A FEW DAYS AFTER installing iTunes 9, my credit card told me I have purchased more in those days from Apple than I had in the past month. In my case, it's down to the fact that Apple's iTunes 9 makes it easier to share information about purchases. I get poked on Facebook by friends buying tracks (you can tweet or text your buying habits to others while inside the iTunes Store). This small touch of social networking may be the first time that Apple has waded into social media. Too bad iTunes doesn't let you hook into playlists (or scrobble) Last.fm because the impulsive buying effect would be a lot stronger. And even though I don't like the handing over control of my audio library to Steve Jobs (I had major issues with iTunes eating my stuff three years ago), I have to admit that iTunes 9 has improved a much-used program on my laptop and it has prodded extended members of my family to entrust their portable media management to Apple.
