows (i.e. - no burning) Integrated iPod management - you can adjust what media is synced to your iPod from within iTunes, instead of having to clunk around in the preferences. We haven't seen what this looks like yet, but it sounds like a much better idea for obvious reasons Transfer purchases via iPod - now when Engadget and MacRumors reported this, it sounded like the entire library was transferable between registered computers. This feature, taken from the actual keynote slide, makes it sound like this will work only for iTS purchases Download manager - begin listening to and watching your media while it finishes downloading There's the wrap of what we heard so far. keep an eye out for a walkthrough as soon as we can get our hands on a copy of iTunes 7.
iTunes to be rebranded as "Showtime?"
There might be more to the iTunes store being down than we originally thought. A little bird sent us a tip that belies the possibility that the 'Showtime' buzzword Apple's been using to promote their special event today could be the actual new name of the iTunes/Music/Movie Store and software. This link points to a phobos.apple.com/showtime page which echoes the same phrase we've been seeing elsewhere. Those phobos.apple links, if you haven't seen them before, are iTMS-specific links, allowing users to link directly to items inside the store. The fact that there's a /showtime/ after this one makes it all the more suspicious.Could this be a complete iTunes rebranding? Or Apple just covering their tracks by throwing off the scent?Or this just might be a temporary thing for today, either way stay tuned.
TUAW "It's Showtime!" predictions
It's that time ladies and gentlemen: the pre-event post where the TUAW team put it all on the line and offer up their predictions on what we'll be throwing down our credit cards for after tomorrow's It's Showtime special event. In all actuality, there isn't much on the line for us, but it's still fun to see how close we can come to predicting Apple's product roadmap. Without further adieu, here are our predictions, in no particular order:Scott McNulty plays it safe with predictions that echo the rest of the Apple-anxious internets: New iPod Movies in the iTunes Music Store iTunes 7 Dan Pourhadi is as excited for iPods as the rest of us, but is also hoping for something new along the lines of other video devices, including even some sort of an Apple TV: Movie download service Video streaming device (and possibly TVs to go with it) Some kind of new iPod (leaning towards metal nano) Dave Caolo is keeping it conservative as well: Movies in iTunes Updated iPod David Chartier (yours truly) - I don't feel the need to echo what's already been said, but I am also tossing my bet in with Dan Pourhadi on a video streaming device in the specific form of an updated AirPort Express, as it is probably the Apple product of all the potential new gadgets tomorrow that hasn't been touched, updated or so much as sneezed at for the longest time. Also, along with Scott's prediction of iTunes 7, I think the new version will usher in a new name for the store.I'll also take the liberty to throw down some non-predictions: I don't think tomorrow will have anything to do with Macs whatsoever, including these new rumors of a sub-Mac Pro tower and new chips in MacBook Pros. I think tomorrow is all about the entertainment, iPods and any related gadgets, baby!But don't take our word for it - we'll find out in about 16 hours whether we're one step closer to gaining 'magic 8-ball' status. Stay tuned!
A list of potential movies and a name change for the iTMS
DVguru, a sister blog, is just as excited for an iTunes Music Movie Store as we are, and they've been doing their own digging into what Apple's September 12th "It's Showtime" special event could bring. The gurus of all things DV found a post at iPodHub.net containing a supposed list of movies that will be released from Disney and their subsidiaries in the iTMS over the next year, though a source isn't cited, nor is a reason given for the one year rollout. Movies both old and new are apparently lined up from Disney, Pixar, Mirimax, Touchstone Pictures and Lion's Gate Entertainment. However, since Lion's Gate's CEO already dropped a few of his own hints, iPodHub.net might be on to something here.Also on iPodHub.net's list of source-less rumoring is (finally) a name change coming to the iTunes Music Store. Apple has stocked their digital shelves with a lot more content than simply music for quite some time now, and some kind of a name alteration is long overdue. Either way, stay tuned for our September 12th coverage to find out the juicy details on exactly what you'll be whipping out your credit cards for next week.
That awesome OK Go video is in the iTMS
OK Go is a pretty rocking little band signed to a major label, but they release their videos using the grassroots goodness of the internets like YouTube and Google Video. Their latest craze is the video for a song called Here It Goes Again, and it's the work of pure genius.While the video is of course available in crummy Flash quality for free, I just noticed today that it appeared in the iTMS (link) for $1.99, and I'm having a hard time thinking of many other bands who deserve a purchase as much as OK Go for such hard and creative work - no matter how measly their cut may be.
MySpace challenges (?) iTunes with indie music store
MySpace has joined the recent crowd of iTunes wanna-be's. MySpace announced Friday that before the end of 2006 it will give unsigned, independent bands a place to sell their music. Musicians will be able to sell tunes on their own MySpace pages and on fan pages. And here's the best news--the MP3's sold at MySpace will not be shackled by DRM and will work on the iPod and other music players. Prices will be set by the individual bands, who will pay a "small" distribution fee to MySpace.MySpace co-founder Chris DeWolfe told Reuters: "The goal is to be one of the biggest digital music stores out there. Everyone we've spoken to definitely wants an alternative to iTunes and the iPod. MySpace could be that alternative." Whether a MySpace music store is a real threat to iTunes Music Store is anybody's guess, but I'd say it's unlikely. On the one hand, independent, unsigned artists, no matter how good they are, are not direct competition for established musicians who have the backing of the powerful music industry. And iTMS is so entrenched as the place to go for music downloads that it will be hard to unseat.On the other hand, in its favor, MySpace has a huge potential customer base for indie music. It's been ranked as the #1 most visited site on the Web and is wildly popular with teens, who are a great market for undiscovered bands. It will have lots of music to offer from three million independent bands. MySpace differs from other iTunes challengers, like Microsoft Zune, and the newly announced Samsung music subscription service, because its offerings won't be locked up by DRM, and MySpace is not controlled by the recording industry (although it is backed by powerful parent company News Corporation).Should Apple be watching its back? What do you think?
myTunes brings a GUI to stripping iTMS DRM
These crazy hackers are moving fast these days, but Engadget has stayed in stride by providing a walk-through of myTunes, a GUI front-end to QTFairUse (sadly, Windows only - for now), that python code they mentioned earlier this week (not to be confused with any other products by the name of 'myTunes').A big downer for this app, however, is the way it works its DRM-be-gone magic: it can only work on tracks as they're played in real time. Even then, you're left with a file (sans any metadata like ratings or ID3 tags) which needs to be re-constructed into a playable AAC file with a second tool, though that process seems to take mere seconds per track. Engadget recommends letting the stripping process run overnight, so you can get a good 8 hours or so of unshackled music from each batch. Check out their walk-through for more instructions and ideas on how to optimize this process.myTunes might not be pretty yet, but it sounds like the developer(s) have a polishing roadmap in place, including simplifying this to a one-step process. For now, it still is the only method we know of for setting your iTMS purchases free.
iTMS movie downloads in September - but only one studio on board so far?
The rumors are flying even faster in the last couple days that movies could appear in the iTMS as early as September. We're hearing that Apple might have an event planned in San Francisco for Sept. 12th, where they could announce iTMS movies, or simply a $300 leather case for their $350 iPod Hi-Fi. Curiously, Business Week is running an article about opposition against iTMS movies from Wal-Mart, of all companies (turns out they're the largest DVD retailer with 40% of the market). Business Week also mentions that Apple only has one studio signed on so far - Disney (of course) - though we aren't sure where they heard that (with studio CEOs dropping their own hints, it seems anything goes right now).So where does this all leave us? Honestly, we're not sure. Rumors are flying, but Apple hasn't officially made any event announcements or so much as sneezed in one direction or another. We wish we had more to tell you, but for now, we'll just have to keep our ears open.[Update: woops, Apple actually has confirmed a special event for September 12th.]
iTMS offers cultural explorations through music with new Back to School section
Just in time for a new fall semester, the iTMS has introduced a Back to School (iTMS link) section, offering playlists based on the many cultures, cliques and stereotypes that (love it or hate it) exist and collide on so many college campuses across our great planet. Groups like Hipsters, Hippies, Greeks, the Honor Roll, Club Kids, The Faithful and even Cowboys (and more) all are represented, with playlists ranging in price from around $25-$45 USD.If you ever needed a stereotyping microscope to peer into what these hooligan cliques are into these days, or if you're looking for a way into said cliques, these Back to School lists might just be the ticket.
Bob Dylan iPod ad on Apple.com
Even the great Mr. Dylan is getting in on the iPod promo fun, as a new iPod ad featuring the man himself has been posted on Apple's site. This particular iPod ad seems to break away from the norm, featuring a non-silhouetted Dylan, a plain white background and a dancer + iPod. It's also a promotion for Bob's new album, Modern Days (iTMS link), which we blogged a while back (that mega box set, titled The Collection, is also now available - iTMS link).In fact, in the same vein of this ad's breakaway theme, it doesn't even look that good. The white is an ugly off-white, and they might as well have made Bob a silhouette - given that the lighting on him is so crummy. The guy may be a little older these days, but he's still an icon, y'know?Either way, it's nice to see a truly influential cultural figurehead like Bob Dylan receiving the iTunes + iPod love.Thanks Andrew
Pre-order page on the iTunes Music Store
First Apple gave us one spot to get all those sweet, sweet free videos from the iTunes Music Store. Now, they have collected all the albums (do they still call them albums?) that are available for pre-order in one place. Apple has dubbed this page 'Tommorow's Hits Today,' which is kind of catchy.Get to pre-ordering!
Getting a podcast listed on iTunes
If you've gone to the trouble of creating a podcast, you're probably going to want to have it listed at iTMS. Whether and when that might happen is anyone's guess. Be prepared for some anxiety time as you wait a week or so to see if your podcast is accepted. Even if it is accepted, it won't necessarily show up on iTunes right away.I just went through the process myself. It took six days from the time I submitted to iTunes to the time my video podcast (iTunes link -- finally) appeared on the iTunes Music Store. During that time, I wasn't sure if there was some problem with my RSS feed, whether I'd used the right tags, or whether the delay was just part of the iTMS submission process. I finally got a form email from Apple telling me that my submission had been accepted, but it took another day after that for the podcast to show up in an iTunes search.If you're going through the iTunes submission process, the iTunes tech specs and the Apple Discussions Forum for podcast producers may help you figure out the process. But be prepared to wait.8/23/06 Update: After reviewing my records, it looks like there were fewer days than I'd originally figured between my submission to iTunes and the day I got my approval email. It came down to one business day because there was a weekend in between, with another day before the podcast came up in an iTunes search. My apologies to the good folks at iTunes. More news since I wrote this post -- my stats show that the majority of my podcast's hits have come through iTunes. So I'd say it's definitely worth submitting your podcasts to iTMS.
Use iMovie to remove iTMS DRM
This tip has apparently been around for quite a while, but the indispensable macosxhints just discovered it today, and I thought I'd share the love. It turns out that, using iMovie and at least one picture/video file, you can chose a couple of specific export options to crank out a DRM-free AIFF file from any of your iTMS songs. Bringing this file back into iTunes, of course, re-converts and compresses it to your bidding. It might be a roundabout solution, but if you can export more than one song per iMovie project (anyone care to try?), I bet this could turn out to be a bit easier than burning all those CDs.Check out macosxhints for the full instructions on using iMovie to de-DRM your tracks.
iTunes to allow video burning soon?
I used the question mark because nothing is set in stone here, but TUAW reader Ann-CA tipped us off to a report at the DVD Newsroom that Hollywood might actually be close to lifting some of their over-the-top restrictions on DVD burning. This slightly loosened grip on their content could allow for things like DVD burning kiosks (it better be a darn fast burner), and it could also give the green light to vendors like the iTunes Music Store to allow burning of purchased videos.The panel in charge of making and (finally) rewriting these rules is called the DVD Copy Control Association, according to DVD Newsroom. This DVDCCA is currently working on licensing the encryption technology (Content Scrambling System, or: CSS - nothing to do with web design) to digital distribution services, which is the key to allowing video burning.No ETA is offered on when these rewritten rules could see the light of day, or when video burning could arrive in the iTMS. If Hollywood's reaction times of the past are any indication (and I genuinely hope they aren't), however, we might all be using 7th or 8th gen iPods before we can watch iTMS video on something besides Apple-branded devices.
Columbia Records & Apple offer exclusive pre-order of Bob Dylan's new album, ticket promo
I guess the times certainly are a changin', as the man Bob Dylan himself has hopped on board with Apple and the iTunes Music Store to offer an exclusive pre-order ($13.99) of his upcoming new album, Modern Times, which lands on August 29th. Ticketmaster has even tossed their hat in, just like with the Red Hot Chili Peppers promo back in April, and is offering a pre-sale ticket opportunity for select dates on Mr. Dylan's tour to fans who pre-order the album.Now if that isn't enough Bob for you, Apple has also created a digital box set simply called 'The Collection' which boasts 800 songs, but be careful using that one-click purchase option: it's $199, and also lands on the 29th. "Bob Dylan is one of the most respected poets and musicians of our time, and he is a personal hero of mine," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, calling this opportunity a "a real thrill for us."Modern Times (iTMS link) is available for pre-order today, and fans who purchase it will receive a Ticketmaster code by email which can be used to get in on that pre-sale at Ticketmaster.com starting August 30th, while the tickets go on sale to the public September 9th. More information can be found at bobdylan.com, as well as ticketmaster.com/bobdylan.
Google will not compete with iTunes
For a while now, it's been an unspoken assumption that, with the introduction of a video service (that really hasn't gone anywhere), Google might try to step on Apple's toes and take on the iTMS. However, at the NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) conference this year Chris Sacca, head of Google's business development, confirmed exactly the opposite; that the company is not going to take on the 800 pound gorilla that is the iTMS. Chris then went on to make a call for the existing stores to come together, create a unified format, shake hands and sing kumbaya. A move that other notable folks, such as Cory Doctorow, have been calling for, while others respond with reality-checking prowess. Ultimately, it's probably a good thing Google isn't trying to move in on the digital music turf. It seems that some of their service offerings, such as Google Video, still need a bit of polish if they're really going to make a splash.[via Engadget]
Apple and Coke team up for European iTMS promotion
That Apple + Coca Cola promo we mentioned in June has been made a reality, but only in Europe - at least for now. MSNBC is reporting that iTunes has launched "the deepest alliance of its kind" to promote the iTMS on Coke's website in the UK and Germany, as the company will also be giving away 70 million songs on its products in a promo that sounds just like the Pepsi partnership of a year or so ago. Interestingly, Apple declined to comment on whether shaking hands with Coke meant that they had to stop drinking from the Pepsi fountain.It sounds like all you TUAW readers in the UK and Germany can keep your eyes out for the promotion to hit Coke's website and products sometime this month. Happy downloading![via iLounge]
eMusic hits No. 2 in digital music sales, thanks iPod
eMusic, a seemingly small-time digital music service that sells DRM-free MP3s of independent artists, has quietly overtaken other big name rivals such as RealNetworks, Yahoo! and even Napster for the #2 spot in digital music sales. The company attributes its success largely in part to the iPod's widespread popularity and the fact that MP3s play just fine on it, but also says "the consumer confusion over interoperable formats gives us a great advantage". In other words: the tower of babel that is the digital download industry has opened the door for a service that speaks everyone's language to snag the second largest piece of the pie. While not everyone is happy with 2nd place, eMusic seems to be enjoying their 11% of the industry, right after the iTMS at 67%, but way ahead of Real Rhapsody with 4%, Napster - 4% and MSN Music - 3% (data according to NPD Group).[via iLounge]
iTMS browser navigation and history works like Safari
A macosxhints post details how browsing the iTMS (as some might assume) works quite a bit like Safari. The poster discovered that clicking and holding on either the forward or back button in the iTMS will reveal a drop-down history menu. This ought to make browsing a bit easier for the chronic iTMS user (just don't blame us for the bill).I also noticed a little while ago that the standard Safari keyboard shortcuts of cmd + [ or ] will act as a back/forward command in the iTMS as well. Now all we need is bookmarking ability and a del.icio.us-like system for publicly marking and sharing albums for fellow users, and we'll be all set!
