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badtz · Jun 28, 2005, 04:21 AM

http://www.macnn.com/articles/05/06/...es.itunes.4.9/

biscuit · Jun 28, 2005, 04:37 AM

Yep, my Software Update just popped up with this ready to go. Do Apple send update messages out or was this just a coincidence? I'm set to check weekly...

biscuit

biscuit · Jun 28, 2005, 04:52 AM

So it's installed now with no problems. Surprise surprise, it's pretty much identical to 4.8 apart from the podcasts. Might be nice if you use them but I haven't as yet. Somewhat annoyingly, there's no option to remove podcasts from the source list. You can remove the other stuff (radio, music store, party shuffle), so this seems like a lazy oversight. Podcast directory doesn't do anything at the moment.

biscuit

Briareus · Jun 28, 2005, 04:55 AM

FYI: Podcasts don't seem to be linked from the front page of the Music Store yet (probably will be by the time the east coast of the US wakes up). In the meantime, select a genre from the drop-down list and let it load. You'll see the new link on the left.

badtz · 05:11 AM

a couple comments about it @ this point:

- the podcast directory is not listed on iTMS.

- i'm surprised they are allowing video enclosures

- hopefully someone will do something to allow those feeds that use bit torrent to work; maybe by having the torrent files pushed onto your desktop?

- no way to delete a podcast file, but LEAVE the podcast listing on the list [and greyed out]

- an easier way to view a video file w/out having to open the "artwork" window (i don't have that expanded, and the video started playing the audio, but i didn't know where the video was until I expanded it)

- maybe a way to specify when to check for new podcast updates?

f1000 · Jun 28, 2005, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by Briareus

FYI: Podcasts don't seem to be linked from the front page of the Music Store yet (probably will be by the time the east coast of the US wakes up). In the meantime, select a genre from the drop-down list and let it load. You'll see the new link on the left.

It's up now.

Randman · Jun 28, 2005, 05:15 AM

Been looking forward to this.

F_Elz · Jun 28, 2005, 05:17 AM

woohoo!

Thorin · 05:53 AM

The UK version doesn't seem quite right yet. If you click on podcasts it just takes you to the UK music store, and if you click the podcast link there it just lets you browse the music store across the top - no podcasts. If you switch to US music store you can see all the podcasts there and subscribe no problems. I'm guessing it'll be fixed some time today.

Looks great so far. I've been using NewsFire to get podcasts onto my ipod for the last couple of weeks and really enjoying listening to Mark Kermode's movie reviews and Go Digital from the BBC. It's great - so far I've listened in the gym, on a train, on a plane and while grabbing some lunch in town by myself. All places I normally have my iPod with me, but would never take a portable radio.

as2 · Jun 28, 2005, 05:41 AM

The UK version worked fine for me

Thorin · Jun 28, 2005, 05:57 AM

I'm using Windows iTunes (yuck) as I'm at work and couldn't wait to have a look at the podcasting features. Could be why I'm having a problem and you're not.

meem · Jun 28, 2005, 06:00 AM

Why can't i subscribe to a podcast thats not in the music store already by simply typing in a url. Thats just silly. I guess I'm staying with Pod2Go

Randman · Jun 28, 2005, 06:00 AM

I'm accessing the US version from Asia right now and all is smooth. Very nice and plenty of content already.

Gee4orce · Jun 28, 2005, 06:01 AM

Wow - the Podfinder podcast really showcases some new tech - artwork that changes in time with the audio, complete with links (for instance, the Podfinder show is a guide to other podcasts, and you can see the logos of the podcasts he's talking about, and click on it to subscribe to that podcast. Neat).

Still no joy in the UK though, I had to use the US store to find this.

Randman · Jun 28, 2005, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by meem

Why can't i subscribe to a podcast thats not in the music store already by simply typing in a url. Thats just silly. I guess I'm staying with Pod2Go

You can submit a podcast to be added to the iTMS. Click on the Publish Podcast link.

Gee4orce · Jun 28, 2005, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by meem

Why can't i subscribe to a podcast thats not in the music store already by simply typing in a url. Thats just silly. I guess I'm staying with Pod2Go

Look in the Advanced.. menu.

The tool for making chapters, with artwork, is available here

iDriveX · Jun 28, 2005, 06:06 AM

iTunes 4.9 seems to also remember where you left off on a PodCast as well. Play a PodCast for a bit and then go play a song. Come back to the PodCast and it will continue to play where you left off. A nice little feature Apple threw in there. Haven't sync'd with my iPod yet, does it do the same on the iPod?

Thorin · Jun 28, 2005, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by Gee4orce

Look in the Advanced.. menu.

- I missed that as well

Thorin · Jun 28, 2005, 06:09 AM

I like the way podcasts are kept seperately from your library. I didn't much like the idea of a podcast cropping up in the middle of a party shuffle.

TETENAL · Jun 28, 2005, 06:15 AM

iTunes allows you to turn of all the 'special' sources in the side-bar. Music store, radio and party-shuffle can all be turned off. Podcast is the first one of these new features I would like to turn off, since for me it's a waste of space. And for that Apple has forgotten the preference to turn it off.

kzmk · Jun 28, 2005, 06:40 AM

I would love to auto-download podcasts to my iPod shuffle.

Does not work. Podcasts don't turn up in the popup-menu, and there are NO podcast settings in the iPod preferences (although there's the podcast button in the Podcast settings, but that just switches to the iPod settings, duh).

Has anybody gotten this to work?
Or does this only work with regular iPods... say... because Apple thinks you'd need a **cough** screen for that?

porieux · 07:45 AM

...

analogika · Jun 28, 2005, 08:03 AM

Originally Posted by porieux

Podcasts are lame. If I want to listen to people talking I'll have a conversation with a real person.

Wow.

more than 80 years of radio history, relegated to the trashbin in one fell swoop.

Impressive.

ManOfSteal · Jun 28, 2005, 08:30 AM

The only problem that v4.9 has caused is that the US Apple Store is currently down...

Briareus · Jun 28, 2005, 08:54 AM

The store is up. New 20GB iPod with color screen ($299) & 60GB ($399).

Gee4orce · Jun 28, 2005, 09:08 AM

I wish it marked the Podcast source with a label showing you how many un-listened to Podcasts you had (lke Mail does)

version 5 maybe....

Goldfinger · Jun 28, 2005, 09:43 AM

Any new usefull features ?

KeyLimePi · Jun 28, 2005, 09:46 AM

I don't suppose iTunes has the one podcast feature I've been looking for...

..that is the option to automatically delete the last podcast episode whenever a new episode is downloaded. Do you think this is something for which someone could write an iTunes Applescript?

bbales · Jun 28, 2005, 09:51 AM

OK, If you've never listened to a podcast and don't anticipate doing so anytime soon, is there any reason to update the itunes application? Just wondering...

(On the other hand, I sure do like the look of the new ipods!)

TETENAL · Jun 28, 2005, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi

I don't suppose iTunes has the one podcast feature I've been looking for...

..that is the option to automatically delete the last podcast episode whenever a new episode is downloaded.

If you set the "Keep" setting to "Most recent episode" in the Podcast preferences, doesn't it do what you want?

Macrat · Jun 28, 2005, 10:04 AM

Have they fixed the gap between songs? (one can always dream)

TETENAL · Jun 28, 2005, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Macrat

Have they fixed the gap between songs?

No, they didn't.

Randman · Jun 28, 2005, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi

I don't suppose iTunes has the one podcast feature I've been looking for...

..that is the option to automatically delete the last podcast episode whenever a new episode is downloaded. Do you think this is something for which someone could write an iTunes Applescript?

You could probably do something similar with a Smart Playlist. Or a Smart folder and Automator.

JHromadka · Jun 28, 2005, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Goldfinger

Any new usefull features ?

iTunes seems much snappier now.

Stradlater · Jun 28, 2005, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi

I don't suppose iTunes has the one podcast feature I've been looking for...

..that is the option to automatically delete the last podcast episode whenever a new episode is downloaded. Do you think this is something for which someone could write an iTunes Applescript?

Ummm...there is a preference in the "Podcast" section:

"Keep:" which allows you to pick "Most Recent Episode."

chabig · Jun 28, 2005, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by KeyLimePi

I don't suppose iTunes has the one podcast feature I've been looking for...

..that is the option to automatically delete the last podcast episode whenever a new episode is downloaded. Do you think this is something for which someone could write an iTunes Applescript?

You suppose wrong. It's in there.

Tito Puente · Jun 28, 2005, 10:49 AM

Everything coolio over here. Also got an iPod updater in SU, too.

Mastrap · Jun 28, 2005, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by porieux

Podcasts are lame. If I want to listen to people talking I'll have a conversation with a real person.

Ignorant statement of the day. Podcasts are nothing but time shift programs. There is excellent content out there.

- - e r i k - - · Jun 28, 2005, 10:55 AM

Uhm, anyone getting this message with downloaded podcasts:

"This computer is not authorized to play this podcast" (or something along those lines).

The podcasts play well in the "store" though, but without downloading it's quite useless for putting it on my actual POD.

SoBayJake · Jun 28, 2005, 10:58 AM

I, too, was waiting for this. Now I get to check it out.
One thing I noticed...I have a 3G iPod. The files download to it, and are accessible via
Playlists -> Podcasts
However, then its just seems to be a list of ALL the podcasts on your iPod, in one big list. Doesn't appear to be any way to sort them, or keep them in groups like they are in iTunes?

-Jake

Stradlater · Jun 28, 2005, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by porieux

Podcasts are lame. If I want to listen to people talking I'll have a conversation with a real person.

I guess you don't listen to the radio, either?

It's a good thing you always have people around who can give you the interesting history lessons that BBC4's "In Our Time" provide.

It's also a good thing you know someone who can update you, minute-for-minute, on the news.

Tito Puente · Jun 28, 2005, 11:01 AM

Are the podcasts locale specific when browsing through iTunes? Or can I view ones from somewhere like Australia?

Edit: Ah, found an "international" link in the browser window.

Looks smart.

stevek · Jun 28, 2005, 11:05 AM

Still getting timeouts galore when trying to actually get a podcast (PodFinder, in this case)

looks like I'll be holding onto my NetNewsWire subscriptions for the time being.

CatOne · Jun 28, 2005, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Macrat

Have they fixed the gap between songs? (one can always dream)

What gap? I have crossfade set to 12 seconds in iTunes and the songs blend quite nicely... no gap.

There's a gap on the iPod, but this is the software forum so I figure you're not talking about it.

Stradlater · Jun 28, 2005, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by CatOne

What gap? I have crossfade set to 12 seconds in iTunes and the songs blend quite nicely... no gap.

There's a gap on the iPod, but this is the software forum so I figure you're not talking about it.

When you encode in anything other than Apple Lossless, a small silence is added to the end of a track, which becomes noticeable when the crossfade is turned off. There's actually even more silence than this, because iTunes doesn't seemlessly go from track-to-track when crossfade is off, either.

Axel · Jun 28, 2005, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by CatOne

What gap? I have crossfade set to 12 seconds in iTunes and the songs blend quite nicely... no gap.

There's a gap on the iPod, but this is the software forum so I figure you're not talking about it.

I think he's talking about gapless playing without crossfading (for example when listening to a live bootleg or an album where there's a continuity between the songs)
With a crossfade set to 12 seconds, little wonder why you don't hear any blanks

Krypton · Jun 28, 2005, 12:44 PM

As much as I was looking forward to this, Apple's implementation is pretty poor. There are no per-podcast preferences, and HTML isn't supported for show notes/info etc. Add to this the fact that the store is over loaded right now and only half the feeds work.

And yes, for those not interested in Podcasts (or using better software) there should be an option to turn it off.

Not too impressed

Krypton · Jun 28, 2005, 12:47 PM

Oh, and it doesn't show you which podcasts you're already subscribed to.

Randman · Jun 28, 2005, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Krypton

Oh, and it doesn't show you which podcasts you're already subscribed to.

Yes, it does.

OwlBoy · Jun 28, 2005, 01:02 PM

Whats with all the knee-jerk bitching without looking first in this thread?

-Owl