Q: My wife and I each have an iPhone 3G. We have separate user accounts on the same Windows XP computer. This makes it possible to sync contacts separately and this is working fine. We want to share the same iTunes media. As the original user, I have put my iTunes media folder in D:ChuckiTunes. When my wife logs in, launches iTunes and uses Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced to set the media location for iTunes, in the iTunes Media browser (ex: Music) the music does not show up. Can you help by telling me what I’m doing wrong. I thought that simply setting the Media location to the same folder would make the same music available to both iPhones.
- Chuck
A: When you are using two separate user accounts on your computer, each account gets its own iTunes library database by default. This database is where the list of files in your iTunes library is stored, along with other metadata about them such as ratings, playlists, play counts, and so forth. Your actual music files can be stored anywhere, but unless they’ve been specifically imported into your iTunes library database, they will not appear in iTunes itself. Therefore, in this case setting the iTunes Music Folder on your wife’s account to be the same location as your music doesn’t bring any of that music into her database unless she specifically imports it into iTunes.
There are two options for how you can deal with this, depending upon how much of your library data you want to share between both accounts. If you want to continue maintaining separate playlists, ratings and play counts, then you will want to maintain two separate library databases and just store the actual media files in a common location. In this case, after changing the iTunes Music Folder path in the Advanced preferences, as you’ve described above, your wife can use the File, Add to Library option in iTunes and choose the iTunes Media folder to import all of the files from that location into her own iTunes library database.
Alternatively, if you want to share the same playlists and other library data, you can easily transfer your iTunes library database to a common location on your hard drive, and then point iTunes under each user account to use the library database in that location. You can tell iTunes to create a new library database or choose one from another location simply by holding down the SHIFT key (Windows) or OPT key (Mac) while starting iTunes. This will present a dialog box giving you the opportunity to either create a new, empty library database or to choose a library database that is stored somewhere else on your computer.
More information on managing and transferring your iTunes library can be found in our article on Transferring your iTunes Library.
Q: Hi, I have an iPhone 3G and my friend has the iPhone 3GS. Is there any way to increase the text size on your SMS emssages with either an app or setting in iTunes or the iPhone? My friend loves his iPhone, but has difficulty reading his SMS messages without getting his glasses out (which he normally doesn’t and just ends up deleting them). I have submitted a form suggesting this feature, I have Googled this and it seems to be a fairly common problem.
- Adrian
A: The iPhone 3GS has a new “Accessibility” feature that might help in your friend’s case, as it is specifically designed to enlarge any part of the iPhone screen by effectively “zooming in” while viewing the screen. The Accessibility options are accessed under the iPhone Settings app, from the General, Accessibility section.
From here, simply tap on the “Zoom” option and enable it from the next setting screen. Instructions on how to use the zoom feature are explained on the same screen.
Once enabled, this feature can be used anywhere on the iPhone to zoom in on any part of the screen for easier viewing, including of course within the SMS app. Simply double-tap with three fingers on the part of the screen that you want to zoom into, then use all three fingers to pan around the screen as required.
Note that the accessibility feature is only available on the iPhone 3GS and third-generation iPod touch. Older iPhone and iPod models do not include this feature even with the latest iPhone OS updates.
Q: I have an iPod mini that I want to give to my daughter. She’s asking if she can have it instead of buying an iPod shuffle. How will she be able to use my old iPod mini as the new owner? I have an iPod and iPhone so I really didn’t need the iPod mini, but I don’t want to mess up my iTunes account.
- Vida
A: There is no direct association between your iPod mini and your iTunes Store account or your iTunes library beyond the content that is stored on the iPod itself. You can return any iPod back to its original out-of-the-box factory settings simply by connecting it to iTunes and selecting the “Restore” button which appears on the main iTunes Summary screen for that iPod.
This will erase everything on the iPod, effectively reformatting its hard drive, and return it back to its factory settings. When your daughter then connects the iPod mini to her computer, iTunes on her computer will go through the iPod Setup Assistant in the same way as if she had just purchased the iPod brand new, and she can then configure it and load her own content onto it.
Q: I have an iPhone 3G. I copy books on CD to my iPhone via iTunes but when I am walking it shuffles even though I have saved it on iTunes as a continuous play. I also ensure that I have it on continuous play in the iPhone itself but it still goes into shuffle mode when I am walking. This only happens when I am walking, when I am driving it is fine.
- Diana
A: It appears as if you’re running into a feature on the iPhone that triggers the shuffle mode whenever the iPhone is shaken. This feature was added in the iPhone OS 3.0 update last spring, and uses the accelerometer to trigger shuffle mode whenever the iPhone is shaken. Fortunately, it can be easily disabled under your iPod settings in the Settings app. Simply toggle Shake to Shuffle to OFF.
Even if Shake to Shuffle is enabled, however, it should only be active when music is actually playing on your iPhone and you either remain in the iPod application or have the iPod controls displayed on the lock screen; shaking the iPhone will have no effect on music playback in any other modes, such as when the iPhone is locked without the iPod controls displayed, or when you are in other applications or even simply at the iPhone home screen. Note also that if you’re running iPhone OS 3.1 or later, you should hear a small “tweedle” confirmation sound when the Shake to Shuffle mode is engaged.
Q: I’m planning on getting an 8GB iPod touch as a present. I’m deciding on whether to get a refurbished 8GB second generation versus a new 8GB third generation. I have read in various articles online that *essentially* they are the same. However, I was looking for more detailed information. Specifically, are the pack-in accessories the same (headphones with microphone, etc.)? Also, does the Third Generation one come with iPhone software 3.0? Finally, are there any other differences that I should be aware of? I’m guessing that since the second and third gens are *essentially* the same, then the third-generation 8GB won’t have the updated CPU and wireless chip (with currently disabled features like FM radio and 802.11n) that the 32 and 64GB models have. But I’m not completely sure and would appreciate more clarification.
- Phil
A: Actually, the answer is even simpler than the models being “essentially the same” — they are exactly the same. More to the point, there is technically no such thing as a “third-generation” 8GB iPod touch. The third-generation iPod touch is only available in the 32GB and 64GB models. Apple is simply continuing to sell last year’s second-generation iPod touch as an 8GB entry-level model in the same way they continued selling the 8GB iPhone 3G after the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS models were released.
Therefore, an 8GB iPod touch that you purchase brand new in an Apple Store today will be physically no different at all from the same 8GB iPod touch that you could have purchased a year ago except that it will come with at least iPhone OS 3.0 pre-loaded. Note, however, that the included OS version does not make it a different-generation model — only a model that was more recently manufactured. Also keep in mind that models purchased from other retailers may be older stock that has been sitting around in the store and therefore may still have older OS versions on them, so be wary of this if you plan to purchase a new iPod touch somewhere else; in the very least make sure that they have a reasonable return policy so that you can take it back if you discover that it’s an older unit that has the 2.x OS installed.
On the other hand, second-generation refurbished iPod touch models still ship with OS 2.2.1 and you must pay for the iPod touch OS 3.1 upgrade. The refurbished models are considered old stock, and Apple does not include the latest OS version on them for whatever reason. However, when OS 3.1 was released, the upgrade price was dropped to $4.95 and you can update directly from any older OS directly to 3.1; you do not have to purchase 3.0 first. So ultimately the only real difference between a refurbished second-generation iPod touch and a new second-generation iPod touch at this point is the additional $5 that you have to pay for the 3.1 OS upgrade, which is considerably less than the price difference between a new and refurbished unit.
Q: I’m a college student living away from home. My siblings and I share an iTunes library at home with all of our songs. Now I’m at school and I keep going to the iTunes Store to buy new songs and finding that they’ve already been purchased at home. Is there any way that I can get those songs here at school without having to buy them a second time?
- Jessica
A: With the exception of iPhone and iPod touch applications, the iTunes Store does not normally allow you to re-download your purchased content, so your best option is to transfer this content either from your existing iPod device or from your home computer.
If you have some of your purchased content on your iPod itself, you can transfer this back to iTunes from your iPod by using iTunes’ own Transfer Purchases option. To do this, ensure that your computer is authorized for the same iTunes Store account that was used to purchase this content by selecting Authorize Computer from the Store menu in iTunes and then entering your iTunes Store username and password when prompted.
Once your computer is successfully authorized, connect your iPod to it and choose Transfer Purchases from the File menu and iTunes will search through your iPod for any content purchased with your iTunes Store account and copy that content back to your iTunes library.
If you have other purchased content that is only on your home computer, then you may be best to simply have another family member collect that content and either burn it onto a CD or DVD and physically mail it to you, or send you the files electronically. The files can be burned to a CD or DVD directly from within iTunes, or exported to another folder to be sent out via a file sharing service simply by dragging and dropping them from your iTunes application into a Windows Explorer or Mac OS X Finder window. Once you have the purchased tracks, you can import them into your own iTunes library on your computer as you would any other media file. You may need to authorize your computer for your iTunes Store account, as noted above, before you can actually play these tracks, but after that they will play and synchronize with your iPod as they did at home.