 Photo courtesy Apple iTunes is the most popular jukebox software in the worldand can be downloaded onto iPods. See iPod pictures.
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Remember when Microsoft was the bad guy and Apple was the underdog? Funny how a brilliant idea can change everything. With the raging success of the iPod and its powerhouse sidekick, iTunes (or is it the other way around?), you'll now find almost as many people ranting about Steve Jobs as about Bill Gates. Where one person sees the coolest duo to hit electronics since TiVo met the TV, another sees plans for world domination. And it's all about one word: proprietary.
In this article, we'll see what makes iTunes the most popular jukebox software in the world, review some its more advanced functions, explore the integrated Music Store and find out why the whole setup is inspiring some lawsuits and epic hacking wars. First, let's cover the basics.
iTunes is a piece of software that lets you add to, organize and play your digital media collection on your computer, as well as sync it to a portable device. It's a jukebox player along the lines of MusicMatch and Windows Media Player, and you can use it on a Mac or Windows machine. The most significant difference between iTunes and some other media players is the built-in iTunes Music Store (where you can get podcasts, music videos, movies, audiobooks and TV shows, too) and its multi-level integration with Apple's iPod portable media player.
Tools for Listening |
But a portable media player isn't the only way to listen to music through iTunes. There's your Mac OS X or Windows 2000/XP computer, first off -- if you've got a sound card and a set of speakers (and you probably do), that's all you need to use iTunes. You can also use your iTunes library with one of the Motorola/Cingular iTunes phones, which let you download up to 100 songs to the phone. Apple's wireless-networking hub, AirPort Express, is now "AirPort Express with AirTunes" -- you can wirelessly stream iTunes music from your computer to your hub-connected home-theater speakers. With this setup, you control playback via your computer.
With another iTunes stream receiver, Roku's SoundBridge Network Music Player, you control everything through the SoundBridge remote control. So you're not limited to any single option when it comes to playback. But you are limited in some other ways.
Next, learn about iTunes compatibility with your computer and MP3 player.
