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Apple Releases iTunes 5

It's the compression!!!

agentmouthwash said:
I agree on the gapless playback feature. It's something that itunes is lacking. I listen to a lot of live music as well as Pink Floyd - you don't want to listen to DARK SIDE OF THE MOON or THE WALL with gaps. The answer isn't to have the album on your ipod twice - that takes too much room. I don't understand why apple can't add this feature? it should just be a small line of code and a button. right?
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Wrong, the issue is that when the track get's compressed 'stand alone'
the samples at the end 'drift' from 'reality' - this happens normally during
the lossy encoding but it isn't a problem during the track because everything
shift's togeather. But since each track is encoded seperately the end of
one track doesn't match the start of the next track - so you will either
get a 'tick' or you need to do the 'cross fade' thing to bridge the difference.

This isn't a problem with CD's because they are encoded losslessly
(no drift). It might be possible to fix in the encoder (if you knew exactly
what the decoder was going to do) but is far from trivial to do.

BTW I also listen to a lot of 'whole albums' (most notably PF as well) and
it's annoying but I don't think it 'ruins' it.
 
Bedawyn said:
Overall, though, I am so happy with this update. After using it for a while, I can say -- for the first time, I actually like iTunes. I used it before, because I need my music and Soundjam didn't work anymore, and because I wanted the functionality of iTMS and the smart playlists. But I never really liked it. Now, yes, I'm definitely regaining my faith.
Click to expand...

I can happily say I agree with you on this one, I much prefer the design of the new iTunes. Brushed metal was awful.

Looking at the new interface, I have a hunch that the design is intended to be something that can easily be reproduced using a vector based user interface - something that has been postulated as a feature of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.
 
Well I must say the new UI is getting on my nerves now, and I'm not getting used to it - I really think Apple would have been much better off making iTunes aqua and giving it a unified toolbar.
 
In Windows, iTunes 5 installs Bonjour along side it (which I don't want or need). Did it happen to any other Windows users?
 
MacNut said:
My biggest gripe is the two tone display bar, just pick one color. Plus I would like to be able to sort my albums by artist and album in order. The ability to highlight more columns at a time. for example artist in order of album by year.
Click to expand...

That's what playlists are for, isn't it? Make a playlist for your artist and then sort by year...
 
kerpow said:
This has got to be the worst upgrade I've seen from Apple. It looks horrible, offers nothing cool or exciting and the parental control is typical of the nanny state we live in these days.
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You have no use for smart playlists with ALL/ANY capability? Because that's something most people have wanted for a long time and you can do that now.

You can also create a playlist that uses songs only in another playlist, rather than your whole library. Also a big improvement.

Nanny state? Apple's a company, not a state, and the parental controls are off by default, so it'd be the users or their parents activating them rather than Apple. Maybe you meant nanny parents? Sounds about right to me. That's what they should be, if they want.
 
Damek said:
You have no use for smart playlists with ALL/ANY capability? Because that's something most people have wanted for a long time and you can do that now.

You can also create a playlist that uses songs only in another playlist, rather than your whole library. Also a big improvement.

Nanny state? Apple's a company, not a state, and the parental controls are off by default, so it'd be the users or their parents activating them rather than Apple. Maybe you meant nanny parents? Sounds about right to me. That's what they should be, if they want.
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Apperantly you don't want to understand what kerpow is trying to say. Of course Apple is not a state, DOH :rolleyes: , that's not what he meant. Apple used to think different, outside the box. Now they are increasingly trying to stay inside that box. DRM, Trusted computing, but also increasingly more obtrusive incentives to upgrade to PRO (QT7) and forced bundling (if you have a PRO license for QT6 you can't upgrade to iTunes 5 without paying for a new license). It's all these little things that creep in that you might think: big deal. But they add up.
 
Diatribe said:
<concerning removal iTMS> Yes you are not seeing it because it is in the parental controls now. :)
Click to expand...

This is what I mean. In iTunes 6 you will probably have to dig even deeper to remove iTMS from your sourcelist, if they offer the possibility at all.
 
Still ugly a day later!!

I waited a day to see if my initial impression about the new look would change and it hasn't.

I particularily don't like the condensed window -- bad proportions, boxy window, a definite step back. The expanded window is alright but I preferred the subtle brushed metal look to the plain plastic one they are now using.

The new features are decent but they left a lot out especially for a .0 upgrade

I would like controls in the menu bar and I know about Synergy
 
minimax said:
Apperantly you don't want to understand what kerpow is trying to say. Of course Apple is not a state, DOH :rolleyes: , that's not what he meant. Apple used to think different, outside the box. Now they are increasingly trying to stay inside that box. DRM, Trusted computing, but also increasingly more obtrusive incentives to upgrade to PRO (QT7) and forced bundling (if you have a PRO license for QT6 you can't upgrade to iTunes 5 without paying for a new license). It's all these little things that creep in that you might think: big deal. But they add up.
Click to expand...

Are you so sure you understand what kerpow was trying to say? I hardly think you're inside his head any more than I am.

On top of that, I hardly see how parental controls compare with DRM etc., especially controls that are off by default. It looks to me like a requested feature, certainly one I might have wanted were I a parent. I don't see the parental controls as any different from, say, the new VBR import option or the smart shuffle. A new feature you can use if you want, but aren't being forced to use. More capabilities in software is generally better, if implemented well, and these don't seem implemented badly.

I also don't know what you mean about the QT6 stuff. I had pro licenses for QT6 for both my windows and mac machines and was able to isntall iTunes 5 with no problems. Yes, it said my pro QT6 license was no good for QT7, but it still installed and works fine. The only difference is that I no longer have pro features in QT. So what? If you want them, pay for them, or don't upgrade to a version that requires you to purchase a new license. If you're unhappy that iTunes depends on QT, well I can't help you there. Seems to me like you just shouldn't run iTunes then. It's quite apparent that it depends on QT and that the newest version would require a new license. They even warned you at installation time, giving you a chance to change your mind.
 
ipodG8TR said:
I waited a day to see if my initial impression about the new look would change and it hasn't.

I particularily don't like the condensed window -- bad proportions, boxy window, a definite step back. The expanded window is alright but I preferred the subtle brushed metal look to the plain plastic one they are now using.
Click to expand...

I feel similarly. I never use the condensed window, just the full view of iTunes for me, thanks - but the new look just doesn't do it for me. Actually, the only things I don't like in the new look are A) the extremely thin line between the sidebar and the song list, as it just makes things look cluttered and crushed for space, and B) the placement of the volume control, as it just looks awkward and amateurish.

I think they were trying to maximize the amount of space available for viewing the song list, but I can't imagine they gained more than a few pixels here and there. Doesn't seem to have been worth it.

Other than that, though, the other aspects of the new look are fine with me (plastic, the colors and stuff). And I'm loving the new speed and playlist features. Any/All in smartlists, and the ability to create playlists that pick songs from other playlists! About time!

VBR doesn't seem worth it, though. I had thought I was going to want to reencode all my music again. I'm kinda relieved, then, that there wouldn't be much point.
 
Damek said:
Actually, the only things I don't like in the new look are A) the extremely thin line between the sidebar and the song list, as it just makes things look cluttered and crushed for space, and B) the placement of the volume control, as it just looks awkward and amateurish.

Other than that, though, the other aspects of the new look are fine with me (plastic, the colors and stuff). And I'm loving the new speed and playlist features. Any/All in smartlists, and the ability to create playlists that pick songs from other playlists! About time!

VBR doesn't seem worth it, though. I had thought I was going to want to reencode all my music again. I'm kinda relieved, then, that there wouldn't be much point.
Click to expand...

Actually, one more complaint - though I love the new features and have few complaints for the new look, I also think the new "search bar" thing is pointless. The only thing that would make it worth much of anything is if you could save your search as a smart playlist. Others have mentioned this, but just thought I'd add my 2c. It just gets in the way for me as it is.
 
Thumbs down

I work in an office with approx 30 graphic designers and other creative professionals and the overwhelming opinion is that the new look is awful. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I just thought that it might mean something that a group of artists who are trusted to critique things like this all give it a thumbs down. Apple desperately needs someone to oversee its UI for consistency -- too many cooks in the kitchen. Hopefully, Mike Matas of Delicious Library fame will have an impact.

http://www.mikematas.com/
 
ipodG8TR said:
I work in an office with approx 30 graphic designers and other creative professionals and the overwhelming opinion is that the new look is awful. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I just thought that it might mean something that a group of artists who are trusted to critique things like this all give it a thumbs down. Apple desperately needs someone to oversee its UI for consistency -- too many cooks in the kitchen. Hopefully, Mike Matas of Delicious Library fame will have an impact.

http://www.mikematas.com/
Click to expand...

Perhaps this is part of his impact!
 
Sorry, but I have to disagree with all of the minimized hate. I always used iTunes minimized, and the new player is cleaner, looks nicer, and most importantly, you get more information than before (two lines of song info instead of one).

Also, the fact that now you see the elapsed time and remaining time at the same time is another plus.
 
Fotek2001 said:
Perhaps this is part of his impact!
Click to expand...

I'm holding my breath that everything will come together with the release of 10.5 next year. I'm hoping Apple will completely blow us all away with what they have up their sleeves, even if they have to hold a little back in the meantime (just not too much).

This isn't awful, but I know Apple can do better. Either way, iTUnes is my most used app along with Photoshop.
 
Damek said:
You have no use for smart playlists with ALL/ANY capability? Because that's something most people have wanted for a long time and you can do that now.

You can also create a playlist that uses songs only in another playlist, rather than your whole library. Also a big improvement.
Click to expand...

Huh? iTunes has done both of those for years -- I don't go a day without using them. What's the upgrade supposed to be? *utter confusion*
 
Love the new look. The corners could be a little rounder, but good overall.

Not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but don't use the lyrics tab.

I added lyrics to some songs on my iPod, then logged out and back in (did the Macworld widgets-on-Desktop hack), and when I opened iTunes, it told me it couldn't read from the iPod and I had to return it to factory settings (i.e., erase it).

I can't find Apple's bug report page, but when I do, I'm going to send one to them. Either that Dashboard thing screwed something up, or iTunes did. Either way, it sucks. I can still use it with Finder, so maybe I'll have to do something with Senuti or something, if that even works. Or I'll have to hunt through the totally random setup of iPod's song structure on the HD.

:(
 
Downgrading to 4.9

I'm not going to go back and look through all the posts, but personally, I hate the new look. Horrorstruck, in fact. As a visual artist myself, I have to say they've really dropped the ball on this design. Apple has let the pack the last 8 years or so because they've kept form in line with function. One should never come at the expense of the other. The new design is just so... vanilla. It doesn't make me excited, or have the luxurious feel of the old design. So to avoid puking every time I go to change my musical selection, I reinstalled 4.9.

As it's been removed from most sites, here's a link to a 4.9 (mac) installer, for those who want it. Perhaps it's been posted already, but oh well.

http://tim.noltefamily.org/wp-content/iTunes4.9.dmg
 
Flux Harmonic said:
Does anyone know why this is happening? Is it karma? I've been a good boy lately...
Click to expand...

Its because you have an iTunes linked exterior app open (such as Synergy). Try closing all iLife apps, any iTunes helpers (like Dashboard Widgets), and run activity monitor to check what you have running in the background.

Doesnt require a restart, just close all iTunes linked software.
 
Ahh, an informative post by a brand new member. Love to see those :)

Welcome to MacRumors!
The people are nice here, and MacRumors seriously, get's addicting :p


Good job nufanec!
 
Personally, I like the new iTunes 5, I really like the new look and the new information bar [where it shows time and song info].


I wanted it to be a different color [icon]. Haven't they always done that when they release an iTunes like 2,3,4?
 
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