iTunes ‘Genius’ feature is pure genius

is it a bad idea to activate genius if i download any music?

Have you guys tried SuperSync? I find it a great iTunes synching device. It’s working great for me and my family to merge music between our computers to create a master library around the house.

Check it out for yourself. You can download it for free:

http://supersync.com/

I love it! if your library consists of 3 albums you probably won’t enjoy it. But if you have a large library with many genres, the genius option rocks!

When you save a Genius Playlist it will sync to older iPods as a regular playlist.

Quit being paranoid that apple or anyone else for that matter is using your information against you! The program is trying to make your life easier not stalk it!
And if the concern for privacy is so great why not stop posting pictures on facebook or mysapce.

It became ok for Apple to scan your stuff when you clicked ‘ok’ when you first start Genius. If you don’t want that, don’t click OK.

Genius is still in its infancy hopefully because some of the playlists really are not that great. With a playlist of 6000 songs it can be hard to listen to all my music. But for the most part it does stay within reason on most songs. I think its ridiculous to say it only does pop. i tried the Voidoids “blank generation” and it made a very competent playlist. But like other users have noted it does not deal well with obscure music. basically the bigger the playlist the better it can handle with making good playlists.

When did it become okay for apple to scan my favorites and use that information? And to do the same to all itunes users? what else are they scanning?

I have a collection of 22k songs and it is the second best thing they have come up with. Streaming to multiple Airport Express drops is the first IMHO. It’s hard enough to come up with smart lists, managing genres (and sub-genres) of music to leverage my collection. We had a dinner party Friday and everyone loved the mix it played. Kudos to the iTunes team and what a way to leverage their iMix and buying patterns database(s) from the iTunes store.

“So you can indeed build Genius playlists while on the road with you iPod. Of course you need a new iPod. How clever of Apple.”

That’s not 100% true, if you have an iPod touch – Genius is part of the downloadable new software update. The touch is an iPod, so you don’t necessarily have to buy a new iPod if you have already have a touch (like me).

You can hide the Genius sidebar and still make Genius playlists if you don’t want Apple constantly trying to sell you new music.

Can you write a future article and compare this to something like last.fm?

Beware: the other part of Genius, which opens a panel to the right with Genius suggestions from the iTunes store that you don’t have (yet) is dangerous to the old credit card.

I second this statement, I have 30,322 items in my library (close to 2200 full albums). And, I haven’t really listened to much new stuff instead listen to old playlists. Now that I have genius I have listened to iTunes for the past 6 hours, it’s absolutely incredible and let’s me actually enjoy all my music! This is the best thing to happen to iTunes since the mp3.

Credit Card and Genius: For the Genius function that operates using just your library, no credit card info is requested or required. When you open the Genious sidebar that connects you to the iTMS with suggestions of songs you can buy, then it wants your credit card info so you can one-click purchases.

Genius on iPods: The Genius function is built into the new iPods introduced last week. So you can indeed build Genius playlists while on the road with you iPod. Of course you need a new iPod. How clever of Apple.

Sounds useful, but… Why is Apple insisting on getting my credit card information to use this service?

What’s your problem with a Billy Joel song? Are you tone-deaf as well as too hip for words?

From Jon Fortt: It’s in my library, isn’t it? That makes me An Innocent Man. It just didn’t go with the other tunes. But don’t worry; It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll To Me.

I travel alot so I wish they would have it on the ipod itself but besides that it is a great!!

this is how i customized Genius to get the results i wanted.

I hate to sound like a typical fan-boy, but I do think it is a great idea! It helps the listener by creating great playlists, and it helps Apple by gently suggesting songs to be purchased and enjoyed.

It sounds like it’s similar to Pandora.com, which i LOVE!!! but it works with the music you have bought so it’s different b/c Pandora plays all the music that’s out there. All in all two pretty genuis products!!!!!

Not to mention the sales impact Genius will have…. We have already used it to find new music for a wedding CD we are making for friends. It is going to prompt more purchases in iTunes.

I just started using Genius last night and I agree with your opinion 100%.

One experiment I tried was making a Genius playlist from a Mozart concerto movement– I only have about 10 pieces of classical music in my tremendous library. It reported back that it couldn’t make a list but to try again later, after it had collected more information. Guess there aren’t that many iTunes users listening to classical?