iTunes 8
The anticipated iTunes 8 release is now available for download. So far the updates appear mostly cosmetic despite Apple's insistence that this is a big release deserved of the 8.0 version number. Audiophiles will most likely appreciate the new Grouping feature. According to Apple, "If you’re a fan of classical music, you know that certain works — whether symphonies, concertos, operas, or oratorios — should be played together. And they can be with Grouping. Select the tracks you want to group. Choose Get Info from the File menu. Enter the name of the work in the Grouping field and click OK." Read more for some other bits of iTunes 8 info and screenshots.
Computer Audiophile reader Jim (jrebman) also pointed out that iTunes has made some serious headway in the accessibility department. From Apple.com
"Enhanced Screen Reader Support
iTunes 8 enhances screen reader accessibility. With VoiceOver in Mac OS X or Window-Eyes for Windows XP and Windows Vista, browse and play everything in your iTunes library. You can also purchase and download content from the iTunes Store, including iTunes U. And create and maintain your iTunes Store account."
The major focus for iTunes 8 appears to be the whole Genius sidebar. So far I'm not that in to it, although I do see some merit in the concept.
Other items to note:
The CD import settings are now on the General tab of iTunes preferences. This moved from the Advanced tab.
The new Grid view has been a long time coming and offers a nice alternative way to view your library.
Lastly, there are some interesting visualizations with iTunes 8. I'm not sure if Apple is trying to take us back to the Windows Media Player 9 days when visualizations were pretty cool. It seems like Apple needed a few more features to make the release part of an event.
