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Songbird takes flight, iTunes killer?

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Lachlan Grant05 June 2006, 8:10 AM

If you're sick of the big memory footprint and CPU utilisation of iTunes or Windows Media Player, a new media player from the people who made Firefox is a promising new option.

I still remember the first time I loaded an MP3 onto my Pentium II “beast-in-its-day” PC and was amazed at how I could store music without the whopping file size of wave files.

Since then, playing audio tracks on computers has come a long way and we’ve seen a plethora of audio players come and go. The two big players in the audio player realm at the moment have to be Apple’s iTunes and Microsoft’s Windows Media Player.

But a lot of people, including me, tend to steer away from these giants and go for the lighterweight underdogs instead like Winamp and VLC Media Player. These two community-supported, freeware options have been around for a while now and have been tried and tested.

There is, however, a newbie on the block that is a combination of an iTunes-like interface, with snappier responsiveness and a community development effort beind it.

Songbird

Songbird is open-source, cross-platform (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux) and based on Mozilla’s XUL (XML-based user interface language). At first glance, it looks like iTunes with a black glass skin, but poking a little deeper at it reveals a slick and powerful media player that feels a lot like Firefox (check out the Preferences panel, look familiar?) and includes some of its best features.

Besides being able to surf the web from inside the media player, it can detect embedded playlists on web pages that it can then play, save or automatically download them each day.

Another exciting feature is its support for cross-platform extensions just like Firefox and Thunderbird, meaning users can extend its functionality and customize the application to fit their personal needs.

Although only in its early stages (the copy we downloaded crashed a few times), we expect a lot from this player as the team behind it have been responsible for such successes as Winamp, Yahoo! Music Engine and Muse.Net.

If you’ve got some other recommendations on freeware audio players that are worth sitting up and taking notice of, or would like to post your thoughts on Songbird, we’d love to hear them below.

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ynnod:

Poperti can be the real itunes killer
http://www.poperti.com

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Who Who:

iTunes Killer?! Why does every dopey article about anything barely even TRYING to compete with iTunes carry the title "iTunes Killer?" I'm so sick of BS, I could puke. A beta application that crashes all the time is hardly a killer of anything.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

SalHepatica:

You failed to make a case for this being an "iTunes killer." Does it play back Apple-protected AAC or Microsoft WMA-protected files? Probably not.

That it looks as good, and in some ways better, than iTunes doesn't really matter. (The old Beta vs. VHS argument, dontcha know.) The iTunes player is free too and you don't ever have to use the iTunes store or buy an iPod to use it. Indeed, if you're not buying protected music, iTunes will let you hook up other people's players.

Songbird's an interesting piece of work for those who insist on walling themselves off from protected music files, or those delicate souls who are horrified at the notion of having QuickTime installed on their computer. An iTunes killer it will never be, whether you're referring to the application or the music store.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Walt French:

> Besides being able to surf the web
> from inside the media player, ...

OMFG!!! My dreams come true!!! You can't BELIEVE how hard it is to open both iTunes and Explorer on my PC!

> it can detect embedded playlists on
> web pages ... automatically download
> them each day.

Yet another killer feature! I can't wait until my friends upload all their their favorite tracks in unprotected MP3 formats so I can download them all for free!

I'm really looking forward to customizing my copy of Songbird as soon as I learn XUL.

> the team behind it have been
> responsible for such successes as
> Winamp, Yahoo! Music Engine and
> Muse.Net.

If this list doesn't define "iPod Killerz," I don't know what does! Thanks for this cutting edge news!

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

jhg:

So much talk of killing iTunes.

Putting some numbers from online sources together: iTunes has roughly 70% of the total 28% internet users who download music. That's roughly 20% of internet users.

Why doesn't the competition focus on growing market share rather than focusing on Apple's 20%?

I think something more profitable to kill would be Windows. It has over 90% of all computer users.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

jbelkin:

Unless you can manage your ipod, this is pointless and creating redundant software without offering anything extra is well, redundant ... since itunes is already free. This is basically for people who can't stnad anything used by more than 10 people and when the user rate of this passes 10, they'll launch yet another open source app to topple this because it's become too "bloated," when they are really just saying they are incapable of using anything used by more than 10 people. For linux only users, yes, they need a nicer app, but then those users probably prefer to write their own. This is an itunes as the imoega ditto drive was to hard drives.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Melangell:

iTunes killer? Please... Does it integrate and support files from the by far largest seller of online music? No. 'Nuff said.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

lantzn:

How well will the options work with my iPod? Afterall that is one of the main reasons we use these interfaces.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Maybe:

Sounds good, but I think itune has really put a strong hold on mp3 player/manager market. This might be due to its huge lead in Mp3 players market. I think last macworld conference steve jobs said ipod mp3 players has something close to 70% market. Now one would assume, people will use itune if they have bought a ipod.

In addition, the podcast feature of itune just is soo cool. If songbird cannot get some podcasting website or vidcasting website integrated into its package, I think mojority of the users might still use itune.

Neverless I think songbird still have potential. Compeition is always good :)

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

YAiTK:

Yet another iTunes killer.... I seriously doubt a freeware product is going to hurt iTunes, unless Songbird were included in the box with the iPod.

Also, The reporter needs to do more research when s/he writes an article. There is no Mac or Linux version yet.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Declan Kennedy:

Wow.

You guys need to take a deep breath, then stick your fingers down your throat and PURGE all of that kool-aid before it kills you!

Seriously. Have any of you tried the software? I didn't think so.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Steven:

I honestly cannot believe you dared call something "iTunes Killer."

Perhaps it was just to get a rise out of people in order to get web hits perhaps?

Whatever the case, iTunes is about the iPod, not the other way around.

What am I saying? "It's the iPod stupid."

As long as Apple sells 10 million+ iPods per quarter on average (and growing), iTunes will dominate. It is that simple, it really is.

Why columnists continue to think some online service or jukebox without a complete vertical solution will win the day is beyond me. Oh yeah, it's because they are fairly clueless...

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Sammy Carr:

Kill iTunes, hmmm thats a huge job.
And with what APPLE has in store for later this year-good luck!
SC

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Jimmy King:

Declan Kenedy, YOU need to stop taking hallucinogenic drugs and reading fairy tales and start dealing with reality. This is no iTunes kiler today, and it never will be. It has nothing backing it or supporting it in the marketplace. There is just no need for it. It solves nothing and improves nothing. It means nothing. It's just another "me too" piece of software that no one needs.

Pass me the grape kool-aid.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

joe noway:

Pahleeeze. You know... If iTunes really sucks (like Windows) then it would be good to kill it. But iTunes is not bad and MOST of the market likes it and uses it. It's not crashing my system (like Windows apps et al.)

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

RobInNZ:

When are these twits going to realise that black just doesn't work well as a primary colour for interfaces in applications??

It seems to be a common failing of skin writers etc. They might think they look kewl (and sometimes they do) but I dont know one person who has ever used a primarily dark or black interface for more than a few hours before throwing it in the bin.

The only caveat that seems to exist for this (in my experience) is terminal windows, where the preference seems to lean toward light text on dark background.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Martin Hill:

Ouch!

Calm down guys. I can understand why the hackles of any iPod user might rise when the term "iTunes Killer" is bandied around so much without real justification, and I do agree that Songbird couldn't kill iTunes in it's current form so the title of the article is perhaps more than a bit mis-leading. (At least it had a question mark at the end!)

However, as an owner of a 60GB Video iPod, with 2 other iPods in the house and many Macs, I am glad to see the Open source community working towards creating a product that can only help to drive innovation in this sphere (assuming they do more than just copy iTunes of course).

Though Apple's solutions are extremely good, they are not perfect and we do still need competition to try new things and to make sure Apple doesn't sleep on it's laurels.

So keep at it Songbird developers (good to see there is an OS X version on the way)

-Mart

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Aston:

I just remembered I had VLC and installed it to have a look. Seems pretty cool, still can't imagine myself switching from foobar for music though.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Erik Staats:

This isn't the first article with "iTunes killer" in the title. Rather than being just another player, one intent of Songbird is to open up the music services by providing tighter integration with many music services rather than just one. These might encompass Napster's and Sony's, internet radio stations, myspace, and other sites providing music content. This integration will be done by Songbird as well as open source developers.
As far as iPod support goes, I'm working on an extension that provides iPod support (www.windjay.com). Also, the Songbird developers are working to interface it with Quicktime so that it can play music purchased from the iTunes store.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Stuart Wilson:

Will be as user friendly as itunes in connecting an MP3 player ie plug it in and everything is synched. Does it has a version of itunes 'share'

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Erik Staats:

Eventually, my extension will have auto-sync. As for iTunes sharing, that would likely be implemented in a separate extension. I'm not sure if I'll get to it or if someone else will. It's been discussed on the songbird forums.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Drew Higgins:

This is great...better than iTunes, WMP and WinAmp!

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Roger:

MediaMonkey www.mediamonkey.com/ does it all! More features than ITunes, great support, IPod friendly. Give it a try.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Ben:

Have any of you guys tried this program. i think not(if that means anything to all you savages out there) this program offers many of i-tunes features as well as website browsing.
Give these guys a break they made a fantastic program and it is well worth the download.
Although the title "itunes killer" does provide images of a wonderful program that could suite everyone’s needs and be absolutely fantastic for eternity

For what its worth this program is fantastic, a great GUI and easy navigation.
Go On try it you wont be sorry

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Declan Kennedy:

"Although the title “itunes killer” does provide images of a wonderful program that could suite everyone’s needs and be absolutely fantastic for eternity"

Only if you think that iTunes is any good in the first place.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

ben:

very true.....

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Justin:

It is a much better solution than waiting for Apple to port iTunes to linux. which will never happen.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

koshari:

i find it suprising no one has mentioned amarok!

last i checked neither of the above apps have lyrics downlaod integrated, or dynamic playlisting,

iTunes does what its supposed to fine, but for a better music player my moneys on amarok.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Shaun B:

Songbird is good, I've tried it although it isn't quite a killer and it also doesn't have the itunes store or the press space and the song stops etc

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Michael:

The only reason people use iTunes a lot of the time is because they think it's the only thing they can use to update their iPod.

Winamp have an awesome plugin (called mL_Pod.. I think) and it does everything with an iPod.

As far as I am concerned, Winamp is all I need.

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Ozzie:

Ive been using WinAmp for about 10 years, its fantastic, its gotten abit bloated in the last couple of years, every other player is more-or-less a clone(i think Sonique was around at about the same time), a wanna-be-like WinAmp, what stuffed up WinAmp is that A@L brought WinAmp, enough said lol.

Those of you who need all the added extra features in say iTunes cant use a computer so you need them ;) as for on-line music sales and down-loading you can keep that OVER-PRICED crap! Is it still $1 per song? It would have to drop to 1 cent per song before id think about it...

I do think the iPod is a fantastic MP3 player, probably the best on the market, im thinking of getting the 1-2GB nano ;)

As for SongBird, i wish them the best, its alwasy nice to have a bit of choice, and remember that all the players started life as a BETA baby, a twinkle i a programmers eye...

29 February 2008, 8:28 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

marburg:

i will definately use it and i cant wait for the extensions that allow me to manage my shuffle as i absolutely hate itunes and use it only to upload songs to my ipod. for all other purposes i use wmplayer atm.

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

wolis:

If this is a single standalone exe or at-the-very-least a folder you can copy to a USB without needing an install, Im all for it!

Who remembers the wonderful coolplayer.exe? - a single exe that did a wonderful job of playing MP3 (which is what we all want)

29 February 2008, 8:29 PM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend