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Tabbed iChat With iTunes?

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Original poster
According to a recent post at AppleInsider, iChat 3, which is due as part of OS 10.4 Tiger is likely to sport tabbed windows. iTunes integration has also made an appearance, allowing the current track playing in iTunes to be set as the current here/away message. There are a host of 3rd party scripts to provide this functionality in the current version of iTunes, but this appears to be integrated into the app itself. A group of additional new features are expected in the messaging client that haven't even shown in the most recent builds, according to their sources.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2004/10/07/tabbed-ichat-with-itunes/
The tabbed chat functionality sounds good.. but really, iTunes integration to display what song you are playing? Is this really necessary, it sounds like extra bloat to me.

Do your ichat 'buddies' really care what music your listening to at the present time?

I'd rather see good ICQ support and other messaging protocols being implemented. Jabber is supposed to be rumoured to be supported 🙂
 
I'd like to see proteus style draws over tabs. Chat windows tend to be longer rather than longer so it is easer to see all the names without scrolling (especially with long buddy names) and its easier to scroll down a draw than across with tabs or stretch the window really wide. The draw also seems to show more information, and easier to find the correct person and click on them as they are not so condensed as the small tabs in adium.
 
Hmmm... so in your Buddy List, when one is away, will you hear a specific track (of theirs) playing as their Away message?
 
I'll be so happy when iChat finally gets tabs. Now if they'd only let the developers get the latest version of Tiger in their hands. Really, it's quite easy to include it in the monthly mailing Apple!
–Chase
 
lazyrighteye said:
Hmmm... so in your Buddy List, when one is away, will you hear a specific track (of theirs) playing as their Away message?
Click to expand...

You'll just see it as their away message.
–Chase
 
iTunes integration with iChat? Right now you can't even turn on audio chat in iChat without iTunes music being muted. They don't want the other person to be listening to your music. Surely Apple can't have had a change of heart in the matter. They disabled iTunes 4.0 's internet sharing that worked with anyone who had a static IP and only let it work via intranets on the same subnet with later versions of iTunes. Is Apple going to now open iTunes to broadcasting again over the internet? I'll believe it when I see it.
 
Yahoo Messenger for windows does this already, so it looks like it might be something that might be the next added feature in IM.
 
Macrumors said:
Via a new option in the iChat menu, users will be able to display the currently playing iTunes track as part of their iChat online status.
Click to expand...

We can do that now..
 
Explaining away messages

I use the iChatStatus script currently, so maybe I can explain this for those that don't. When you are away or available and use a custom status, in someone else's buddy list it appears under their name. For example, if I am away, studying :-/, my buddies see

PatrickMyers321
Studying :-/

in their buddy lists. Using iChat status they can see:

PatrickMyers321
Listening to Tool - Lateralus - Parabola in iTunes

No one can hear my music, they just see what I'm listening to. And other iChat users don't have to send me a message to see my away message since iChat puts it right under my name in the buddy list. This is also good for Available statuses too. With iChatStatus several other strings are available (weather, track ratings, application currently being used, etc). This sounds like iChat 3 will have the iTunes part integrated, assuming it's done the same way i.e., via applescript. I hope they allow for custom messages too.

I love tabs. Yay! What I don't love is that iChat doesn't seem to echo away messages, at least not for me. People send me an IM when I'm away and it just sails right through. Blech.

-p-
 
There are a lot more pressing matters for iChat, just to keep up with AIM. Namely:
-- Formattable away messages (and an easier way to browse/update them)
-- "Invisible" support (when my friends on AIM go invisible, i can't talk to them, even if they're talking to me)
-- Animated buddy icons (not major, but hey..)
-- Compatible text-formatting support (text on AIM doesn't look the same for some reason)
-- PROFILES!

C'mon, Apple. I think this stuff is more important that iTunes integration that already exists in scripts.
 
the itunes thing is nice but tab messaging? com' on at least one app out there doesn't need tabs.

but if it's going to be done, since they hired him, hopefully it will work like proteus and not adium. I use adium but hate the way it handles tabs.
 
proglife said:
Nice! I'd take a tabbed Finder, too.
Click to expand...

you've got one, the sidebar "tabs" certain folders you use.

also cammand-t is too add to the sidebar and also creates a new tab in safari... coincidence?
 
Creeping features

How about decent video with PC users - either support other clients (MSN, yahoo), or go it alone and create a version of ichat for the PC (using quicktime which they already have installed on a lot of machines now). Given they already have iTunes over there, it wouldn't be that hard.

iChat on the PC would be my preferred option, it would be another small, persuasive, and pervasive piece of technology to convince PC users there is another way. Quite apart from that it would feed a massive boost in iSight sales if it was bundled with that camera for the PC.

AIM is really not good, I feel guilty making people use it so they can chat with me. Also, I've been having problems with the PC video on AIM (when video chatting with iChat) cutting out consistently after 5 minutes and 4 seconds (audio keeps going). Kind of annoying when you're in the middle of a conversation. Has anyone else seen this?
 
guet said:
How about decent video with PC users - either support other clients (MSN, yahoo), or go it alone and create a version of ichat for the PC (using quicktime which they already have installed on a lot of machines now). Given they already have iTunes over there, it wouldn't be that hard.
Click to expand...

besides it cutting in to reasons for people to switch and Apple even sold it to jag users, how many windows users would actually pay for it? you feel bad making people use AIM you would probably feel just as bad making them pay $30 to talk to you. however it would sell more iSight but I can't see how that would be marketed. the iMac was retooled to gain on the success of the iPod.

As far as supporting video in other programs. I haven't used the video support in MSN, but Yahoo video was terrible: .6 fps and no audio.
 
psxndc said:
What I don't love is that iChat doesn't seem to echo away messages, at least not for me. People send me an IM when I'm away and it just sails right through. Blech.
Click to expand...

I completely agree with you. And, too often, the person sending me the message someone doesn't figure out that I'm away, and sends a barrage of nasty messages criticizing me for not replying to their banter.

Almost solely for that purpose (truthfully, and a handful of others), I keep AIM (which I hate) on my machine for away messages, to satiate the majority on my list (who are not mac users).

Stella said:
The tabbed chat functionality sounds good.. but really, iTunes integration to display what song you are playing? Is this really necessary, it sounds like extra bloat to me.

Do your ichat 'buddies' really care what music your listening to at the present time?
Click to expand...
I disagree. True, it's not necessary to chat, but neither are buddy icons if you think about it. Neither is having a plethora of available status messages. And neither is it necessary to have an abundance of away messages - wouldn't one suffice?
These are fun things that make "joe cool", living down the street, want to use iChat instead of another app that offers competing capabilities.
And, I would care about the music, being a music fanatic myself. On the music forums I frequent, it's not uncommon to put "now playing: " in your signature, and include your current song. So, to someone like me, integration of the feature is priceless. Now I don't have to waste my already lacking time with a script. Woohoo!
 
I had iChatStatus for a while, but then every once in a while I'd have my iTunes library play at random, then I'd forget that everyone on my buddy list could see what I'm listening to. Really embarrassing when that ONE New Kids on the Block song that I like comes on.

.narco
 
The current-tune feature may be of interest to only a minority of users. It's one of many little gimmics they could have chosen to add. I'd imagine this one was favored because it adds more integration between applications, the same way the Change My Picture... feature allows you to take an iSight snapshot. Apple clearly looks for chances to make iLife and other applications work together smoothly.
 
If iChat became as useful and as customizable as Adium, I might consider switching, but right now, Adium seems to be the best client out, and I'm doubtful this will change with the release of Tiger.
 
Private Public said:
you've got one, the sidebar "tabs" certain folders you use.

also cammand-t is too add to the sidebar and also creates a new tab in safari... coincidence?
Click to expand...

Yeah...it's nice, but too permanent. I like to keep my Finder clean.
 
Notice though its only when your "available" that it displays your iTunes song playing. So only your fellow iChat users would see it correct?

Its not set to be an away message.
 
rendezvouscp said:
You'll just see it as their away message.
–Chase
Click to expand...

Oh great . . . now when my buddy's away, I could be staring at:

"**** in a bag"
"Scream until you like it"
"Tampon teabag"
"Wynonna's Big Brown Beaver"

or any number of far more bizarre and outright disgusting song titles! 😱 😀

I don't see this feature as a big deal (from a usefulness point of view) but I suppose if a lot people think it is cool and if it would help the application increase its user base, by all means, go for it.

On the tabbed windows: I'm not sure I understand how they would be used. If it is to "tab" between different "Groups" of buddies in your buddy list (currently a pulldown menu thingy) then I definitely like it!
 
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