Safari for Windows – part two

I forgot to add this thought to the previous post about Safari.

The more I think about it the more it seems to me that you will have to have Safari as the interface between the iPhone and your computer. Just like you need iTunes (well there are replacements for that) for your iPod whether you use OSx or XP/Vista, my bet is you will have to have Safari for the iPhone.

Apple releasing it now is to get people used to the idea of a new browser for Windows. I hope the major bugs are fixed because I have read that even the Alpha version was more stable than the released Beta!

Let’s see if I am right when the iPhone is released.

A great review of IE7, FireFox2 and Safari3 is at ArsTech . Apple for some strange reason ignores standard windows operating features like ClearType and the ability to resize windows from any edge. Instead of just porting something over why not write the app as a real native application following the OS’s fonts and features that the users have set for themselves. I don’t understand Apple!

Thanks to TripleHelix  for recent comments in previous posts.

New update for Floola – The iTunes replacement

Floola has a new update, June 2007: beta 49 version with Podcast and Smart playlist support added!

It supports v7.2 of iTunes, and runs on OSx, Windows 98 and above including Vista plus Linux.

This program is coming along nicely. If you are after an iTunes replacement or want to use your iPod on Linux try it out. And of course it’s free (click an advert on their site to help them out or donate)

Funny, I still get searches for Foola, not Floola!

A new iTunes replacement

There is a new iTunes replacement in town – Songbird.

I have written a few times before about iTunes replacements and Floola seems to be a good one, but Songbird looks like it will blow it out of the water. They have a video of it in use on their front page, very slick. The program is way to much for my needs but I am sure lots will love it. You can use an iPod, USB device, play tracks from the iTunes Store and Yahoo! Unlimited. And , of course, it it cross platform so Linux (eJabs 🙂 ), Mac (Coach 🙂 ) and PC ( the rest of us 🙂 ) lovers can use it

They say “Songbird is a desktop Web player, a digital jukebox and Web browser mash-up. Like Winamp, it supports extensions and skins feathers. Like Firefox, it is built from Mozilla, cross-platform and open source.” The team behind it are the ones that did the great player WinAmp.

Check it out. BTW, if you are after a job they need a few people.

Importing audiobooks into itunes

I have already written a little about importing audiobooks into itunes but that was for Windows users. I had a comment asking about how to do it on a Mac, so here it is (now I do have a mac running OSx at work but I haven’t even powered it on for 12 months, so I have not tested this software)
You probably know that the process of importing a series of audiobook CDs which are all connected, and which need to be played back in strict order, is a cumbersome task that involves a lot of steps: disc swapping, settings changes, and fiddling with file extensions and iTunes meta data. It’s a pain, and only the desire to have a good book on your iPod keeps you going.

Mac users have it easy it seems. You have a program available that pretty much does it all for you and that programs name is… Audiobook Builder, not an exciting name is it? I am fairly sure you can also do all this via Applescripts but a single program is a much better option isn’t it?

All it takes is 3 steps (see the buttons on the bottom of the pic) it will import your Audiobook CDs (or tracks that are already on your Mac), organize them and output the files that your iPod recognises as actual Audiobooks. The results are automatically sent to a special playlist in iTunes, and when you sync with your iPod they appear right you’d expect – in the Audiobooks section.

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Fairuse4WM 1.4

I have posted previously about Fairuse a couple of times and how it is good for removing DRM from files you own – so you can then play the files on a player that doesn’t support Windows Media DRM.

It seems that there is a bit of talk about Fairuse4WM v1.4. Read the info over at Stream Recorder also some great info and links at All Streaming Media including v1.3 fix.

I am doubting there will be a v1.5

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UntwistedVortex’s fantastic eight for one deal

DRM free music – no crack needed

I guess you can buy DRM free music right now and have been able to for ages – just buy a CD and rip it. That is what I do, and I have the bonus that the CD is the back-up!

Anyway EMI have decided that from May they will release their music without crappy DRM on it, via iTunes. Good news? Yes and no.

Yes, finally a big company has finally realised that people don’t want or like DRM anything. It won’t mean lost sales as people that pirate/copy music will still do that, won’t they? This looks like the start of the end of DRM, yippee!

No, well EMI have taken the DRM off but increased the price 30% – now it works out to be way more expensive than just buying the CD. You do get better quality that the DRM version but still nothing like what a CD can offer.

Look, I guess, I just don’t understand the reasoning why people would pay for downloadable music in the first place but if people want to, well, DRM free is the way to go. Strangely the same music will be still able to be bought with DRM as well!

Whether this DRM free music will be available in my country is another thing – we only recently had the itunes store available and still don’t have Movies and TV like the US iTunes.

I notice that Apple has never, ever mentioned about DRM free movies and TV only music.

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iTunes updated again for Vista

iTunes has been updated again. This time it’s v7.1.1 and Apple claim better Vista compatability.

I am not sure about that as the problems they list that still exist are exactly the same problems that were listed before – namely…

• Ejecting iPod from Windows Explorer or by using the “Safely Remove Hardware” feature in Windows Vista may corrupt your iPod. 
• iTunes may display text or graphics incorrectly on your screen. Resizing the iTunes window should correct this issue.
• Contact Groups from Windows Contacts will not sync with iPod.
• iTunes remains unsupported on 64 bit editions of Windows, including Windows Vista and Windows XP x64.

So what has been fixed then???

BadApple plug-in for iTunes

This seems a great idea but not sure if it works with the latest version of iTunes.

BadApple is a free plug-in for iTunes which allows you to sync your music library to any MP3 player (not just an iPod). After downloading and installing the software, you will have a “Sync to MP3 player” link you can click on from within iTunes. This will sync all tracks to a MP3 player.

BadApple will work with a wide range of MP3 players such as the Creative Nomad, Dell DJ, Archos and more. Any unit that mounts as a USB mass storage device should work well with BadApple.

BadApple is free software that you can download here.

Foola supports Vista and iTunes 7.1

I have just looked at the Foola site and noticed it has been updated again. Last time it added Podcast support , this time it looks like it is Vista compatible plus supports iTunes 7.1.

Foola (oops Floola, I keep getting it wrong) is now at March 2007: beta 33 version. Go Foola, go!

iTunes 7.1 and Vista…again

Tried installing iTunes 7.1 last night…

I had screen write problems with the old version of iTunes but I don’t know about the new 7.1. When I tried to install it last night it just hung with the hard-drive buzzing away for ten minutes until I switched the PC off.

I will try again tonight.

Thanks Apple 😦