Ask iLounge 10-11-07

Article

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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The Complete Guide to iPod, iPhone and Apple TV Video Conversion (Mac)

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

As a teacher that is administering a class set of iPods, do you know of a cable or adapter that will allow me to connect multiple iPods to a single computer at once, or a way to charge multiple iPods at once? I am using iPod Nanos and 5th Gen iPods.

- Jeff

Depending upon how many iPods you’re administering and how often you need to do so, there are a couple of possible solutions.

The first and most inexpensive solution is simply to use a USB hub. One computer running iTunes can easily sync content to multiple iPod devices, and these can all be connected at the same time and will appear in iTunes as separate iPod devices. Although synchronization of each device is managed individually, you can use synchronization of selected playlists or smart playlists to standardize the content across multiple iPods, or even simply stay with the default setting to sync ALL iTunes content. Likewise, as long as the USB hub is powered, it will also charge any and all iPods that are connected to it. Due to most USB hubs having limited ports, however, this may be cumbersome if you are managing more than about 8-12 iPods.

For a much more sophisticated solution, you might want to check out Apple’s iPod Learning Lab, which provides a cart that allows up to 40 iPod or iPod nano players to be charged at once, and sync 20 at a time to the same computer. At a retail price of $2,299 for just the cart, this is not an inexpensive solution, but definitely provides more sophisticated options for managing a large class set of iPods. The cart is available by itself, or a custom configuration including iPods and other accessories can be worked out on Apple’s education site at http://education.apple.com/custom_ipod_lab/, which provides an online tool that will even generate a PDF proposal that can be submitted for purchasing purposes.

I was hoping you could address a topic that I am very curious about in light of the latest news from Microsoft regarding new and prior generation of Zune players.

My understanding is that the new generation of Zune players has a new user interface and that Microsoft plans on releasing an update that will allow the first generation Zune players to upgrade to the latest user interface.

That said, why can’t Apple provide the means to allow prior iPod generations to be updated with the iPod interface that is now on the classic and new nanos? I know it may not be possible on some of the older models, but I don’t see why for example the 5G Video iPod can not be upgraded to match the user interface of the current iPod classic.

- Dennis

This is an issue that has been hotly debated in our iLounge Discussion Forums following the release of the new iPod models, and there are a number of theories as to why this is the case.

A common theory is that this is being done to sell more iPods, and certainly this is a consideration. The new interface is a selling feature of the new iPod models, and therefore restricting it to the newer models encourages people to either upgrade, or to purchase a new model instead of an older used/refurbished unit.

However, the actual reasons may be far more technical in nature. Despite looking very similar in exterior design, the new iPod models are based on a new hardware architecture internally. This renders the new firmware completely incompatible with the older iPod models, so it’s certainly not as simple as just making the new firmware available for the fifth-generation iPod models—it would have to be rewritten specifically for the fifth-generation iPod.

This is not unprecedented for Apple, either—the second-generation iPod nano, despite using a very similar interface to the first-generation model, was based on a completely different chipset, and therefore required a completely different firmware. In this case, the two firmware packages simply happened to look and work in mostly the same way, so the average end-user really didn’t notice any significant differences.

It is also important to understand that the iPod operating system, or “firmware” operates on the basis of a lot of low-level interaction with the underlying hardware. It has not been designed in the same way that an application on your PC or Mac would be designed, and therefore isn’t as simple as just recompiling it or installing a plug-in.

Further, the new iPod may have a processor that is more optimized for the new features such as Cover Flow and the split-screen artwork. Even if Apple were to design this feature into the fifth-generation iPod, it may not work at an acceptable level of performance.

Ultimately, this means that for Apple to provide the new interface on the older iPod models they would need to invest time and resources in re-architecting the new firmware so that it was compatible with the older models. This involves not only development time, but also thorough testing. Further, it creates potential support issues for Apple—if they provide a firmware update for an out-of-warranty iPod and something breaks in the process, who is responsible for fixing the issue? Suddenly they will be required to handle an influx of support calls for iPods that were just fine before the update.

In the end, there are definite expenses on the part of Apple to do this, and it is therefore a business decision on the part of Apple as to whether they want to invest any time and money in providing new features on a model that has been discontinued. It is reasonable to assume that the business case for doing this would likely be relatively weak, particularly considering the technical hardware differences between the two models.

In the case of other devices such as the Zune, it is entirely possible that the internal hardware architecture is similar enough that a new firmware update requires less development and testing on the older models. Further, even if there are differences, other manufacturers may have different business reasons that justify the expense of providing new features to older models.

I have Windows ME. But iPod Nano setup requires Windows XP. Is there a solution other than installing Windows XP?

- Fennell

As you don’t specifically mention which model of iPod nano you have, it is difficult to say for certain what your options are. The newest iPod models are only compatible with Windows XP, and at this point the third-party software options are extremely limited due to some changes to the design of the internal iPod database in the latest iPod models.

However, if you’re using an older iPod nano (first or second generation), you may have a few more options available. Although iTunes itself will not run on Windows ME, there are third-party software applications that will allow you to manage your iPod on older Windows versions. A number of options can be found in our Software Downloads section.

Note that many of these will not provide all of the functionality of iTunes itself, but should definitely allow for basic management of audio content. The most significant limitation to not using iTunes in this case is that you will not be able to apply firmware updates to your iPod, since these must be installed via iTunes.

Ideally, upgrading to Windows XP is the preferable solution for maximum compatibility. It should be noted that Microsoft officially discontinued ALL support for Windows ME as of July 11, 2006. This means that any issues, bugs, or security vulnerabilities in Windows ME are no longer being addressed by Microsoft in the form of patches or other technical support.

I have always wondered why iPod and iTunes sort artist names alphabetically by first name rather than last name. “John Coltrane” is in the Js, not the Cs. Yet, in any (brick & mortar) music store, CDs are sorted by last name. My CD collection is sorted by last name. So I am wondering why Apple set up iPod and iTunes this way. And more practically, is there anything I can do to have sort-by-last-name as the default, other than manually change all the tags from “John Coltrane” to “Coltrane, John”?

- Ron

iTunes has traditionally taken a relatively simplistic approach to sorting, and tries to avoid making assumptions about how things should be sorted. For example, while it’s logical to assume that “John Coltrane” could be sorted as “Coltrane, John” it would not be reasonable to most people for a group such as “The Barenaked Ladies” to be sorted as “Ladies, Barenaked.” iTunes would of course have no way of knowing the difference, and most people would probably find the latter method to be more confusing than the former.

Fortunately, as of iTunes 7.1, you can now override these sort orders yourself without having to change your actual artist names. This is handled through the “Sorting” tab which appears when viewing a track’s properties by selecting File, Get Info:

Within the sorting tab, you can override the sort order for any of the key sorting fields. To do this, simply enter the text based on how you would prefer that the track be sorted, as shown in the example above (ie, “Coltrane, John”). iTunes will sort that particular track according to how the text is entered in these sort fields.

Unfortunately, the sorting tab is not available when editing multiple tracks, which can be a bit confusing when trying to apply sort preferences to all tracks on a single album, or by a single artist. Instead of editing these tracks individually, you setup your preferred sort order on a given track as a sort of “template” and then apply that sort order to other tracks with the same tag information.

This is done by selecting the track that you’ve already modified the sort order for, and then right-clicking, and choosing “Apply Sort Field” and choosing which matching tracks to apply the sort order to:

For example, choosing “Same Artist” would apply the sort fields from the current track to all other tracks in your iTunes library that happen to have the same name in the “Artist” field. Note that this applies ALL of the sort fields that are set on the current track, so you will want to be cautious when selecting the scope of this option based on which sort fields you have filled in on your “template” track.

I have a third-generation iPod and I have a hookup on my car radio, a Clarion DXZ575USB that is supposed to allow me to control the iPod directly from the car radio. However, the iPod that I have is not working properly in this regard—it will let me turn on the iPod manually and play it through the radio, but the controls on the car radio itself do not actually work for the iPod. I was told it needed to be updated as it is a 2.3 firmware version and needs to be higher. How do i update it? I have restored it and that did not help.

- Rodney

Normally, the latest firmware is applied via iTunes 7, or by using a standalone iPod Updater application for older versions of iTunes. A “Restore” will normally apply the latest version of the iPod firmware.

In this case, however, v2.3 is the latest version of the firmware for the third-generation iPod. Clarion’s support site does not seem to provide any specifics on which iPod model is required for their system, although some other dealer sites list third-generation iPod compatibility. Based on the information that your iPod requires an update, it is possible that the advanced control features may not be compatible with third-genreation iPod models.

If you know anybody who has a fourth-generation or later iPod model, it might be worth trying a later model to see if this makes a difference. If a fourth or fifth-generation iPod does not work, then it is possible that the source unit itself or the iPod interface may be the issue, since these features should definitely be supported on later-model iPods.

I just bought an iPod nano and accidently bumped the wrong language everything is in Russian how do I get it back to English

- Blake

Regardless of the language, the positions of the menu items themselves do not actually change. In a default menu configuration, the “Settings” menu should be second from the bottom on the main iPod menu (which you can always return to by holding down the menu button for a few seconds), and the “Language” menu should be the third option from the bottom in the “Settings” menu. Selecting these options will once again present you with a list of languages to choose from, and you should then be able to select the appropriate language.

The new iPod nano (video) makes this a bit easier as well, since the right-hand pane will provide some visual cues to which option is currently highlighted.

Alternatively, once in the “Settings” menu, you should also notice that the “Reset All Settings” option remains shown in English. Selecting this option will reset all of your iPod configuration settings back to the defaults (no content will be erased), and present you with the language menu again.

If all else fails, you can also connect your iPod to iTunes and perform a “Restore” operation by clicking the appropriate button in iTunes. Note that this will erase everything on your iPod, returning it to a blank slate and an out-of-the-box configuration. Once the restore is complete, you will again be prompted to select your preferred language.

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

« Ask iLounge 10-18-07

Changes to iPod Games Versions 1.1.0 »

Comments

1

I have a 8G Nano and all of a sudden, I can’t seem to drag music on to the nano. Diagnostics are good. Reinstalling ITunes did not work. Everything else is running just like always. A setting maybe? Any ideas?

Posted by gpaaske on October 16, 2007 at 6:33 PM (PDT)

2

Is it possible to get the new ipod interface system with the scrolling via album cover etc on the older model ipods? I have a 30gb ipod video (5th generation I think) and I really want the cool new interface for it if it is available from apple. If anyone can help me out, it is much appreciated.

Posted by tboyhan1 on January 17, 2008 at 10:57 AM (PDT)

3

I changed (bought) a new computer, and I had to backed up my (rather big) music collection. It contains many foreign songs (Japanese) which my previous i-Tunes (and PC) could perfectly read.

Now I have “squares” in the songs titles because it seems my new iTunes (lates version as I type) or my new computer(?) does not recognize the foreign language….how can I fix this?

Thanks

Posted by Javier Ferro on June 14, 2008 at 8:15 AM (PDT)

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