Mozilla-based iTunes rival "Songbird" takes flight
A multi-year effort to deliver an open-source and customizable iTunes rival came to fruition this week with the release of Songbird 1.0, but whether it will sway some users from the Apple jukebox software remains to be seen.
The cross-platform player is available as a free download for Intel-based Macs, Windows and Linux. It's based on the same Gecko rendering engine that drives Mozilla's Firefox browser but comes wrapped in an extensible user interface that could easily be mistaken for iTunes.
Unlike the Apple media software, whose features are governed by the iPod maker and its licensing agreements, Songbird prides itself on extensibility through add-ons that allow you to customize the media player experience through collapsable panels and gain new functionality.
In addition to support for QuickTime playback and a variety of iPods, the inaugural release includes four other add-ons by default. Among them are SHOUTcast radio streaming, Last.fm Scrobbling, and Songkick integration for discovering and acquiring concert tickets related to artists in your library.
Another highly touted add-on is mashTape, which displays Flickr photos, YouTube videos, artist biographies, news items and other web content related to the artist currently playing. Dozens of other add-ons can be downloaded from Songbird's website.
For file formats, Songbird currently supports MP3, FLAC, and Vorbis on all platforms; WMA on Windows; and AAC on Windows and Mac. It's quick to import full iTunes libraries -- including DRM-wrapped tracks -- and maintains their associated metadata. For playback, the software uses the high-performance and open-source GStreamer multimedia framework.
Songbird's user interface was designed to be familiar to Apple iTunes users.
Still, there are a number of limitations and potential roadblocks that may combine to slow adoption of the new player, which also features a built-in web browser.
For example, Songbird 1.0 lacks CD ripping capabilities, and its list of compatible devices omits the most recent generation of iPods and all of Apple's Mac OS-based handhelds, including the iPhone and iPod touch. Zune is also unsupported, though support for all these devices, CD ripping, broader video support, and others are all on the software's roadmap.
A mashTape add-on displays related web content as songs play.
Another big question mark is what, if any, measures Apple will take to prevent Songbird compatibility with its software and media players going forward. The company has recently moved to squash efforts from open-source competitors aiming to develop products compatible with its iPod+iTunes ecosystem.
The cross-platform player is available as a free download for Intel-based Macs, Windows and Linux. It's based on the same Gecko rendering engine that drives Mozilla's Firefox browser but comes wrapped in an extensible user interface that could easily be mistaken for iTunes.
Unlike the Apple media software, whose features are governed by the iPod maker and its licensing agreements, Songbird prides itself on extensibility through add-ons that allow you to customize the media player experience through collapsable panels and gain new functionality.
In addition to support for QuickTime playback and a variety of iPods, the inaugural release includes four other add-ons by default. Among them are SHOUTcast radio streaming, Last.fm Scrobbling, and Songkick integration for discovering and acquiring concert tickets related to artists in your library.
Another highly touted add-on is mashTape, which displays Flickr photos, YouTube videos, artist biographies, news items and other web content related to the artist currently playing. Dozens of other add-ons can be downloaded from Songbird's website.
For file formats, Songbird currently supports MP3, FLAC, and Vorbis on all platforms; WMA on Windows; and AAC on Windows and Mac. It's quick to import full iTunes libraries -- including DRM-wrapped tracks -- and maintains their associated metadata. For playback, the software uses the high-performance and open-source GStreamer multimedia framework.
Songbird's user interface was designed to be familiar to Apple iTunes users.
Still, there are a number of limitations and potential roadblocks that may combine to slow adoption of the new player, which also features a built-in web browser.
For example, Songbird 1.0 lacks CD ripping capabilities, and its list of compatible devices omits the most recent generation of iPods and all of Apple's Mac OS-based handhelds, including the iPhone and iPod touch. Zune is also unsupported, though support for all these devices, CD ripping, broader video support, and others are all on the software's roadmap.
A mashTape add-on displays related web content as songs play.
Another big question mark is what, if any, measures Apple will take to prevent Songbird compatibility with its software and media players going forward. The company has recently moved to squash efforts from open-source competitors aiming to develop products compatible with its iPod+iTunes ecosystem.
Comments
I'm downloading now!
It also appears to play all of my iTunes purchased content...
It also appears to be a carbon-copy of iTunes. Zero effort to improve or at least be different from iTunes.
It's 1.0... give it time. When iTunes first started it looked a lot like Sound Jam.
Look at all web browsers... they all look pretty similar from an interface that Netscape started 15 years ago.
It also appears to be a carbon-copy of iTunes. Zero effort to improve or at least be different from iTunes.
Absolutely! Kudos to Monzilla for making an exact copy of iTunes, that must of really taken some major R&D! SongBird?? Worst name ever.
It's 1.0... give it time. When iTunes first started it looked a lot like Sound Jam.
Do you mean the Sound Jam that Apple bought to turn into iTunes? Is it any surprise that a later revision of a program is reminiscent of a previous version? It's clearly a legitimate reuse of the UI if they bought the rights to the program.
Absolutely! Kudos to Monzilla for making an exact copy of iTunes, that must of really taken some major R&D!
Making an app, especially a cross platform app, isn't easy, you can't just push a button and hope it works. I don't know what they were thinking when they put most of the controls and the simulated playback display at the bottom of the window.
SongBird?? Worst name ever.
I think it is more creative than putting the same letter in front of half of your product names.
It also appears to be a carbon-copy of iTunes. Zero effort to improve or at least be different from iTunes.
well sort of. it's more itunes merged with safari. although I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.
It's 1.0... give it time. When iTunes first started it looked a lot like Sound Jam.
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probably because Apple bought SoundJam and redeveloped it into iTunes.
It also appears to be a carbon-copy of iTunes. Zero effort to improve or at least be different from iTunes.
That depends on your definition of improve. If it's faster, uses less resources, allows me to connect any PMP and still offers the same functionality iTunes without requiring completely relearning the iTunes features I'm used to then I'd call it an improvement.
It also appears to be a carbon-copy of iTunes. Zero effort to improve or at least be different from iTunes.
That's not true - it's got the play button at the bottom instead of the top. That's real innovation.
OMFG apple could have innovated Numbers more!!!! LOL... it works and that's what people are familiar with. If Songbird came out with a completely different interface that was controversal what are the odds of people moving from iTunes to it? I'd say lower.
That's not true - it's got the play button at the bottom instead of the top. That's real innovation.
Have you guys even used it yet? Or are you just going off of the screenshots?
That depends on your definition of improve. If it's faster, uses less resources, allows me to connect any PMP and still offers the same functionality iTunes without requiring completely relearning the iTunes features I'm used to then I'd call it an improvement.
It doesn't do any of those things at this point, except copy the interface.
It doesn't do any of those things at this point, except copy the interface.
Incorrect. The basic download is quite similar but when you add in these, this is where it all gets better:
http://addons.songbirdnest.com/
Videos connects to places like youtube so you can play videos on it. The toolbar has a rating system in it so you don't have to find the song in the playlists / browser to rate the song.
It has a forward and back browser keeping track of your browsing history. I'm really impressed. This is easily the 2nd best player at this point and this is the first release.
Thunder-bird.... song-bird. Meh.
That's not true - it's got the play button at the bottom instead of the top. That's real innovation.
You can move it to the top or bottom.
When Mozilla adds CD ripping, I'll have to give this a try. Who doesn't love Mozilla? And, hopefully, Songbird won't be as "sluggish" as iTunes is on the PC (which is the only thing about iTunes that I don't like).
I bet it won't be long till you can import via LAME.
I love how I can browse the web in it as well.
Ok i'm done kissing mozilla's ass for the week. Now back to buggy firefox.
Seems to me it's like an iTunes on steroids. And maybe I'm not hearing them, but where are all the complaints about iTunes?
Not sure this birdy will fly, perhaps it fits better with Windows users.
What is wrong with having a product that does a few things really well? Why do they have to try and do everything and add more and more barely related features?
Seems to me it's like an iTunes on steroids. And maybe I'm not hearing them, but where are all the complaints about iTunes?
Not sure this birdy will fly, perhaps it fits better with Windows users.
Firefox got popular for that very reason. IE was a buggy incompatible insecure mess. Songbird will be just like firefox for windows. Windows Media Player is a joke. Songbird is already a welcome replacement for it. And on top of that it works on linux, so it's going to explode into the linux world. Last I checked Linux + Windows marketshare > apple marketshare. I think it will fly just fine.