Ask iLounge 1-16-09

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Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-, iPhone-, iPad-, iTunes-, or Apple TV-related questions from a member of the iLounge editorial team. We'll answer several questions here each week, and of course, you can always get help with more immediate concerns from the iLounge Discussion Forums. Submit your questions for consideration using our Ask iLounge Submit Form. We reserve the right to edit questions for grammar, spelling, and length.

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And now, for this week's Ask iLounge column:

Is there a way that I can create a playlist with in a playlist? I have the latest version of iTunes and because three iPods are managed on my one PC I have created a standard playlist for each one so that when each individual iPod is connected iTunes recognizes it and knows which playlist to sync to the appropriate iPod. The problem with this is that although all the music I want is on my iPod, it means I don’t have the usual options of showing playlists like “My Top Rated” within my own playlist.

- Mark

You can accomplish what you’re looking for simply through the use of some more advanced Smart Playlist features. Playlists like “My Top Rated” are Smart Playlists which select tracks based on search conditions that you specify in the Smart Playlist settings. By default, a Smart Playlist will select music from your entire library, but you can easily limit this to selecting music from only a single playlist or group of playlists by using the “Playlist” criteria:

To edit an existing Smart Playlist, simply select it in iTunes and choose File, Edit Smart Playlist. You can also create a new Smart Playlist from scratch by choosing File, New Smart Playlist.

Note that you can also nest your playlists in folders if you want to keep them grouped together, so you could have your own “My Top Rated” Smart Playlist in a folder alongside your standard iPod playlist just to keep things better organized. You can create a new folder by choosing File, New Playlist Folder from the iTunes menu. Any folder structure you create in iTunes will be reflected on the iPod classic or iPod nano (third-generation or later), but will not appear on the iPhone or iPod touch—any playlists on these two devices will simply appear as a flat list.

While most users only use playlist folders to keep things visually organized, there is an added benefit to them: You can specify a playlist folder as a “Playlist” criteria when building a Smart Playlist. In this case, any tracks contained in any of the playlists within that folder will be included in the Smart Playlist. This can be a much more effective way to select tracks from a group of your favorite playlists.

We have four different accounts and log-ins on our home desktop. My wife recently bought a laptop and wants to sync her iTunes library and account with her laptop. How can I do this?

- John

There are a couple of ways to go about this depending upon whether your wife wants to maintain her library both on her home computer and laptop or transfer it to her laptop to only use it on there.

To simply transfer the library to the laptop, check out our iPod 201 tutorial on Transferring your iTunes Library, which provides detailed instructions on how to copy off your iTunes library and which files you should be looking for.

On the other hand, if she would rather keep her primary iTunes library on the shared home computer and have a copy on the laptop to travel with, you should check out a utility called TuneRanger (http://www.acertant.com, $30, trial available), which is designed to keep the content in sync between two or more iTunes libraries somewhat automatically across a network connection.

Note that TuneRanger does not create an exact copy of your library database, but rather syncs your content between two (or more) distinct library databases. This is an important distinction when it comes to syncing an iPod, since an iPod in automatic sync mode will still only be able to have content synced onto it from one iTunes library—in this case either the laptop or the desktop. If you want to load content onto the iPod from both places, you will need to set it to manual mode. If you want to maintain the ease of automatic synchronization, your wife will need to choose a single iTunes library as her “primary” library with which she synchronizes her iPod.

In reading your FAQ and previous columns, I see that it is possible to use a Mac-formatted iPod on a Windows PC through the use of a third-party software application called MacDrive. I also noticed a comment about “Restoring” the iPod for Windows. Are you able to provide more details on how to do this and can you advise whether I will loose the music currently on the iPod? I bought my iPod while living in England and had downloaded all my music from my work Mac computer. I now live in NZ and want to use my PC, however no longer have all the music.

- Corrinna

There are actually two slightly different considerations here. The first point is that Windows itself will not natively read any Mac-formatted disk. Since traditional iPod models appear to your computer simply as a removable hard disk, this same limitation applies to a Mac-formatted iPod as it would for any other Mac-formatted disk.

Note that if you are using an iPhone or iPod touch, this does not apply, as these devices use a different synchronization protocol. As a result, you can use an iPhone or iPod touch on Mac and Windows computers interchangeably, subject to the usual restrictions on automatically synchronizing with only a single iTunes library.

What MacDrive (http://www.mediafour.com, $50, five-day trial available) provides is the driver support to allow the Windows operating system to read and write to Mac-formatted disks, including the iPod. Simply installing MacDrive onto your Windows computer will not affect any of the content on your iPod itself—it will simply allow the Windows operating system, and by extension iTunes, to access your iPod as if it were a Windows-formatted iPod.

However, this is all that MacDrive does. Once your computer can access the Mac-formatted iPod, it will still be treated like any other iPod that has been synchronized with another iTunes library, in that you will not be able to automatically sync with a new iTunes library without erasing all of the content currently on the iPod. Alternatively, you can set your iPod to “Manual” mode and simply manage the content on it using the drag-and-drop method rather than automatically syncing with an iTunes library.

If you are going to continue using your iPod on a Windows PC, however, the recommendation about restoring it so that it is Windows-formatted does apply. Using a Mac-formatted iPod on Windows (or a Windows-formatted iPod on a Mac) is not a configuration that is supported by Apple, and there have been reported problems in the past with this type of configuration. Of course, restoring your iPod does erase all of the content on it, so you would need to transfer the content back to your computer before proceeding.

Our our iPod 201 article on Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer covers some of the methods and tools available to copy content from your iPod back to your computer. In your case, you would simply install MacDrive first so that your Windows computer can read the iPod, and then proceed to follow the instructions in the above tutorial in terms of actually recovering the content.

Once all of the content is back in your iTunes library, you can safely reformat the iPod for Windows and reload it from your iTunes library. You could also uninstall MacDrive once you had done this, and since the five-day trial is fully functional you could likely complete the entire process with the trial version.

How come when you enter one thing in the Artist field and another in the sort artist field, instead of showing up in either of the artists, it shows up in none, and erases the artist in the sort artist field entry from the artists menu? (ie: Artist: Bob Marley, Sort Artist: Gang Starr, If I left the sort artist blank it shows up in Bob Marley, and if I leave the Artist blank it show up in Gang Starr, but if I put both of those in, its only listed in the songs menu, and the Gang Starr artists list is suddenly gone.) Why is this? I guess a more appropriate question would be: Is there actually any logic to the sort fields options at all? Thanks.

- Peter

The sort fields in iTunes merely determines the order in which your tracks are sorted in the iTunes and iPod listings, and has no bearing on how the information is actually displayed.

This field is most commonly used to override the default sorting for titles that may not otherwise sort naturally. For example, if you had a numeric album title such as “2112” iTunes will sort this by default at the bottom of your album listing, since numbers are sorted last. However, if you wanted this album to sort alphabetically based on the number, you would enter “Twenty One Twelve” in the “Sort Album” field. The album name would still be displayed as “2112” but would sort in an order based upon the “Sort Album” field contents.

In your example, placing “Bob Marley” in the artist field and “Gang Starr” in the “Sort Artist” field will result in your tracks showing up sorted as if the artist was “Gang Starr” however the artist will still be listed as Bob Marley.

If you were to scroll down to the G’s in your artist listing, you should see “Bob Marley” listed, sorted along with the rest of the artists beginning with the letter G.

My son registered his iPod on his grandmother’s computer and purchased songs and videos. We now have a home computer, and he used gift cards to purchase songs on our home computer as well, which then deleted the songs and videos he had purchased on his grandmother’s computer. We also copied songs from CD’s on the home computer, but when we went back to his grandmother’s computer to load the songs and videos he had originally purchased back onto the iPod all of the new songs copied from the CD were deleted. Is it possible to remove the registration from one computer and register on our home computer?

- Laura

You’ve run into a fairly common issue with iTunes and the iPod’s automatic synchronization feature. Basically, in automatic synchronization mode, your iPod will mirror the content of whichever library you’re syncing with. This means that not only is any content you’ve added to that library added to your iPod, but also that any content that doesn’t already exist in that library is removed from your iPod, in order to keep things matched up between your computer’s iTunes library and your iPod. In this mode, think of your iPod as an extension of your main iTunes library, rather than a library of its own.

Normally, when you connect an iPod to a different iTunes library, you should receive a warning message noting that your iPod is associated with a different iTunes library and providing you with the option to either cancel the sync operation or erase all of the content on your iPod and sync it with the new iTunes library.

As the option implies, selecting “Erase and Sync” from the above dialog box will erase all of the content on your iPod and replace it with the content in your current iTunes library. If you have content on your iPod that you wish to keep, you should instead choose the “Cancel” option, which will not make any changes to your iPod, but will leave it connected and appearing in iTunes so you can adjust its settings.

Fortunately, there are a couple of ways you can deal with your specific situation. If your son is regularly going to use his iPod on both his grandmother’s computer and your home computer, you should set the iPod to manual mode, so that it does not automatically sync with either library. In manual mode, the iPod essentially becomes its own separate library, distinct from the library on your computer. Instead of automatically adding content that you add to your computer, you must transfer this content onto your iPod manually via iTunes by dragging and dropping tracks and playlists from your iTunes library onto your iPod icon.

To set your iPod to manual mode, simply connect it to your iTunes library and select it from the “Devices” list on the left-hand side of the iTunes window. From the Summary screen that appears, click the checkbox next to the option labelled “Manually manage my music and videos” and click the “Apply” button.

This will set the iPod to manual mode and you can then manage the content on it directly via iTunes by clicking on the small triangle which appears to the left of your iPod icon to see the categories and playlists stored directly on the iPod itself.

On the other hand, if you want to continue using automatic synchronization, and do not expect that your son will be frequently using his iPod on more than one computer, you can instead transfer the content from the iPod back to your home computer before you sync the iPod. If you are dealing only with content that was purchased from the iTunes Store, you can transfer this content back via iTunes itself; simply ensure that your computer is authorized for the same iTunes Store account that was used to purchase the content in the first place, and when you connect the iPod, the normal warning dialog box should provide a third option: Transfer Purchases.

Clicking this button will transfer ALL of the purchased content from your iPod back to your computer, provided that your computer is authorized to play that content.

If you have content on your iPod that was loaded from CD or other sources, you will need to copy this content back manually, since iTunes does not provide a facility for transferring back non-purchased tracks directly. Fortunately, there are a number of third-party tools that can do this for you, and our iPod 201 article, Copying Content from your iPod to your Computer covers this in more detail.

For more information on the various synchronization settings in iTunes and the iPod, be sure to also check out our Beginner’s Guide to Filling your iPod.

I copied a favorite audiobook CD to my new iPod, but it went into the Music section instead of the Audiobooks section. How do I get audio books on CD to copy into the Audiobooks section.

- Tom

Although this was possible in previous versions of iTunes, it was a somewhat cumbersome process that involved converting, exporting, renaming and reimporting files. The good news is that iTunes 8 has made this process considerably simpler than it used to be.

When you insert a CD to import into iTunes, rather than choosing to automatically import the CD right away, go to the listing of tracks on the CD. You should be shown this listing automatically, but if it does not appear right away, then simply choose the CD from the Devices listing on the left-hand side of your iTunes window.

While viewing the listing of tracks on the CD, select all of the tracks either by choosing Edit, Select All or pressing CMD+A (Mac) or CTRL+A (Windows). With all of your CD tracks highlighted, choose File, Get Info from the iTunes menu to view/edit the properties of the selected tracks. From the Multiple Item information dialog box, click the “Options” tab to display the options for the selected tracks.

On the options tab, you will notice a field labelled “Media Kind” which should read “Music” by default. From the drop-down list, simply change this to “Audiobook” as shown above, and then click the OK button.

Once you have done this, import the CD as you normally would, and your tracks should be filed in the Audiobook section.

You can also modify any tracks you have already imported in the same manner: Select the tracks from your iTunes library, choose File, Get Info, go to the “Options” tab and change the “Media Kind” to “Audiobook.” The selected tracks will be moved from the Music section to the Audiobooks section of your iTunes library.

Ask iLounge Archives:

2-3-12: Deleting pictures from Photo Stream, Transferring Apps to a new iTunes library, Apple Universal Dock and iPhone 4S, Getting Track Names after CD Import, Video Playlists on the iPad

11-25-11: Removing music after activating iTunes Match, Smart Playlists and iTunes Match, Backing up data from an iPhone, Syncing MP3s to an iPod nano, Migrating Playlists to a new Computer

11-11-11: Configure Apple IDs on family iOS devices, Recovering lost audiobooks, Unable to disable passcode lock on iOS devices, Buying an iPod for audio-only use, Preventing deleted tracks from coming back from an iOS device

11-4-11: iPhone 4S storage capacity doesn't match, Transferring HD video from iPhone 4S to a computer, Recovering photos from iPod touch, Notification Center and iMessage in iOS 5

10-21-11: Using iCloud's Find My iPhone on older devices, Batch deleting photos in Camera Roll, Using iTunes Gift Cards internationally, Audiobooks and iCloud, Merging contacts from two devices into iCloud

See the rest of the Archives...

10-7-11: iPhone 4S battery life, New features in iPhone 4S, Buying iPhone 4S Unlocked, iPod nano and Nike+ Kit, Purchasing iPhone 4S for use abroad

9-30-11: Opening iTunes library from external hard drive, Moving Playlists to iPod, Downgrading iOS on iPod touch 2G, Playing Playlists in iTunes, Problems with iTunes opening automatically when connecting an iPhone

9-23-11: iOS 5 release and OTA installation, Transferring Purchases to iTunes, iPad and iPhone charger compatibility, iPod touch and regional App Stores, Find My iPhone and Remote Lock/Wipe, Previous iTunes Libraries Folder

9-2-11: Transferring iTunes library from Mac to Windows, Reading ebooks on iPod classic, Recovering lost password on iPod touch, Transferring music from a Windows iPod touch to a Mac, Backing up in iTunes 10.4

8-26-11: Updating playlists when consolidating iTunes files, Migrating from iPod touch to iPad, Buying and listening to music on multiple devices, Updating firmware on 4G iPod, Backing up iPhone without a computer

8-5-11: iCloud and Find My iPhone, Mac app for converting DVDs to iTunes, Clearing Sort Fields in iTunes, Importing MP3 audiobooks into iTunes, Creating iTunes library on external hard drive

7-29-11: Adjusting iPod touch ringer volume, iPod touch and wired networks, Consolidating information from two iPhones, Changing Apple IDs on an iPad, Track information not appearing when importing into iTunes

7-8-11: Using Start and End times with Apple TV, Sending Photos to Apple TV via AirPlay, Track Info greyed out in iTunes, iPhone upgrade eligibility, Downloading Album Artwork

7-1-11: Sharing multiple iTunes libraries on one computer, Burning MP3 CDs, Organizing audiobooks on iPod classic, Identify tracks not in any playlists, Copying content from a Mac-formatted iPod to Windows

6-24-11: FaceTime Edition: Costs for using FaceTime, FaceTime iPod model compatibility, Using FaceTime internationally, Using Multiple FaceTime devices in the same family, Missing FaceTime icon on iPod touch, Receiving FaceTime calls when out of coverage

6-17-11: Importing videos into iMovie for iPad, Switching to a new iPod touch, Transferring iTunes library database, User ID requirements for old iPod classic, Burning a CD from an iPod touch

5-20-11: Connecting an iPod to a stereo, Problems moving an iTunes library, Gifting apps, Problems joining CD tracks, Streaming AirPlay from a line-in source

4-15-11: Problems sending e-mail over Wi-Fi, Syncing iPhone content from different computers, Resetting a used iPod touch, Javascript on the iPad, Renaming an iOS device

4-8-11: Setting up an iTunes Store account for a child, Organizing Music Videos in iTunes, Album art missing on iPod touch purchases, Finding a serial number for a missing iPod, Purchases not syncing to iPod nano

4-1-11: Syncing existing apps to new iPad 2, iPod classic microphone compatibility, Recovering lost iTunes Store purchases, Recovering non-purchased content from iPod, Displaying unique artwork for compilation albums

3-25-11: Apple TV not showing Descriptions, Using a U.S. iPad 2 in other countries, Transferring iPod music to iPad 2, Audiobooks on iPod touch, Using an iPad on Windows

2-25-11: Redeeming iTunes Gifts on iOS, Finding MP3 tracks in iTunes, iPad Camera Connector on iOS 4.2, Backing up iTunes Playlists, iPad Video Formats and Battery Life

2-6-11: Removing playlists from iPod, 2G/3G iPod touch cases, iPod charging cables, Locating Apps folder, Transferring audiobooks to iPod

1-28-11: Car Bluetooth receivers, Editing Contacts on iPod touch, iPod touch shuffles songs, iPad and Bluetooth headsets, iPod touch and external keyboards

1-14-11: Transferring iPod classic from Mac to PC, Cover Flow on 30GB iPod, Transferring iTunes library between two external hard drives, iPod shuffle dock adapters, Connecting iPhone to a new iTunes library

11-19-10: Gifting Apps, Backing up Apps, Cleaning up old folders after moving iTunes library, FaceTime data usage, Storing iTunes videos on a different hard drive

11-12-10: Music videos play audio only, Advanced Smart Playlists, Transferring iTunes to another user account, iPhone 4 Case Program, Restoring a locked iPod touch

10-29-10: Viewing content on iPod from iTunes, Playing iTunes at a party, Viewing available space on iPhone, Recovering content from an iPod nano, Moving an iTunes Library to Windows 7

10-22-10: iTunes Store appears differently on another computer, Using iPod touch with an AV output cable, Transferring apps from iPad to iPod touch, Restoring iTunes from backup, Placing FaceTime calls with one e-mail address

10-15-10: Reorganizing content into a new iTunes library, Moving iPad+iPhone to a new computer, Hiding built-in apps on iPod touch, Missing built-in apps on iPod touch, Using iPod shuffle with older operating systems

10-8-10: Using Apple TV with different iTunes accounts, Setting up Apple TV on a different computer, Streaming content to Apple TV from other sources, Merging iTunes Store accounts, Importing music as audiobooks

10-1-10: iOS Calendar integration, Moving iTunes completely to an external hard drive, Automatically tagging imported movies, Recurring billing on iPad 3G, Transferring data to new iPad

9-24-10: On-The-Go Playlists with iOS 4, Using multiple iPods on one PC, Moving Apps and Artwork folders to external hard drive, Transferring Apps from iPod touch to iPhone, Syncing Genius Mixes to iPhone 4

9-17-10: Using iPhone 4 without cellular service, iPhone screen remains active during calls, Re-downloading Apps, Reset passcode on iPod touch, Copying audiobooks to iPod

9-10-10: Disk Use on iPod nano 6G, Using an iPhone and iPod touch on the same iTunes library, About iPod touch 4G Apps and Battery Life, Moving iTunes Library to a new Windows 7 PC, Upgrading to a new iPod touch

8-27-10: Using iPad 3G GPS without a data plan, Setting up iPod without installation CD, Movie Rental options don't appear in iTunes, iTunes prompts to remove apps from iPod, Recovering content from iPod touch

8-20-10: Accessing Internet Radio from iOS Remote app, Converting an iPod touch from Windows to Mac, Home Screen Wallpaper not available in iOS 4, Transferring non-purchasd content to a new computer, Managing multiple iTunes Libraries with different preferences

8-13-10: Restoring iPod touch onto iPhone, iPhone 3G only plays monaural audio, Corrupt iPod Photo Cache, Sharing Apps between family iPods, Not all songs transfer to iPod, Unknown playlists in iTunes

7-30-10: Transferring playlists from iPod touch to iPhone, Tracking Changes in Word Docs on iPad, Alarm Clock apps for iPhone, Problems connecting to iTunes Store, Transferring video from iPod nano 5G

7-23-10: Upgrading to a new iPhone, Using GPS car kit with Bluetooth stereo, Viewing podcast info on iPod classic, Deleting Apps from iTunes, Cleaning up content on iPod marked Other, Finding a lost iPod touch

7-9-10: Transferring iBookstore purchases between devices, Transferring files manually onto iPod touch, Sending e-mail attachments from iPhone, Transferring apps from iPhone to iPad, Selecting music to sync to iPhone

7-2-10: Accessing iTunes U on iPad, Transferring video from 5G nano to iPad, Compilations and Artist listing on iPod classic, Backing up and erasing iPhone 3G, Downloading podcasts outside of iTunes, iPhone 4 Retina Display apps on iPad

6-11-10: iPod touch prompts for old iTunes password, SMS message storage on iPhone, 3G iPod and iM600 speakers, Adding music from iPod nano to iPhone, Converting tracks in iTunes and iPod, Syncing selected music to iPad

6-4-10: iPad 3G and International use, Extra authorized computers in iTunes, Adding music to multiple iTunes libraries, Adding purchased music to iPod from another computer, Problems playing back CDs burned in iTunes, Large amount of Other content on iPod

5-14-10: Storing iPhone apps in a different folder, Removing games on iPod classic, Transferring videos from iPod nano, Continual iPod charging, Bluetooth A2DP support on iPad, Resetting iPod touch password lockout

4-30-10: Updated ID3 tags in iTunes, Problems downloading free updates from iTunes Store, Transferring Keynote files to iPad, Opening iTunes library from external hard drive, Restoring iPod and content, Syncing iPod to a new computer

4-23-10: Converting lossless tracks for iPod, Repairing corrupted iPod filesystem, Syncing existing apps to a new iPad, Streaming iTunes Radio in the car, iPads and iTunes Store authorization limits

4-16-10: Pairing iPod touch with Bluetooth headsets, Adding lyrics in iTunes for Mac, Restoring playlists on a new computer, Upgrading iPod touch to 3.0, iPod touch shows iTunes logo, Adding playlists to iPhone

4-9-10: Copying text from iBooks, Using iPad without Wi-Fi access, Syncing one iPad to multiple libraries, Setting up an iPad as a gift, Conserving space on iPod, Gifting an iPod touch, Syncing and backup up iPhone Notes

3-19-10: Restoring iPhone from Backup, Sharing Apps on multiple iPhones, Syncing Recently Added playlist, Older iPods and firmware updates, iPad and Remote Desktop control apps, iPhone Sync Cable compatibility

3-12-10: Syncing iPod with new iTunes library, Excluding selected playlists from sync, Sharing iTunes content on multiple iPhones, iPad and iTunes sync options, Shuffle playlists on iPod classic, Creating iPhone ringtones

3-5-10: Running iTunes app on external hard drive, iPod shuffle shows no content, Switching Apple ID in iTunes, External microphones for 5G nano, Removing columns in iTunes, iPod Dock and Remote control solutions

2-26-10: iPad Edition II: Sharing files between apps, iPad font support, Connecting to projectors, Using external storage, Downloading third-party music, iBooks and dictionary support

2-19-10: Checkmarks in iTunes, Storing files on iPhone, Identifying songs not in playlists, Black Dock adapters, Transferring purchased apps from iPod touch, Reformatting iPod for Mac

2-12-10: Using iPod with purchased content in different countries, Playing WMV e-mail attachments on iPhone, Deauthorizing iTunes, iPhone background audio recording, Displaying photos via TV out, Transferring saved photos from iPod touch

2-5-10: Recovering iPod serial number from iTunes, Using apps on new iPod touch, Transferring apps to another iPod touch, iPod touch and apps requiring OS 3.x, iTunes Media Folder path and network drives, Backing up audiobooks to CD

1-29-10: The iPad Edition: Updating Apps for iPad, iPad Accessory compatibility, iPad and iPhone tethering support, AT&T Wi-Fi access, Annotation support in iBooks

1-22-10: Recovering iPhone apps, Joining Audiobook tracks, Cleaning up after iTunes Consolidation, Moving iTunes to an external hard drive, Recovering iTunes onto an external hard drive, Burning CDs from an external hard drive

12-18-09: Audiobook Burn Limits, iPod touch audio quality, Adding a second family iPod to iTunes, Accessing iPod Diagnostics Mode, Track numbers appear in track names, Syncing playlists to iPod

12-11-09: Resetting iTunes authorizations, iPod capacity for audiobooks, iPod docks and line-out, Audio output from iPod shuffle, Resuming playlists on iPod touch, Syncing newer iPods with older versions of iTunes

12-4-09: Syncing iPod with no Internet access, Syncing a replacement iPod, Removing synced photos from iPhone, iPhone and iPod external batteries, Transferring photos from iPod nano to computer, Saving iTunes before an OS reinstall

11-27-09: Identifying purchased tracks in iTunes, iPhone 3GS Airplane Mode requirement, Advanced Smart Playlists in iTunes 9, Restoring iTunes from external hard drive, iTunes Store country restrictions, iPod nano 5G speaker compatibility

11-20-09: Sharing iTunes libraries between two user accounts, Enlarging text on iPhone 3GS, Transferring an iPod to a new user, iPhone shuffles when walking, New 8GB iPod touch models, Transferring purchases from a remote iTunes library

11-13-09: Syncing different contact info with two iPhones on the same computer, iPod shows no content, Syncing music and videos in playlists, Exclamation marks next to tracks in iTunes, Playing podcasts on 3G iPod shuffle.

11-6-09: Storing iPod software updates, Playing an iPod continuously, Transferring play counts to a new iTunes library, iPhone backups, Klipsch S4i earphones

10-30-09: Authorization problems with iPod touch, Changing Grid View background in iTunes, iTunes library and Music Folder are different sizes, Older iPods and firmware updates, Reconciling two different iTunes libraries, Syncing multiple devices to one iTunes library

10-23-09: Using a laptop with an iTunes library on an external hard drive, Transferring YouTube videos to iPod, iPod touch accessibility settings, Disabling Shake to Shuffle on iPod nano, Purchased songs fail to download from iTunes Store, Charging and powering off iPhone

10-16-09: Moving iTunes to a new computer, Transferring contacts from Blackberry to an iPhone, Disabling iPhone Backups, Using AV cables for audio only, Problems syncing photos to iPod touch, Memorex iFlip and iPhone compatibility

10-9-09: iPhone OS and external keyboards, Adjusting ratings in a remote iTunes library, Excluding tracks from Genius Mixes, Moving iTunes library out of My Documents, Playlist folders on iPod touch, Refreshing random Smart Playlists

9-25-09: iTunes 9 and Shopping Cart, Restoring iTunes to an external hard drive, Using an HTTP Proxy over 3G, Problems transferring movies from iTunes to IPhone, iPod touch shuffle mode, Using an iPhone without a SIM card

9-18-09: Recovering unlisted media content from iPod, Repeat and continuous video playback on iPod touch, iPhone 3G vs 3GS, Customizing iTunes sorting, Rebuilding an iTunes library, Removing artwork from iPod in iTunes 9

9-11-09: Genius Mixes and iPod classic, Drag-and-drop content to iPod, Sharing home libraries in iTunes 9, Using an iPod without iTunes, Waking to a playlist on iPod touch, Kensington LiquidAUX, Disabling Geotagging Warnings

8-28-09: Consolidating Multiple iTunes Libraries, iPod touch Bluetooth headset compatibility, iPod holds less than advertised number of songs, Transferring media between iTunes Store accounts

8-21-09: Recover Contact/Calendar info from iPod touch, Connect iPod without automatic sync, Managing On-The-Go playlists, iPhone and Stereo Bluetooth Support, Sharing an iTunes library between multiple users on the same computer, Disabling Shake-to-Shuffle on iPod nano

8-14-09: Syncing iPod touch apps and data with a new iTunes library, Automatically adding media files to multiple iTunes libraries from a network share, Downgrading to iTunes 7, iPod nano and disk mode, Displaying release dates on iPod, Playing iPod through TV USB port

8-7-09: Clean up album artwork in iTunes, Syncing media content and calendar/contact info from different computers, Reorganizing recovered tracks in iTunes, Using multiple iPods and iPhones on one computer

7-31-09: Using an iPod and a Zune, iPod and on-TV menus, Backing up Notes from IPod touch, Sharing an iTunes library between a Mac and a PC, Waterproof earphones, 3G iPod and iPhone Accessory compatibility, Shure earphones

7-24-09: Displaying recent plays on web site, iPhone and car integration, iPod classic TV output, Renaming iPhone, Sound quality on different iPod models, iPod shuffle accessory compatibility

7-17-09: Transferring saved application data to new iPhone, Recovering Content from Mac iPod on Windows, iPhone 3GS and charging accessories, Recreating Recently Added playlist, Restoring old iPod touch, Track sorting on iPod classic

7-10-09: Passwords on iPod touch, iPod headphone jack problems, Tagging tracks imported from CD, Adding chapter markers to audiobooks, first-generation iPhone and stereo Bluetooth, Nike+ shoes

7-3-09: iPhone Recent Calls list and location info, iPod touch Bluetooth audio support, Car interface fails after 3.0 upgrade, iPhone battery life, iPhone stereo audio recording,

6-26-09: Recovering a dead iPod touch after 3.0 update, Battery Percentage Display on iPhone 3.0, Options hidden after 3.0 update, iPhone locked after 3.0 update, Managing videos on iPhone, iPod classic accessory compatibility

6-12-09: Conserving power on iPhone, Syncing iPhone Notes, Syncing Apps on new iPod touch, Block pop-ups in Safari, Syncing new iPhone, Playing multiple albums

5-29-09: Sorting tracks in iTunes, iPhone Bluetooth Headset Dock, Recovering Mac-formatted iPod on Windows, Screen damage on 4G iPod nano, Syncing purchased tracks back to iTunes, Managing a class set of iPods

5-22-09: Syncing iTunes content between computers, Importing music into iTunes, Re-transferring apps from a new iTunes library, New iPods and charging accessories, Using multiple iTunes libraries

5-15-09: Starting out with an external hard drive, Syncing playlists manually, Recovering lost iPod serial number, Music count vs Playlist count, Multiple iTunes Store accounts on the same computer, Optimizing album artwork

5-8-09: Organizing audiobooks, Problems transferring purchased items back to iTunes, Keeping played podcast episodes on iPod, Transferring iTunes library to a new computer, iPod shows no content, Using a new iPod with an existing iTunes library

4-24-09: Playing iTunes purchases on a non-networked computer, Finding iPod manuals online, Sharing an iTunes library between separate user accounts, Equalizer on iPod shuffle, Recovering content from Apple TV, Screenshots on iPod touch

4-17-09: Converting tracks to higher bit-rates, Using iPod with non-iTunes content, Using iTunes with an external hard drive, Expired rentals don't delete on iPod, Using only part of a song, Restoring 4G iPod stuck on AC adapter icon

3-27-09: Transferring iTunes library from XP to Vista, Using iPhone as an alarm clock, Splitting iTunes library across two iPods, Recovering iPod onto a computer with an existing iTunes library, Purchased TV Shows stuck in downloads folder, Tagging tracks as Audiobooks in iTunes 8

3-20-09: Using two iPods on a single computer, iPod shuffle 2G/3G accessory compatibility, Displaying TV Show seasons separately in iTunes, Playing iPod through secondary computer, Stopping iPod playback on iPhone, iPod touch 2G and Dock audio

3-13-09: iPod touch vs iPhone, Storing music only on your iPod, Problems transferring rented content, Managing content manually on iPod shuffle, iPod lyrics display, Playing video out to TV from iPhone

3-6-09: iPhone playback on other computers, Games on iPod classic and 5G, Transferring iTunes tracks to SD cards, Group compilations on iPhone, Transferring your iTunes library, iPhone Car Integration

2-27-09: Problems transferring iTunes content to external hard drives, Using an iTunes library database from an external hard drive, Converting Palm address book for iPod touch, How iTunes organizes music videos, Preventing iPhoto from opening when connecting an iPod touch

2-20-09: Video docks for 5G iPod, Connecting an old iPod to a new iTunes library, Downloading iTunes 8 on another computer, Erasing a used iPod and starting fresh, Recovering photos from an iPod, Tracking purchases in iTunes

2-13-09: Waterproof cases and sound quality, Upgrading to iTunes Plus with a manually managed iPod, Reinstalling games on the iPhone, iPhone 3G Dock options, Fixing album artwork problems, Display iTunes Applications category

2-6-09: iPod nano voice memo format, Buying iPods abroad, Skipping a playlist when shuffling, Adjusting playback speed of music tracks, Not all TV Shows syncing to iPod, Checking and unchecking multiple items in iTunes

1-23-09: Synchronizing contacts to iPod touch, Pairing iPhone Remote app, iPhone call audio via Dock Connector, Recovering iPhone apps, New iPods and charging, Remote control of Windows via iPhone

1-16-09: Creating Smart Playlists based on other playlists, Transferring or syncing an iTunes library between two computers, Converting Mac-formatted iPod to Windows, Using Artist and Sort Artist fields, Using an iPod on more than one computer, Importing audiobook CDs as audiobooks

1-2-09: Parents controls on iPod touch, Running iTunes from an external hard drive, Search feature on 5G iPods, Syncing videos to iPod touch, Safari problems on iPod touch, Other content on iPod shuffle

12-19-08: Keeping podcast episodes, iPod and TV USB inputs, Converting PC-formatted iPod to Mac, iPod touch e-mail accounts, Backing up iTunes to a hard drive, Managing and syncing iPod touch On-The-Go playlists

12-12-08: Classifying videos in iTunes 8, Sharing music between iPods, Sharing apps between iTunes libraries on the same computer, iH9 and iPhone compatibility, Recreating Purchased folder, Locating Music Videos

12-5-08: Creating custom slideshows for Apple TV, Optimal album artwork size, Transferring iPod touch from PC to Mac, Upgrading to a new iPod touch, Authorizing iPod Games on new computer, Managing iPod content manually

11-21-08: iPod keeps resetting, Organizing iPhone apps, iPod touch video accessories, iPod-compatible online music sources, Reordering playlists manually

11-14-08: Cover Flow on 4G iPod nano, Setting up iPod touch without Internet access, Internet radio for iPod touch, Apps button missing on iPod touch, mm50 speakers and new iPod models, Including Year field on iPod

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Comments

1

when i plug in my ipod to my laptop itunes comes up. my ipod doesnt show up on the itunes page. then a message comes up sayin,

“itunes cannot read the contents of the ipod “daniels ip”. go to the summary tab in ipod preferences and click restore to restore this ipod to factory settings”.

i dont know what it wants me to do, ive tryed everything i know to do
music is my life…please help, how can i fix it?
thank you

Posted by yorkballa on January 19, 2009 at 7:03 AM (PDT)

2

Is there a way to improve on sound quality of an ipod shuffle? Does it recognize the equalizer preset from itunes? Is there anyway to listen to am radio on any ipod?

Posted by Brad Donovan on January 25, 2009 at 1:32 PM (PDT)

3

it’s been over a year since i put music on my two ipods now when i plug the usb in the port of my computer nothing hgappens with both ipods but worked on pc at radio shack

Posted by teekieb on February 19, 2009 at 11:28 AM (PDT)

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