iTunes Control Nirvana

by Nathan Kendrick Sep 22, 2004

I recently upgraded to the new Wacom Intuos3, which I really, really recommend. I use the smaller 4x5in version, but it provides plenty of space for me as I use the mapping exclusively in mouse mode. But I digress, this entry is on how I finally attained complete control over my iTunes listening.

On the new Intuos3, there are 4 user assigned buttons which I pretty much immediately set to Expose commands when I got the tablet. Well, since I use Expose activated by hot corners (annoying for some, invaluable for others) the buttons are sparely used.

Today, I had an epiphany. I found this widget: “iTunes Hotkeys” developed for Konfabulator. It is basically an invisible widget, with user-assigned hotkeys to control iTunes from any app. Since I use hotkey combos for all sorts of apps, and for iTunes I want a combo that is easy to execute, all the time… I could never settle on the proper combos. Then I realized I don’t need the optimal combo - I can just assign combos, then map my Intuos buttons to those. So a single button press will do the all work for me. Plus, my hand is always using the pen, so the buttons are naturally closer to access than my keyboard.

Half my problem solved. I would still need to keep iTunes in view, to know which track I am listening to. Other software solutions I was never happy with, ugly or space hogs. But on my great shareware roll today I found the perfect companion: iTunes Track 0.9.1. The key feature here is you can lay it on top your menubar so it is in view all the time! You can customize the background color and font color to your heart’s content. I set the background completely transparent so that the track/album text seems like its part of the menubar.

I have finally liberated myself from constant iTunes window and control management, and I am a happy man knowing it will save me ~30 minutes day.

What other useful customizations do people have to share that makes their Mac life just that much more enjoyable?

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Comments

  • Sounds like You Control:tunes is the true iTunes nirvana http://www.yousoftware.com/itunes/

    It’s a free utility that gives you complete control over iTunes from the Mac OS X menu bar. You don�t have to stop whatever it is you may be doing, switch to iTunes, take care of business and then go back to your original app. You can simply pull down a custom menu that gives you access to the iTunes controls (Next, Previous, Volume, Play/Pause, Stop) as well as displaying the current track, artist and album. You can navigate your entire iTunes music library from this menu as well so you never leave your current application

    Key Features

    Control iTunes without leaving your current application.

    Assign hot keys to your favorite iTunes commands.

    Navigate the iTunes library via a menu.

    Cool overlays displayalbum artwork and current song.

    Place iTunes controls directly in the Mac OS X menu bar.

    Best of all it’s free.

    Blackzinger had this to say on Sep 23, 2004 Posts: 1
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