Ask iLounge 6-26-09

Article

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:

I have a second-generation iPod touch and today I downloaded the new version 3.0 software update from Apple. When it was installing the software onto my iPod touch it crashed half way through and now the iPod touch will not turn on, nor is it recognized when connected to the PC on iTunes or Windows. I actually successfully upgraded another iPod touch earlier in the day with the new version 3 software and had no problems. I have tried rebooting the PC and the iPod touch several times and even tried it on another PC with iTunes and tried it in different USB ports. The device is fully charged. Can you suggest any ways to get my iPod touch to work? Many Thanks.

- Anonymous

It’s possible that the iPod touch has failed completely during the firmware upgrade, but before giving up hope and returning it to Apple for an exchange, there are a couple of things you can try.

Firstly, try leaving the device plugged in to your computer for an hour or so. Even though you began with a fully charged battery, sometimes the iPod touch battery meter can get confused during a firmware upgrade and decide that the battery is in fact not charged. Leaving the iPod touch connected to a power source for an hour or so will generally reset the battery meter in this case and the device will magically spring back to life.

Failing this, you can try putting the iPod touch into DFU mode, which is a hardware-based firmware update mode. While normal iPod touch operation requires a proper firmware and operating system, DFU mode is built in to the system ROM and should always be available, even if the device is otherwise blank.

To put your iPod touch into DFU mode, connect your iPod to your computer, hold down the HOME and SLEEP/WAKE buttons together for about 5 seconds and then release the SLEEP/WAKE button and continue holding the HOME button until your iPod appears in iTunes in “Recovery Mode” (this should take no more than about 10 more seconds). Normally, during this process you would see the Apple logo appear as part of the rebooting stage and release the SLEEP/WAKE button about 2 seconds after the Apple logo disappears. However, if you’re not seeing anything on your screen, you will just have to time this carefully. Note as well that the iPod screen should remain blank in DFU mode, so if you see anything else on the screen, reset the iPod touch and try again. The process of putting the iPod into DFU mode can be a little tricky, so it’s worth trying a few times before you decide it’s not working.

If you can’t restore the iPod touch through DFU mode, then the device is not recoverable and you’ll need to send it back to Apple or take it into your local Apple Store for replacement. Although it’s uncommon to see an iPod touch die completely from a failed firmware update, it’s not unheard of, and we had this happen when previously updating one of our iPod touch devices as well.

I have a second-generation iPod touch that I have just recently updated to iPhone OS 3.0. I can’t seem to find the setting that enables my iPod to display the remaining amount of battery as a percentage. Is this an iPhone only feature or am I just not seeing it? Thanking you in advance!

- Simon

Actually, this is not only an iPhone-only feature, but actually a feature only found on the iPhone 3GS model. The battery percentage display is not available for current iPod touch users or users of older iPhone models, including the 3G. For 3GS users, the setting is found in the Settings app, under the General, Usage section.

Why this feature is not available in previous iPhone and iPod touch devices is a bit of a mystery at this point, although it’s possible that Apple did not consider the battery gauge on these older models accurate enough to display a percentage. In this case it’s possible that we may see this feature in the next-generation iPod touch.

I have an iPhone 3G. Through iTunes, I recently updated the iPhone Software to 3.0. However, after the upgrade completed, I cannot find some of the new features that you have discussed in several of the articles published on iLounge discussing OS 3.0. For example, in Settings I have no option for Notifications or for Internet Tethering. The iPhone does show that it is running OS 3.0. Any thoughts on what the problem is or how to correct it?

- Todd

Your upgrade to 3.0 likely went just fine, but the issue you’re having is that certain features in iPhone OS 3.0 are hidden from view unless certain applications are installed or those features are enabled by the carrier.

For instance, the Notifications setting only appears once you have installed an application that uses the Push Notifications feature in OS 3.0. If you have no Push-capable apps installed, the Notifications option will not do anything, and it is therefore hidden.

Other options, such as the MMS-related settings and the Internet Tethering option are carrier-specific, and must therefore be enabled in the internal iPhone configuration files for your specific carrier. If you’re on a carrier that does not provide tethering support, such as AT&T in the U.S., you will not see this option at all, as the standard AT&T carrier configuration does not enable it. When AT&T does roll out tethering support, they will provide an updated carrier configuration file that will be installed through iTunes.

If you’re on a carrier that is supposed to provide tethering but are still not seeing these settings, you may have an outdated carrier configuration file. You can check for updates via iTunes in the same way that you check for firmware updates: Simply connect your iPhone to your computer, and choose the Check for Updates option in the Summary screen for your iPhone. iTunes will check to see if there are any newer carrier updates available and if so, prompt you to download and install the update.

The same applies for MMS settings—these also need to be activated in the configuration file for your carrier. If you’re not seeing MMS settings, it is either because you have an outdated carrier configuration file or your carrier does not yet provide this feature.

You can check the version of your carrier configuration file by going into your iPhone’s Settings application and choosing General, About. “Carrier version” will display the name of the carrier and the version of their configuration file that you are using.

Note that if you have previously installed your own custom carrier configuration file onto your iPhone at any point and the version number in your custom file is higher than the one available, iTunes will not offer you an update, since it thinks you already have a newer version. In this case, you will either have to manually download and install the correct configuration file, or restore your iPhone completely to factory settings. In either case, this is an advanced user scenario—if you have installed your own custom carrier configuration file on your iPhone in the first place, you will also likely know how to download and install the correct one.

I live in the Middle East and purchased an unlocked U.S. version iPhone 3G about 6 months ago via eBay. This iPhone was running iPhone OS 2.2.1 and was working fine with my local provider. When iPhone OS 3.0 came out I downloaded it onto my iPhone and let it install. Once the install finished, I was locked out of my iPhone and iTunes displayed a message that “The SIM card inserted in the iPhone does not appear to be supported. Only compatible SIM cards from a supported carrier may be used to activate iPhone.” I use a Mobily SIM card which worked fine before I downloaded
3.0. Do you have any suggestions? Do I need to unlock my phone again once a
3.0 version of unlocking comes out? Am I out of luck? Please any help you can
send me would be dearly appreciated. Thank you for your help.

- Gene

Normally when you purchase an iPhone from an official carrier, the iPhone must be activated with iTunes before it can be used. As part of this activation process, iTunes checks your iPhone’s IMEI serial number and the ICCID number on your SIM card against a database on Apple’s servers. If the numbers match for an authorized carrier, the iPhone is activated and good to go. If not, you are presented with an error message similar to the one you noted above.

Note that this activation process is separate from the normal SIM-lock that is present on most cell phones. In a sense, the iPhone has two different carrier locking mechanisms: The industry-standard SIM lock at the hardware level, and the iTunes activation requirement as the OS level. In this context, “unlocking” generally refers to bypassing the SIM-lock, and “activating” refers to the iTunes part of the process. Conceptually, the iPhone activation procedure is similar to the activation system built in to other software applications such as Microsoft Windows. In this case, however, rather than entering a serial number from your software package, your iPhone’s IMEI and SIM card’s ICCID are used as the activation credentials.

The problem in your case is that the iPhone 3G which you purchased was unlocked unofficially through third-party tools and a process known as “jailbreaking.” The jailbreaking process is iPhone OS specific, and basically involves using a patched iPhone OS that bypasses the requirement to activate your iPhone via iTunes. Essentially, once jailbroken, the iPhone is already activated and doesn’t need to “phone home” through iTunes to authorize it.

Chances are that your iPhone is still unlocked at the hardware level, meaning it will take your SIM card, but it’s not yet been activated as iTunes doesn’t recognize the combination of SIM card and phone IMEI as a valid combination.

With all of that having been said, the solution is actually fairly simple: Look for tools called Quickpwn or Pwnage. These tools are used to “jailbreak” your iPhone by building a custom version of the 3.0 firmware and installing it onto your iPhone. This custom firmware bypasses the activation requirement, as discussed above, so once you’ve installed this you should be able to use your iPhone. Quickpwn is a short, step-by-step-driven version of the more complete Pwnage tool, and will probably be the easiest solution for your purposes. The full Pwnage tool provides more advanced features, but is not strictly necessarily if all you want to do is to get your iPhone activated.

In the unlikely event that your iPhone has also become SIM-locked again by the 3.0 update process, you can also unlock it again using the same tools. However, it is very likely that your iPhone is still unlocked, and you simply need the patched version of 3.0 that bypasses the activation requirement.

Note that unlocked iPhones purchased through proper official channels, such as can be found with many European carriers, do not have these limitations, since officially unlocked iPhones will be listed in Apple’s database as such, and can therefore be used with any SIM card. Of course, these unlocked iPhones frequently come with a much higher price tag than the carrier-subsidized versions sold in North America.

What is the proper way to remove videos from my iPhone but still keep them in the iTunes library?

- Rick

If you are using automatic synchronization with your iPhone, the video content that is stored on your iPhone is managed through iTunes. While you can delete video files directly from your iPhone to save space, iTunes will put these back on during the next automatic synchronization unless you also de-select them in iTunes.

There are a couple of different ways that you can determine which videos are synced from iTunes to your iPhone. The simplest way is to connect your iPhone to your computer, select it in the iTunes Devices list on the left-hand side, and then choose the “Videos” tab from the main screen.

On the Videos tab, you will see sections for transferring any rented movies that you may have in iTunes or on your iPhone as well as sections for determining which TV Shows or Movies are synced to your device. For TV Shows, you can either sync by TV Show or by any playlists you have created containing your TV Show episodes, and can choose to sync either all episodes or only a certain number of unwatched episodes. For Movies, which encompass any type of video in iTunes that isn’t tagged as anything else, you simply choose which specific Movies to sync.

Syncing of Music Videos is controlled in a different manner. For the purposes of synchronization, Music Videos are treated like any other music track in your library, and will be synchronized based on the settings on your “Music” tab.

A global “Include Music Videos” option determines whether music videos are transferred to your iPhone. If this option is enabled, your Music Videos are synced alongside your music tracks based on the settings on this screen, so if you’re syncing all of your music, you’ll get all of your music videos. On the other hand, if you’re syncing selected playlists only, then only music videos included in those playlists will be synchronized to your iPhone.

Video podcasts on your iPod are similarly managed through the “Podcasts” tab.

Another option for managing the video content on your iPhone is to use the “Sync only checked songs and videos” option found on the main “Summary” tab. When this option is enabled, any items in your iTunes library that are not checked will not be transferred to your iPhone, and if you UNcheck an item, it will be removed from your device during the next sync with iTunes.

The “Sync only checked items” has the advantage that you can make adjustments to your synced content without having to connect your iPhone to your computer. The downside to this option is that any unchecked items in your iTunes library are never played unless you specifically select them, so if you have a a playlist of items, any unchecked items will be skipped over during normal playback.

Lastly, you can also choose to manage the content on your iPhone manually, in which case your iPhone is treated as a separate library. To enable manual mode, simply select the option to “Manually manage my music and videos” on the iPhone Summary screen in iTunes.

In manual mode, adding content to your iPhone is done by dragging-and-dropping the content from your iTunes library onto your iPhone icon in the iTunes Devices list. To delete content from your iPhone, you would click on the small triangle to the left of the iPhone icon in your iTunes Devices list, which will present a list of the categories and playlists of content on your iPhone. You can then browse through this and delete items from here as you would in your main iTunes library.

You can also still delete video content directly from your device by swiping across an item and tapping the Delete button. In manual mode, iTunes will not re-transfer this content the next time you connect your device, making the on-device deletion feature a bit more useful.

Note that unlike iPod devices, the iPhone in manual mode can still only be used to transfer content with a single iTunes library. Further, even in manual mode, certain content types such as podcasts, photos, and applications are still synced automatically, if enabled.

For more information, check out our Complete Guide to Managing iTunes Videos.

Does anyone know if the 120 GB iPod classic has the same input/charging slots as the 30GB fifth-generation iPod? I’m upgrading my iPod and wanted to know if all the accessories I have will work with my new iPod?

- Kelli

The short answer is yes. Unlike all of the other iPod models released in 2008, the iPod classic 120GB retains support for both USB and FireWire charging capabilities. The ability to charge via FireWire-based accessories was removed in the other 2008 iPod models. While most new charging accessories use USB-based charging, there are still some speakers and other accessories being sold that charge via FireWire power instead. The good news is that the 120GB iPod classic will work with either.

The one important caveat going from the fifth-generation iPod to any later iPod model, however, is the video cables. If you are using video output cables to connect your 5G iPod to your TV, you will likely find that these will not work with the iPod classic, and you will therefore have to purchase newer cables. Video output through the headphone port was discontinued after the fifth-generation iPod, so Dock Connector cables must be used, but these cables must also be specifically made for the 2007 or later iPod models, as an authentication chip is now required in the cable to enable video output from the iPod. These newer cables still work with the 5G iPod, so if you’ve purchased a Dock Connector based video output cable recently it may be iPod-classic compatible, but unless the cable specifically says it works with the newer iPod models (ie, classic, nano, touch, iPhone), chances are it won’t work. You can find more information on this issue in our article, Apple locks TV out in new iPods.

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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...

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

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

9-26-08: iTunes HD TV episodes showing up twice, Shure MPA-3C and iPod touch, Synchronizing iPod to a new iTunes library, Problems updating iPhone applications, Managing iTunes media files on an external hard drive, Managing multiple iPods on one computer

9-19-08: Removing Genre column in iTunes 8, Syncing TV Shows by playlist, Recovering Mac-formatted iPod on Windows, Recovering photos from iPod, XtremeMac Luna X2, iPod flash memory capacity, Restoring older iPod models

9-12-08: Managing iPhone Backups, iPod disk mode and deleted items, iPod Plays only single tracks, iPhone and T9 predictive text, Copying ratings and play counts from iPod to computer, Automatically retrieving CD information and album artwork

9-5-08: AV output from iPhone 3G dock, New playlists not appearing on iPod, Transferring music on iPod touch from multiple computers, Resetting iTunes Store authorization counts, Editing tag information, iPhone task applications

8-29-08: Disabling data on iPhone 3G, iTunes Plus and Apple Backup, Deleting photos from iPod, iPhone v2.0 and TV Out accessories, Consolidating multiple iTunes libraries, Restoring iPod touch from backup

8-22-08: Cleaning up applications in iTunes, Playing back all songs on iPod, Excluding podcasts from Smart Playlists, Bookmarking tracks, Playing tracks back at a consistent volume level

8-15-08: Transferring play counts back to iTunes, Playing iPod while charging, Customizing iPhone alerts, Syncing movies to iPod nano, iTunes not recognizing new CDs, Sudoku reviews

8-8-08: iPhone and SIM card contacts, Syncing iPhone contacts, Hiding SMS previews on iPhone, Playing iPod touch on secondary computer, Syncing photos to iPod, Resuming interrupted iTunes WiFI Store downloads

8-8-08: iLounge Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Horwitz responds to reader questions on all things iLounge, including technical issues related to iPhone 3G, and behind-the-scenes editorial issues

8-1-08: iPhone Edition: Switching between apps, Car charging accessories, Activating older iPhone models, Sending MMS, App Store in wrong language, Excel and A2DP support

7-25-08: MobileMe on iPhone for Calendars only, Buying iPods for International use, Voice recorders for 4G iPods, Free Music for iPod, Problems transferring purchased content to iPod, Playing AAC files in Windows Media Player

7-18-08: Ask iLounge iPhone v2.0 Edition: Installing apps on multiple devices, Converting videos for iPhone 3G, Activating first-gen iPhones, Saved photos on iPod touch, Push e-mail support

7-4-08: Recovering a corrupt iPod, Hard cases for iPhone, Reimporting CDs into iTunes, iPod shows only Other content, Managing multiple audio formats in iTunes, Optimum iPod video output cables

6-27-08: Creating Smart Playlists for Purchased items, Keeping place in multi-track audiobooks, Backing up iTunes before a reformat, iPod Games on 5G and classic, Editing CD tracks before import, Getting Album Artwork automatically

6-20-08: Third-party iPod management tools, Transferring large files on iPod, Shuffling On-The-Go Playlists, Removing played podcasts from iPod, Continuously playing one track, Moving iTunes from PC to Mac

6-13-08: Artists not appearing on iPod, Unchecked items do not play in iTunes, iTunes shows incorrect CD track information, Podcast support on older iPod models, Upgrading to a new iPod, Photo albums on iPod touch

6-6-08: Downloading YouTube videos onto iPod, Selling old iPod models, Fit iTunes Window to Screen, Handing down an iPod, Dock Compatible iPod cases, Problems transferring music from iPod to Mac

5-30-08: Burning iTunes purchases to an MP3 CD, Playing iPhone via computer, Pre-loading a gift iPod on another computer, Music Video playlists on Apple TV, Music videos on 2G iPod nano, Importing existing MP3 and WMA files into iTunes.

5-23-08: Finding and backing up purchased music, Syncing duplicate tracks to iPod, Restoring 4G iPod and AC power, Syncing iPod to a laptop when travelling, Finding photos on iPod, Storing a large iTunes library in multiple folders

5-16-08: Using the iPhone with integrated in-car Bluetooth, Problems with iPods and depleted batteries, Transferring content to a new iPod, iPod displays audio but no video, Removing photos and album artwork from iTunes, Overdrive Media and iPods

5-9-08: About iPod battery life and charging, Using Apple FM Radio remote on older iPod models, Scan and Fix dialog using iPod on Windows Vista, Preserving iTunes metadata when reinstalling Windows, Importing multiple tracks into iTunes, About iTunes and ID3 tags

5-2-08: Transferring digital camera movies to iPod, Reordering and shuffling playlists, Transferring playlists between iTunes libraries, Importing audiobooks, Correcting tags on CD import, Burning CDs with longer gaps

4-25-08: Finding Duplicates in iTunes, Setting files to open in iTunes automatically, Resetting authorizations, 1G iPod nano and voice recording, Syncing a library larger than your iPod capacity, Grouping multi-disc albums

4-17-08: Ripping CDs to external hard drive, Zeppelin speakers and USB port, Bluetooth stereo on iPhone, Converting TV shows to iPod, Audio recording on iPod touch, Wireless security on iPod touch

4-10-08: Transferring LPs to iTunes, Movie Rentals and 5G iPod, New iPod models on older Macs, Maintaining Playback Position on iPod, Importing CDs on multiple computers

4-3-08: Using several iPods on one computer, Renaming imported CD tracks, iM7 and iPod nano, Burning different CD types, Purchasing from iTunes while travelling, Importing CDs on MacBook Air, Sending photos from iPhone

3-28-08: iPod capacity and bit-rates, International iTunes Gift Cards, iPhone charging accessories, Moving iTunes purchases to another computer, iPod touch and third-party tools, iPod videos play only audio

3-21-08: Basic DVD conversion, 5G iPod and subtitles, Slideshows on iPod touch, Using the Voice Memo function, iPod classic TV output quality, iPod Dock Connector extender cables

3-14-08: About Skip Count, iPhone alarm clocks, 5G firmware updates, Cleaning up after a library move, Syncing new playlists to iPod nano, Authorization of multiple iTunes Store accounts

3-7-08: Transferring MP3 files to new iTunes library, iPhone ringtones on Windows, Wired remotes for iPod classic, Sharing iTunes with multiple users on one PC, iTunes library and Time Capsule, Chargers for 3G iPods

2-29-08: Finding iPhone Backups, Contact Display on iPhone, Automatic vs manual iPod management, iTunes CD burning restrictions, iTunes movie rental expiry on iPods, Downloading podcasts to iPhone

2-22-08: Upgrading your iPhone, Recovering data from corrupted iPod, Recreating default playlists, Syncing iPod Games from more than one computer, Problems playing purchased TV shows on iPod, Output settings when playing movies from iPod to TV

2-15-08: Setting up an AirTunes network, Shuffling music, Playing podcasts sequentially, Firewire support on modern iPods, Recovering Mac-formatted iPods on Windows, Recovering iTunes library from a virus

2-7-08: Transferring music from iPod touch, Voice recorders for 2007 iPods, Cover Flow on 5G iPod, Renaming your iPod, iTunes and iLife, Organizing music transferred from the iPod

1-31-08: Apple TV AirTunes Support, iPod Games on 5G and classic, Keeping videos only on iPod, Syncing iPod using checked songs, Charging with Universal Dock, International iPod and iTunes Store use

1-18-08: Macworld Expo 2008 Special Edition: Questions about the new iTunes Movie Rentals and Apple TV features, including Time Capsule and the Apple TV, Renting HD Movies from iTunes, Transferring rented movies to and from the iPod, Fifth-generation iPods and movie rental support, AirTunes support on Apple TV Take Two.

1-10-08: TV output quality, iPod windows driver installation errors, Connecting iPod to portable DVD player, Syncing games, iPhone charger compatibility, Reformatting iPod for Mac

1-3-08: 2007 iPod models and speakers, Video resolution vs bit-rate, Preventing auto-deletion of podcasts, Videos with no sound, Using iTunes Store when travelling abroad, Transferring videos to iPod, Importing Audiobooks

12-27-07: Your First iPod, Differences between iPod models, Accessory compatibility, Converting DVDs for iPod, New iPods and older computers, Earphone Recommendations, Troubleshooting iPod Problems

12-21-07: Other space on iPod, Search feature on iPod touch, Adding third-party ringtones to iPhone, iPod suddenly shows no content, TV Dock compatibility, Artists appearing more than once on iPod

12-14-07: New iPods - Buy now or wait? Transfer music from an old iPod, Convert MP3 to Lossless, Listening to videos and battery life, Bluetooth headphones for iPod nano, Universal Dock and line-out volume

12-7-07: Using Compilations settings, Re-syncing iPod after hard drive replacement, Locating iTunes Plus tracks, New iPod firmware - video output and iPod Hi-Fi support, Mac-formatted iPods, Cover Flow on iPod, iPhone screen goes blank when on a call

11-29-07: Photo resolution on the iPhone, Obtaining video content for the iPod touch, Restoring older iPod models, Sharing iTunes library on a single computer, Transferring iTunes via external hard drive, Auto-deleting played podcasts

11-22-07: Syncing games to iPod, Removing album artwork, Replacing files in iTunes library, Limiting volume on iPod, Preventing iPod sync when connecting with iTunes, Skipping audiobooks when shuffling songs

11-16-07: iTunes and Vista, iPod classic video output (revisited), Transferring iTunes from PC to Mac, Organizing Music Videos in iTunes, Using newer iPods with older OS X versions, Sorting photos on iPod

11-9-07: Editing calendar on iPod touch, Multiple iTunes libraries on one computer, Creating an iTunes Store account without a credit card, Burning CDs with track names, iPod/iPhone remote control, iPhone TV output from Safari

11-2-07: TV Docks for new iPod models, Calculate song file sizes, iPhone backup and restore, Sync selected content with iPhone, Universal Dock compatibility, Managing podcast synchronization

10-26-07: iTunes Plus, Play Slideshow on iPod nano, Activate TV out on new iPods, Recover Mac iPod in Windows, Add descriptions to TV shows, iTunes not opening when iPhone is connected

10-18-07: iPod and Windows Autoplay, Reinstalling iTunes, Manually Managing Videos, iPod charging accessories, iPod touch power and sleep modes, Resyncing recovered iPod content

10-11-07: Managing a class set of iPods, New firmware and older iPods, Windows ME support, Sorting artists by last name, 3G iPod car audio compatibility, Resetting iPod language

10-5-07: iTunes WiFi Store, Videos with no sound, Managing video content manually, Tagging TV Shows, Renaming iPod, Flash support on iPhone, Removing multiple artwork images, iPhone and multi-recipient SMS, US/UK iPod compatibility, Photo storage on iPod touch

9-27-07: iPod classic audio quality, New iPod models: features and accessory compatibility, Transferring music from iPod 5G to classic, iPod nano voice recording, Storing multiple bitrates in iTunes

9-7-07: Special Edition on the new iPod lineup - users most common questions answered about the new iPod lineup and new iTunes release, including accessory compatibility and new software features.

8-30-07: Playing single tracks, iPhone sleep timer, Deleting iPod content, TV shows do not appear on iPod, Manually sorting playlists, Fitting content onto audio CDs, Car line-out solutions

8-23-07: Set Video Kind within files, Authorization and iPod transfer, Chat Clients for iPhone, Importing CDs for gapless playback, Tethering iPhone, Burning Purchased Tracks

8-16-07: Managing podcasts, Bookmarking audiobooks, No artwork in Cover Flow, Storing iTunes content on two hard drives, Sleeping with an iPod, ROKR sunglasses and iPhone, Selling an iPod

8-9-07: Playing Podcast episodes in sequence, Recording radio in iTunes, New iPod with songs already on it, Authorized Computers, Sync iPod with a new computer, Transferring a Windows iPod to a MacBook

8-2-07: Syncing the iPhone to more than one computer, Transferring iTunes music to the Blackberry, Continuous video playback on the iPod, Problems editing track info in iTunes, Transferring content from iPhone to computer, Video playback from the iPhone, Sending MMS messages from the iPhone

7-26-07: Transferring photos from iPhone, Using iPhone speaker and dock, Song volume adjustments in iTunes, Transfer from a Mac-formatted iPod in Windows Vista, iTunes Other category and TV show syncing, Printing track lists from iTunes

7-19-07: Importing MP3 CDs, Using two iPods on one computer, Showing current track in Windows Messenger, iPod nano accessory compatibility, Keeping content only on the iPod, Transferring between two iTunes libraries

7-12-07: Sorting in iTunes 7.3, Joining CD tracks, Selecting TV Shows for sync, Recovering photos from iPod, Tagging multiple video tracks, iPhone activation requirements

Next: Weird + Small Apps 19: A.D.D. Lite, Archon Classic, iYamato, Warpack Grunts + More

Previous: Instant Expert: Secrets & Features of Apple TV 2.4

Comments

1

Thank you for answering my question about the battery percentage feature!

Posted by Simon Boulle on June 27, 2009 at 1:13 PM (PDT)

2

My son has an I Pod and has I tunes on his old computer. He now has a new computer and wants to install I Tunes on it. How can he go about doing this and still have access to his music? When he gets I tunes installed on his new computer can he download all of the songs from his I Pod into his laptop? We don’t want to lose everything from the I Pod.

Posted by E Myers on June 30, 2009 at 8:17 AM (PDT)

3

I have second generation ipod i don’t know how to restore it…

Posted by niru on July 5, 2009 at 7:30 AM (PDT)

4

I have a 160gb iPod Classic and need to replace the hard drive. Has anyone had any issuse installing a Samsung HS161JQ 160gb hard drive instead of the Toshiba?

Thanks

Posted by bmmr1 on July 15, 2009 at 1:14 PM (PDT)

5

I have an 30g i-pod 5th gen video. It works fine on my old computer but my new computer won’t recognize the i-pod and i-Tunes also doesn’t recognize it. I’ve tried putting it in disc mode but still doesn’t work. I have already deleted my library from the old computer and really need to get it to sync with the new one. PLEASE I need help.

Posted by Ainslie Kriston on September 18, 2009 at 7:31 PM (PDT)

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