Songbird replaced its landing page with a blog and is giving more information on the product (I had next to no details for my original Songbird post earlier this month). The site now has additional screenshots and a few posts that begin to talk about the product.
I am alpha testing Songbird now and am very impressed, even though they say it is only 30% done (as of November 18). They have asked me not to blog about non public information yet, and I won’t. One thing to clear up is that Songbird is not an online application - it is (among other things) a next generation media player. And it is absolutely turning my head around in the way I think about certain things.
They’ll be pushing a preview release in December.
Isn’t that iTunes… ? In black. On a different platform.
I anticipate the release of this application. Why? Because it’s built with XUL, includes plugins and is cross-platform. This opens many possibilties for further customization.
I currently use a not so well known application called Quod Libet http://www.sacredchao.net/quodlibet/wiki along with Streamtuner http://www.nongnu.org/streamtuner/.
I hate having the multiple applications open to listen to these streams. I would prefer them in one nice interface.
Exactly Tracey, I’m a bit confused as to why Michael didn’t explore the XUL interfacing angle a bit more since it’s so very important and forward-thinking.
Screw Web 2.0, XUL moves us straight into the Web 3.0 that technologists like you and I that “get it” are really looking forward to
Ok so now I get XUL after reading Songbird’s explanation. The only downside i see with it is that it still focuses on the desktop based application. Many many more projects are sprouting up to avoid the reliance on desktop apps so they can be more “portable.” Now having a desktop companion or something that backs everything up to the web and thus becomes a desktop/web hybrid app is what really intrigues me about this XUL. Seeing as people still have to deal with their net connections going out, the XUL desktop app paired with the web based version would make sense.
sorry to go off in another direction unrelated to songbird.
I agree, XUL is an extremely interesting angle to discuss. I will be writing more as things progress.
Songbird looks very promising indeed.
But, come on, without a graphical equalizer it is certainly not going to steal iTunes market share.
I’m sure people will miss it sooner or later.
I missed it after 5 seconds already during my first try.
Yeah, Songbird looks very beautiful.
But without the EQUALIZER, it just sucks!
Just try your favorite song with Songbird and the same song with an equalized iTunes… See?
No comparison.
Not to say that I like iTunes though.