Filed under: iTS, Software, iTunes
CoverFlow: I knew that looked familiar
When we first looked at CoverFlow a little more than a year ago, we were impressed: "It really is nice to look at, I have to say, and flipping through albums is fun...I'm certainly eager to watch this application develop." It seems that Cupertino was also smitten, as the message on CoverFlow's (former) home page explains:
"We are pleased to announce that all CoverFlow technology and intellectual property was recently sold to Apple. It has been incorporated into the latest version of iTunes."
Let that be a lesson to you, kids. Work hard, and you, too, can be consumed by a corporate giant. Seriously, though, congratulations to the authors of CoverFlow. Well done indeed.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dave said 3:56PM on 9-12-2006
Wow congrats to the CoverFlow team! For a second when I opened iTunes 7 I thought Apple had ripped off another independent software program...wouldn't be the first time.
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craig said 4:05PM on 9-12-2006
There is hope yet for developers who's apps are seemingly being rendered useless by Leopard's features!
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phlavor said 4:23PM on 9-12-2006
I agree with Dave, the Coverflow guy (guys?) have put together a great peice of software and I'm so glad that Apple brought it into iTunes rather than ripping it off. I remember when this was just a concept on the Ars Technica Macintoshian Achaia Forums. Good job guys!
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Tek said 4:08PM on 9-12-2006
Has anyone tested out Cover Flow in iTunes 7 to see if it supports full screen scrolling? I didn't see it during the demo, and I thought that it'd be cool to have...but I guess they're banking on people using FrontRow for anything full screen, huh?
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Miguel said 4:21PM on 9-12-2006
Congrats to the CoverFlow guy (if my mind doesn't fail me, it's only one guy that created the app) for such a great deal with Apple. If Apple buys the rights from an app from me and integrates in one of their applications, I would be very proud!. When I saw the first pic of the iTunes 7 during the live coverage, the first impression was "wow, that people rip one cool app I saw a lot of months ago!" but this time I was wrong :-)
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Lobato said 4:22PM on 9-12-2006
I hope they put it on FrontRow! I loved using coverflow on fullscreen but i couldn't get my airclick usb to skip the tunes like in frontrow, just the albums.
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nick said 9:48AM on 9-21-2006
anyone know how much they were bought out for?
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Ryan Meyers said 4:57PM on 9-12-2006
Hey Hey! Where is my thanks for the tip at??? lol, jk. Yeah I was really glad to see this happen, after first I thought Apple just stole the idea much like they have done in the past, but makes me feel better that they do recognize those talented, and send some money their way.
Now, I just wonder how much $ they got?!
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Tush said 4:58PM on 9-12-2006
I still wish that compilation albums would stick together even when in viewing by artists.
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Bagel said 5:35PM on 9-12-2006
If memory serves me correctly, Windows Media Player also has a similar CD cover view. I wonder if CoverFlow came onto the scene first and if so, with the recent rash of patent suits(e.g., Creative vs. Apple) in media player land, if Apple would capitalize on their newly acquired intellectual property (as much as I hate this kind of patent/IP warring) and start hunting down other programs that share this way of file organization. I know they'd have to secure a patent for this, but this IP just makes me wonder.
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lOUDsCREAMEr said 5:55PM on 9-12-2006
hey all suckers!!
Apple has NOT ripped off CoverFlow, coz Coverflow=Apple
http://www.steelskies.com/coverflow/?
;p
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anonymous said 6:08PM on 9-12-2006
that was the point of the article read before you post!
tit
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Dewey said 6:45PM on 9-12-2006
If I'm correct, did'nt these guy(s) just release a RC1 version of CoverFlow just a week or so ago? That's fairly odd, and I doubt it was a last minunte purchase for Apple,ie being incorporated throughout iTS. Maybe they just did it to allow Apple's introduction of it a complete suprise. Or maybe I'm wrong all together and RC1 was released a long time ago, and I just did'nt realize it.
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Dewey said 6:50PM on 9-12-2006
According to iusethis.com CoverFlow RC1.2 was released not a week or so ago but 2 days ago(I didn't think it was that long ago that I downloaded it). Any body have any ideas on why? Are they continuing their app even after the purhcase by Apple?
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James said 7:44PM on 9-12-2006
I dislike how the functionality to seperate entre CDs into the "Coverflow" playlist was lost.
Anyone know of a fix?
Congrats to the guy who created CoverFlow!
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Thomas said 10:24PM on 9-12-2006
Congratulations CoverFlow!! I'm glad to see Apple didn't just take it. :)
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harrison said 8:58PM on 9-12-2006
anyone know if there is any way to import album art from cover flow to itunes 7?
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Michael Moll said 7:13AM on 9-13-2006
For #8 TUSH:
To consolidate albums by various artists or even albums where a song features another artist, highlight the whole album and then right-click > Get Info. Now Click the INFO tab and there is a spot for album artist. For compilations simply put Various Artist, or for, say a CD that features other artist on one or two songs, put the main artist. After you do that press enter and it will consiladte what appeared to be doubles because of seperate artist into one album cover.
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Robbie said 2:09AM on 9-14-2006
OK, the only thing(s) I know Apple ripped off for a fact was Watson with Sherlock and maybe System Restore with Time Machine. But, what else did they "rip off"??
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geoff said 10:20AM on 9-13-2006
Coverflow was created by Catfish from the Arstechnica forums. I think he released that very last version before iTunes7 as a thank you to all the people who had been using his betas. He's been strangely silent at the Ars forums - presumably because he too busy rolling in dough.
He also has a wicked iTunes visualizer at his steelskies website.
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