App Store categories get browser pages

All we need now is for iTunes to cut it out with the automatic jump into iTunes -- even though your browser will load up a real page in the background, the browser store still tries to throw an external link request out to iTunes. Our own Brett Terpstra found that when you copy or type a browser link directly into your browser, the store won't try to open, but if you click in from an external link (like those here on TUAW), iTunes will try to open. Apple may not want us just browsing iTunes outside of the official app, but it would be nice for those of us who are pointing out iTunes content to folks who may not actually have iTunes installed to have a link to share.
For more fun tricks you can do with do with browser-based app store links, look here.
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Apple has apparently taken another step towards bringing iTunes to the browser, as you can now browse actual categories of the iTunes...
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That's great and all but it still tries to open itunes every time...is there a way to disable itunes from opening? Isn't the whole idea of browsing/previewing songs on the browser is to save people the trouble to open itunes? I find this annoying..
February 19 2010 at 9:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply"..is there a way to disable itunes from opening?"
When I click on a link to iTunes using the Google Chrome Browser it takes me to the web page and I get a pop up that says the link is trying to open an external program (iTunes). The options are to Open the program or Do Nothing. There is also a check box that says Remember my selection in the future. After I checked that option and pushed Do Nothing, I now no longer am presented with the pop up to open iTunes and the browser does not try to open iTunes. There are links to iTunes in the browser pages and they still take me to iTunes so this solution works great, but it only seems to work in Chrome.
What I don't understand is what happens to iTunes. Once they move the entire store over to the browser, will that simply be an alternative to the store in iTunes? Will iTunes become simply a media player again, one of many? What will we use to sync (will it be over the air)?
February 19 2010 at 9:19 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyMy guess is that they will allow you to pay for items from the browser and once it's paid..you can stream the music from your browser too. The next time you open itunes, it will download the items you have purchased automatically and sync it to your iphone/ipod.
I think that with the webpage preview/purchase enabled, they can potentially be used for sites to link to the songs/albums directly to help satisfy the impulse buy.
I read a rumor somewhere that Apple's future plan is to move iTunes to the cloud. So it is possible that sometime in the future you would be able to sync with your iTunes from your portable device or from your computer online anywhere you have an internet connection. iTunes would keep track of all your content online and you could remove and add any of your content from any of your devices when ever you want to. So you could buy books, movies, music, and apps from any computer and access your content from anywhere on any of your devices. Load a movie into your iPad for a trip and after you watch it you can delete it from your device. You can later access it from any other device when ever you need it. I have heard rumors they will also allow you to stream your content so you don't have to download it into your device. Then you will always have access to your content no matter what device you own. I am sure this will be designed to work best with Apple portable devices. Someone with a non Apple device will probably still have to use a PC and load their content from their PC to other devices.
February 19 2010 at 10:19 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyOld News Panda is sad.
February 19 2010 at 8:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyvery old news. i know this isn't a news site, but i thought i read about this two weeks ago.
February 19 2010 at 2:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHot Apps on TUAW
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