Recommendation on controlling iTunes while in separate application?

[Aniej]

I am looking for a recommendation on how to control iTunes (pause, rewind, play) while working in separate application, namely word or text edit?

I am listening to a lecture and trying to take notes in the word document, but there are times I need to pause or rewind and it is a pain to switch between iTunes and word over and over again. At home, I can easily do this with my apple bluetooth keyboard, but while away it is not so easy on my MBP. Any help would be great!

 

[xUKHCx]

I recommend sizzlingkeys which has the option for setting shortcuts for most functions of itunes and in the pro version ~$5 you can set shortcuts for skipping forward and back by a certain amount of time, very useful if you are transcribing something.

Or there is quicksilver

 

[killmoms]

If you don't already have Quicksilver, why don't you have Quicksilver?!

Seriously though, Quicksilver w/ the iTunes plugins (and others if you want) + Growl = a great way to control iTunes. I still use this method at the office (though I have the new keyboard at home with the dedicated media control keys, so I don't need it there anymore). But you can set up custom, global binds for iTunes functions (like previous, next, play/pause, etc.) in Quicksilver.

Plus you can do a million other things in Quicksilver. Really one of the best utilities for OS X.

 

[yippy]

The best controller I have ever found was X-tunes but it is no longer being developed and never made it to Intel. So far the best replacement I have found is CoverSutra but it isn't as quite as good.

 

[MarkMS]

I use Synergy. It's shareware as well.

ByteController is just about the same, but it's freeware. The only thing I don't know is whether or not it's Leopard ready.

 

[MacBoobsPro]

Synergy is brilliant. Its the first thing I install on my Macs so then I can control my music while installing everything else.

 

[Aniej]

In regards to Quicksilver and Synergy, I just want to make sure that they would both allow me to continue working in my word document and not switch to iTunes when I select pause or rewind? If that is the case, I will likely return to tried and true Quicksilver.

p.s. @Killmoms: I have used quicksilver for as long as I can remember, but with Leopard I found that I did not need it nearly as much. Mind you I said neatly as much, don't go all nuts on me, I know people are just as passionate about their QS as many of us are about our Macs. And, by the way "killmoms" what's up with the name?

 

[xUKHCx]

In regards to Quicksilver and Synergy, I just want to make sure that they would both allow me to continue working in my word document and not switch to iTunes when I select pause or rewind? If that is the case, I will likely return to tried and true Quicksilver.

It stays with the frontmost application so you can stay in word while taking notes. FYI for taking notes I feel sizzleykeys has the extra feature of quick scanning backwards through shortcuts. I like you don't get on with quicksilver. It is free for most features but to get that extra one you have to pay $5.