Songbird (software)

Songbird

File:Songbird02.jpg Songbird 0.2 running on Windows XP
Developer(s)	Pioneers of the Inevitable
Stable release	0.2 / 2006-10-18
Preview release	None [±]
Operating system	Windows, Linux, Mac OS X
Type	Media player
License	GPL
Website	www.songbirdnest.com

Songbird is a free media player that is currently in early development. Songbird is a combination of a desktop web player, a digital jukebox and Web browser. It is an open source alternative to proprietary media players such as iTunes.

Songbird is built on Mozilla's XULRunner platform. Because of this, Songbird should be able to run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux personal computers with few modifications. Songbird uses the VLC plugin for media playback, and SQLite as the storage engine for the media library.

Songbird's first public preview release, versioned 0.1, is codenamed "Hilda," and was released on February 8th, 2006. The current 0.2 version was released on October, 18th 2006.

Songbird user agent

The built-in browser in Songbird identifies itself with the following user agent string under an English version of Windows XP.

Deconstructed, a Mozilla client running Windows XP using a 2006 October 18th build of Songbird 0.2 client with an American English locale is playing a list of songs found using its internal search engine.

As of October 2006, there are no written programs using external methods to obtain now playing song data from the Songbird client, and no way to export or import RSS subscriptions using OPML, a feature available in open source RSS media players such as Juice.

Features

According to the Songbird 0.2 RC1 release notes , current features are:

• Cross platform compatibility with Windows 2000, XP, Mac OS X (PPC, Intel) and Linux (Intel).
• Ability to play multiple audio formats, such as MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC and Windows Media Audio.
• A skinnable interface.
• Media files stored on pages viewed in the browser show up as playable files in Songbird.
• Built in RSS subscription and MP3 file download.
• The ability to subscribe to mp3 blogs as playlists.
• User created bookmarks.
• Ability to build custom mixes.
• Ability to scan the user's computer for all audio files and add them to a local library.
• An easily configurable and collapsible graphical user interface, and miniplayer mode.
• Keyboard shortcuts & media keyboard support.
• Automatic updates.

Extensions

Version 0.2 shipped with two extensions, a Dom Inspector and an Example Extension. More community coded extensions are available on Songbird's extension support page. Known community designed extensions are: Qloud Tagging & Search, Windjay, eMusic Integration, iTunes Importer, iPod Device, Artist Tracker, Library File Organizer, Audioscrobbler Notifier, Wikipedia Artist Display, SHOUTcast Radio Directory and Minimize-to-Systemtray.

Skins

Skins are referred to as "feathers" in the Songbird project. The 0.2 release shipped with two feathers: the default dark "Rubberducky" feather and "Dove" a white iTunes styled skin.

Localization

There are currently 39 localizations of Songbird for the 0.2 release.

External links

• Songbird's homepage
• Extension Support Page
• Songbird Flash preview
• Songbird Roadmap
• Songbird licensing FAQ
• Songbird features
• German Songbird Translation
• Songbird, the "open source iTunes killer," flies today - Interview with Rob Lord