As mentioned in the past, I make extensive use of Apple Scripts to convert my downloaded podcasts to audiobooks and Audiobook Builder to rip CDs to audiobooks.  This allows me to rate and manage on my iPod and then remove them easily with iTunes smart playlists.  It also allows me to play the file at high speed on the iPod.  The process involves converting an MP3 to AAC (M4A), then changing the file name to end in M4B, then deleting the file and sending it to the trash, then recovering it from trash and readding it to iTunes.  Now do you see why I use a script to do that?  It appears that iTunes has finally made this process a little easier.  I’m not sure how it works with MP3, for instance, will it convert them to AAC?  I’ll still use my scripts for my workflow since I typically receive a dozen or so new podcasts daily but this is certainly a good way to handle one or two files at a time.

Hat tip to Lifehacker for this one.

I use iTunes (on mac) to download all of my podcasts. Most are downloaded as MP3s but I prefer to listen at high speed so I convert them to bookmarkable M4B AAC files. Doug Adams has a great AppleScript to do the trick. QuickConvert allows me to take one file or a entire playlist and convert it to most any file type, place the files in a new playlist, then delete the old posts. I especially like this process because when used on iTunes downloaded podcasts, it apparently removes the podcast tag in iTunes. This has three important results:

1. The file no longer shows up in the Podcast area of my library. That’s fine with me since I use smart playlists to find the many podcasts.
2. It allows me to rate the podcast from my iPod. It seems that iTunes podcast files can be rated in iTunes but not on the iPod. This is very important to me. I’ll describe why in another post.
3. When the pre-converted file is deleted, the Podcast download area in iTunes looses all record of the download. This is important because iTunes may think that you haven’t downloaded any podcasts recently and will stop trying. The solution? Another one of Doug’s scripts: Update Expired Podcasts.

I use a combination of scripts, smart playlists and ratings to manage the dozens of podcasts I download each week. Keep reading to find out how (and why).

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Here’s a brilliant idea. PaperCDCase.com let’s you enter a list of 28 song titles and create a printable paper cd case complete with folding instructions.  Better yet, if you use iTunes on a Mac install this script from Doug’s Scripts and automatically send the contents of a playlist to the CD case maker.  Glad I switched to Mac or I’d be typing in those playlists!

Here’s a PDF of my first case.  Sample CD Case