Apple iTunes 11

For the more than two years since version 10 was released, Apple's world-dominating iTunes media application has remained largely the same. The arrival of iTunes 11 (free) marks a major rebuilding in features, interface, and underlying code. Not only does the iTunes 11 player have a new look and features, but the iTunes Store and even the program's icon have been redesigned. A big thrust of the new version is the inclusion of more iCloud features, jibing with Apple's iOS-and-Mac cloud syncing service. Another is more iTunes Store purchase suggestions. The new, more capable Mini Player is icing on the cake, in this unparalleled source and player of music and video.

iTunes still includes all those extras we've gotten used to, including iTunes U, podcast playing, Genius, Home Sharing, the equalizer, the visualizer, a book store, and movie and TV show rentals as well as purchases. One thing it doesn't include is any sign of Apple's ill-fated music social network, Ping. For this review, we'll focus on just the most exciting new features of iTunes 11.

Installing
You can get iTunes for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 in addition to Macintosh OS X version 10.6.8 or later (updated Snow Leopard). I tested the new iTunes on both Windows and Mac OS X. It's an 83MB download for Windows?slightly larger than version 10, which was already on the portly side. By comparison, Windows Media Player weighs in at just 12MB, and WinAmp is 11MB. (The Mac installer for iTunes is even larger, at 198MB.) The installer makes iTunes your default player for music files, but you can uncheck the box for this if you prefer an alternative like Windows Media Player or WinAmp. I had to close Outlook for some reason for the installation to proceed.

On first run of the updated app, after agreeing to the updated license agreement, I was offered tutorial videos explaining new features. A privacy option asked me to share details with Apple so it could display album covers and even artist photos from concerts and studio sessions. This choice also enables iTunes' new store recommendations, since poor old Apple really needs you to buy more and more content.

Interface
The interface seems even more trimmed down and muted than before, if that's possible?and it looks great. Even the standard app menu is gone in the Windows version (not Mac though), replacing it with a square icon in the extreme top left. (You can re-enable it if you like from the newfangled menu, however.) The AirPlay button is still there, so you can throw whatever you're playing to a home entertainment system attached to an Apple TV or one that supports AirPlay natively. You also get basic play/pause, fast-forward, and reverse controls, as well as a volume slider, and a search box along the top of the program window.

The left-hand sidebar is gone, but you won't miss it at all. Switching among Music, Movies, TV Shows is faster than before using the button at top left. It drops down choices for these media types. The same goes for switching between your library and the iTunes Store from a button on the right. Next to the dropdown is a cloud icon for iCloud that's merely an indicator of whether iCloud is connected or actively downloading.

Clicking on an album now drops down an area the full width of the program window showing tracks, timings, album art, and play options (shuffle, repeat, and so on). You can also add album tracks to any play list or to Up Next (see next section) from here. In a slick design touch, the color of this panel is based on the album cover, so each will usually have a different shade. A button in this tinted panel also lets you see related music available on the iTunes Store.

Up Next
A key new feature in iTunes 11 is Up Next. Accessible from a bullet-list icon next to the top-center song information area, it shows you a list of songs are on deck to be played. You can move or remove upcoming songs with the cursor. A clock icon takes you in the other direction chronologically, showing the list of songs you've already listened to. A new context menu next to song entries includes choices for Add to Up Next, as well as simply Play Next, and adding to playlists. Unfortunately, the Play Next and history lists didn't work for Internet radio stations such as SomaFm in my testing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/alYOvTILJxI/0,2817,2368917,00.asp

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