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Apple Releases iTunes 4.9 With Podcasting Features (UPDATE)

Apple Releases iTunes 4.9 With Podcasting Features (UPDATE)

by , 5:15 AM EDT, June 28th, 2005

Apple Computer released early Tuesday iTunes 4.9, the latest version of its music sharing and managment software with built-in support for downloading of Podcasts.

The new version includes a Podcasting feature to browse, download and listen to radio-shows over the Internet. The software also transfers Podcasts to any iPod digital media device and allows for automatic downloading of a selected program.

The Podcast Directory, which is part of the iTunes Music Store (iTMS), features over 3,000 free audio programs, "making it one of the largest Podcast directories in the world," the company said.

The addition of Podcasting was revealed by Apple co-founder CEO Steve Jobs at the Wall Street Journal's D: All Things Digital conference last month.

Version 4.9 requires Mac OS X v10.2.8 or later and a 400MHz G3 processor or better. 256 megabytes of memory is recommended. The latest version can be downloaded manually, or via the Software Update tool.

Apple's also included an option for program producers to upload links to their own shows. "Then iTunes will automatically deliver periodic episodes to people who have subscribed," the company explained. The company also released a free "Chapter Tool" so producers can include pictures and Web links within podcasts.

Editor's Note: Apple officially announced version 4.9 later Tuesday morning in a press release.

Observer Comments

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Close Name:Small White Car Posts: 1960 Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:08 am Subject: Fast

Wow. The main page at Apple.com still says "get iTune 4.8"

But they're right....4.9 is there. That's some fast reporting.

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:21 am Subject: really fast...

so fast in fact, that they're predicting the future!

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:24 am Subject: date correction

except today is tuesday

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:06 am Subject: Apple Store down

<nm>

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 8:46 am Subject: PodCast RSS Specs

Apple has also produced a PDF with the iTunes RSS specifications...
http://phobos.apple.com/static/podcast_specifications.pdf

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:43 am Subject:

And yes, the TMO To Go Podcast is there. Sweet!

(my personal screenshot: http://files.rss.sd20.bc.ca/~wagnel07/podcasting.png )

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 10:52 am Subject:

Also, iTunes DOES support subscribing to podcasts using only the URL (and does it well, I might add).

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Close Name:won Posts: 20 Joined: 01 Sep 2003
Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:29 pm Subject: partial downloads

I'd like to know if there's a way to resume partially downloaded podcasts, 'cuz I'm not seeing it.

Please don't let this be another example of Apple engineers only developing and testing technologies on machines with rock solid broadband connections.

Like iDisk.

I'm wrong, right? Tell me I'm wrong.

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Close Name:Tiger Posts: 1018 Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:37 pm Subject: i downloaded

I took 2 minutes out of my morning schedule and downloaded iTunes 4.9, launched, and went to the Podcast page so I could see what this is all about.

My first impression is, WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO DO THIS?

My second impression is..get a job and do something useful for the economy. What a waste of resources.

Is it any wonder productivity in this country is lost and companies are outsourcing jobs.

Reply | Quote

Close Name:fartheststar Posts: 222 Joined: 04 Jan 2004
Tue Jun 28, 2005 12:49 pm Subject:

Quote
Tiger wrote:
I took 2 minutes out of my morning schedule and downloaded iTunes 4.9, launched, and went to the Podcast page so I could see what this is all about.

My first impression is, WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO DO THIS?

My second impression is..get a job and do something useful for the economy. What a waste of resources.

Is it any wonder productivity in this country is lost and companies are outsourcing jobs.

Lots of people make lots of time for lots of different things. No need to be negative about it. Hey, if you don't want to use it, you don't have to. I would rather try out a pod cast myself then watch reruns or reality tv.

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Close Name:adm58 Posts: 13 Joined: 17 Jan 2005
Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:19 pm Subject:

No kidding. It's no different than any other hobby. Once somebody gets rolling on a podcast, it probably takes them no more than 5-10 hours a week to do. Not that hard.

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:44 pm Subject:

Quote
Tiger wrote:
I took 2 minutes out of my morning schedule and downloaded iTunes 4.9, launched, and went to the Podcast page so I could see what this is all about.

My first impression is, WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO DO THIS?

My second impression is..get a job and do something useful for the economy. What a waste of resources.

Is it any wonder productivity in this country is lost and companies are outsourcing jobs.

And posting your gratuitously unpleasant comments here is a productive use of your time and resources, I suppose? Sheesh.

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Close Name:Al Swearengen Posts: 339 Joined: 10 May 2005
Tue Jun 28, 2005 4:24 pm Subject: Better descriptions, more keywords

I would like to see better descriptions of the individual podcasts, more keywords, so that I know what it is before I subscribe. Of course this is just version 1, and Apple will probably groom the system more as time goes by. All of that aside, I find the iTunes podcast interface pretty nice.

You all have a good afternoon.

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Close Name:Guest
Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:23 pm Subject: What about you???

You obviously have enough time to waste here. Get a job, loser!

Quote
Tiger wrote:
I took 2 minutes out of my morning schedule and downloaded iTunes 4.9, launched, and went to the Podcast page so I could see what this is all about.

My first impression is, WHO THE HELL HAS TIME TO DO THIS?

My second impression is..get a job and do something useful for the economy. What a waste of resources.

Is it any wonder productivity in this country is lost and companies are outsourcing jobs.

Reply | Quote

Close Name:SchmuckyChucky Posts: 125 Joined: 23 Sep 2001
Wed Jun 29, 2005 1:13 am Subject: Like it

I just installed it and I really like it. I have been sorta playing around with other podcasting programs, but I have been holding out for Apple to release something for it. This does the trick. The only thing that I don't like is that there is no way (that I have found yet) to automatically download podcasts to my ipod shuffle. I can drag and drop the podcasts to the iPod, but I can't have them auto sync from the podcast menu. This is a little thing, but

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