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+After mentioning it in the morning reboot, I [downloaded and installed iTunes 7.0.2][1]. The update promises "stability and performance improvements" as well as support for the new 2nd generation iPod Shuffle, due to be release tomorrow.

I've never actually had any stability issues with iTunes, but I can say that the update does indeed address the performance issues that appeared with iTunes 7.0. Since upgrading to 7.0, iTunes had been almost unusable for me on a MacBook Core Duo. But the new update returns iTunes to its former snappy self. 

Before upgrading importing new music was one of those tasks that I would start and then head off for a cup of coffee while iTunes effectively locked up my computer until it was complete. The 7.0.2 update vastly improves importing times. Just to test it out I threw a large import of five new albums at once (I've been avoiding iTunes) and it handled it quite nicely. The gapless playback processing that used to hold things up, slipped by without me noticing its existence. I was able to create new playlists and interact with the UI while the songs imported, something that was largely impossible with earlier 7.0.x releases.

I highly recommend the upgrade for all iTunes 7.0 users based on the speed improvement alone. That said, I have no way to test the Windows version and I believe that the Windows version was even worse than what we Mac users have been putting up with. If you install the new version on windows, let us know how your experience goes.

I'm happy with the new update, but having reviewed the Linux jukebox software, Amarok yesterday, I suddenly find iTunes somewhat lacking. Where is my integration with Wikipedia? Where is my nice tabbed interface? Are there any kindly Cocoa programmers out there trying to port Amarok to OS X (yes I know I can install Amarok via Fink, but a native port, would be so much nicer)? Apple needs a competitor in the software jukebox world, if for no other reason than to drive them to improve iTunes. 

As for the shuffle, it looks nice, but personally I think I'd loose it by the end of the day. It reminds me a bit of the scene in Zoolander when Ben Stiller answers an impossibly, ridiculously small cellphone.

[1]: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ "Download iTunes"
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