¶ So I’ve just downloaded iTunes for Windows and it’s lovely. Straight away, here’s three things it’s got over Windows Media player:
- Music sharing with your local network.
- Quick browsing – play an individual album in your library with one click.
- Automatic volume equalisation.
But two things it’s missing:
- Mini-player mode – control from the taskbar
- Songwriter style plugin – FTP now listening info (available on Mac)
The now listening info is something I’m particularly after, because I like that kind of geekiness on my blog. Anyone know if such functionality is available for iTunes/Win yet?
Comments
1
Somehow the w.blog now playing plugin for winamp seems to work with my itunes for windows. I don’t know how or why. It just works on one of my computers and doesn’t on another…
hope this helps…
2
Check out www.listen-to.com – some advanced possibilities there :)
3
No, there still doesn’t seem to be that kind of plug-in though I understand that if you download the iTunes for Windows SDK, it should be pretty straight-forward to program a “visualization” that at least stores the information locally…
http://developer.apple.com/sdk
4
hey um.. iTunes does have a mini-player mode. What exactly do you mean by mini player.. you can control it from the taskbar. If you click the minimize box on iTunes it minimizes to a more compact player.
5
Julian, iTunes does not have the “mini-player” mode that was referred to. Windows Media Player 9 can minimise to the taskbar, having play/stop/next/back buttons ON the taskbar.
iTunes being able to do this would definatly rock.
As would a windows blogging plugin :)
6
For the sake of completeness….
http://brandon.fuller.name/archives/hacks/nowplaying/
7
To get the iTunes miniplayer in the taskbar: right-click Taskbar > Toolbars > iTunes and then minimize iTunes.
8
did i hear someone say available on Mac?? (ding, ding, ding) can u please direct me to the mac version of the now playing plugin for iTunes that will display my current track in iChat Awat Message… pretty pretty please :) thanks – yak.
9
Hey, addressing your’ Missing thing’ #1, there is control from the task bar, just do the following:
There is a way to do it in Windows, but its not exactly obvious to find its not in any of the settings in the iTunes preferences.
To get your iTunes to have a mini that shows volume, etc in the task bar, when you hit the minimise button, simply right-click on your taskbar, and from the toolbars menu, select iTunes. Its that simple. Its just a shame that the brushed metal clashes with the silver of the taskbar.
10
don’t forget to deselect the ‘minimise itunes to system tray’ option in itunes, otherwise it will not minimise to the taskbar.
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