We’re no fans of animal cruelty around here, but in at least one case, we’re in favor of whipping the llama. Classic media player Winamp has released version 1.2 for Android, bringing a host of improvements, most notably the ability to natively sync with Macs and iTunes. The feature is in beta, but you can try it out now – here’s the Android Market link.
Mac syncing uses the new Winamp for Mac Sync Beta, allowing wired and Wifi transfers of individual songs and playlists. Android users who have not yet torn themselves away from the scourge of iTunes can enable their bad habits by syncing iTunes libraries and playlists automatically. The software is in beta, so there may be some early issues, but considering that it’s a free download there’s no harm in trying.
Winamp is also releasing a Pro version, which (regrettably) requires a non-Market upgrade. Winamp for Android Pro includes a full equalizer, crossfade and other goodies, bringing it in line with the current favorite commercial app among audiophiles, PowerAMP. Other advanced features include full FLAC support, gapless playback, and personalized ShoutCast recommendations, not to mention an absence of mobile ads. The Pro version is a $4.99 upgrade, and you can reach the purchase page via the app’s internal menu.
New update freezes when playing a song. Time to find another media player.
So I see that the “Pro” version offers “No ads”. But my current version (1.1.1) doesn’t have any ads either. Does this mean when I “upgrade” to 1.2 (the non-Pro version), I will suddenly start getting ads?