Actually, I think that deal between Apple and Microsoft was only for five years, and it has since expired. It is possible they quietly renewed the deal, but we would have heard about that. Moreover, if it were still in place Apple could use Exchange outright instead of licensing from Microsoft. Microsoft probably could have reversed engineered Fair Play as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kvocal
I downloaded it and imported my entire iTunes Lib. It is a 98% copy of the iTunes interface. If you did not know better you could easily think you were using iTunes. If I was in intellectual property Lawyer I could have fun with this one. I know that Apple and MS have a deal where that can freely copy each others Ideas yet they do not do it this blatantly.
A lazy man would comment on something that they have yet to use. Did you use the product before commenting on it? We all want to know
While I'm happy to see there is an alternative, I don't understand what good this application is to those of us (I would suspect a great many) who sync with iPhone and/or iPod Touch and other recent handhelds that are not supported by Songbird? Why would I want to install and use Songbird in place of iTunes when iTunes works? Can I buy applications, rent/buy movies, applications for my iPhone or otherwise download from the iTunes Store with it? What good is it if it only "looks" like iTunes if it doesn't at least do what iTunes does and then more? I guess I'm missing something here . . .
At first glance it LOOKS similar to iTunes... they probably want people to feel at home... but this is a completely different product. Just read the frikken feature list before stating it's a copy. Lazy, lazy people!!!
Nobody reads the features(or EULA). Ordinary user use IE because it just happens to come with WinDohs.
'MOZILLA !!!!! START YOUR PHOTOCOPIERS NOW !!!!!!!'
It may have many features that are different from iTunes but if it 'LOOKS' just like the iTunes layout then that's just stupidity on their part or maybe they have a whole new looking interface waiting in the corner but just want to stir the press up?
'MOZILLA !!!!! START YOUR PHOTOCOPIERS NOW !!!!!!!'
It may have many features that are different from iTunes but if it 'LOOKS' just like the iTunes layout then that's just stupidity on their part or maybe they have a whole new looking interface waiting in the corner but just want to stir the press up?
So what if it looks like iTunes? That application is one of the most efficient, well laid-out applications I use on a daily basis (yes, depressed Windows user here \ ). Having given Songbird a test run today, it has a lot of potential. I already like the add-on that shows you lyrics right in the player, already a plus over iTunes. If they deliver CD ripping and iPhone support like they promise they will, I might have a new permanent music player.
The good thing I can see coming out of this is the openness of the application. Not even with open source aspect but the fact they use getsatisfaction.com for their feedback forum so you can depend on someone answering you, rather than just sending a message to Apple's feedback team which may or may not read it. On the other hand, unless Songbird can handle 95,500 plus songs, I will never switch.
Another big question mark is what, if any, measures Apple will take to prevent Songbird compatibility with its software and media players going forward.
A note to the AppleInsider writers - what is the point of the last two words of that sentence? Take them out and nothing changes except that it sounds a lot more like English than some hideous 'business speak'.
Songbird is awesome. the killer feature for me is that it supports FLAC. I had a lot of FLAC files and I refused to convert to Apple's proprietary format.
The one killer feature if they could add it is downconverting lossless files for syncing. i.e. I have an entire lossless library, but when moving music to my ipod nano, I can choose to load those files for mobile listening as a lower bitrate.
It would also be sweet if it supported the shuffle fill with random songs feature but for the apple nano as well.
i would give this a try, but two major negatives - so far for me:
1) no cd ripping
2) no iPod touch support, why try it if i cannot use my mp3 player with it (yet)
will wait to see what's up with a later version, but to me iTunes works fine. don't understand some of the iTunes bashing here, no one is forcing anyone to use it - you can buy a non-Apple mp3 player and/or use another media depository program (rhapsody/real, etc.). some folks just love to complain, win $300,000 in Vegas and would still find a way to complain.
It's always fun to come here and see the Apple Defense Force attack anything that in any way competes against Apple. Oh no! Mozilla created a free media player that competes against Apple's free media player! Apple stock will surely plummet with all the lost sales of their free iTunes media player!
As others suggested, maybe the majority of you should actually give it a try before you attack it simply for being non-Apple. I did and it's pretty interesting. The mashTape feature is pretty cool the way it links you to videos, photos, etc. for the currently playing artist. As is the lyrics plug-in someone else already mentioned, especially how once it finds the lyrics, just one click will permanently add those lyrics to the file's metadata. Maybe they got a little cute with some things, like skins are called "feathers" instead.
Will it replace iTunes for me? Obviously not until it can rip CD's. I didn't see how it handles video (if it does at all), but iTunes is pretty spotty about anything that isn't from the iTunes Store itself. But I don't watch much video on my iMac anyway. Not sure how it handles iPod syncing either. I was a bit afraid to plug it in for fear it might compete with iTunes for control.
As for it looking like a copy of iTunes, well what do you expect? It's a media player. All media players are going to look pretty much the same. Just like word processing software, spreadsheet aps, etc. How long would you use a spreadsheet program if someone decided to be "clever" and make the cells hexagons instead of rectangles?
The one killer feature if they could add it is downconverting lossless files for syncing. i.e. I have an entire lossless library, but when moving music to my ipod nano, I can choose to load those files for mobile listening as a lower bitrate.
YES please. Clearing my HDD of all my lower bitrate 'hidden' duplicates would be enough incentive for me to switch.
The one killer feature if they could add it is downconverting lossless files for syncing. i.e. I have an entire lossless library, but when moving music to my ipod nano, I can choose to load those files for mobile listening as a lower bitrate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by adamthecarny
YES please. Clearing my HDD of all my lower bitrate 'hidden' duplicates would be enough incentive for me to switch.
While this would be great, The iPod Shuffle came with this feature, and still has it, but the size of the original Shuffle was only 512MB. I don't see Apple doing it now as Flash capacities are increasing while the prices are dropping.
By pure coincidence, the song playing on my Touch as I read this article was Fleetwood Mac's Songbird (frankly not one of their best efforts, actually). I wasn't thinking this was something I'd download, but the Gods of Music may be trying to tell me something.
I don't see any comments about how this product might spur innovation in iTunes. Whether you use Songbird or not, isn't that a good development?
Comments
I downloaded it and imported my entire iTunes Lib. It is a 98% copy of the iTunes interface. If you did not know better you could easily think you were using iTunes. If I was in intellectual property Lawyer I could have fun with this one. I know that Apple and MS have a deal where that can freely copy each others Ideas yet they do not do it this blatantly.
A lazy man would comment on something that they have yet to use. Did you use the product before commenting on it? We all want to know
Creative, true. But creativity is not the standard for a good name.
Apple's iNaming system may not have creativity but it has helped them build a brand that is recognized around the world.
Quite true, it's just too bad that it begins to sound retarded after a while.
the only question that should be asked.
...
Quite true, it's just too bad that it begins to sound retarded after a while.
Yeah. Not to mention that it is an easy target for haters to mock.
At first glance it LOOKS similar to iTunes... they probably want people to feel at home... but this is a completely different product. Just read the frikken feature list before stating it's a copy. Lazy, lazy people!!!
Nobody reads the features(or EULA). Ordinary user use IE because it just happens to come with WinDohs.
'MOZILLA !!!!! START YOUR PHOTOCOPIERS NOW !!!!!!!'
It may have many features that are different from iTunes but if it 'LOOKS' just like the iTunes layout then that's just stupidity on their part or maybe they have a whole new looking interface waiting in the corner but just want to stir the press up?
I can hear it now
'MOZILLA !!!!! START YOUR PHOTOCOPIERS NOW !!!!!!!'
It may have many features that are different from iTunes but if it 'LOOKS' just like the iTunes layout then that's just stupidity on their part or maybe they have a whole new looking interface waiting in the corner but just want to stir the press up?
So what if it looks like iTunes? That application is one of the most efficient, well laid-out applications I use on a daily basis (yes, depressed Windows user here
Another big question mark is what, if any, measures Apple will take to prevent Songbird compatibility with its software and media players going forward.
A note to the AppleInsider writers - what is the point of the last two words of that sentence? Take them out and nothing changes except that it sounds a lot more like English than some hideous 'business speak'.
It also appears to be a carbon-copy of iTunes. Zero effort to improve or at least be different from iTunes.
Carbon copy in what aspect, the skin ?
The one killer feature if they could add it is downconverting lossless files for syncing. i.e. I have an entire lossless library, but when moving music to my ipod nano, I can choose to load those files for mobile listening as a lower bitrate.
It would also be sweet if it supported the shuffle fill with random songs feature but for the apple nano as well.
1) no cd ripping
2) no iPod touch support, why try it if i cannot use my mp3 player with it (yet)
will wait to see what's up with a later version, but to me iTunes works fine. don't understand some of the iTunes bashing here, no one is forcing anyone to use it - you can buy a non-Apple mp3 player and/or use another media depository program (rhapsody/real, etc.). some folks just love to complain, win $300,000 in Vegas and would still find a way to complain.
As others suggested, maybe the majority of you should actually give it a try before you attack it simply for being non-Apple. I did and it's pretty interesting. The mashTape feature is pretty cool the way it links you to videos, photos, etc. for the currently playing artist. As is the lyrics plug-in someone else already mentioned, especially how once it finds the lyrics, just one click will permanently add those lyrics to the file's metadata. Maybe they got a little cute with some things, like skins are called "feathers" instead.
Will it replace iTunes for me? Obviously not until it can rip CD's. I didn't see how it handles video (if it does at all), but iTunes is pretty spotty about anything that isn't from the iTunes Store itself. But I don't watch much video on my iMac anyway. Not sure how it handles iPod syncing either. I was a bit afraid to plug it in for fear it might compete with iTunes for control.
As for it looking like a copy of iTunes, well what do you expect? It's a media player. All media players are going to look pretty much the same. Just like word processing software, spreadsheet aps, etc. How long would you use a spreadsheet program if someone decided to be "clever" and make the cells hexagons instead of rectangles?
The one killer feature if they could add it is downconverting lossless files for syncing. i.e. I have an entire lossless library, but when moving music to my ipod nano, I can choose to load those files for mobile listening as a lower bitrate.
YES please. Clearing my HDD of all my lower bitrate 'hidden' duplicates would be enough incentive for me to switch.
The one killer feature if they could add it is downconverting lossless files for syncing. i.e. I have an entire lossless library, but when moving music to my ipod nano, I can choose to load those files for mobile listening as a lower bitrate.
YES please. Clearing my HDD of all my lower bitrate 'hidden' duplicates would be enough incentive for me to switch.
While this would be great, The iPod Shuffle came with this feature, and still has it, but the size of the original Shuffle was only 512MB. I don't see Apple doing it now as Flash capacities are increasing while the prices are dropping.
I don't see any comments about how this product might spur innovation in iTunes. Whether you use Songbird or not, isn't that a good development?