June 27, 2011
iTunes 10.3 includes the beta release of a feature which you can start using now -- it will be part of iTunes in the Cloud when iOS 5 is released this fall. It allows you to tell each of your devices and computers what you'd like to download to them automatically regardless of which device or computer an album, song, book, or app was purchased on. (This also applies to free downloads.) On your devices using iOS 4.3.3, open the Settings app and select Store to turn on automatic downloads for music, books, and apps as you desire. On your computers using iTunes 10.3 or later, use the Store tab in Preferences and check what you want in the Automatic Downloads section.
June 20, 2011
Maintain a list of your favorite artists, authors, and actors in the iTunes Store, and you'll get automatic email alerts when they debut new content in the Store. To create your list and add names to it, simply click on an artist's name to go to their page, then use the Alert Me link in the Quick Links section in the column on the right. To see and manage your list, click My Alerts in the Quick Link section in the right column on the Main iTunes store page, and then click the Manage My Alerts button on the upper right. If you uncheck any of names on your list be sure to click the Save Changes button on the bottom right before you leave the page. You can also use the "Send me email alerts about artists I've previously downloaded" checkbox to increase the number of alerts you receive, and then uncheck it if you decide you're receiving too many. The custom list you create artist by artist won't be affected.
June 13, 2011
iBooks 1.3, now available in the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, offers a new feature that allows young readers to follow along with their favorite children's books as the words are read aloud. Words may also be highlighted as they're read. By default, the pages turn automatically to keep the session flowing, but you can set them to turn manually to further involve the new reader. A tap on the screen produces controls in the upper-right corner of iBooks to customize your reading and listening experience. To see which books are already taking advantage of this new feature, click here.
June 8, 2011
iTunes 10.3 brings the iBookstore to the iTunes Store on your computer and allows you to wirelessly send samples to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with the new Automatic Downloads feature. Look in the navigation bar between App Store and Podcasts to find Books, which gives you full access to the iBookstore as well as Audiobooks. The triangle next to Books in the top navigation bar will produce shortcuts to categories such as Fiction & Literature, History, Biographies & Memoirs, and more. Each book includes a Get Sample button; click it to send a sample directly to any or all of your iOS devices once you've turned on Automatic Downloads. You can do this on your device by going to Settings and tapping on Store. You'll also need to confirm that you already have iBooks 1.2.2 or higher. Additionally, if you click the info icon that appears when you hover over a book cover, the downward pointing triangle next to the Buy button (the action menu) in the Quick View window that appears gives you access to both Add to Wishlist and Tell a Friend.
