iTunes

Apple Releases iTunes 10.5 Beta 9 to Developers

Sébastien Page ∙ September 30, 2011

Following the reset of iTunes March earlier this week, Apple just released iTunes 10.5 beta 9 for developers, a pre-release version of iTunes with iTunes Match beta. iTunes 10.5 beta 9 includes several performance enhancements and bug fixes, and is a required update for all iTunes Match beta subscribers.

If you use iTunes Match beta, remember that your iCloud libraries will be deleted at the end of this beta. This will require you to scan, match, and upload songs again. Also note that some of the features and optimizations of iTunes Match may not be available during this beta...

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How to Stitch Your SHSH Blobs Using RedSn0w to Create Firmware That Can Always Be Downgraded

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 27, 2011

If you checked out our RedSn0w 0.9.9b1 video walkthrough, you saw for yourself how much of a drastic change the latest version is.

One of the most compelling features added to the new RedSn0w, is the ability to 'stitch' your SHSH blobs to their corresponding firmwares. This makes it so that you have a self contained means of downgrading firmware, well after it stops being signed by Apple.

Even better, is the fact that it's completely standalone, meaning you won't have to do any trickery in order to get iTunes to let you downgrade. By stitching an SHSH blob to a firmware file, iTunes is none the wiser.

Check out our full tutorial and video walkthrough of this incredibly handy new feature...

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How to Downgrade iTunes and Fix the “iTunes Library.itl” Cannot Be Read Error

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2011

So, you downloaded and installed the iTunes beta for iTunes Match without first thinking about the consequences. No sweat.

If you've since tried to downgrade your iTunes beta back to a publicly released version of iTunes, resulting in the horrible ‘”iTunes Library.itl” cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes’ error message, don't succumb to tears just yet; we've got a fix that might just work.

Save the precious iTunes library that you've spent hours upon hours massaging to perfection, and tune in to the following video tutorial...

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How to Fix the iPhone’s Dreaded Recovery Loop and Downgrade Back to iOS 4.3.3

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 21, 2011

If you're the type of person who likes to sell your current iPhone and use the funds to upgrade to the latest and greatest iPhone, then you've been there before. Restoring your iPhone to stock, and cleaning it up, is essential if you want to ensure you get top dollar for your device.

Thankfully, Cody already covered quite a few bases in his article, here. But what if you're still having issues downgrading your iPhone, or getting it back to stock after jailbreaking? I know a lot of you have personally told me about your struggles with the iPhone's dreaded recovery loop.

If you're having issues downgrading your iPhone back to iOS 4.3.3, issues with iTunes Error (1), and/or you're stuck in the recovery loop, and can't get out, this video tutorial should fix what ails you...

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Starbucks Adds iBooks to iTunes Giveaways

Cody Lee ∙ September 18, 2011

It's no secret that Starbucks has been in bed with Apple for a long time. The popular coffee chain has been giving away free iTunes tracks to its customers for years.

Last month we told you that the pair had stepped up their partnership to start offering free apps in Starbucks stores, and now they've added more media content to the promotion...

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The Likely Reason Why There Will Be No 64GB iPhone 5

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 12, 2011

Yesterday, we reported that the iPhone 5 might not receive the bump in storage that some have been expecting. Rumors swirling around a screen-grab from a Vodafone inventory listing, suggests that the iPhone 5 will arrive in one of four flavors — a black 16GB or 32GB option, and a white 16GB or 32GB option — 64GB of storage capacity was nowhere to be seen.

Now, at first, that might seem weird considering that Apple's created 64GB iterations of the iPod touch and iPad lineup. But iCloud is right on the horizon, and with it, Apple has effectively eliminated the need for increased local storage capacity in their mobile devices. Check inside to see why...

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iOS 5 Beta 7 Proves iTunes Match Really Isn’t a Streaming Service

Oliver Haslam ∙ September 1, 2011

Soon after the iTunes Match beta went live earlier this week, reports started flooding in that the service did indeed support the streaming of music, a feature that wasn't advertised by Apple during the iCloud announcement. Many were originally disappointed that streaming was not included in iTunes Match, so the news that it was actually there was met with glee and happiness all around.

What people had discovered was that if you tapped on a song stored in iCloud, it started playing. If you started a new one and then went back after turning on Airplane Mode, the original song hadn't cached, which led people to believe it was streaming. But after Apple denied that streaming was included in iCloud, more questions starting being asked...

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Apple Denies that iTunes Match Streams Music

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 13, 2019

Last night, we reported that Apple opened up a beta version of its upcoming iTunes Match service to developers. iTunes Match is a music-mirroring utility that allows you to store music in Apple's iCloud without needing to upload all of your tracks.

In our exclusive video demo of iTunes Match, we showed you how the service seems to allow you to "stream" your music from the cloud, without needing to download the files. But Apple just told AllThingsD that that's not necessarily the case...

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iTunes Match Beta Goes Live for Developers [Video Walkthrough]

Jeff Benjamin ∙ August 29, 2011

Apple just sent out an email to developers signifying that iTunes Match is now available to developers.

As you know, iTunes Match is the matching service that allows you to stream the tunes that you already own without uploading all of your music. The service works by "matching" the music contained on your local computer with what's already available in the Cloud via iTunes.

For those more obscure songs that iTunes doesn't already have, you can still upload your music for streaming. As usual, we have a video of iTunes Match in action, so be sure to check inside to see how it works!

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Apple Quietly Discontinues 99-Cent TV Show Rentals

Cody Lee ∙ August 27, 2011

Several websites reported yesterday that Apple has discontinued its TV show rental program. The service launched last Fall and just never really garnered support from the major networks. They felt that the $0.99 price point was too low.

TV Show rentals were available through both the iTunes Store and Apple TV, but that is no longer the case. And Apple's website has even been updated to remove mention of the rental option. So, what happened?

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Apple Interested in TV Subscription Service

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

In a recent article about Tim Cook, The Wall Street Journal dropped an interesting tidbit about Apple's future plans to invade our living rooms. The article questioned if Cook was aggressive enough to muscle Apple into the TV industry.

As most of you know, Apple is rumored to be working on a television set. And there has also been ongoing speculation that it is thinking of launching its own subscription-based content service, worthy of competing against NetFlix or cable.

The Journal's article lends some more credibility to the latter theory by confirming Apple's interest in a "subscription TV service..."

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