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The Free iPod + iPhone Book4

Ask iLounge 12-29-06

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By Jerrod H.

Contributing Editor, iLounge
Published: Friday, December 29, 2006
Category: Ask iLounge

Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-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.

The most asked question at iLounge.com:

How do I copy music from my iPod onto my computer?

Click here for the answer.

The second most asked question at iLounge.com:

How do I put DVDs on my iPod?


For converting DVDs, web video, TV shows and home movies to your iPod, iPhone or Apple TV, we have a three-part series outlining the best formats, settings, and various tools to use for converting all types of video content for use on these devices.

The Complete Guide to iPod, Apple TV and iPhone Video Formats

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

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

Top five questions most recently asked by iLounge readers:

Q: What are the best speakers to use with my iPod? (15, 76-79, and 90-92)

Q: What are the best headphones to use with my iPod? (10, 72-75, and 90-92)

Q: I really want to get a nice case for my iPod. Do you have any suggestions? (36-37, 54-67, and 90-92)

Q: How can I connect my iPod to my car stereo? (14, 32-35, 68-71, and 90-92)

Q: Are there any batteries that I can use to extend my iPod's battery life? (82-83 and 90-92)

A: Answers to these and many other questions can be found in two places. Our Free iPod Book 3.3 provides a complete report card to all of the iPod accessories we've reviewed as of summer 2007, as well as over 125 iTunes and iPod tips & tricks. Further, our new 2008 iPod & iPhone Buyers' Guide has accessory tutorials at the page numbers listed in parentheses above. These and other publications in our Library are free downloads, developed by the editors of iLounge!

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

Q: I have an older, third generation iPod that came with a power adapter that connects to the iPod’s Firewire cable. I wonder: can that adapter can be used to safely charge my new fifth generation iPod as well?

- Mike

A: It most certainly can - if, of course, you also have a Firewire-to-Dock Connector cable. Any existing iPod or iPod nano can be charged via Firewire. For other readers, however, the same is not true in the opposite direction: first- to third-generation full size iPods cannot be charged via USB. Below is a full table of each iPod’s charge and sync capabilities over Firewire and USB 2.0.

iPod ModelUSB2.0Firewire
1st Gen - Charge & Sync
2nd Gen - Charge & Sync
3rd GenSync onlyCharge & Sync
4th GenCharge & SyncCharge & Sync
PhotoCharge & SyncCharge & Sync
5th GenCharge & SyncCharge only
1G/2G miniCharge & SyncCharge & Sync
1G/2G nanoCharge & SyncCharge only
1G/2G shuffleCharge & Sync -

Q: I’m new to the iPod universe this Christmas, and all this ‘generation’ talk is confusing. How do I tell what ‘generation’ iPod I have, and therefore, what accessories are compatible with my iPod?

- Kathi

A: If you’re new to iPods this Christmas, you either received an iPod shuffle (currently second generation), iPod nano (also a second generation model), or a full-size iPod (currently a revision of the fifth generation iPod, commonly referred to as “Late 2006” or “5.5G"). If you’re still not sure which iPod you have, or which iPod others are discussing, Apple has an excellently detailed document on their support site that explains the visible differences between the various iPod models, and the generations associated with each of them.

Q: Each time I start iTunes, the program seems to try to access the iTunes Store for some reason. Is there any way to disable this? I frequently start up iTunes when I’m not connected to a network, and this results in an error message when I load iTunes.

- Jared

A: If you have enabled the “Automatically download pre-purchased content” setting in iTunes preferences, the program connects to the iTunes Store to check for new purchases associated with your account each time it launches. You can prevent this from happening by disabling this setting in iTunes’ “Store” preferences, or by logging out of your iTunes account when viewing the iTunes Store.

Q: When I connect my iPod to my new DLO HomeDock Deluxe, I am unable to play videos on the TV screen. What’s wrong?

- Eric

A: The DLO HomeDock Deluxe does not have the ability to parse the iPod’s video or photo content in the menus display on a TV in the same way that it does for music. However, if you forgo the on-TV menu system, you can still use the HomeDock Deluxe as a dock for viewing video on TV. To do this, simply turn the HomeDock Deluxe into iPod mode using the mode button on the remote, and then use the iPod’s own menu system (with either the Click Wheel or HomeDock Deluxe remote) to navigate to your video. Ensure that TV-Out display is enabled, and any video you select will appear on screen.

Of interest, DLO will be showing a new version of its HomeDock Deluxe model at Macworld San Francisco during the second week in January. This new model will offer on-screen navigation of both music and videos, and will also display album artwork and feature a new on-the-fly playlist creation feature for queuing up tracks.

Q: Will the Nike+ only work with the iPod nano, or will it work with the other, full-size iPod models?

- Anonymous

A: The Nike+iPod Sport Kit is only compatible with the first- and second-generation iPod nano models. Apple has likely chosen to deliberately make the full size iPod incompatible due to its more vulnerable nature under heavy activity; the iPod nano’s solid-state memory has no moving parts and is easily able to handle the jostling motions of a jog, but full size iPods have a complicated hard drive mechanism that is more susceptible to damage due to motion. For serious joggers, the iPod nano is simply the safer choice.




Ask iLounge Archives:

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

10-31-08: iPod charging accessory compatibility, Adding tracks to multiple albums, Removing pre-installed games, Transferring contacts from iPod touch to a second computer, iPod touch accessory compatibility, iPod synchronization to a new computer

10-24-08: Importing folders with M3U files, AV cables with 2008 iPods, Moving iTunes libraries between computers, Unknown albums after importing music, Newly added tracks don't show up on iPod

10-17-08: Backup up your iPod, iPods and viruses, Using an iPod on Mac and Windows, Managing photos on an iPod manually, Adding iTunes Shared Music to iPod, iPod video out

10-3-08: Displaying lyrics on iPod touch, Calculating playlist sizes, Transferring tracks to iPod in manual mode, Purchasing older iPod models, Using iPhone without phone service, Shuffle modes

See the rest of the Archives...

Next: Macworld Expo 2007: The Complete Guide (P-Z)

Previous: Welcome, new iPod and accessory owners!

Shop in the loungeStore for iPod + iPhone Accessories.

Comments

1

I took apart my ipod mini to see if my broken ipod microdrive was the reason for it being broken.I then put the microdrive back into my working ipod,but now it doesnt work!It has the folder on it and the scroll doesnt work!Please help me!I knew I shouldnt have had messed with it.Now I have 2 broken ipods!!!

Posted by kevhigashi on January 2, 2007 at 11:30 PM (PDT)

2

Hi there i am currently doing a dissertation on brand loyalty in the case of apple.  i was wondering if there are any apple loyalists out there, if you could please tell me what exactly it is about apple that makes you so loyal? and if there are any particular techniques they use that help to maintain your loyalty? thanks very much!

Posted by sayraay1200 on January 11, 2007 at 6:46 AM (PDT)

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