Build 1810 is an update for Mac, Windows and Ubuntu with changes designed to improve stability, increase performance and decrease CPU usage.
Although Build 1810 is compatible with all versions of the Simplify iPhone applications, you will have the best experience if you are using the newest release on your iPhone or iPod touch as well. Please launch the Apple App Store and select Updates to make sure you have the latest Simplify code.
OS 10.4 users only : Based on your feedback we are continuing support for OS 10.4; however, the version offered in the automatic upgrade will not run on with 10.4. There is a special Tiger-only build with the same features and fixes that you must download separately from the Simplify Media web site and install manually: www.simplifymedia.com/tig
Support tip: After upgrading you should check that the Simplify Media process is allowed by your software firewall. If you use Simplify on your iPhone or iPod Touch, let Simplify run for a while the first time plugged into a power source, over WiFi, to transfer all of your song or photo information.
We are always appreciative when Simplify is mentioned in tweets, blog posts and magazine articles, but we are especially delighted when books discuss our software. The earliest reference was in Spring 2008 when Regina Lynn’s Sexier Sex: Lessons from the Brave New Sexual Frontier listed Simplify (along with Skype and IM) as one of the best ways “to feel closer when you’re apart.” Since then, several top-selling iPhone manuals have included reviews:
and, most recently, Incredible iPhone Apps For Dummies by Bob Levitus (Wiley, Feb 2010). In this brand new collection of app reviews, Simplify is named to the “My Ten Favorite Paid Apps” list. Thanks, Bob!
In other news, build 1604 is available from the Simplify download page. If you have had any issues with file scanning, proxies, coherence on Ubuntu or the Mac firewall, please install 1604. As always, if you encounter any problems, consult the knowledge base or email us at support using the built-in Troubleshooting tool.
For the past two days we have experienced network problems with the Simplify servers. We apologize for the interruption in our service and believe that Build 1555 will help mitigate those connection errors. Build 1555 is a mandatory update for Windows, Mac and Ubuntu clients, and you will receive notification to install it over the next few hours.
Thank you for your patience and assistance while we work through this issue.
7p update: one clarification. The new Windwos, Mac and Ubuntu builds will rescan your media and rebuild your database. As a result, once you install you will see the “initializing” message until the scan completes if you do not have other computers online. This is normal.
In addition, when you start the iPhone for the first time, it may say connecting for longer than usual. If you let it run, it will cache all the new information and should connect quickly after that.
Since the first release of Simplify Media, a small but enthusiastic set of users have asked us when we will add proxy server support to the desktop. Often, these folks work at large financial firms and have highly restricted internet access, so they have been unable to enjoy all of their home music while at work. With their help, we’ve been testing a new version of Simplify that can be configured to work with SOCKS 5 and web proxies, and it is available now from our download page.
When you install Simplify on a Mac (OS X 10.5 or 10.6), Windows or Linux machine behind a proxy and attempt to create an account or sign in, Simplify will try to determine your connection type. This analysis can take a minute or so, and, if it suspects your traffic is proxied, it will prompt you to enter your proxy information. The same settings are available from Options/Preferences, Advanced tab, and you can enter host names or IP addresses. However, automatic configuration using a PAC file or WPAD is not supported.
Build 1519 also adds compatibility with Rhythmox on Ubuntu 9.10 using the Coherence UPnP plug-in and contains a several fixes and optimizations.
Simplify Photo 1.1 has just been released as an update in the App Store, and it features all of the user management options just added to Simplify Music 2.2: send and receive invitations and manage permissions for your media list.
In addition, Photo 1.1 includes your top enhancement requests: improved slide show transitions and zoom. Pinch or double-tab to expand and collapse. Move around using a single finger. Thanks again for all of the suggestions!
Version 2.2 of Simplify Music for iPhone and iPod touch is now available. If you already use Simplify Music, the next time you start the App Store, you should see it listed under Updates. There are several improvements, but the biggest are for user management.
Send invitations to family and close friends.
Hit Manage Users under Settings and then Invite. Enter the screen name and select the proper combination of photo and music privileges.
Receive invitations right on your phone.
When a new one arrives, you’ll see a badge on the Settings icon. You can accept or reject – and, if you accept, decide to share music, photos, both or neither.
Manage your existing media list.
Tap on a name to change music and photo settings. Swipe to the left on a name to trigger the delete option.
We’ve also added these features to Simplify Photo and we expect that update to be available shortly.
We are live, in the App Store and with a new look!
Build 1432 adds support for photos to Simplify for Mac, Windows and Ubuntu. Enjoy remote access to your picture collection with the new Simplify Viewer, with iPhoto or Windows Explorer, or with the new Simplify Photo app for iPhone and iPod touch — on sale for $.99.
The free desktop version handles music and photos. You’ll receive an upgrade notice later today, or you can get the latest here.
Decide what to share
Pick folders or all or part of your iPhoto library, including Events, Albums and Faces.
Pick whom to share with
You have complete control over who gets to see your photos, and your existing music friends have photo privileges turned off by default. To turn on photo access for a friend, use Manage Users.
Enjoy photos with the Simplify Viewer
View photos by folder, timeline and the Simplify Map. If available, you can browse by iPhoto Albums, Events and Faces. Save files you like as well.
Use iPhoto and Explorer too
In iPhoto on Mac, remote computers appear under Shares (just like in iTunes). On Windows we create a virtual drive you can access with Explorer.
There’s even enhanced UPnP integration
We’ve added photo support for Xbox 360 and improved UPnP music support so that it works with the Sonos iPhone controller.
Most importantly for iPhone and iPod touch users, we’ve created a new application optimized for photo viewing. Access all of your pictures from home on your mobile device without the hassles of syncing, using all of your local storage or uploading to a web site. Simplify Photo is available today in the App Store, and we’ve put it on sale at $.99 for all Simplify fans.
Browse by folder & timeline, or GPS location on a map
View thumbnails, individual photos or slide show
Access iPhoto Albums, Events, Faces and Places
Search by tags, comments, title or description
Save an image to your local Camera Roll
Thanks again to our Beta testers and our friends at Six for assistance with design and art direction.
One year ago we released Simplify Music in the App Store. Since then we’ve grown from 100,000 users to over 500,000, and, with your help, we’ve made numerous enhancements to our music support on the iPhone and desktop.
At your request, we’ve also been working behind the scenes on extending our architecture to support digital picture collections. This evening, we are thrilled to announce that support for sharing and viewing photos has been added to the free Windows, Mac and Ubuntu versions, and a new app optimized for viewing photos, Simplify Photo, will be on sale in the App Store in the next few hours. Special thanks to our photo beta testers for helping us get to this point!
Details, like the app, will be coming very soon. In the meantime, check out the new Simplify Photo video. The song is “Geneva” from the Hot Toddies.
On the iPhone and iPod touch, Simplify has been able to provide lyrics for the song you are listening to using the LyricWiki API. Last night, LyricWiki announced that their licensing agreements with the major recording labels have changed, and they will no longer be able to provide lyrics to other applications. We are investigating alternatives to see if we can find a replacement to include in future versions.
Some of you have had difficulty signing in to Simplify this morning, so I wanted to give you a brief explanation of what happened. To find any location on the internet, our servers included, your computer relies on a type of location service called DNS. One DNS provider, OpenDNS, had extended problems today as a result of a denial of service attack on Softlayer and their OpenDNS caching architecture. As the problem took down websites like Techmeme too, Techcrunch has all the details.
