For Apple's iTunes 8, Does it Really Take a Genius?

The last time we met up with an Apple launch, there were many curses directed at its MobileMe "Exchange-for-the-rest-of-us" product, as well as for a balky iPhones 2.0 software installation. So today, when Steve Jobs announced significant improvements in its iTunes 8 software, there was a little bit of breath-holding upon downloading and installing.

Sure, the PC forced a second reboot to get iTunes 8 working. And sure, there were a few glitches when we initally started to use it. But the glitches (mostly with iTunes store availability) smoothed out after a few minutes and iTunes 8 was up and running nicely.

One headline to the announcement was Apple's new offering of High Definition (HD) video in the versions of several TV shows it is selling for download on iTunes. The folks in Cupertino have, clearly, found a new way to ciphon money out of people's wallets - - getting them hooked on HD. (A couple of temporary problems with iTunes HD previews were the biggest problem that could be found initially. But it's not enough to penalize it too severely.)

For $2.99, iTunes will allow downloads of HD versions of several TV shows (count on more content to follow). Unlike with MobileMe, Apple is playing to a strength with digital content and is able to generate enthusiasm where rivals like Amazon.com have not. Will it change the marketplace? Some early adopters think so. For example, Twitterer Chris Furniss writes: "Calling Comcast to kill our cable tonight. Don't even use it anymore, what with tv shows on DVD and now iTunes having stuff in HD. Byeeeeeee."

A second big deal out of the iTunes 8 announcement was its "Genius Sidebar" function - - a feature that allows Apple to suggest "companion" or similar songs to songs you already have in your iTunes library.

So if I click on a song that's in my Barry Manilow collection (don't ask), the Genius Sidebar in iTunes 8 points me to - - Voila! - - more Barry Manilow songs. (Because, really, can anyone have too many Barry Manilow songs?) But it also recommends Bread, Andy Gibb and the Carpenters if your collection doesn't already have tracks by those artists. You can add 'em all for 99 cents each.

If you click a Nat King Cole song, it will recommend more Nat King Cole, but also some Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

The Genius Sidebar doesn't exactly take a genius, but it will add incremental sales for Apple and let you remember, the next time you listen to a Hall and Oates song in iTunes, that you can follow it up with Joan Jett, too.

Apple has done a good job adding incremental functionality - - and nice functionality, too - - to what was already a strong part of its lineup with iTunes. And, importantly, it didn't botch this launch. That might not take a genius, but it's appreciated nonetheless.