2010 iPod + iPhone Buyers' Guide

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Ask iLounge 12-9-06

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By Jerrod H.

Contributing Editor, iLounge
Published: Saturday, December 9, 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:

Can I send iTunes purchases direct to others as gifts? I don’t want to duplicate my own, but I want to send friends specific music from iTunes.

- David

A:

Apple has several options for gifting iTunes Store content, and - yes - one of them involves sending specific music choices to others, instead of simple gift cards.

To use this feature, simply browse to any iTunes Store album, and choose the small link in the header box entitled “Gift this Music”. A new menu will appear where you’re given the option to pick and choose from the selected album, to buy for someone else.

After selecting to “gift” an item, you’re able to send eMail codes for the gift - along with a personal message - or print the gift codes out on your own printer.

Q:

Can I create a link to photos in notes I put on my iPod?

- Paul

A:

Sure. In Apple’s newly-updated iPod Notes Feature Guide (PDF), the company outlines procedures for using notes to link to four media types on your iPod: audio tracks, cover art, videos, and - indeed - photos.

For all media types except photos, the notes feature can access them where they reside in the iPod’s usual libraries. Photos, however, have to be specially-added JPEG files stored somewhere within the “Notes” folder.

To link to these photos, simply use the following syntax:

<a href="file://photo1.jpg">Click here to see photo 1!</a>

or

<a href="/photo1.jpg">Click here to see photo 1!</a>

...where the photo you’re linking to is called “photo1.jpg”, and it’s located on your iPod in the base “Notes/” folder. Do not include the file extension in the photo, and treat all paths as relative to this folder.

When the link is clicked within the note, the iPod will scale the image, and display it much like it displays album art full-size. Press “Menu” to return to the note.

In our testing, we only got this feature to work fully on a full-sized iPod; our 2G nanos couldn’t view the images. At this point, it’s unclear whether or not this is a bug, or simply a limitation of the nano’s software.

Q:

I have an iPod nano and I can’t figure out how to unlock the volume. It will only go so loud and this does not work on the train for example. Thanks for you assistance.

- Arlene

A:

There are two possibilities. First, your volume may be artificially limited with the iPod’s volume limit feature. If you can remember the four-digit code that initially created it, the limit can be removed in the iPod’s settings menu.

However, if that’s not the case, you’re simply looking for more volume power when in louder environments.

For listening to iPods in loud environments, we’d sooner recommend a pair of in-ear sound isolating headphones - like those available from Apple, Shure, or Ultimate Ears - before we’d recommend amplifying the volume further to dangerous levels. By blocking out external sounds, these earphones enable you to listen at lower, safer levels, and you’ll get markedly better sound quality as a bonus. For more information, see our article Listen Safely: Your Ears and your iPod.

Q:

I’m a Mac user and iPod addict, thinking about purchasing an XBOX 360 for gaming. I understand the XBOX can read an iPod, and use it for in-game soundtracks, but I worry: if a Windows PC can’t read a Mac-formatted iPod, can an XBOX 360?

- Shane

A:

Indeed it can, without any problem. When plugged into an XBOX 360, a Mac-formatted (HFS+) iPod shows up in the XBOX’s media blade, and the console correctly parses its database, organizing music just as the iPod’s own menu does. To play unprotected AAC-encoded songs, you may need to download a small (200kb) plugin via XBOX live, but once this is complete, the XBOX should work as designed with your iPod, though it will never be able to play songs purchased from the iTunes Store.

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Ask iLounge Archives:

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

See the rest of the Archives...

Next: The iPod Year in Review 2006: Evolution, Not Revolution

Previous: Three 6 Mafia's Juicy J, Actor/Singer Joey McIntyre, Tender Box's Joey Medina

Comments

1

I am having trouble managing itunes & synching my choice of 120 gigs of music to a 30 gig ipod.  The central problem is that after I “check” the music I want transferred and order a synch, I get a msg I have selected too much & itunes asks if it can select for me - which is obviously NG.  When I answer “no” it proceeds to load about 12 gigs on the ipod (none of my playlists included).  Does itunes offer a way to calculate what has been selected for xfer?

Posted by jgbaird on December 11, 2006 at 7:43 AM (PDT)

2

I set up my wife’s mini with a master playlist.  This way you get the total size of the playlist before you sync.  I’ve also set her up with a few smart playlists that use the master playlist as the source.

Posted by Elcoholic in So Cal on December 11, 2006 at 11:38 AM (PDT)

3

Jerrod,
While you’re at it don’t forget to recommend ER in-canals ear phones.  Weren’t they rated higher than the UEs?  I just got some ER6is last Friday and they’re awesome, especially for at a little over half-price on eBay for brand new-in-box.  BTW excellent choice on the album art.

Posted by Elcoholic in So Cal on December 11, 2006 at 11:48 AM (PDT)

4

Hi
Can I convert songs from iTunes to mp3 format to transfer into my phone or do I have to rip them all over again?

Thanks

Posted by statsy on December 12, 2006 at 8:21 PM (PDT)

5

Hi
My computer just crapped out and my itunes was deleted completly. All of my songs are gone. My ipod nano still has all the songs on it but if I plug it in my computer it will delete them all. I need to know how to get the songs off my ipod back onto my itunes. Thank you

durban

Posted by durban on December 13, 2006 at 9:29 AM (PDT)

6

How can I transfer dvd’s that I own to my ipod video?

mbd

Posted by kommanman on January 14, 2007 at 11:07 AM (PDT)

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