SimplifyMedia: Share Your Tunes over the Web

LogoiTunes has many often-forgotten features. Among them are the web radio, visualizer, and (what I think is the coolest) shared music libraries. iTunes users on the same wireless network can share their entire music libraries (or only specific playlists) with each other by turning on “Sharing” in iTunes’ preferences (in either the Mac or PC version of iTunes). Once both computers are setup to share libraries, users at both ends can browse each other’s libraries and stream each other’s music. However, there is no way to download the music; users can only listen.

If your iTunes library is spread out over numerous computers in your house and all on one wireless network, then this is incredibly useful, but that’s as far as the fun goes. Outside of a wireless network, no sharing is allowed. That’s where SimplifyMedia comes in. SimplifyMedia works exactly like the sharing feature in iTunes, but with one difference: You don’t have to be on the same wireless network to share your music.

Downloading SimplifyMedia is easy, and it’s even available for PCs, too. Once you’re all signed up and installed, opening up the application presents you with a window that allows you to invite up to 30 friends with whom you can share your music library (you can invite someone simply by entering their username or email address). Once they accept your invitation, all you have to do is be online at the same time as them and you’ll be able to stream each other’s music libraries. Granted, your computer has to be on and both SimplifyMedia and iTunes have to be open, so this isn’t free music 24/7.

Screenshot

ScreenshotBesides sharing with friends, one of the ways SimplifyMedia can be used is to bring together music libraries spread out over various computers that aren’t necessarily in the same WiFi network. Or, it could be used to listen to music in someone’s home music library while at work. The possibilities are endless. As long as you have a capable computer connected to the internet, you could bring your music library with you anywhere, regardless of hard drive space.

One of the main problems with SimplifyMedia, though, is that you many not have any friends to share your music with. I’ll get you started, you can add me: swruler9284. There are also some music-hungry users on iusethis who have shared their usernames.

SimplifyMedia is available for free on Macs and PCs (also with Winamp support) and there is experimental support for Linux and even the iPhone — probably the coolest use of SimplifyMedia I can think of!

Comments

18 Responses to “SimplifyMedia: Share Your Tunes over the Web”

  1. Me on April 29th, 2008 11:58 am

    Try Mojo: http://www.deusty.com/software/mac.php

    Allows you to download files locally…

  2. agua on April 29th, 2008 1:36 pm

    My friends and I have tried Mojo a couple times, and it never works. I really wanted Mojo to work, but it never did.

    Simplify Media is a nice app, but at times, the connection sucks, but its still worth using. They’re working on some nice features and to their credit, they’ve improved its connection issues.

    Here’s my s/n “agua”

    I have 28 gigs plus of music, that ranges from indie rock, electronica, “real” hip hop, classical, soul, classic rock, even some Mexican music.

  3. agua on April 29th, 2008 1:39 pm

    If the developers happen to read this…. messaging would be very very useful, thanks.

  4. paul on May 3rd, 2008 4:32 pm

    austen, thanks for the detailed review!

    agua, messaging is coming very soon.

  5. DaftMonk on May 13th, 2008 6:19 pm

    If anyone wants to add me, I’m similar to Agua; 32 gigs of music, ranging from rock to trance/electronica to hip-hop to world to classical to metal to jazz to dance to tango… and much more. I listen to everything; it just has to have the qualities I love.

    my add is daftmonk.

  6. Tom on May 14th, 2008 1:03 pm

    You can add me also, got some nice electronic music.
    add: tombartels

  7. dies on June 13th, 2008 3:15 pm

    I have 3000+ songs consisting of rock,classical,r&b,hiphop,jazz,and soul music.

  8. dies on June 13th, 2008 3:15 pm

    oh and my account name is “godfather2147″ if interested

  9. dies on June 13th, 2008 3:16 pm

    wow…….”godfather2187″…correction

  10. eelco on June 17th, 2008 10:24 am

    if anyone wants you can add me also, i’ve got 93gb (21.000 tracks) of music. From Punk, emo, alternative, hardcore, Rock to Jazz, Latin, Deephouse, Lounge and Chill out. Aaah name it, i probably got it :-) .
    My account name is: boonacker

    latrrr,

  11. Bakari on August 14th, 2008 6:01 pm

    Thanks for the news. If you like jazz and progressive rap, my account name is: bakari

  12. paxton on August 18th, 2008 8:19 am

    How are they going to make money with this?

  13. karl on May 14th, 2009 8:31 am

    hi all i have tons of oldies and new stuff if you want to add me cool… my screen name is karlzips

  14. phillip on May 26th, 2009 10:25 pm

    ADD me if you want I have ALOT of rap and hiphop including some underground artist. I also have some rock. NEW AND OLD MUSIC screen name is “quinnphill8″

  15. ant on August 2nd, 2009 8:27 am

    add me to for a wide range of everything 98GB. 17000 songs. screen name is antr

  16. helenino on September 21st, 2009 3:07 am

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  17. melo on October 26th, 2009 8:58 pm

    hi all i have tons of oldies and new stuff if you want to add me cool… my screen name is melobf

  18. snio on November 1st, 2009 10:20 pm

    I think your blog is so nice.So I impressed your beautiful expression.I just bookmarked you…keep up the good work!!!!
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