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Apple Quietly Releases iTunes 4.8
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.'"
And maybe they're planning on releasing it soon?
I mean seriously. When are they going to get around to porting it?
Maybe it will go something like music -> music videos -> movies? One can only hope...
Does Apple usually delay putting updates into software update or was slashdot just amazingly fast getting this news story published?
Hexy - a strategy game for iPhone/iPod Touch
Then they will care about you. Why should they port to a competing *NIX variant?
A
No, seriously.
qtcomponents 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, 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 source, so you're pretty much out of luck.
Has anyone found any alternative way of getting oggs to play in iTunes?
Random and weird software I've written.
iTunes 4.7.1 (and maybe prior versions as well) can show QuickTime music videos from the iTunes store, but I don't know offhand if it's making a call to the QuickTime program or processing the QT file itself. I know that there are AppleScripts that will let you save iTunes music videos to your hard drive.
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.
Anakin Simpson: If you're not with me, then you're my enemy--ooh, donuts!
from the link:
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.
Karma: It's not just a good idea. It's the law.
It seems that with every iTunes release, Apple quietly removes some useful feature to placate the RIAA. They eliminated internet streaming, disabled some plug-ins, restricted you to sharing songs with 5 computers a day, and so on. Any word yet about whether has removed any features this time?
Just tried it out: it imports MOV files, all right, and creates a full copy of the file in the iTunes library.
However, it doesn't (or I haven't yet figured out) play the video portion of the file in iTunes: only the audio.
The real question is, when will there be a Windows 64 compatible version? Since XP 64 is currently shipping from OEMs, and a lot of other companies currently have 64 bit drivers and apps either out or in development, I wonder when Apple will release iTunes for it. Everything in iTunes currently works under 32 emu mode, but to burn CDs, you would need 64 bit drivers. Burning CDs from iTunes is a huge, important feature, so it's not a minor thing.
Maybe they want to start selling music videos and movie trailers? Or maybe even entire movies? Maybe this is part of the alleged reason behind the Mini Mac, to create a cheap platform for playing online movies? Their new Quicktime & codec are supposed to be able to produce higher quality movies at a lower bandwidth requirements than competitors.
Damien
You know, for a company that has gained A LOT of support and respect from the /. type, they really ought to spend the 59 seconds necessary to have iTunes support FLAC and OGG. Seriously, you know how many people they'd make happy?
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.)
from 2 seconds ago, posted to the OSX Security Bulletins Mailing list:
7 98
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-----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/ 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/
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And if the iPod itself supported [FLAC and OGG], 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.)
/. fantasy land!
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
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
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 speculate it's because Windows Media Player has always been able to play videos - as can Winamp these days. They're probably frustrated that iTunes is popular but everybody hates the Quicktime player because of it's nagware behaviour. Even if they run iTunes, Windows users still turn to Windows Media Player or Media Player Classic (and various others) to view movies. Hell, even as a Mac user I prefer the OSX port of Mplayer over the horrible Quicktime player.
So rather than admit they were wrong with the nagware effort, I bet they're trying to turn iTunes into their consumer "all media" player. This allows them to push Quicktime player slightly upmarket, to continue to charge for the Quicktime Pro toolset - and continue to nag users about upgrading.
This would also explain why the new Quicktime 7 is even more desperate to get you to buy the Pro version (when they should have backed off). It now has all the menus of the Pro version in the free version - but they're greyed out.
But this is largely what I was trying to achieve when I initially started storing videos in iTunes.
This 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)=
I use itunes to keep my ipod synced but it lacks some basic functionality that I keep expecting to see in these updates.
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?
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? ;-)
This is my post. There are many others like it. If you don't like what you read here, go try one of the others.
Funny, you need to buy QT Pro in order to play videos full screen, but OTOH Apple releases iTunes 4.8 with *fullscreen* video support for free.
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?
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. Nearly every vendor is auctioning off an iPod. Gee, I wonder why?
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!
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
Oh my. You are relentless.
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 their name.
So the more you like Apple, in theory, the more likely you are to entertain Apple as a solution. This is not rocket science. *I* think that by adding support for these kinds of formats, there's no downside - those who don't use it won't notice and those that do will love it, and conceivably be more positive and open minded about Apple in general.
It's not a direct "I like FLAC in iTunes so I'll simply use OS X" relationship, despite your fanatic need to make it so.
I'm done.
I'm done.
Thank goodness. Now back to the big boy discussion.
(Hint: Apple doesn't care that you want ogg/flac support in iPods. Neither do we. Got it? I'm done.)
*my* fanatic need?
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 formats."
With the release of iTunes 4.8 supporting video formats on the other hand, Apple can easily defend it's position that it opens the iPod and iTunes platforms up for further multimedia support in the future.
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
Let me tell you a story.
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 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.
~~~~~ BigLig2? You mean there's another one of me?
To borrow a phrase being used elsewhere in this discussion, there'll be a Win64-compatible version when significantly more than the current 0.001% of the Windows user base is running Win64...
What it doesn't work for you? on a side note, there is a new button on the bottom, but it remains inactive. rollover reads "Show video full screen". Tried everything i could, but I can't make it active. does anyone know what it is for? also if apple were to make a video ipod (as apposed to enabling video on the ipod photo) they would do what they usually do and release a new itunes spicifically for that purpose. itunes 4.1 = windows itunes 4.6 = airport express itunes 4.7 = ipod photo itunes 4.7.1 = ipod shuffle itunes 4.8 = Music Store Support and Video Support????
Oh my. You are relentless.
/. when I got home and re-read the posts and saw the moderations and I don't want you to think me a total ass. I did go a little "guns blazing" on you, and I'm sorry for taking it so far.
/. may be tired of the whole Ogg on iPod war, but that doesn't make your points less valid.
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.
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
I saw "amn't" used recently when I watched "The Crying Game" for the first time since it came out. And I turned captions on, to be sure I heard it right. Yeah, we need an acceptable substitute for "I ain't."
Doesn't Quicktime still play oggs? I think VideoLan does too. I like iTunes, but I'm never gonna depend soley on Apple software (not since they abandoned Hypercard)
I guess you got lucky then, and the person transcribing the dialog into the subtitles for that DVD actually had a brain. Sometimes we're not that lucky. Take, for example, a scene toward the end of Gangster No. 1, in which the main character says, "You want it old-style?" and the English subtitles read, "You're one of the old stones." which makes absolutely no sense in the context of the movie. If you're not a Brit, and you have trouble with thick accents, checking the subtitles on that one will leave you scratching your head. You'd think there would be more cooperation between studios and DVD mastering houses; that they might even hand them a copy of the script, so that the finished product is accurate and doesn't make everyone look like idiots.
All I know is that it would rock to be able to rip my DVDs onto my Video Ipod, and play it through my TV via s-video or whatever. maybe get a little Mac Mini rev.b to vid iPod dock action going on. Who knows...
They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!
I've known for a while that the Total Annihilation game disc is also an audio CD with the games soundtrack encoded as red-book audio. Previous versions of iTunes wouldn't read the game disc as an Audio CD, but when I started 4.8, I had my TA game disc in my drive, and iTunes showed it as an audio CD, that could be ripped.
Two Roommates and a Boyfriend, updates Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Part of Apple's schtick is that iPod and iTunes are the same thing. You have music in iTunes, you plug in your iPod, you have your music on your iPod.
It's not trivial to get iPods to play Ogg Vorbis, if they can at all. The iPod-Linux guys are at 80% of realtime decoding. I don't know that it's impossible, but it's certainly not easy.
Apple isn't going to spend valuable engineer-hours trying to shoehorn an Ogg Vorbis decoder to run on iPods. And they're not going to increase the iPod hardware specs just to run Ogg. And they're not going to ship a new codec for iTunes that won't work on everybody's iPods.
So you may get Oggs to play, someday. But you won't get out-of-the-box support from Apple for a while. Maybe in a couple years, the iPod platform will be running faster chips (for non-Ogg reasons), and when it's trivial to add Ogg support, they may consider doing it.
In the meantime, no, I can't see why they would add Ogg support. It's not like they're having trouble selling iPods because of it.
You're a tool.
(mods self up +5 informative)
There is still a need for this function. I let iTunes manage everything, but I use a shared folder so multiple users can access the same music library. If I add new tracks under one user, the others don't get to see them unless I import them manually. A rescan folder command would fix this. If you simply re-add all the tracks (so you don't have to figure out what you added since last time), it resets all your play counts and ratings. Not good.
Another asshat adds his valuable insight to the annals of Slashdot.
What's funnier - your lame @ss comment, or the fact that you took the time necessary to read the thread, click reply, preview this post, and post it (hint: it's not the first one)? Don't you have anything better to do?
Here's a very simple applescript that will present a movie fullscreen using the standard QT player (including v7): tell application "QuickTime Player" to present movie I just remembered that off the top of my head, so you might have to look in the QT dictionary to get the exact command. Of course this won't work in windows.
the next time you're on an airplane, hold your ipod up at arms length and compare it to the relative size of the closest screen on the plane. unless you're sitting right under the thing, chances are that the ipod's screen size will be very similar to the planes.
the next time you're on an airplane, hold your ipod up at arms length and compare it to the relative size of the closest screen on the plane. unless you're sitting right under the thing, chances are that the ipod's screen size will be very similar to the planes. its purpose won't be to replace your tv.
I don't know (fully) about flac, but I know for certain that iTunes plays oggs - I've got several in my library.
It says the filetype is "Quicktime Movie File", implying that it uses QT to import them (I have the quicktime ogg/vorbis codec installed).
How do you get them in your library? Just drag them to the library, from the finder.
Am I really the only one to know this? Screenshots on request....
My UID is prime. Is yours?
shouldve clarified, I can play 'em, but I cant include 'em in my itunes playlists, which is annoying
"goodbye and hello, as always" ~Prince Corwin, from Zelazny's Amber series