Apple shuts down iPodDownload

IPOD MAKER Apple has come down hard on a man who made an add-in that allowed file-sharing on iPods.

iPodDownload's creator has stopped distributing the iPodDownload software after a visit from Apple lawyers who applied pressure.

Sylvain Demongeot said on the iPodDownload Web site that Apple threatened his web-hosting company and his site was held hostage for an hour until he agreed to withdraw the plug-in.

The handy little iPodDownload add-on enabled iPod owners to copy songs from the music player to an iTunes library. No harm in that shurely?

Just in case the visit from the briefs was not enough, Apple has re-written its latest version of its online jukebox software, iTunes 4.7 to disable the plug-in.

Aapple spinsters admitted that it did break compatibility with iPodDownload but didn't say why reducing the functions of iPods was a good thing.

The firm has often used new versions of iTunes to disable support for third-party software that add file-sharing abilities and maybe they are worried about being sued by the record industry.

For those after more positive iPod news, Apple enthused that the iTunes 4.7 which was released comes with features such as support for the iPod Photo and the ability to find and delete duplicate tracks in a music library. But no filesharing. µ