There's a new version of yFlicks hitting the streets today, and it's been added to my "Favorite Sofware" sidebar as well. There's something it does that I've wanted for some time now. It's like 'iPhoto' for your computer's movie library, and it allows you to set 'tags' so you can group things like Genres, Cast Members, Directors, etc. But this new version, 3.0, adds a feature called "Usher" as well as Autotagging.
I LOVE Apple's FrontRow feature. Access to movies on my laptop, across the room from our iMac, or pumped through our television set. But try browsing for an Adventure film to watch within a flat alphabetized list of files and you'll immediately recognize a limitation. Want to see the movies you added in the last month? In the mood for a Hitchcock classic? Care to browse though the Classics, Movies from the 70's, or just know that you've not watched yet? Perhaps you're looking for that one specific comedy... it was a Woody Allen film, had that actress... no, not Mia, the other one... Diane something... but FrontRow can't help you there.
FrontRow shows you everything you have. yFlicks usher's you directly to what you're looking for. Using metadata tagging automatically populated for you or entered on your own, yFlicks knowingly populates your Movies folder within FrontRow using incredibly simple or infinitely detailed settings you define or alter. With yFlicks you'll browse your movie library by Genre, Actor, Director, MPAA Rating, or Year. You can create your own tag's too. Flag a movie as a "Romance" for date nights, or create an "Unwatched" group to store everything you've not watch yet. Use yFlicks own 'star rating' to create a "Favorites" category. All of these appear within FrontRow for easy selection. And you can nest groups as well. Within Comedy, group by Director. And within Director, group by Cast. Now use FrontRow and choose Genre:Comedy>Director:Woody Allen>Cast:Diane Keaton, and you'll see "Annie Hall" at the top of the list. TRY THAT in FrontRow :-)
yFlicks has also taken the idea of tags and simplified their entry. With an intuitive list of standard values, one click lookup and the entry of Cast, Director, Genre, Year, MPAA Ratings and the plot summary are made for you. No more looking up IMDB. No checking the spelling of "Spielberg". No guessing at Year. No skipping of Director. No struggling to remember the name of that Actress in "Annie Hall". Just click, select, and watch the data appear for you. Oh, and did I mention the DVD cover image comes over as well? They do.
This is a stellar enhancement and fills a space that nobody else provides today. Not even Apple. I'd like to say I thought of it. I'd like to say I coined the term "Usher". I'd like to say i contacted these developers and worked with them to add these features and bring it to market.
I'd like to, but I won't.