Smart Playlist to Gather Upgradeable iTunes Match Tracks

Macworld’s Jason Snell describes in this article how to upgrade tracks with iTunes Match to 256kbps AACs. iTunes Match will allow you to re-download these types of files even if the matched tracks are lesser quality. To gather these lesser-quality matched-tracks together, Jason describes how to create a Smart Playlist with the correct criteria. I’ve created that Smart Playlist and exported it and have included it in a script which, when run, will add that Smart Playlist to your iTunes for you. Here is the direct download link. Just download and double-click the script; make sure iTunes is running. Be sure to read Jason’s article to understand the rest of the details.

Smarts is a Mac Gem

Thanks to Dan Frakes for the great write-up at Macworld on my Smarts Smart Playlist manager app. It’s free from the Mac App Store.

Macworld Podcast

Chris Breen asked me to chat about iTunes and AppleScript for a bit on the latest Macworld Podcast.

And speaking of Macworld today, Kirk McElhearn has a nice article covering How to add lyrics to your iTunes tracks.

iTunes Keyboard Shortcuts

How many items on Kirk’s list of Essential iTunes Keyboard Shortcuts have you committed to memory?

Script Faves from Macworld

Macworld Senior Contributor Kirk McElhearn lists Ten great AppleScripts for iTunes 10 at Macworld. Thanks!

Migrate Your iTunes From Windows to Mac

I frequently get asked if there is an easy way to move an iTunes library (files, playlists, ratings, and all) from a Windows machine to a Mac. My friend Kirk McElhearn has written it all down in this how-to at Macworld.

ScriptPal Gets Macworld Gem Treatment

Macworld’s Dan Frakes has a great review of ScriptPal. Thanks!

Jason Snell Tries Not to Gag

I think Macworld’s Jason Snell did a great level-headed job responding to some pretty whacked-out questions in this Advertising Age interview with Simon Dumenco (who has all the misinformed media memes about Apple down pat).

Another Reprieve

Dan Frakes emailed me with a vote for maintaining Set Video Kind of Selected:

“One that I’d like to see kept alive, so to speak, in some
fashion is Set Video Kind of Selected. Although iTunes 8 does let you
bulk-edit many of these fields, Set Video Kind of Selected has one unique feature that’s very
useful: sequential episode numbering.”

I had forgotten about that feature. Make Video Tags also has sequential track, episode ID, and episode numbering.

Join Together Deemed Mac Gem-Worthy

Thanks to Chris Breen at Macworld for bestowing Mac Gem-ness on Join Together.