Rich Edmonds
Seasoned Veteran
First off, had to think on whether it belonged here or in the Media section 
This is just a really quick introduction to the media player I use, I hope you enjoy the small read and check it out!
Songbird, an open source media player I have been using and following since it's birth. It is being actively developed by the Songbird Team and is being built on Mozilla foundations (the same technology powering firefox) so the obvious feature this player has is a built in web browser with tabs. The player itself features many functions that you would expect to find in the current competition but it goes further to really kick itself into the market.
Quick Screenshot
Web Browser
Being built on Mozilla (as mentioned above) you can surf the web within the player, why have another web browser open if you can do everything within Songbird? Of course this is completely optional, the tab bar is set by default to hide when only the Library is open so it wont actually look like a browser unless you open a new tab.
Addons
Going on from the point above, many web users may be asking the questions "Well I have my firefox configured with addons so I wouldn't move to Songbird for web surfing you idiot!". Good point! However, Songbird works with many addons that it has in it's directory and there are some fantastic developed extensions that add a whole new experience. The possibilities are endless, from adding cover flow to view your albums in style to adding Download Helper for video downloads.
Last.fm Integration
No more need for that external software, Songbird comes packed with the Last.fm addon (should you wish to install it) and it synchronizes with your profile to provide the public with what you are listening to. Along with full support for this, you can also use Songbird to play radio stations, your Library and loved tracks.
META Support
Songbird also supports the data stored in each file and can be edited easily by clicking on a field within the Library or right clicking and selecting the meta editor. This information is then saved to the file so no more editing is required. Very handy as in my experience this can be a nightmare in WMP and other players.
Cross Platform
The media player works on all platforms, a big bonus especially for an iPod user who is running Linux on a computer, not all devices are supported but many are. Installing the software on each Operating System is really easy too, from running the .exe in Windows to extracting the folder and running the script in Linux, can't be easier!
Shoutcast
I like listening to Shoutcast some of the time when bored with my collection, some of the stations provide me with ample amount of tracks to get me in the right mood. It is within Songbird and is ready to provide you with music!
Automatic Library Folder Watch
This has got to be my favourite feature about the player itself, it monitors the folders you set where your music collection ('Rich/My Music' for example) and whenever you remove a music file or add a file into that folder it will automatically add to your Songbird Library. Much easier then going 'File > Media > Add File' or something equivalent every time you add music to your computer.
So, give Songbird a try, should you be tired of your current player or are just bored for a few more minutes. Install it, load your tunes and give it a bash 🙂
http://getsongbird.com/
This is just a really quick introduction to the media player I use, I hope you enjoy the small read and check it out!Songbird, an open source media player I have been using and following since it's birth. It is being actively developed by the Songbird Team and is being built on Mozilla foundations (the same technology powering firefox) so the obvious feature this player has is a built in web browser with tabs. The player itself features many functions that you would expect to find in the current competition but it goes further to really kick itself into the market.
Quick Screenshot
Web Browser
Being built on Mozilla (as mentioned above) you can surf the web within the player, why have another web browser open if you can do everything within Songbird? Of course this is completely optional, the tab bar is set by default to hide when only the Library is open so it wont actually look like a browser unless you open a new tab.
Addons
Going on from the point above, many web users may be asking the questions "Well I have my firefox configured with addons so I wouldn't move to Songbird for web surfing you idiot!". Good point! However, Songbird works with many addons that it has in it's directory and there are some fantastic developed extensions that add a whole new experience. The possibilities are endless, from adding cover flow to view your albums in style to adding Download Helper for video downloads.
Last.fm Integration
No more need for that external software, Songbird comes packed with the Last.fm addon (should you wish to install it) and it synchronizes with your profile to provide the public with what you are listening to. Along with full support for this, you can also use Songbird to play radio stations, your Library and loved tracks.
META Support
Songbird also supports the data stored in each file and can be edited easily by clicking on a field within the Library or right clicking and selecting the meta editor. This information is then saved to the file so no more editing is required. Very handy as in my experience this can be a nightmare in WMP and other players.
Cross Platform
The media player works on all platforms, a big bonus especially for an iPod user who is running Linux on a computer, not all devices are supported but many are. Installing the software on each Operating System is really easy too, from running the .exe in Windows to extracting the folder and running the script in Linux, can't be easier!
Shoutcast
I like listening to Shoutcast some of the time when bored with my collection, some of the stations provide me with ample amount of tracks to get me in the right mood. It is within Songbird and is ready to provide you with music!
Automatic Library Folder Watch
This has got to be my favourite feature about the player itself, it monitors the folders you set where your music collection ('Rich/My Music' for example) and whenever you remove a music file or add a file into that folder it will automatically add to your Songbird Library. Much easier then going 'File > Media > Add File' or something equivalent every time you add music to your computer.
So, give Songbird a try, should you be tired of your current player or are just bored for a few more minutes. Install it, load your tunes and give it a bash 🙂
http://getsongbird.com/
