iTunes 7.1 Works Better with Vista

Windows Vista users will be happy to know the new (free) iTunes 7.1 resolves many - but not all - compatibility issues with Microsoft's latest operating system.

Apple has released iTunes 7.1, the latest version of its media jukebox and iPod-management software for Mac and Windows. Normally, an incremental update to iTunes wouldn’t be particularly news-worthy, except that in iTunes 7.1, Apple claims to have resolved many compatibility issues between its iTunes software and Microsoft Windows Vista.

You’ll notice we said “many” and not “all”—while Apple recommends Vista owners use iTunes 7.1, the Cupertino iPod-maker says it is still working with Microsoft to resolve “a few remaining known issues.” These include:

• Ejecting an iPod from Windows Explorer or with the tray’s “Safely Remove Hardware” may in fact corrupt your iPod instead of removing it from your desktop. Apple recommends users use Eject iPod from iTunes’ internal Controls menu to safely remove it from the desktop. If an iPod does become corrupt, Apple recommends clicking “Restore” in the iPod’s Summary panel within iTunes.
• iTunes’s display may mangle text or graphics; resizing the iTunes window should do the trick.
• Contacts from Windows Address book “may not” sync with an iPod.
• No support yet for any 64-bit edition of Windows.

Apple still recommends users de-authorize all iTunes Store accounts before upgrading to Windows Vista, then re-authorize the accounts once the Vista installation is complete.

The release is at least a step forward for Apple, which previously recommended iTunes users put off use of Windows Vista until issues could be worked out. At the very least, iTunes 7.1 seems to solve problems with Vista users being able to play music purchased from Apple’s iTunes store.