Today Apple announced the eighth major release of everyone’s favorite media management app: iTunes. iTunes 8 doesn’t add that many new features, but it does have some nice bells and whistles. New in iTunes are:
Genius playlists use algorithms and other technobabble to craft the perfect playlist based on a selected song. If you choose to share your Genius data it will be reported back to Apple, anonymously, which will use your data in addition to others to make Genius generated playlists even better.
Genius sidebar is a beefed up version of the mini-store that people pretty much loathed. It looks are what you’re currently listening to and suggests other tracks and artists’ work that you might be interested in buying from the iTunes Store (yes, you can disable this feature).
The new grid view shows off your albums, movies, and TV shows much like iPhoto does events. Much like CoverFlow I think this feature exists to guilt me into finally getting around to snagging album art for my iTunes library.
NBC is back in the iTunes Store, along with scads of HD TV shows (sweet). Regular def shows still sell for $1.99 while HD shows will set you back $2.99 per pop (though you should check out the iTunes Store now as they are offering a few HD shows for free at the moment).
The rumored new visualizer is included as well, and it is as trippy as you might expect. I think we’ll be seeing this feature used heavily in college dorm rooms across the globe.
Finally, iTunes 8 is more accessible than ever. It is now screenreader friendly, you can even browse and purchase content from the iTunes store using a screenreader.
iTunes 8 is available now and remains free for both Mac and PC, and at that price you can’t really argue with it, can you?
Apple's gotta plug their leaks, this was all known beforehand. Very sad.
I wonder how many years it will take to get NBC shows in the Canadian store.
"If you choose to share your Genius data it will be reported back to Apple, anonymously..."
I had my groceries delivered tonight, including a new carton of tinfoil.
How anonymously? 100%? Is this enough reassurance?
Don't read the marketing words - read the actual license policy. Genius requires logging in to the store, and allows Apple to market products and services to you. They claim anonymity, but also link the information to your store purchases. I give the MPAA and RIAA about 6 months before they try to subpoena Apple's records. If it's anonymous, then it shouldn't require a store login.
Genius is just one more technique to sell more low-quality music and movies on iTunes.
the visualizer is nowhere NEAR as good as the rumored/sample video. I'm actually a bit disappointed.
Why did the "Hide Genre in Browser" Option disappear? Everything is Music to me, I don't need it be classified into arbitrary categories.
Oh, and for Darwins sake, why would I ever need a link to the iTunes store from a song in my library. Think about it for a second. It's in my library... I probably already own it... Why would I want to buy something, I already own? Then again, those new iPods sure are shiney...
@kp, you gotta stop reading rumor sites. I didn't know any of this (except for the supposed video of the new visualizer posted on this site that was obviously pre-rendered).