On Friday Apple released iTunes 10.0.1 , fix a few bug , but above all update the Ping melodious societal web introduced in iTunes 10 .
Apple lists the following variety in its release notes :
But the biggest change in this update is the addition of a Ping sidebar in iTunes . Taking the shoes of the former Genius sidebar , the Ping sidebar is contrive to offer constant entree to Ping information , with real - prison term updates .
Here’s what I see when I select a Bob Dylan track in my library.
To display this sidebar , get through the little sidebar clitoris at the bottom - rightfulness of the iTunes window , or prefer View - > Show Ping Sidebar . This menu command has the same keyboard shortcut as the now defunct Genius sidebar : Command - Shift - G.
When you display the Ping sidebar , you ’ll see recent activeness from friends and artists you stick with . If you choose a song , you ’ll see additional selective information : in some cases , the song or album will display at the top of the sidebar ; in others you ’ll see information about the artist and Wiley Post they have made .
Here ’s what I see when I select a Bob Dylan cover in my subroutine library . Ping ’s incursion into your iTunes program library go much deeper , though . You will notice that when you pick out a lead , or when a track is playing , there is a new Ping drink down - up clit next to that cart track ’s name .
Here’s what you can do when you click the Ping button.
From the Ping button next to track , you’re able to get at a number of Ping River use . Apple has made these changes because it was too complicated to ‘ like ’ or post about your music with Ping ’s initial looping : you had to find that music on the iTunes Store first , then like or post about it .
For mass who like Ping , these change may be fine . For others , however , these buttons may seem like Apple is attempt to take out ads in your library . It ’s easy to hide the Ping sidebar — just click that little clit at the bottom - right wing of the iTunes window , or opt View - > Hide Ping Sidebar . But what about the malevolent Ping buttons that show next to all your track names ? Fortunately , there ’s a command you’re able to run in Terminal to get rid of them :
defaults write com.apple.itunes pelt - ping - dropdown -bool YES
If you run this mastery , and relaunch iTunes , the buttons will be run . You will still , however , be able to access Ping ’s features when choose a Song dynasty by control- or right - clicking on it . Just pick out Like , Post or Show Artist Profile from the contextual fare .
So Ping is strain harder to get you interested , but for those who do n’t want to apply Ping , there is still no way to wholly remove it from the Store plane section of the iTunes sidebar . If you want to use Ping , these changes make doing so easy . If you do n’t , however , the bearing of the Ping buttons may bother you . It would have been nice if Apple had included a druthers to remove them .
[ Senior contributor Kirk McElhearn writes about more than just Macs on his blogKirkville . Twitter:@mcelhearnKirk ’s latest book isTake Control of iTunes 10 : The FAQ . ]
