Cover Stream brings the old CoverFlow back

I'm sure I'm not alone on this one, but I remember when CoverFlow was basically just a tech demo, and not, you know, the centerpiece of OS X's UI. But of course when Apple picked up the little app to use it for everything else, we lost it -- even if you wanted to use the old simple album-browsing app (and now I'm actually regretting deleting it off of my old PowerBook), you're out of luck.

Unless you use Cover Stream, an iTunes helper app that recreates the old CoverFlow interface outside of iTunes. It's even incorporated the "flip-browsing" that you can do on the iPhone, where you just flip the art over to choose a specific track to play. As for how it actually works with iTunes, we can't say, but at least that CoverFlow interface is still available unofficially.

By the way, I'm planning on doing a roundup (similar to the alarm clock one) of iTunes helper apps like this, so if there are any you want to see included, drop a note here in the comments. I have a few in mind already, but suggestions are welcome.

[Via MacMinute]

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Source: http://www.snarb.co.uk/coverstream

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I'm sure I'm not alone on this one, but I remember when CoverFlow was basically just a tech demo, and not, you know, the centerpiece of OS...

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J.Y.

Add me to the list of users who are annoyed that iTunes does not yet have 'flip browsing' incorporated. I mean, shouldn't the iTunes on my Mac that costs thousands of dollars be as slick as the one on an iPhone?

February 21 2008 at 12:52 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Addison James

For the iTunes roundup... if you could include apps that make universal key shortcuts for iTunes that'd be great. I use Synergy which is nice. Also Synergy supports Growl which I like a lot.

February 21 2008 at 12:34 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Mark

Signal (http://www.alloysoft.com/) is cool for accessing a remote iTunes library, but no browsing by CoverFlow.

Wouldn't browsing a *remote* iTunes library via cover flow be cool? ... especially from an iPod / Touch?

You'd have a jukebox in your hand that you could pass around the party, but still enjoy access to your larger, central iTunes repository. I can't find that one out there...

February 20 2008 at 3:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Lee Webb

@10 thanks for that link. I had the last tech demo of coverflow but it had a expiry date and therefore ran out. I didn't know you could still get the full app.

It's great!

February 20 2008 at 5:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Schlaeps

Uh... I'm pretty sure he stole that jewel case in the menu from an older CoverSutra.

February 20 2008 at 3:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ludo

I like very much iTunesShut. It's a sleep-timer for iTunes with many extras!

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/ipod_itunes/itunesshut.html

February 20 2008 at 3:14 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

socioecoboy

TunesText

February 20 2008 at 1:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

andrew

i second Total Tunes Control. very elegant piece of software that they just updated yesterday. some distinguishing factors:
- album art is displayed as if in a jewel case
- songs from the entire album are automatically grouped
- built-in itunes library search

GimmeSomeTune is the only iTunes helper i know of that has pretty good lyrics-fetching capabilities.

YouControl Tunes is also nice, but takes up way more memory than either of the above two. however, it allows for the browsing your entire iTunes library from your menubar.

(these are all free.)

February 20 2008 at 12:55 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Todd

Did the original version of coverflow have a Windows version? also, my only other requests are other cool iTunes plugins that work on Windows ...

February 19 2008 at 10:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Anthony

http://d01.megashares.com/?d01=a243445

February 19 2008 at 9:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply