iTunes

Everything you need to know about Apple's iTunes, including iTunes desktop software on Windows and Mac, iTunes Store on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, and iTunes in the Cloud on iCloud

iTunes started off as Apple's desktop music player for Mac but has since become so much -- perhaps too much! -- more. iTunes on the desktop now runs on Mac and Windows, and in addition to playing your music, TV shows, Movies, podcasts, and more, also manages and syncs all of that, as well as apps and games, to your iOS devices via USB. The iTunes Store, which on the desktop includes the App Store and the iBookstore, is where you buy all your content. And if you're using iCloud, it's where you re-download iTunes in the Cloud, and manage iTunes Match.

Apple is expected to update the desktop version of iTunes to iTunes 11 sometime this month.

More coverage

iTunes Store: 3 Billion Served

By admin#IM, Tuesday, Jul 31, 2007 a 8:48 am

Apple just sent out a press release proudly boasting that its iTunes Store has now sold over 3 Billion Songs. Congratulations Apple. Now how about giving away free iPods to loyal customers, eh? No? Well I tried.

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AT&T Developing iTunes Integration and Widget for OSX Users?

By admin#IM, Thursday, Jun 7, 2007 a 7:56 am

Apple and AT&T have worked closely together on iPhone throughout its development and looming rollout. That much is certain. But the two companies may be working on some rather interesting service integration with iTunes and a special dashboard widget for OSX users. According to a source I spoke with from AT&T, the two companies are working to enable iPhone users to view and administer their AT&T account from within iTunes itself.

In this arragement iTunes would allow you to view your bill, minutes used, add-on features like ringtone downloads, etc., all right within iTunes. The company may also offer a simple dashboard widget which displays minutes used as monthly bill status. Interesting.

iPhone Shackles Users to Apple's Walled Garden

By admin#IM, Sunday, Jan 14, 2007 a 10:26 am

p>As "iPhone euphoria" slowly wears off, replaced with sobering reality, some of iPhone's less shiny aspects are beginning to come into view. Wilmington North Corolina's StarNews (I didn't know they had newspapers in NC. Wonder if they have internets as well ;) ) pointed out the unfairness of Apple's FairPlay digital rights management (DRM) technology which locks users into Apple's walled garden by limiting playback of songs purchased through the iTunes Store only on Apple authorized hardware. Since Apple doesn't license FairPlay to any other vendor, that means you can only listen to these legally purchased tracks on an iPod, or iPhone in this case.

Needless to say a good many users, and competitors to Apple, are not happy with this arrangement. Some are seeking legal recourse, accusing Apple of being a monopoly.