Apple Quietly Releases iTunes 4.8 169
trmptblwr writes "Apple has quietly released an iTunes update to version 4.8 for Mac OS X and Windows. Release notes say 'iTunes 4.8 includes new Music Store features and support for transferring contacts and calendars from your computer to your iPod (requires Mac OS X version 10.4 on your computer).' There also appears to be a some sort of new video functionality as you can now import QuickTime movies. I speculate that this has something to do with the 'new Music Store features.'"
I wonder (Score:2, Interesting)
And maybe they're planning on releasing it soon?
Re:I wonder (Score:2, Informative)
Re:I wonder (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I wonder (Score:5, Interesting)
I dunno.
The iPod Photo didn't really rock my world, because I'm not much of a shutterbug...
It's not often that I disagree with the Almighty Jobs, but I think that the only thing really preventing video on hand-held MP3 players was that the technology was not quite ready to do it right just yet.
IMHO, we are rapidly approaching the point where introducing an "iPod Movie" will be nearly as trivial as the extra $50 or so to create the iPod Photo was.
Movies? (Score:2)
Damien
Re:Movies? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Movies? (Score:2)
On a Mac you still can't browse the web AND format a floppy at the same time.
--Mike
Re:Movies? (Score:2)
Oh wait... that didn't happen.
If they had, they should have bought out Apple Records.
That reminds me: what is the state of the latest Apple Records v. Apple Computer suit?
Re:I wonder (Score:1)
You've been able to import Quicktime files into iTunes for the last few versions. I've been ripping Quicktime files out of the Music Videos section of the iTunes store, then importing them back into iTunes to get free songs for almost a year.
Oh, yeah... Don't steal music.
Will it run on linux? (Score:1)
After you buy a Mac Mini (Score:1)
A
Re:After you buy a Mac Mini (Score:2)
Re:After you buy a Mac Mini (Score:2)
Granted, being able to use the same program to rip, burn, play, and export to my iPod would be nice, but I'm a Linux user. I can deal.
Re:Will it run on linux? (Score:1)
1) Wine
2) Codeweavers
Re:Will it run on linux? (Score:1)
Re:Will it run on linux? (Score:4, Insightful)
Apple is a corporation. Their only goal is to make profits. They don't see porting iTMS to Linux to be a good business move, the same way most game manufacturers don't see making games for either OS X or Linux to be a good business move.
Re:Will it run on linux? (Score:4, Insightful)
Exansion... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Exansion... (Score:2)
Not in software update, it seems. (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Not in software update, it seems. (Score:5, Informative)
they roll out updates to a small section of the net at a time, usually over the span of a day so that their servers don't die the instant they release a patch.
it's not a bad idea... Microsoft used a similar scheme for SP2, but did it over the course of several weeks leaving many customers high and dry for a few weeks until they got enabled to receive the update.
Re:Not in software update, it seems. (Score:2)
I thought Microsoft's XP SP2 was available through downloads.microsoft.com that way too. I really don't know for sure as I didn't have Windows XP at that time.
Re:Not in software update, it seems. (Score:2)
The full install for SP2 was immediately available to everyone. The Windows Update nag was slowly rolled out.
Re:Not in software update, it seems. (Score:1)
Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2, Interesting)
qtcomponents [sourceforge.net] has not been updated in almost a year and has to my knowledge never really worked. It is open source, but according to a bug posted by an Apple developer, it uses the now obsolete SoundManager and will have to be rewritten to use CoreAudio before it'll work again.
The other component [illadvised.com], while being even longer since it was last updated, worked great. Although it had a few annoying bugs, it was quite usable right up until QT7 landed, and now it doesn't work at all. It is not open
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:1, Flamebait)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:4, Informative)
That icon's been present in the last few releases of iTunes. It seems to have devolved into a running gag at this point. During the OS 9 era, iTunes included icons for MODs, S3Ms, and other "sound module/track" formats.
The rationale once seemed to be that since iTunes is playing files via QuickTime, iTunes could potentially play OGG or WMA files via a new codec component provided by a third party. Apple used to encourage developers to create codecs and make them available for distribution via QuickTime Update. There has been some effort at making an OGG codec, and the the first verison of WMA (then called NetPlay, IIRC) used QuickTime hooks for the Mac version of the player.
However, Apple hasn't done much with QuickTime Update and it appears to be going the way of QuickTime TV. (Does anybody out there use stuff like Axel, On2, or ZyGoVideo?) It seems there is no market or widespread enough interest in third-party enhancements to QuickTime...
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
There is such a component [sourceforge.net]. However, QuickTime 7 broke it. I don't know that Apple is helping the project, but it seems to be aware of it. See the most recent comment on bug #1144430, "Ogg Vorbis Support Broken in Tiger," which includes comments from the QuickTime engineering group.
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
It's very possible to support Ogg on portables; I know this because I own one that does (Rio Karma). That wonderful floating-point issue has been solved now for at over two years, when Xiph released [xiph.org] Tremor, the integer-based Ogg decoder.
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
Well, I was really speaking to your claim about iPod not being able to support Ogg Vorbis due to the floating-point issue, not how well some hacker shoved Linux onto an iPod to play Ogg Vorbis files. (Which contradicts your own assertion that the iPod cannot support Ogg.) And, really though - using a hobbiest's hacked-up iPod as an example of why Apple's hypothetical support of Ogg Vorbis hypothetically sucks, what with Apple's paid engineers and extensive testing, is kinda specious, dontcha think? The L
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
Re:Yeah, but will Quicktime play oggs? (Score:2)
Re:Yeah, but will it play oggs? (Score:2)
Well, here's the deal as far as I've noticed.
Try running Jordy's and qtcomponents' plugins against ogg files. Look at the stack traces when they crash; you'll notice that they're the same. I seriously doubt that Jordy just happened to use the same function names and line numbers, so I figure he's adapted the qtcomponents code to use CoreAudio, and fixed some of the more glaring bugs. (The original was BSD licensed, so it's his perogative to not release his source.)
But it looks like the interface that
iTunes 4.7.1 and video (Score:1)
You can play a local QuickTime file with iTunes 4.7.1 but you'll only hear the audio content. Doing so also makes a copy of the QT file in your Music folder.
Re:iTunes 4.7.1 and video (Score:3, Insightful)
But it could also foreshadow the rumored iTunes subscription service which must of necessity handle temporary audio files. Such a system could
New Apple Lossless format (Score:1, Informative)
Use the new lossless encoder to import music from CDs and achieve sound quality indistinguishable from the original, at about half the original file size. Plays in iTunes and on iPod.
Yum.
Re:New Apple Lossless format (Score:2, Informative)
Re:New Apple Lossless format (Score:1)
Re:New Apple Lossless format (Score:3, Interesting)
Be read to buy more hard drive space, though. ;-)
Re:New Apple Lossless format (Score:2)
Any downgrades? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Any downgrades? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Any downgrades? (Score:2)
Well, that works. What on earth are you talking about?
Re:Any downgrades? (Score:2)
Re:Any downgrades? (Score:2)
Re:Any downgrades? (Score:2)
Alternatively, you might even be able to get the above setup running on OS X without too much trouble. I haven't tried it, and I imagine iTunes might get a litt
MOV import (Score:2)
However, it doesn't (or I haven't yet figured out) play the video portion of the file in iTunes: only the audio.
Re:MOV import (Score:3, Informative)
Re:MOV import (Score:2)
Re:MOV import (Score:3, Informative)
Re:MOV import (Score:2)
The Real Question (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:The Real Question (Score:2)
Apple provide iTunes for Windows to lure people over to Macs. People who have an Athlon 64 are far less likely to be switching to a Mac than others, if only for the fact that they have only recently upgraded.
You would expect iTunes to be 64-bit ready considering Apple have the G5 in mind, so I wouldn't think it would be too hard for them to come up with an Athlon 64 port
Re:64-bit Windows (Score:2)
Re:64-bit Windows (Score:2)
you know (Score:3, Interesting)
And if the iPod itself supported those codecs, I wonder how many more they'd sell to this crowd? (This crowd, by the way, being the ones who provide recommendations to the people who sign the checks to buy IT equipment for corporations worldwide.)
Get over yourself (Score:5, Insightful)
The parent post doesn't even make sense in the Real World (tm). What corporate IT infrastructure is the target market for the iPod? And in that small subset of the global market, what group requires FLAC and OGG and can't "make due" with Apple Lossless, MP3 and AAC?
As to your question about "how many more would they sell?" All I can say is that Apple sells 90% of HD based players and 68% of Flash based players according the March numbers from IDC. If the 10% and 32% non-Apple players being purchased are being purchased because of their FLAC and OGG support, then we are living in some wierd ass
Re:Get over yourself (Score:1, Flamebait)
Apple also makes a computer system, and it's called the Macintosh! It's really fancy, and they just released a new version of their OS, and they are trying to get into the corporate market!! Wow! Isn't that the roxx0rs?!?!?!1!
If Apple were to gain even more popular with the crowd that implements hardware in corporations, maybe they'd sell more hardware to them. They can start that goodwill with some
Re:Get over yourself (Score:5, Insightful)
What a load of crap. There are no IT managers who would support a platform change to Mac OS X if only Apple would support FLAC and OGG on the iPod. No, not one. Apple has created tons of goodwill to the OSS community - embracing OSS with contributions like Bonjour and using FreeBSD in OS X. Want proof of the good will? just checkout a website known as
The iPod is for consumers. Be rational, not emotional, about these facts.
Re:Get over yourself (Score:2)
Inroads, my friend. Cause ya gotta start somewhere, and being the flavor of the week ain't so bad. How many fanboys here have begun buying IBM hardware since they became Linux's bestest big brother?
Don't underestimate the OS X/Apple hardware marketing that can be done with "consumer products" like the iPod.
If you doubt me, go to ANY tech trade show - Citrix, Linux, VoIP, etc.
The blind devotion to your position is astounding! (Score:5, Insightful)
Let me repeate, no IT manager in their right mind would base a Mac OS X vs. "Platform B" decision on wethere or not FLAC and OGG were supported on the iPod.
The logic that iPods are given away at trade shows as support of the assertion that FLAC/OGG support would sway these decision makers is illogical. iPods are given away because they are sought after consumer electronic devices, targeting a personal market. Do you think that the bouncy balls and T-shirts given away are to appeal to the corporate IT needs of the organization? Heck no! They are to appeal to the attendees! Show me the iPod givaway that includes some sort of business related use. They don't. iPods are music players given away because they bring crowd of people who want to win one for themselves or someone in their household!
As I said before, be logical, not emotional about this. FLAC and OGG support on the iPod does nothing to aid Apple's bottome line. It's like Panasonic supporting Betamax on their VCRs. It may be a format with some merits, but the masses have spoken, 90% of HD and 68% of flash players sold in March in the US wore the Apple logo. None of those played FLAC and OGG files and they continue to fly off the shelves!
The limited market for FLAC and OGG players does not concern Apple. Neither Apple nor any other manufacturer can build a player that appeals to 100% of the market, and Apple has no doubt considered and rejected FLAC/OGG support.
It isn't going to loose them any market share on consumer digital music player or with business hardware. Face it!
Re:The blind devotion to your position is astoundi (Score:2)
Does a billboard on the highway influence you?
Does a TV commercial?
How about nifty applications like F-spot?
Are you jazzed by new themes on your distro of choice?
How do you feel about magazine ads?
Same thing. It's called advertising. And virtually all commercial companies do it. Companies do it to create goodwill and "push" customers to examine their product. They do it to create a warm, fuzzy feeling about their brand name. They do it to inspire trust, and to establish the
Re:The blind devotion to your position is astoundi (Score:2)
sethadam1, you are the one confusing "advertising" with "corporate decision making", and it's okay, but just recognize the differences.
I'll give you that the more a product appeals to use as individuals, the more friendly we may be to considering other solutions from the same company in our business lives. But many professionals (note: 1 those _may_ decide against an Apple soltuion in their corporate infrastructure because our consumer electronics device doesn't support these obscure for
No hard feelings, it's Slashdot (Score:2)
Hey, I'm sorry. I visited
You made some really good points and I don't think they deserved to get moderated Flamebait. People on
So again, sorry to go so hard on you.
Re:No hard feelings, it's Slashdot (Score:3, Funny)
Re:you know (Score:5, Funny)
Uh, both of you?
*ducks*
Re:you know (Score:2)
I guess they're just not that worried in investing the 59 seconds it would take to placate both of the world's Ogg users.
I can't blame them, really. They seem to be doing pretty well so far by ignoring these Ogg fanatics (both of which, aside from incessant Slashdot whining, don't ever actually seem to show up in real life).
But YMObviouslyVaries... :-)
Re:you know (Score:2)
Re:you know (Score:2)
Re:you know (Score:2)
Re:you know (Score:2)
Re:you know (Score:1)
Your company's IT dept. buys you all iPods?!? Who do I have to give my resume to?
Re:you know (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:you know (Score:3, Insightful)
While I agree with you in principle, in reality I find that it's pretty easy to re-encode any shorten, flac, or other format audio file into something iTunes will manage ( like, oh, I don't know, MP3 ). FLAC and SHN files are for archive use. MP3s sound fine at a high enough bitra
Re:you know (Score:2)
Re:you know (Score:2)
maybe the other OGG user showed up from the future wearing a retro nerd-fit just to fit in in 2005. Here's the linky [msn.com].
--Mike
Re:you know (Score:2)
Security fixes included as well (Score:3, Informative)
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
APPLE-SA-2005-05-09 iTunes 4.8
iTunes 4.8 is now available and, among other enhancements, delivers
the following security improvement:
CVE-ID: CAN-2005-1248
Impact: A buffer overflow in iTunes could cause a denial of service
and lead to execution of arbitrary code
Description: The MPEG4 file parsing code in iTunes versions prior to
4.8 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability. Parsing a
maliciously-crafted MPEG4 file could cause iTunes to terminate or
potentially execute arbitrary code. iTunes 4.8 addresses this issue
by improving the validation checks used when loading MPEG4 files.
Credit to Mark Litchfield of NGS Software for reporting this issue.
iTunes 4.8 is freely available at
http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ [apple.com] for Mac OS X v10.2.8 or later,
Microsoft Windows XP, and Microsoft Windows 2000
For Mac OS X:
The download file is named: "iTunes4.8.dmg"
Its SHA-1 digest is: 5a86f278f9f83192a7789ad123d5d62f67a6a316
For Windows 2000 or XP:
The download file is named: "iTunesSetup.exe"
Its SHA-1 digest is: 12582d193b27991c8f069331ab12d107c569bde2
Information will also be posted to the Apple Product Security
web site:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=61
This message is signed with Apple's Product Security PGP key,
and details are available at:
http://www.apple.com/support/security/pgp/ [apple.com]
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Re:Security fixes included as well (Score:2)
Not to toot my own horn... (Score:2)
This [macosxhints.com] was my solution (different nickname... Same dull, boring guy). I'm glad to see that Apple's taken my lead and is running with it! 8)=
Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:4, Insightful)
How about an option to rescan a directory? If I drop new music in my Music folder, I have to either import that directory manually into itunes or delete everything and reimport. Ideally, I could drop the whole folder on itunes and it would find the new items. Instead, it reimports all of them so I end up w/ duplicates in my library. WTF? Similarl issues show up if I update my tags.
Everything else I have used has a "rescan" function, why doesn't iTunes?
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:4, Insightful)
Have you requested the feature/reported it as a bug to Apple? If not, it's unlikely anyone else has, as it works for the way they expect users to be using it.
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:2)
Is it designed to run so slow on my 1.2GHz Athlon with 512MB RAM? Why is it designed so it can't put the artist and song name on the same line when it would fit? Why can't I turn off showing the album, because I really don't care. Why can't I tell it to organize my music by genre\artist? Why doesn't the miniplayer have a bar that I can click on to jump around a song? Why doesn't it have easy to create skins and plug-ins?
Why can't it play hi
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:2)
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:2, Informative)
As others have pointed out, the File > Add to Library ... menu item is the rescan function that you seek. In the preferences, under the "Advanced" tab, uncheck "Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized", and when you use the Add to Library ..." menu item, the files will get added to the library list
Re:Have they fixed basics yet? (Score:2)
Closer, closer ... (Score:4, Insightful)
Won't be long now. This follows the introduction of the new H.264 video codec in Quicktime 7. Apple has pretty much all the pieces in place to begin content sales to early adopters.
You didn't think those 30" cinema monitors were just for pr0n, did you? ;-)
iTunes vs QT Pro (Score:5, Interesting)
The same is true (since a long time) for audio encoding: Need QT Pro for the "Export" feature in QT, but the "Import" feature in iTunes is free.
I like Apple, but IMHO the guy, who's responsible for the QT Player frontend (not the QT backend, which is cool), is quite stupid.
What's next? iTunes 5.0 with video encoding support?
Re:iTunes vs QT Pro (Score:3, Interesting)
If this was the reason for QT Pro, it would be required to buy a Pro license for QT just to play anything.
The whole QT Pro thing is just flawed. The QT Player should be what it once was: Just a good player.
If Apple whants a QT Editor, they should bundle it with iMovie or something.
Re:iTunes vs QT Pro (Score:2)
There are good players already: MPlayer and VLC. Absolutely no need to even touch the QT Player - let alone buy the Pro version.
AppleScript (Score:3, Informative)
Psychologically interesting (Score:5, Funny)
Once upon a time I was upgrading iTunes from 4.5 to 4.6. While the upgrade was running, there was a knock at the door. I went to open the door, and who was there, but Steve Jobs! Steve said "Mr. BigLig? Mr Rufus T. BigLig?" "That's me Steve", I replied. And then he kicked me in the nuts.
Well, not exactly. But I did have an "iTunes Music Library file unknown error (-50)" every time I used iTunes from then on. Tried everything - see here [ipodlounge.com] for details. It hit about 0.01% of users, and the fix was basically "suffer in agony until 4.7".
And now 4.8 is out, and like a fool, I'm downloading it as I type.
And that, Best Beloved, is how Steve got his Reality Distortion Field.
Total Annihilation (Score:2)