digi-quest

Apple

Danyll Wills

Published: 12:00am, 7 Oct 2007

Why you can trust SCMP

Our family has four computers - two Macs and two Windows-based machines - and a decent stereo system. I hooked up the stereo to my Mac and play iTunes music from it. But now we have a family dispute: is it only when my computer is on that I can control my iTunes program? Or is it possible to control iTunes remotely from a Windows machine? Can you help and bring peace to our family?

Name and address supplied

DQ: This problem is an easy one to resolve, however the solution may result in other problems. You can control iTunes on one machine from another, even using a Windows PC.

You do need to have a network setup: see www.engadget.com/2005/12/13/how-to-control-itunes-from-any-web-browser/ for Windows-based machines and Remote iTunes at www.delicioussuite.com/technology/deliciousfun/applications/remote_itun….

html for Macs.

If everyone in your home can hear the music, your next problem will be determining which of your machines will control the master iTunes database. For example, if mum is in charge, nobody else can control the system until she logs off. So your fun, new family game will involve fighting over who has remote control of the iTunes music.

My children study Putonghua and Cantonese. They have just started to learn French and German as well. Is it possible for them to listen to radio broadcasts from Europe in those languages on

the internet?

Mary, Mui Wo

DQ: There are a great variety of radio programmes in different languages on the internet. As I write this, I am listening to crystal-clear Russian from Moscow. It would be terrific for your children to study languages online. The site www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio.html offers a choice of stations from quite a few countries around the world. The reception is high quality. We often think of the internet as a good vehicle for video, but we should not forget the great pleasure of listening to the radio online.

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