“The overwhelming success of the iPod — which now accounts for about 75% of the 22 million personal music players that have been bought over the last couple of years — is putting well-deserved heat on Microsoft to tune up its much-touted, but now outdated, Microsoft Media Player,” Mike Wendland writes for The Detroit Free Press.
“In a move that Apple boss Steve Jobs claims will take the radio-like downloadable programs called podcasts mainstream, Apple made it easier this week for iPod users to subscribe to their favorite podcasts and have the latest editions automatically available for listening each day,” Wendland writes. “Apple did it through a free update to its iTunes music software, which made thousands of podcasts available for free through the iTunes Music Store.”
“Microsoft’s Media Player — the hallmark of Bill Gates’ plan to record, play and distribute all forms of digital music and video through the Windows operating system — has no such podcast support,” Wendland writes. “And that has a lot of users steamed, especially those who bought rival music players under the Microsoft PlaysForSure marketing slogan and can’t figure out why their iRiver or Rio or Mojo players can’t get podcasts nearly as easily as iPods now can.”
“That doesn’t mean that users of rival music players can’t listen to podcasts. They can. It’s just a lot more cumbersome to get them downloaded to the computer and then transferred to the player,” Wendland writes. “And rival users can forget about going to the iTunes Web site (http://www.itunes.com), perusing the huge directory of podcasts, and then just going to the podcast’s Web site to download the program. Apple has cleverly — some say malevolently — taken great pains to hide the direct link so non-iPod users can see them but not get them.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft sucks. What else is new? 
this is news? i thought everyone knew that! just look at iTMS!!
MDN getting a bit immature huh?
I find it too bad that for such a good news site, that often has interesting commentary, there are all too often commentaries like the one above.
“Microsoft sucks. What else is new?”
A common sentiment to be sure, but is there not a more constructive, informative, professional, or AT LEAST witty way of expressing that opinion?
My magic word is “speak” – how befitting this comment, wouldn’t you agree?
MS stands for Mediocre Software folks. WMP stinks. Period.
Ultimately they will throw in some features to try to stay on par with iTunes but certainly the implementation will be less than usable and ugly
nuff said mdn
I am beginning to really really like this Wendland guy, he’s usually right on target, even when its not flattering to Apple.
“…the implementation will be less than usable and ugly.”
special emphasis on UGLY.
Magic Word: father
as in “Luke… I am your….”
Of course the question must be raised again and again and again: “What else IS new?”
Die MS, die!!!!
This is the new era!!!
Thats all opinion, but WMP sure leaves iTunes in the dust in the rip, burn and sync area’s.
Tested on the same cd.
Rip 3 minutes on WMP
Rip 6 Minutes on iTunes
Burn 4 Minutes on WMP
Burn 6 minutes on iTunes
Sync 20 Seconds on WMP
Sync 50 Seconds on iTunes
Specs
Athlon 64 w/ XP x64
Dual 2.5 G5 / Tiger
iTunes leaves alot to be desired, IMO
Now, if they would integrate QT with iTunes and make it a real Media Player instead of a “jukebox” that may help them out.
My Take: MDN Admins, YOU GUYS WOULDNT BE IN BUSINESS IF IT WERENT FOR MICROSOFT. So Id say, MicrosoftDailyNews Sucks, So whats new?
Yet another reason iPod seperates it’s self from the tired thirsty pack.
No response from Sputnik yet ??? LOL
wait until MS releases their “new” invention of podcasts along with rss for windows users…
My experiences with Podcasts has sucked, Unless it’s professional..Which is what? 1% of the directory..? The rest are absolute garbage. Perfect example: The Daily Download w/ Chris Rockwall…(comedy)
Trash people, absolute trash.
What has just occurred to me is that itunes isn’t a media player. It’s an application for managing and accessing media (predominantly audio) with apples quicktime integrated to play the content. Windows Media Player strikes me as being a player like quicktime but with itunes aspiring features bolted on. The result is a mish mash of stuff that doesn’t create a productive or enjoyable experience.
Apple have cleverly set the groundwork with itunes so they can wow us with major updates (itunes 5) but also add more minor but still significant features as point releases.
“Apple has cleverly — some say malevolently — taken great pains to hide the direct link so non-iPod users can see them but not get them.”
–Actually, Apple makes it easy to download the links (Most of which are MP3’s) which you can easily transfer to an media player/MP3 player. But you have to go to iTunes every time you want to get the next subscription! Die WMP!
shut up sputnik.
PlayforSure your tests do not prove anything. The package of iTunes and iPod is the reason why so many people prefer it to the alternatives, not the speed of a rip.
Here Here!
If you are one of the poor sods that have a DELL or IRIVER WHATSIT then whoever bought you it must hate you like hell!
As usual APPLE comes up with the good for the loyal users and if you aint on board with an ipod now you are dead in the dust.
NO OTHER PLAYER IS WORTH IT!
PlayforSure….
malware and viruses…
’nuff said.
cant rip if it doesnt work.
re: Playsforsure!
YOU GUYS WOULDNT BE IN BUSINESS IF IT WERENT FOR MICROSOFT. So Id say, MicrosoftDailyNews Sucks, So whats new?
My reply:
ALL I CAN SAY IS – ‘BOLLOCKS’.
WITHOUT APPLE – MICROSOFT WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF BUSINESS YEARS AGO.
Microsoft has never invented anything – and this is proved now as they cant even write an update to theyre crap XP OS.
The cards are on the table – the time is here – companies have to prove that can cut it in the IT business and Microsoft just aint got the skills, talent, inventievness or creativity to survive the modern computer age.
They are gonna go the way of the dinosaurs -and when they do I will be dancing on Bill Gate’s grave!!
PlaysNOTforsure
re: Now, if they would integrate QT with iTunes and make it a real Media Player instead of a “jukebox” that may help them out.
TWAT!
Quickime IS embedded in Itunes!!
DO YOUR RESEARCH IDIOT.
Why the fsck do u think that itunes needs quicktime BEFORE installing!
Christ sake – these windblows idiots are unbelievable.
me…..
shut the fsck up loser
mw lack.
you lack the amount of brains needed to come up with a clever name for the forums.
Hey Peter, or should i call you DICK.
Im not talking about trailers you f’ing moron.
Im talking about playing and organizing video just like you do with audio…
Petey, You are a bitch.
Tell me how I can organize my 1000+ mpeg3/4’s with iTunes.
Oh that right..YOU CANT..
You know what you can eat
It (mw) seems we have a zealot among us, lets all give him a round of <APPLAUSE>
</APPLAUSE>
D*** A$$
“Microsoft has never invented anything – and this is proved now as they cant even write an update to theyre crap XP OS.”
Yeah, Exchange Server 03 isnt “innovative” neither is the .Net framework, or the VS 05 API’s…No Petey, they make nothing useful you’re right…We’ll just back out of our 85 million dollar contract with them and swith to Mac…LOL, Yeah thats a funny thought.
Microsoft Axapta Sucks (Yeah right)
MS CRM sucks to (thats why everyone uses it)
Enterprise reporting sucks too (refer to comment above)
Navision Sucks to (refer to comment above)
Retail management sucks too (yeah, knowone buys that) LOL
Office 2003 Sucks too…Not
Visual Fox Pro sucks…I could go on and On but…
you are (mw) merely a spec of shit in the scratch mark of Jobs underware, Get a clue..NumbNuts.
Playforsure;
KISS MY ASS.
Itunes plays quickime content in the app.
BTW – Why on earth would Apple turn Itunes into a video content manager too when there is NO legal movie download store yet??
When Apple launches the iFlicks Store later this year THEN I can understand it.
What you don’t realise is that APPLE keeps things simple.
They give people exactly what they need and want – and don’t throw in the kithcen sink because ‘its just another feature’ (Unlike MS!)
BTW – I have been using windows and Macs for over 18 years – so don’t talk to me about Microsoft! I was using their crap before you were out of nappies! (and by the way – Office on the Mac leaves the windows version in the dustbin because the mac OS is way Better!)
When it comes down to it – Unless you are using a mac – you aint doing yourself any favors. I leave my mac on 24/7 – hasnt needed to be restarted or has never crashed in 3 years.
NOW – YOU SHOW ME A WINDOWS PC THAT CAN DO THAT! (And if you can then youre one hell of a lier)
Windows Media Player has been the best all around media player since the 9 series, nothing else (which doesn’t cost a premium) comes close. Plays movies better than even some native DVD decoders with default players. iTunes shouldn’t even really be placed in the same category as WMP.
Quicktime is godawful, one of the worst in terms of user intuitiveness and usability. Thank god there’s a plugin to allow WMP to play quicktime files. If any format should drop, it should be MOV instead of WMV.