Apple iTunes Review
If you have an iPhone, iPod or iPad (otherwise known as an iThing) then you will probably already know what iTunes is. This review will look at exactly what iTunes is and how you can use it. The review will also look at the benefits and problems using iTunes.
What is it?
ITunes can be downloaded from the Apple website and it’s a piece of software which is used to organize your audio library. If you have an iPod, iPhone or iPad then you don’t really have a choice to use anything else. These Apple devices will only ever sync with iTunes, so you’re stuck using it even if you don’t want to!
The iTunes application itself can be installed on your computer. You can then import your audio and video from other sources. This includes the ability to rip audio tracks from your CDs.
ITunes also features the iTunes store. This is a very large digital media store which allows you to buy all sorts of different music and video files. You will find tracks available for most artists. Even the Beatles are now available on iTunes after their long running legal dispute over the name Apple has been dealt with.
ITunes also allows you to update your iPhone or iPod to the latest software version. This will keep your device secure and also add additional features.
Who would like it?
Anyone with an iPod or iPhone will have to use iTunes, even if they don’t want to. There’s nothing really bad about this app and it does what it’s supposed to do, it’s just an apple product!
Ease of Use
Installing iTunes is a pain, especially if you have a very slow internet connection. When you buy a new Apple device, you will not find a CD in the box. Instead you have to visit apple.com and download iTunes. This is an insanely big file for something which is actually a very simple application if you think about it. This means that the download can take a very long time to complete. Also because iTunes is so popular the servers have a nasty habit of timing out when the download is almost complete, it’s a good idea to try and use a download manager to make sure you don’t get too annoyed (as I did) when trying to download the app.
When the app is installed it is actually very easy to use. ITunes can be opened from your computer and will run automatically when you connect your MP3 player or iPod which is associated with iTunes.
Adding your own tracks into the iTunes application is straightforward since the app scans automatically through your hard drive looking for media files and indexing them. You can then easily add some or all of these files onto your iPod or other media player by simply clicking buttons and following instructions.
Cost
The iTunes application itself is free to download and use. If you want to purchase anything from the iTunes store then you will need to pay using a credit or debit card which is linked to your iTunes account. The prices are fairly affordable and should make it very easy to get new content onto your media player without needing to buy a single CD.
Required Specs
ITunes is available for both Mac and Windows computers which should mean that it will run on the majority of computers. Simply choose your operating system
Quality of the Application
Once the application is installed it will work fairly effortlessly to sync your media files with your device. This makes it really easy to put your media files onto your portable media player. The app is high quality and only has a few bugs. One common problem though is caused because iTunes servers are extremely popular. This can make the connection timeout before you can download updates which can be very annoying. If you do experience this then you will need to try using the app at different times of the day so you can download and update your device.
Verdict
Anyone who has an iPhone or iPod will need to install Apple iTunes on their computer. This means that it’s not really that important whether or not you like using it. It’s not really a bad application, but it is quite annoying to install. It can also time out when trying to update. Other than these problems you shouldn’t really have any problem.
As iTunes is one of the largest music stores on the internet it’s a great app to install if you intend to buy lots of music and videos.