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Syncing music from iTunes to Windows Phone now. That's a nice way to help break the iPhone lock in.

by steverb 14y ago

dvdhsu 14y ago
Palm used to allow syncing through iTunes as well. Every time Apple updated iTunes, it would lock out the Palm Pre; Palm, then, would issue a software update that re-enabled the functionality: > Since the Palm Pre first became available this summer, Palm has issued several updates to its mobile operating system, causing iTunes software to recognize the phone as an Apple music player, allowing it to synchronize and transfer files between the phone and a personal computer. Apple has repeatedly disabled the syncing feature in subsequent software updates to iTunes. [1] Eventually, "Palm filed a complaint with the USB Implementers Forum", but the forum "rebuffed" Palm's claims. From then on, the Palm Pre could no longer sync with iTunes. I see that Microsoft isn't masquerading their phone as an iPod (or iPhone?) like Palm did, and is instead releasing a separate app on their own (MacSync, according to Wired [2]), so it's harder for Apple to stop them. I would guess that they're directly importing the iTunes files on the disk, but if the idea is so simple, why didn't Palm do the same thing? Why would they risk going through iTunes? The harder it was for Microsoft to implement, the easier it will be for Apple to disable. I wonder what Apple will do now. 1. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/palm-drops-itunes-workaround-for-now/ http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/palm-drops-itunes-w... 2. http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/liveblog-microsoft-rolls-out-windows-phone-8/ http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/liveblog-microsoft-ro...
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- mikestew 14y ago
  Palm got rebuffed because they masqueraded as an Apple product. The USB-IF understandably didn't like that. It won't be "harder for Apple to stop" Microsoft because Apple is unlikely to even try to do so. Apple has a documented method for accessing the iTunes library (RIM and others used it). Even if there were not an approved way to do it, the database is in XML so it should be relatively easy to work with it. Why Palm took the route they did mystifies me. So what will Apple do now, you ask? Nothing, more than likely.
- JEVLON 14y ago
  Windows Phone 7 connector is available on the Mac app store. It could do with a name change for Windows Phone 8. https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/windows-phone-7-connector/id415571499?mt=12 https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/windows-phone-7-connector/id...
majormajor 14y ago
I didn't see the event, do you happen to know how this is different than the Windows Phone Connector stuff for WP7 on Mac? It hooks into Aperture/iPhoto/iTunes and lets you sync with them (I really miss the Aperture integration after moving my photo workstation to Lightroom on my desktop PC, actually—it was super convenient). Or is it for syncing WP music to iTunes on Windows? Don't think there's any built-in way to do that currently for WP7.
- steverb 14y ago
  I believe it is the same thing, but I won't swear to it. That it did it at all was news to me.
  - ja27 14y ago
    It sounded like the same exact Windows Phone Connector as the current one. It's not bad, but I've got a lot of music, movies, etc. outside of iTunes that I'd like to sync to the device.

Syncing music from iTunes to Windows Phone now. That's a nice way to help break the iPhone lock in.

by steverb 14y ago

Syncing music from iTunes to Windows Phone now. That's a nice way to help break the iPhone lock in.

Palm used to allow syncing through iTunes as well. Every time Apple updated iTunes, it would lock out the Palm Pre; Palm, then, would issue a software update that re-enabled the functionality: > Since the Palm Pre first became available this summer, Palm has issued several updates to its mobile operating system, causing iTunes software to recognize the phone as an Apple music player, allowing it to synchronize and transfer files between the phone and a personal computer. Apple has repeatedly disabled the syncing feature in subsequent software updates to iTunes. [1] Eventually, "Palm filed a complaint with the USB Implementers Forum", but the forum "rebuffed" Palm's claims. From then on, the Palm Pre could no longer sync with iTunes. I see that Microsoft isn't masquerading their phone as an iPod (or iPhone?) like Palm did, and is instead releasing a separate app on their own (MacSync, according to Wired [2]), so it's harder for Apple to stop them. I would guess that they're directly importing the iTunes files on the disk, but if the idea is so simple, why didn't Palm do the same thing? Why would they risk going through iTunes? The harder it was for Microsoft to implement, the easier it will be for Apple to disable. I wonder what Apple will do now. 1. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/palm-drops-itunes-workaround-for-now/ http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/palm-drops-itunes-w... 2. http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/liveblog-microsoft-rolls-out-windows-phone-8/ http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/10/liveblog-microsoft-ro...

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
mikestew 14y ago
Palm got rebuffed because they masqueraded as an Apple product. The USB-IF understandably didn't like that. It won't be "harder for Apple to stop" Microsoft because Apple is unlikely to even try to do so. Apple has a documented method for accessing the iTunes library (RIM and others used it). Even if there were not an approved way to do it, the database is in XML so it should be relatively easy to work with it. Why Palm took the route they did mystifies me. So what will Apple do now, you ask? Nothing, more than likely.
JEVLON 14y ago
Windows Phone 7 connector is available on the Mac app store. It could do with a name change for Windows Phone 8. https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/windows-phone-7-connector/id415571499?mt=12 https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/windows-phone-7-connector/id...

majormajor 14y ago

I didn't see the event, do you happen to know how this is different than the Windows Phone Connector stuff for WP7 on Mac? It hooks into Aperture/iPhoto/iTunes and lets you sync with them (I really miss the Aperture integration after moving my photo workstation to Lightroom on my desktop PC, actually—it was super convenient). Or is it for syncing WP music to iTunes on Windows? Don't think there's any built-in way to do that currently for WP7.

steverb 14y ago
I believe it is the same thing, but I won't swear to it. That it did it at all was news to me.
- ja27 14y ago
  It sounded like the same exact Windows Phone Connector as the current one. It's not bad, but I've got a lot of music, movies, etc. outside of iTunes that I'd like to sync to the device.