“BadFruit Inc. has released software that turns iTunes, the online music store run by Apple Computer Corp., into a podcast downloading machine. It adds a directory of thousands of podcasts with a few mouse clicks. The person behind the so-called BadApple software — released even as Apple is working on its podcasting features for iTunes — is unknown,” Frank Barnako reports for MarketWatch.
“A message on the BadFruit.com Web site explained the programmer’s motive. ‘I’m worried that when and if Apple adds podcast support they will only list a few podcasts that they approve,’ he said. ‘Remember, this is a company that sues Web sites that say good things about their upcoming products — bad Apple! BadApple gives you access to all podcasts — even ones which Apple might disagree with and never list in iTunes software,” Barnako reports.
Full article here.
From the BadFruit website:
Podcast support for iTunes is here! Download the free BadApple plug-in which expands the functionality and interoperability of iTunes software. (iTunes is music software which works with iPod MP3 players.) BadApple adds interoperability to view and download podcasts directly within iTunes software. There’s no need to download and learn other software programs because everything happens right in the iTunes software.
After downloading and installing BadApple, you will have a “Podcasts” link you can click on from iTunes. You can use this to browse through categories to find the Podcast you want. Each podcast has a description. Once you locate a podcast you are interested in, double clicking on the podcast will load it to your library. When you plug in your iPod the podcast will be loaded to that depending on your settings.
BadApple is free software. There is no charge to download the software or use the software.
More info on the Windows-only BadApple software here.
Yeah, whatever.
Windows only? Who’s the real “BadApple” here?
Just a reminder, the websites that Apple sued (Think Secret and the like) are not doing Apple any favors when they leaked yet-to-be announced products. It’s a shame sites like those even exist. I have yet to understand how they can consider themselves “pro-mac” when their actions prove them to be quite the opposite!
How long before apple releases an update which voids this functionality? Can anyone say 4.9? And how long before someone adds automator functionality to a newsreader (newsfire?) that adds your podcasts to itunes automatically (it may already have it, I’m not really into podcasts – yet)?
from ThinkSecret
“Apple typically moves inventory from its own warehouses to distributors towards the end of the quarter, generally as a means to report lower inventory numbers on its financial statement, although the company is not allowed to reflect positive revenue from such transactions.
…
[I]inventory checks at Apple distributors Ingram Micro and Tech Data show plentiful quantities of Apple products across the board, although sources note a curious downtick in the number of new orders for Apple hardware…”
Perhaps the dreaded Osborne Effect is beginning…
Windoze only?
“Perhaps the dreaded Osborne Effect is beginning…”
Or maybe the Osbourne Effect is wrong altogether.
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20050616.html
Bryan,
How does your comment relate to this news item or it’s discussion?
I think I understand now that you were using it dispute the programmers motive.
Sorry for my question if that was the intent.
there are FAR more windows iTunes users and iPod users than Mac users.
quite an accomplishment when you think about it.
Everyone in the real IT world knows that Apple stifles innovation, while Microsoft celebrates diversity.
Microsoft does not lock the consumer into a proprietary format the way Apple does.
Microsoft’s attention to the consumer’s needs has made it the most popular brand on the planet, and people will continue flocking toward Microsoft products long after Apple has died out.
©
“Microsoft’s attention to the consumer’s needs has made it the most popular brand on the planet, and people will continue flocking toward Microsoft products long after Apple has died out.”
Hey Sputnik:
I thought you promised to stop drinking the koolade?
Steve
There are FAR more windows iTunes users and iPod users than Mac users. Who’s facts are these? And who cares.
I’ll wait for iTunes 4.9 from Apple anyways. There is plenty of podcast software out there to get all the podcasts you can handle without even using iTunes or badfruit software anyways.
Which proprietary format would you be referring to?
The MPEG-4 AAC format which has the following licensors:
AT&T Corp.
Coding Technologies AB
Dolby Laboratories
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)
France Telecom
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft IIS-A
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
NEC Corporation
Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation (NTT)
Nokia Corporation
NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sony Corporation
or the MWA format which has the following licensor:
Microsoft Corporation
Oh the irony. Developing plugins for Apple software while knocking Apple as much as possible. These cats have serious personality problems.
The saying is don’t feed the Trolls.
Sputnik isn’t even a troll. Sputnik is a Mac using Shit Disturber.
Don’t feed the Shit Disturber.
Apple laywers, start your lawsuits.
Good article on this here:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Would-You-Like-an-Apple-or-a-BadApple-Podcast-3426.shtml
From the article:
“Even the words on the site state the fact that Apple has nothing to do with this release, and we quote: “BadApple is NOT from the Beatles. It’s also not from Apple Computer Inc. It’s definitely not endorsed or approved by Apple. In fact, I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t want you to use BadApple”. So, they’re well organized, have access to funds and technology, and also want a piece of Apple’s business. It looks like it’s a company.
And all the clues point to the site MP3Tunes.com, the online song store belonging to the MP3.com founder Michael Robertson. Log files created by the software show that it communicates to a server hosted by MP3Tunes, and the code inside the software package also shows links to MP3Tunes.”