iTunes. Is it really so bad?

[Kaykaykay]

What does the App Store have to do with itunes? How is the App Store a crummy shopping experience? I haven't had any issues whatsoever with it. Much to the contrary, it's been one of the easiest things I've used.

The app store is part of iTunes. If it were easy to find stuff, App Shopper wouldn't be nearly as popular for finding apps.

 

[SingingSabre]

The app store is part of iTunes. If it were easy to find stuff, App Shopper wouldn't be nearly as popular for finding apps.

Odd. On my computer and on my iPad I see an icon for iTunes and one for AppStore. Honestly, you're not making any sense to me. I understand you feel App Shopper is superior to the App Store, but I fail to see a problem seeking a solution.

Also, I would gently remind you that this thread is about iTunes on Vista, not about the debatable downfalls of iTunes.

 

[SweetPoison]

Also, I would gently remind you that this thread is about iTunes on Vista, not about the debatable downfalls of iTunes.

Actually ~ the title is asking if "iTunes is really that bad." Not really Vista per se'. So, really, both of you are kinda right!

 

[Dee Ashley]

My ipod had 32G of music. I initially lost all of my music with itunes when I had to charge my ipod battery back in May. I had backed up music but today I had to charge my battery again. Itunes popped open, it downloaded my husband's music from his ipad2 onto my ipod--not my accounts. My music disappeared again. And the ipod is now fried....can not turn it back on. So yes, itunes is awful........I give it a zero on a scale of 1-10.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Odd. On my computer and on my iPad I see an icon for iTunes and one for AppStore. Honestly, you're not making any sense to me. I understand you feel App Shopper is superior to the App Store, but I fail to see a problem seeking a solution.

Also, I would gently remind you that this thread is about iTunes on Vista, not about the debatable downfalls of iTunes.

Check iTunes on PC. The app store is separate only on iPad. The app store is part of iTunes' content offerings. And you appear not to see a connection with Vista, either, but that's a big problem for some people who use iTunes, as this thread and many posts elsewhere highlight.

Adding a photo link to save you head-scratching:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Apple_Store.jpg

 

[dogxa]

Well, the iTunes runs fine on my MacBook and iPad, And I get many free apps for my iPad...

 

[SingingSabre]

Check iTunes on PC. The app store is separate only on iPad. The app store is part of iTunes' content offerings. And you appear not to see a connection with Vista, either, but that's a big problem for some people who use iTunes, as this thread and many posts elsewhere highlight.

Adding a photo link to save you head-scratching:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/41/Apple_Store.jpg

Indeed you're right that the App Store is a part of iTunes...on Vista. If you had clarified that from the beginning, we wouldn't have had to go back and forth.

Anywho, I still don't think iTunes is bad. Of course, that could be in part because it's native to my system...

 

[Kaykaykay]

Indeed you're right that the App Store is a part of iTunes...on Vista. If you had clarified that from the beginning, we wouldn't have had to go back and forth.

Anywho, I still don't think iTunes is bad. Of course, that could be in part because it's native to my system...

I'm not on Vista, lol. And I provided that link from my iPad. The app store is part of iTunes because that's how Apple has it; it's not determined by browser or operating system.

Apple - iTunes - What is iTunes - Shop the world

For instance, take a look at Apple's page describing "What is iTunes." It says,"Everything you love -- music, movies, HD TV shows, apps, games. ... "

To me, it's just common sense that apps are part of iTunes, as is other content. There's no reason to synch your iPad other than content, unless you're just loading firmware.

 

[jsh1120]

Jsh1120, I guess I'm confused (no sarcasm, I really am confused). How is managing your applications using a media player a problem? What difficulties are you experiencing? I'm sort of late to the party.

I think you're not alone in being confused. Apparently, there are several discussions and sub-discussions going on here. Let me try to clarify. I'm not promising to be successful.

() My reference to iTunes as a "music player" was rather imprecise. Originally, iTunes was an application designed to enable computer users to buy and play songs. It has since morphed into other kinds of content but the basic interface (on a computer) has remained largely the original design. It works well for managing the content on old iPods (like mine) but becomes increasingly confusing and inadequate as one moves to iPods (i.e. Touch) that run apps, the iPhone, and especially the iPad where songs are likely to be the least important content type. Yet the iTunes application (and even its name) suggests otherwise.

() Apparently, (and not surprisingly) the iTunes app runs better on Apple computers than on Windows systems. I can't comment on the former because all my systems (other than the iPad) are Windows systems. This issue morphed into the (somewhat unrelated) issue of how it runs on Vista and the awful problems that afflict that OS. Suffice to say that problems exist even with Windows 7 systems. The issue of whether anyone should suffer with Vista is a separate one and extends far beyond the issue of whether iTunes works well in that environment.

() Some of the discussion apparently confused the "App Store" app on the iPad with the iTunes application on a computer (which is what you deal with when you sync your iPad.) I happen to think that the App Store app is also lousy mainly because it is so difficult to search for specific apps. Many folks agree with me on that score which is the basis of some posts that point out the value of App Shopper when you're trying to find a specific app. In any event, the quality, good or bad, of the App Store is a separate issue from the quality of iTunes as an interface for managing/syncing apps and media content.

 

[Kaykaykay]

Some of the discussion apparently confused the "App Store" app on the iPad with the iTunes application on a computer (which is what you deal with when you sync your iPad.) I happen to think that the App Store app is also lousy mainly because it is so difficult to search for specific apps. Many folks agree with me on that score which is the basis of some posts that point out the value of App Shopper when you're trying to find a specific app. In any event, the quality, good or bad, of the App Store is a separate issue from the quality of iTunes as an interface for managing/syncing apps and media content.

The crummy thing about the app store app and the app store on computer is the same: no efficient way of searching. How hard would it be for Apple to fix that? They could assign it to an intern for an afternoon, lol.

I didn't bother going into iTunes' problems with synching, because there are plenty of examples on this forum every day and all across the Internet. There's going to be user error with any tech stuff, but iTunes complaints are so widespread it's laughable. It doesn't make sense that a company that pays such attention to hardware cares so little about its content-delivery experience.

 

[jsh1120]

The crummy thing about the app store app and the app store on computer is the same: no efficient way of searching. How hard would it be for Apple to fix that? They could assign it to an intern for an afternoon, lol.

I didn't bother going into iTunes' problems with synching, because there are plenty of examples on this forum every day and all across the Internet. There's going to be user error with any tech stuff, but iTunes complaints are so widespread it's laughable. It doesn't make sense that a company that pays such attention to hardware cares so little about its content-delivery experience.

It's a mystery (and a misery) to me, as well. Being an ancient Windows user (I'm the ancient one, not Windows) I often find myself puzzled about navigating and using apps on the iPad. But for the most part I put it down to my ingrained expectations about how things should work. Took me quite awhile to understand that Apple doesn't believe I should be concerned about where files are located or be able to access the same file with different apps, for example. And I still chafe over the fact that I cannot simply open another app on the screen in another resizable window. And why can't I create multiple user "accounts" with different permissions on my iPad? Ahh...so many (admittedly not major) frustrations. But I've adjusted for the most part. I just content myself with the restrictions Apple imposes on me and enjoy the benefits.

iTunes and the App Store are different. One is a now ancient application designed for one purpose with functionality layered on top of it with no thought as to the vast differences in the devices it's supposed to support. The other is simply an atrociously designed app with so little functionality as to be infuriating. Why are there no standards for what constitutes a true "iPad" app? Must we rely on the often violated convention to stick "HD" somewhere in the title of an app? Is the meaning of an "iOS" app supposed to be that it runs equally well or equally badly on an iPhone and an iPad? When my search results generate 200 apps do I really have to begin at the beginning of the list every time I return from examining an app?

The very existence of App Shopper suggests just how bad the App Store is.

 

[55julie55]

I avoid iTunes as much as I can.
Cannot use without grief.
So my music is in diss array .
It's not user friendly
My iPad is my right arm.
It's sync only when I really have to

 

[Kaykaykay]

It's a mystery (and a misery) to me, as well. Being an ancient Windows user (I'm the ancient one, not Windows) I often find myself puzzled about navigating and using apps on the iPad. But for the most part I put it down to my ingrained expectations about how things should work. Took me quite awhile to understand that Apple doesn't believe I should be concerned about where files are located or be able to access the same file with different apps, for example. And I still chafe over the fact that I cannot simply open another app on the screen in another resizable window. And why can't I create multiple user "accounts" with different permissions on my iPad? Ahh...so many (admittedly not major) frustrations. But I've adjusted for the most part. I just content myself with the restrictions Apple imposes on me and enjoy the benefits.

iTunes and the App Store are different. One is a now ancient application designed for one purpose with functionality layered on top of it with no thought as to the vast differences in the devices it's supposed to support. The other is simply an atrociously designed app with so little functionality as to be infuriating. Why are there no standards for what constitutes a true "iPad" app? Must we rely on the often violated convention to stick "HD" somewhere in the title of an app? Is the meaning of an "iOS" app supposed to be that it runs equally well or equally badly on an iPhone and an iPad? When my search results generate 200 apps do I really have to begin at the beginning of the list every time I return from examining an app?

The very existence of App Shopper suggests just how bad the App Store is.

Agreed on many points. The funny thing is, I don't even want to do most of the stuff you mentioned. My iPads are mostly for entertainment. I do little work on them, so I'm not looking to save or access files across apps, nor do I need some kind of file hierarchy, etc.

I haven't had problems with iTunes crashing in years (since Vista), and synching works for me. That doesn't change the fact that plenty of people get stuck trying to do basic stuff like synching, and the numbers are so plentiful that it indicates problems way beyond user error.

The crummy search for apps indicates a lack of care to even the most basic features of a retail environment. The thing is, there's been no real competition for the combination of Apple and iTunes. Amazon excels at selling and serving, so I'm glad it's jumped into the tablet-content fray.

 

[Wolfpuppies3]

iTunes works great with my 64 bit Vista PC,

my XP netbook and my two OS X Lion MacBooks. You may have a configuration issue with your Vista machine.

I run two iPhones, three iPods, and an iPad synching happily away.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I use Vista and I returned to iTunes after trying alternatives. I see some issues with iTunes, but overall, it works for me. I like that I can DL apps I paid for (or the free crap, too) by selecting the "Purchased" link. I am a smart guy, but occasionally, iTunes causes great panic and frankly, I see the world end from time to time. I like the "Automatically Add to iTunes" folder because it works well.

Itunes is good. Repeat after me, iTunes is good.