Posted 11/02/09 at 04:10:12 PM by Bart Salisbury

The relationship between things Apple and Windows 7 has hit a small snag. It appears that version 9 of iTunes, when run under the 64-bit version of Windows 7, is having problems synchronizing with iPhones. Given the popularity of iPhones, and the necessity of iTunes for keeping it populated with music, apps, and video, this could be a bit of a problem.

Postings in the Apple discussions, which go on for six pages, report pretty much the same thing--no iTunes-iPhone syncing, with iTunes reporting an error code of 0xE8000065, which like many Microsoft error codes, doesn’t reveal a great deal. In a few other cases users are told MTB USB drivers can’t be installed. As MTB drivers are needed to move media back-and-forth, this makes sense, but it’s not clear what prevents their installation.

Some users have reported turning off Apple’s Bonjour software helps, but others have reported back that either the fix didn’t work, or was only temporary. Other users say they have resolved the problem by taking the drastic step of completely restoring the iPhone, deleting the iPodDevices.xml file, turning on C-State functionality in the BIOS, removing Bonjour from the system, and closing all programs before plugging in the iPhone. Given the scope of this fix let’s hope that Apple gets the problem resolved quickly.

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Posted 10/30/09 at 07:49:53 PM by Ryan Whitwam

Apple is all about controlling their products and services. So it’s no surprise that they have locked the Palm Pre out of iTunes again in the new version of the software. The 88.5 MB update, v9.0.2, added support for the new version of the Apple TV software, but for those Pre owners that didn’t investigate fully, it also broke their syncing capability.

Apple and Palm have been playing this game since the Pre came out back in June. Palm knew from the start that Apple could continue issuing updates forever, but they hoped to get some support from the wider tech community. After having their complaint to the USB Implementers Forum thrown out, Palm was also told that their practice of faking Apple’s USB ID was unacceptable.

There are numerous ways to sync music with a Palm Pre, but Palm seems only to be interested in iTunes. There’s an argument to be made for Apple here: It’s their software, and they can do what they want. Would it be nice if they let the Pre sync? Sure, but it probably isn’t going to happen. In the meantime, Palm just isn’t providing their customers with a reasonable syncing experience. Should Palm just get over it? Should Apple take the high road and stop the patch battle? Let us know in the comments.

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Posted 10/13/09 at 08:48:42 AM by Paul Lilly

The idea of dethroning Apple's iTunes service to lord over the domain of digital music downloads seems like a long shot at best, just don't tell that to BSkyB, the satellite broadcaster who has high hopes for its upcoming Sky Songs digital music service.

Perhaps rightfully so, as BSkyB has inked deals with several music suppliers, including EMI, Sony, Warner, and a bunch of independent labels. But unlike iTunes and its per-track business model, Sky Songs will be a subscription-based service charging subscribers a flat fee every month. This also differs from Spotify, which serves up free access to music but plays ads.

"[Sky Songs] will offer access to unlimited music as well as premium fan-oriented content, while ensuring our roster of artists are appropriately rewarded for their creativity," said Eric Daugan of Warner Music, Europe.

Sky Songs is expected to launch next week with two subscription options available. For £6.49, subscribers will be able to download and keep a single album or 10 songs but forgo unlimited streaming, while the £7.99 subscription ups the ante with unlimited streams and 15 individual downloads to keep.

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Posted 10/07/09 at 02:45:15 PM by Bart Sailsbury

In what most likely is a nonevent, the media management company doubleTwist last week introduced the standalone application doubleTwist, which provides access to Amazon’s MP3 downloads. Billed as an iTunes competitor, doubleTwist will allow you to download music and, just like you can if you downloaded at Amazon or Lala or most other online music providers, put them on any device capable of playing MP3s--including an Apple iPod. Wow!

doubleTwist has an iTunes-familiar interface. You can download music (only music, and only from Amazon), but doubleTwist will allow you to manage your music, photos, and movies (which doubleTwist cleverly snatches from your iTunes library). The interface is familiar to iTunes users, but definitely more utilitarian.

A strength of doubleTwist may be its ability to manage your media on a variety of devices, such as the Palm Pre, BlackBerry, the Amazon Kindle, the Sony PSP, and Windows Media devices. But, alas, iPod/iPhone support is only available for Windows users at present. doubleTwist claims to transcode your files to the necessary format before loading to a mobile device.

The market for online music delivery is definitely heating up, with Microsoft’s streaming music venture in the UK, and the impending entry of Spotify into the United States. Given that most existing services are web-based (including Amazon’s), it’s not clear how attractive a machine-based alternative will prove.

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Posted 09/27/09 at 11:13:05 PM by Justin Kerr

Apple has been called out in the past for using its software updater to push unwanted applications out to Windows users, but apparently all the bad press wasn’t enough to teach them a lesson claims ZDNet blogger Ed Bott. Apparently Apple has taken to forcing out its new “iPhone Configuration Utility” using their automated Software Updater, and even systems that have never come in contact with an iPhone before are being targeted.

Upon further testing he was able to confirm that this update was being suggested out to every system that had allowed the Apple Software Updater to become installed, and suggests users keep a close eye on it to avoid downloading applications they don’t need. It’s bad enough Apple keeps trying to force Safari on Windows users, but iPhone configuration utilities for those without iPhones? That’s low.

Has Apple’s has crossed the line this time?

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Posted 09/10/09 at 08:35:15 AM by Paul Lilly

Apple's iTunes 9 is now available for download, and with it a cleaner interface and several added features, not the least of which is what the company is calling 'iTunes LP.'

"iTunes 9 is a great iTunes release, with innovative features that make using iTunes better than ever and iTunes content richer than ever," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "iTunes LP, for example, lets artists share more of their creativity with fans and gives music lovers the feeling of being immersed in an entire album with art, lyrics, liner notes, photos, and videos."

The redesigned store also boasts improved syncing, Home Sharing of iTunes libraries on up to five authorized computers, previews from anywhere in the store, Genius Mixes, which searches your iTunes library and "finds songs that go great together," and more. You can also finally organize your iPhone apps right in iTunes and they will automatically appear on your iPhone with the same layout, Apple says.

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Posted 08/25/09 at 08:47:26 AM by Paul Lilly

Shame on you if you purchased one of the 78 business apps from the iTunes store with the intent on using it for your...business? As quirky as that sounds, it's the exact stance Apple is taking.

This isn't a new policy on Apple's part, but it's garnering attention now after a Swedish customer named Martin posted his customer support exchange on his blog. Upon requesting an apps invoice that breaks down VAT (Value Added Tax) charges, a Tier 1 support representative informed Martin that he was simply out of luck.

 "The iTunes Store sells only to customers as end-users for personal, noncommercial use in ther respective countries of residence. The amount you see on your receipt is a total (including tax) with this purpose in mind," the support rep wrote in an email to Martin.

The unnamed rep went on to explain that any attempts to claim purchases for tax reasons would be in violation of the terms of sale, which is true. But when Martin pointed out that "Swidish law requires you to specify sales tax, REGARDLESS of if you sell to a business or a private person," the rep made a pitch to Martin to leave iTunes Feedback to enact change with Apple's policy.

Read the full exchange here, then hit the jump and sound off.

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Posted 08/10/09 at 12:15:47 PM by Paul Lilly

Web chatter has it that Apple might be releasing iTunes 9 as early as next month, but that's only half of what's been spinning in the rumor mill. Citing a "pretty reliable source," the Boy Genius Report feels fairly confident Blu-ray support will be added to the upcoming release. The rumor coincides with another one from Apple Insider claiming that the new iMacs will also integrate Blu-ray support. Apparently the time is right for Apple to make the jump.

"Blu-ray is just a bag of hurt," Steve Jobs said last October. "It's great to watch the movies, but the licensing of the tech is so complex, we're waiting till things settle down and Blu-ray takes off in the marketplace."

Getting back to the iTunes software, version 9 is also said to allow iPhone and iTouch owners to arrange icons and applications from within iTunes, rather than having to do it on the device itself. iTunes 9 is also rumored to offer some kind of integration with Twitter, Facebook, and Last.FM, The Apple Blog reports.

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