JWFan Ping?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

Apple just announced Ping...which is sort of a social networking tool for music integrated into iTunes. Basically a way to get music recommendations from your friends/see what they're listening to etc.

We can set up a JWFan "Circle of Friends" and explore each other's musical nooks and crannies. (Appetizing no?)

Thoughts?

[Wojo 2,458]

Definitely one of my first and favorite books as a youngster.

I don't use iTunes so I can't use this.

[Ollie 1,375]

No.

[Henry B 51]

Sure.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Yeah, why not.

[Jay 46,252]

The last.fm JWFan group never really took off, but I suppose a lot more people use iTunes. Sounds good.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I'm in.

[Marian Schedenig 11,698]

So it's something like last.fm?

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

Just about, with the added benefit that people actually use iTunes.

[Marian Schedenig 11,698]

I don't, I don't want to, and even if I would I couldn't. But my player supports last.fm.

[Andy 7,736]

I'd be in I guess.

[pixie_twinkle 60]

What does it entail?

[King Mark 3,977]

It entails Apple knowing about all the bootlegs in your itunes

[Koray Savas 2,260]

If it is anything like LastFM, then it's just a typical social networking feature. You can scrobble bootlegs on LastFM, but that doesn't mean they're checking and ratting out people who do.

[Elmo Lewis 7]

It entails Apple knowing about all the bootlegs in your itunes

Good thinking.

[Marian Schedenig 11,698]

So apparently it's definitely iTunes exclusive and it's pretty much anti independent artists, who can't claim their albums and provide their data. In other words, it's another device to tie people into proprietary Apple technologies and to big industry labels. I'm not surprised.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,032]

What's an i-Tunes. This is not a joke: I really do not know.

[Wojo 2,458]

iTunes is a proprietary digital media player application, used for playing and organizing digital music and video files on PC or MAC.

The application is also an interface to manage the contents on Apple's popular iPod and other digital media players such as the iPhone and iPad.

Additionally, iTunes can connect to the iTunes Store via the Internet to purchase and download music, music videos, television shows, iPod games, audiobooks, podcasts, feature length films and movie rentals (not available in all countries), and ringtones (only used for iPhone).

It is also used to download applications for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad running iOS 2.0 or later.

[Naïve Old Fart 13,032]

Well, that clears it up nicely. I'll stick to my hi.fi, but thank you, all the same, Wojo.

[Wojo 2,458]

What they don't tell you at parties is that you can get music onto an iPod without iTunes. You can certainly organize a music library or listen to music on a computer without it. It's also rumoured, but not widely believed, that there are other music players on the market besides iPods.

But the only way to download music from the iTunes store is by using the proprietary program. That's its only inescapable use if you want to buy music from there.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

So now that iTunes 10 is out, how does this Ping thing work? Looks like Twitter to me, I don't know most of your guys' real names so I have no way of finding you.

As for the new update, it's kinda meh. They made everything all bland, no pop or color, just grey.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I made a profile.

[Xander Harris 9,680]

Album list view is still a disaster. Why can't they fit the album/track title text into a reasonable column, utilizing 2 or more lines if necessary? Instead, if you (naturally) have some longer titles, they'll either get chopped off or they'll extend the columns a ridiculous length when you auto-size. I just use album view and mostly my playlists in the sidebar, if using iTunes at all. It's so clunky I usually just use my iPod. No desire to do Ping.

[Joe Brausam 234]

Well you guys can follow me on there, Joseph Brausam.

[Andy 7,736]

Gah! It is ugly lookin' isn't it? Someone on FSM pointed out that the logo has eliminated the image of a Compact Disc, as an obsolete medium.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,110]

I think it's quite pretty. Not kiddy looking anymore.

[Demondm810 473]

I'm up on ping...

[John Crichton 4]

If I ever install iTunes on my new(ish, now) comp I'd probably be interested.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I started following you guys, see how it all works. Just search my name and you'll find me.

[Johnnyecks 55]

I started mine up as well, you can follow me if you wish. Names "John Townsend"

[Koray Savas 2,260]

Okay, I was fine with all the design changes, but now I'm pissed. Before, you used to be able to just type some letters in quick succession to "fast-travel" to a specific album. Say I was on A.I., and I wanted to go to SpaceCamp. I could just type "Spa" really quickly and it would take me to the first album with "Spa" in the title. Now, when you type those letters in quick succession, it'll take you to the ARTIST. For example, I wanted to go to Summertime Killer, so I type "Sum" and it took me to Breakfast In America by Supertramp, because "Sup" is the closest to "Sum" in my artists.

[Henry B 51]

Well, I'm on... you can find me by my name.

[gkgyver 1,647]

I didn't use itunes once in my life.

[Snowster 23]

I think you're still able to do it. You just have to select the correct sort column in list view. I actually tested it, and when sorted by album it works as it did for you before. However, if I sort by artist, I get your described 'new' behavior.

-Snowster

Okay, I was fine with all the design changes, but now I'm pissed. Before, you used to be able to just type some letters in quick succession to "fast-travel" to a specific album. Say I was on A.I., and I wanted to go to SpaceCamp. I could just type "Spa" really quickly and it would take me to the first album with "Spa" in the title. Now, when you type those letters in quick succession, it'll take you to the ARTIST. For example, I wanted to go to Summertime Killer, so I type "Sum" and it took me to Breakfast In America by Supertramp, because "Sup" is the closest to "Sum" in my artists.

[Koray Savas 2,260]

I have always used cover flow, and have always had it listed by album.