Apple preps iTunes 7.5 for November release
A new version of Apple Inc.'s iTunes media software due as early as next week will deliver a number of small refinements, but is not expected to introduce any major new features, AppleInsider has learned.
Due for release as iTunes 7.5, the software update will offer increased stability and better management of duplicate song and video entries, people familiar with the matter say.
Apple also hopes the new version will ease troubles faced by some iTunes Store customers while attempting to upgrade certain standard iTunes tracks to iTunes Plus versions.
Users of the current version of iTunes have experienced an issue where iTunes Plus upgrades cause the software to hang indefinitely following data downloads, eventually requiring a force quit.
iTunes 7.5 will simultaneously be made available for users of Microsoft's XP and Vista Widnows operating systems and include better troubleshooting methods.
The software is currently in late beta and targeted for a release within the next week, as it is also expected to bundle support for the UK and German versions of iPhone. However, those familiar with the matter say plans for critical software releases such as iTunes are often subject to change, which could push the release out by a few additional days.
Nonetheless, iTunes 7.5 should be available by mid-month at the latest.
Due for release as iTunes 7.5, the software update will offer increased stability and better management of duplicate song and video entries, people familiar with the matter say.
Apple also hopes the new version will ease troubles faced by some iTunes Store customers while attempting to upgrade certain standard iTunes tracks to iTunes Plus versions.
Users of the current version of iTunes have experienced an issue where iTunes Plus upgrades cause the software to hang indefinitely following data downloads, eventually requiring a force quit.
iTunes 7.5 will simultaneously be made available for users of Microsoft's XP and Vista Widnows operating systems and include better troubleshooting methods.
The software is currently in late beta and targeted for a release within the next week, as it is also expected to bundle support for the UK and German versions of iPhone. However, those familiar with the matter say plans for critical software releases such as iTunes are often subject to change, which could push the release out by a few additional days.
Nonetheless, iTunes 7.5 should be available by mid-month at the latest.
Comments
The difference these third party plugins make is phenomenal and does make you wonder why itunes has to sound so bad by default.
I wasn't aware that my duplicate songs and videos had a problem.
I'm expecting iTunes 7.5 to include a fix for the 100% processor bug when syncing an iPod classic.
Also, I'd love to see better control of the AppleTV menu hierarchy. I know that Movies/TV Shows/YouTube makes sense for most people, but I'd like to have:
Twins (I have 2 yr old twin girls)
CedarMont Kids
DVD a
DVD b, etc
Josh (my 6 yr old son)
Scooby Doo
Title A
Title B, etc.
Home VIdeos
2001
2002, etc
TV Shows
Movies
This way, my son can keep in his area and not mess with the other stuff.
While I am on my soapbox, why doesn't Apple produce a lower-cost AppleTV w/o a hard drive - I never play stuff from the 40G drive since it's too small. I'd rather it be used as a smart cache for recently viewed items, etc. or done away with and just spool from the computer. Just my 2 cents worth.
I want to be able to use my iPhone on Vista x64.
C'mon Apple, get with the times.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301301
Apple also hopes the new version will ease troubles faced by some iTunes Store customers while attempting to upgrade certain standard iTunes tracks to iTunes Plus versions.
How exactly is this done?
Edit: Never mind. Figured it out.
When did iTunes stopped being supported on W2k?
I wouldn't pay it much mind. They probably didn't want to bother supporting an OS that's eight years old now. It still works for me on W2k. The same goes for Safari too. The only thing is that if you try to get support, you might not be successful. Not that I remember having any problems with iTunes, and the problems with Safari beta were because of Safari, exactly the problems I see on XP too.
How exactly is this done?
Go to the store and click on iTunes Plus.
The difference these third party plugins make is phenomenal and does make you wonder why itunes has to sound so bad by default.
There *is* a phenomenal difference using plugins like SRS. I've tried it. It's enormous.
It's also incredibly artificial and fatiguing sounding. It makes cheap speakers sound OK, and good speakers sound like week-old ass. iTunes doesn't have an inherent sound, it simply decodes the MP3s and plays them back**. The most likely contributors to poor sound quality are poor source material (128k or less MP3s being a perfect example), poor speakers (laptop speakers, multimedia speakers, or pretty much anything from Best Buy), and poor ears. Having been a professional sound engineer for over 15 years, and having listened to iTunes on a variety of audiophile systems and studio monitors as well as the little guys in my MBP, I will confidently assert that iTunes itself is not to blame. I consider using SRS and the like as a way to correct problems with your speakers and to modify the sound to match your preferences, but iTunes needs no correction itself.
Don't think you can afford really good speakers? Try diyaudio.com and zaphaudio.com. You'll be amazed what a hundred bucks (or less) can do when marketing isn't part of the equation.
(** I'm sure you can find a test in which someone compares WinAmp, iTunes, etc., and finds differences. I'll be SERIOUSLY surprised if any competently-performed test finds differences as significant as even the slightest amount of processing done by SRS.)
Maybe it will also finally let you display "Episode Number" in the column view for TV shows.
I also hope they fix the UI inconsistency in Leopard (inactive iTunes windows are the same color as active ones, as opposed to a lighter shade as with other apps), but I'm not counting on it.
Personally, I *would* count on it. I doubt Apple hasn't noticed the inconsistency. Perhaps the scroll bars will go back to their aqua look too. The rest of leopard has them. A shame too, since I like the scroll bars in iTunes more than the aqua ones.
http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-980...tag=nefd.pulse
Can someone explain why we need better management of duplicate songs and videos?
I wasn't aware that my duplicate songs and videos had a problem.
Thee dupe management needs to be better where you can maybe check a box to find TRUE dupes and not simply the same song title. For instance I also have alot of jazz box sets loaded into iTunes by Miles, Coltrane and so on. Some albums might have several takes of the same songs which are very different styles, lengths and so on. Or maybe live versions. I would want to keep all of those
When I click show dupes, I would love the option to skip those and just show dupes of the exact recording that I might have already loaded in or have several from different albums (collections, greatest hits albums, etc.) Basically that are the same title, time and year. Then I would be able to remove easier than sifting through the many "so called" duplicated iTunes presents to me.
I wonder if there's any chance it might provide better support for songs with multiple artists. This has bugged me since I made the switch from Windows Media Player (back when I owned a PC) to iTunes. With WMP, if a song had multiple artists you just put a semicolon between each and they song and album would appear under each artist. iTunes makes multiple artists into different artists and this is horrible when synced to an iPod when you end up with 12 different listings for the same artist (Pink, Pink featuring Indigo Girls, Pink Featuring James T. Moore, etc., etc.).
Maybe it will also finally let you display "Episode Number" in the column view for TV shows.
Amen, brother! iTunes really needs a "Featured Artist" tag.