my iPod blog

iPod information over at Obsessable

2009-02-05T13:49:00.004-05:00

Obsessable has a good list of pages about the different iPod models and the iPhone:

Obsessable

Apple iPod touch

Apple iPod

Apple iPod classic

Apple iPod nano

Apple iPod shuffle

Apple iPhone 3G

Apple iPhone

thoughts on the convenience of the new iPod shuffle

2006-09-22T11:20:00.000-04:00

The super-small footprint, integrated clip, and anodized aluminum casing make the new iPod shuffle hott (that's with two 't's). However, the new suffle dock leaves something to be desired.
It's included, which is nice, but it's required, which is not. I'd like to get a MacBook in the near future, so my computing will become mobile. That means if I want to sync a new shuffle, I'll have to connect the USB dock before dropping the shuffle in the dock--with the older shuffle, you could just slap that sucker into a USB port. Of course, if you have a desktop, like I currently do, it's no big thing; a dock might even be nice; indeed, I spent $30 to buy the old shuffle dock so I could stop having to reach around the back of my Mac and find a USB port.
A more glaring flaw is with the shuffle's ability to store files. If you want to use the new suffle as a USB drive, you'll now have to cart around the dock, too, to connect to other systems. That's a serious drop in usefullness. Of course, I don't use my current old shuffle as a USB drive because doing so causes a major loss of stability (I'd have to do a system restore almost weekly when it started locking up).
One of the major selling points of iPods is their ease of use. Other mp3 players I've owned have been a real hassle to use. These little issues are only slightly nagging, but still, that's a step backwards for Apple.
xposted on HipSmart

Entertaining List of Uses for Your iPod

2006-02-03T11:53:00.000-05:00

iPod youPod wePod is a nice-looking clearinghouse of entertaining and frivolous uses for your iPod, such as a toilet dock or an antique stereoscopic viewer retrofitted to hold two color iPods.
Crossposted to HipSmart.

iPod Shuffle Tip Caveat

2005-11-18T13:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, so this comment is eight months after the OP ("iPod Shuffle Tip" by Jason). If you follow the recommendation to downsample your files on-the-fly while tranferring them to your iPod Shuffle, expect to chew up a lot of processor time. If you happen to have a 350MHz G3, don't even bother--it'll take hours and freeze up your Mac.

iPod Shuffle Tip

2005-03-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

This one is straight from Apple's eNews March 10, 2005 newsletter:

If you’re after the highest quality tunes and regularly import songs at bit rates higher than 128 Kbps, iTunes offers you the best of both worlds, letting you keep your high-quality songs in iTunes while exporting leaner versions of the songs, sized just right for iPod shuffle.

Here’s how: Connect iPod shuffle, open the iPod Preferences dialog, and click the iPod tab. Click the check box next to “Convert higher bit rate songs to 128 kbps AAC for this iPod.” Then click OK.

The next time you Autofill iPod shuffle, iTunes will automatically convert songs to 128 Kbps as it exports them to iPod shuffle. The original versions in your iTunes collection, meanwhile, will remain in your library at their higher encoding rate.

Cross-posted at TechBytes

My Podcasting Story: Getting Started as a Listener, Applications for Jaguar

2005-03-03T10:44:00.000-05:00

The latest issue of Wired, with a special section of the future of radio, finally piqued my interest in podcasting enough to give it a go (at least as a listener). One of my favorite sites, BoardGameGeek has been offering an almost-weekly podcast for the last six months, and I decided that my recent aquisition of an iPod shuffle deserved some indie talk radio to fill it.

Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, I've discovered that all of the Mac applications listed at iPodder.org (the definitive starting place for podcasts) require Mac OS X 10.3 to run. Even if they don't list system requirements, all of the freeware and commercial software, including the natural choice of iPodder itself, either crash when you run them or simply fail to install.

The solution? Well, what I've found to be the best RSS aggregator out there, NetNewsWire from Ranchero Software, has released a new beta of version 2.0, which includes support for downloading enclosures, and it runs great on my OS X 10.2.8 system. After subscribing to a few podcast feeds (I chose the above mentioned BoardGameGeek feed, Adam Curry's Daily Source Code, and The Laporte Report), I let NetNewsWire do its thing--it downloaded a few recent mp3s of shows, created playlists in iTunes for them, and transferred them into iTunes (in the NNW preferences, I had all the mp3s put into playlists named after their feeds, and set the genre field on all of them to "Podcast"). I created a Smart Playlist to dig out all files with the Podcast genre with a playcount of 0--that way, I have a list of the ones I haven't yet heard, ready to drag onto the shuffle, and NetNewsWire will happily chug along in the background looking for new episodes. I chose the playcount restriction because the iPod shuffle updates the playcount without updating the Last Played field.

If I had a different iPod, I could choose to have my Smart Playlist automatically synced whenever I plug the sucker in, but not so with the shuffle. As is, I have to add them manually, and then use Autofill to fill up the rest of the space with random songs.

The only problem at the moment is that my iPod shuffle doesn't seem to be updating the playcount field. I'm guessing this is because all I've tested so far are episodes of BoardGameGeek, which average over an hour long each--I can't listen to one in full in one sitting. Perhaps the shuffle isn't updating the playcount because I'm often shutting it off in mid-episode, and resuming later. Do I have to listen to an entire show without turning the shuffle off to get a playcount update? Stay tuned for further testing: the Adam Curry and Leo Laporte episodes are considerably shorter.

Nonviolent iPod Shuffle disassembly

2005-03-02T13:48:00.000-05:00

Check out this post over at hack a day:

we mentioned earlier that someone posted photos of an ipod shuffle disassembly. the previous disassembly left a few key questions unanswered, namely:

do you need to butcher the buttons to take your shuffle apart?

will the average joe be able to replace the battery?

what else is under the hood?

can it be cleanly reassembled?

this howto will attempt to answer these questions while disassembling the shuffle in a non-destructive manner.

Pretty cool and with pictures.

*x-posted on Sample the Web

iTunes Music Store Sale

2005-02-20T06:43:00.000-05:00

In case you didn't get the reminder email from Apple, all grammy winners are on sale at the iTunes Music Store. I decided to pick up both U2 and Green Day's new albums.

I also noticed the Cure's entire discography is now available, along with the new (to the US) compilation "Join the Dots". I picked up Seventeen Seconds, since I never bought it originally. Listening to old Cure albums really brings out the fact that Disintegration was the last great album the Cure made.

Every time I listen to The Killers, I can't help thinking "Ooohhh. THAT's what Robert Smith was trying to sound like on every album for the past 10 years..."

Cross posted at Jason Ball's TechBytes

Attention NYC Muggers Looking to Lift an iPod

2005-02-17T06:54:00.000-05:00

Just thought the criminals among you might like to know that someone has made a convenient map for you:

Invasion of the iPod listeners—tuaw: Khoi Winh, a resident of New York City, has noticed the same phenomenon in his fair city and unlike me he did something about it. He printed out a map of his walk from his home to work and marked the map with a red dot each time he saw an iPod listener. A little over 13 blocks later he saw 32 iPods. Not too shabby.

32 opportunities to swipe an iPod conveniently on your way home! And two of the largest clusters are right around Union Square and Madison Square Park, so you can easily get bonus points for rolling one of the rummies passed out on the park benches!

(For some reason, this was the first thing that popped in my head when I read this story. Thought I'd share...)

MacDevCenter on iPod Shuffle

2005-02-16T10:38:00.000-05:00

Check it out:

iPod shuffle Tips and Tricks by Scott Knaster -- The iPod shuffle is the easiest-to-use iPod to date. But that doesn't mean you can't customize how you listen and upload music. Scott Knaster shows you some very handy tips and tricks for the shuffle and iTunes 4.7.1.

This article is a good introduction to the features of the iPod Shuffle for all you Shuffle n00bs out there...

Machined Aluminum Hard Case For iPod Shuffle

2005-02-09T13:26:00.000-05:00

Check this out: iPodlounge Forums - Machined Aluminum Hard Case For My Shuffle. That's a pretty cool looking case.

Plantronics headset connects iPod and Cell

2005-02-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

Coolness:

Playlist: Plantronics headset connects iPod, cell phone—Plantronics on Wednesday announced availability of the MX100-s, a stereo headset that simultaneously connects music players like Apple's iPod and a mobile phone, enabling you to listen to music while answering phone calls.

I've been wanting something like this for a while.

*x-posted on Sample the Web.

iPod shuffle Arrives in Chicago

2005-02-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

I received a phone call from the Apple Store on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago yesterday, with the news I was hoping for: they had received a shipment of iPod shuffles (capitalization as per Apple), and one was on hold for me. Everything was hunky-dory as I charged it on my work PC and filled it with my smaller iTunes-at-work collection. At home, though, problems arose. I chose to disassociate the iPod shuffle from my work PC and associate it with my Mac, erasing the work PC tracks, but the song-filling process was agonizingly slow (whether I used my USB 2.0 or 1.1 port) compared to how quickly it had filled at work. Eventually, the filling process hung, and iTunes froze up. Repeated attempts to force quit iTunes eventually worked, but the shuffle was still mounted on the desktop and attempting to drag it to the Trash caused Finder to freeze. Hard re-boot, and the shuffle is fragged: an error message indicated that the shuffle mounted, but its file system was not recognized. Sooooo, downloaded the latest iPod Updater from Apple and restored the shuffle. A frustrating evening gave way to a happy commute this morning.

In answer to C.K.'s question a few posts back: "There is a little plastic slider on the headphones so you can choke the slack up to your chin. Is this a feature of non-iPod Shuffle headphones that I just happen to have missed?" I don't recall about the headphones originally packaged with my old iPod, but the Apple In-Ear Headphones I purchased also have the plastic slider. I'm using it to create a loop in the headphone cord (by placing the slider all the way towards the headphones) and wearing the loop around my neck when not in use--this way, I can keep the shuffle and the headphones hanging in easy reach all day, but out of the way and secure (under my sweater, today). Caution: may require a sufficiently svelte neck.

How to Autofill your iPod Shuffle from your iPod Or iPod Mini

2005-02-09T08:56:00.000-05:00

My article, How to Autofill your iPod Shuffle from your iPod Or iPod Mini, is up and ready for reading over at AppleMatters. An excerpt:

In last week's article, I took a look inside the invisible folder on the iPod Shuffle and talked about methods for moving your music off of your iPod / iPod mini / iPod Shuffle and back to your Mac. This week, I'm going to walk you through how to set up iTunes so that you can choose to Autofill your iPod Shuffle directly from your iPod, without having to copy all those files back to your hard drive. This is very useful for someone like myself, who works off of a 12-inch Powerbook with only 2GBs of music on my internal 60GB hard drive, but with nearly 32GB of music on my 4G 40GB iPod. These directions will center on the Mac side of things, but everything I'm doing here should be doable on a Windows XP box, so everyone, please, read along.

For those of you without iPod Shuffles, thinking to yourselves, "Who cares?," think again:

Now—organized nicely in the playlist you created in step 3 and scattered all over your Library—you have aliases (Windoze users know them as shortcuts) to all of the music files on your iPod. Any time your iPod is connected to your computer, they act like any other file in your Music Library: you can play these songs, organize them into playlists, burn them to CD, or right click on a song and choose "Show song file" to open up the window that contains it again for easy drag and drop to another location.

Free your tunes!

*x-posted to Sample the Web.

iPodFolderOpener

2005-02-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

NOTE: There are other products out there for easily copying your songs off of your iPod to your computer. If you're looking for a sophisticated program start looking here. iPodFolderOpener is a dumber version of these programs that I am busy coding for my own use. If you hate it and think it's stupid, don't use it. These scripts should work fine on any OS X computer, but I am not offering support for them. Feel free to hack away at them. This post will serve as the permanent page where I will update information regarding this software.

Click here to download iPodFolderOpener 1.0 (38KB, zipped DMG file).

Donationware: If you like these scripts and use them, visit my site (http://www.sampletheweb.com) and click on the PayPal button (underneath my picture in the sidebar) to make a donation of your choosing.

History:

Version 1.0—Initial release: messily opens as Finder windows all the invisible folders inside the Music folder of a user's iPod / iPod mini / iPod Shuffle; February 7th, 2005.

What it is:
iPodFolderOpener is an AppleScript standalone app that can be placed anywhere (I recommend your Applications folder) or script (which should be placed in either /Library/Scripts/ or ~/Library/Scripts/).

What it does:
iPodFolderOpener opens Finder windows of some or all (per your choosing) of the invisible folders containing music on your iPod, iPod mini, or iPod Shuffle. Once they are open, you can easily drag and drop the files to other locations on your computer and / or add them to your iTunes Library.

How to use it:
First, make sure that your iPod is plugged into your Mac and mounted as a hard drive in the Finder. Then, simply click on iPodFolderOpener to launch it (or if you have placed the script in the Scripts folder, simply use your script menu in the menu bar to access iPodFolderOpener). A dialog box will open asking you for the name of the iPod / iPod Shuffle / iPod mini from which you want to remove songs. If your iPod's name contains any special characters, like ' or " you should probably change it first. Spaces are okay, but if your iPod's name is "My iPod" you will need to enter a backslash before the space: "My iPod". After you enter your iPod's name, click "Okay" and another dialog box will open with three buttons: Cancel, ALL, and PICK. If you click ALL then all of the invisible folders inside your Music folder will open. If you have an almost full 40GB iPod, this will be a lot of folders, so considered yourself warned (and remember, you can always go to Finder-->File and hold down the Option key to change the Close Window function to Close All Windows). If you click on PICK another dialog will open where you must enter the name of the folder you want to open. You can do this to browse through your iPod's music a folder at a time. The folders begin with folder F00, then continue on to F01, F02, F03, etc. If you put in a folder name that doesn't exist, the script will end in an error.

Why did you write this script?:
For fame and fortune, of course. ;-) Actually, I wanted an easy way to Autofill my new iPod Shuffle from my 40GB iPod (as I tend to keep my music on my iPod, but not on my laptop's internal harddrive). iPodFolderOpener simply automates some work that you can do via the Terminal, which is the first step in accomplishing this. I am currently working on a variant of the script which will actually automate the entire process.

THE SOURCE CODE:

--iPod Opener
--Open this script in a new Script Editor window.
property your_iPod_name : missing value
property userchoice : "All"

--set the iPod name once:
set your_iPod_name to text returned of (display dialog "Enter your iPod's name:" & return & "(If your iPod's name has any spaces in it, enter a backslash before the space)" default answer "" buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 2 with icon 1)

--open some or all folders inside Music:
set userchoice to button returned of (display dialog "What do you want to do?" buttons {"Cancel", "ALL", "PICK"} default button userchoice with icon 1)
if userchoice = "ALL" then
set theNumber to "F**"
else
set theNumber to text returned of (display dialog "Enter a random folder name:" & return & "(i.e., F00, F01, F02, etc.)" & return & "If nothing happens, then there is no such folder." default answer "" buttons {"Cancel", "OK"} default button 2 with icon 1)
end if

do shell script "open /Volumes/" & your_iPod_name & "/iPod_Control/Music/" & theNumber & "/"

display dialog "Done!" buttons {"Okay! Thanks!"}

Listed on Versiontracker.

iPod Shuffle RAID

2005-02-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

Check this out:

Wright This Way: iPod Shuffle RAID—So, what do you do when you and some friends are all getting iPod Shuffles? You make a RAID array out of them, of course! Follow along as we explore new depths of geekery...

This reminds me of that floppy RAID that was bouncing around the net last year.

*x-posted on Sample The Web

A Look Inside the iPod Shuffle

2005-02-03T20:22:00.000-05:00

This week's AppleMatters article, A Look Inside the iPod Shuffle, is up and ready for reading over at AppleMatters:

I realize that we've already shown a dissection of the iPod Shuffle here at AppleMatters, but what I haven't seen is a look inside the iPod Shuffle's file structure. Let's do it.

At the end of the article, I note:

This is also the same type of procedure you would use for fishing songs off of your regular iPod / iPod mini. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to figure out how to write a script that will use these commands to auto-fill my iPod Shuffle from my regular iPod...

I'm serious about this. My scripting skills are at the level where I know how to run basic copy commands to automate the transfer of songs from my iPod to my iPod Shuffle. What I don't know how to do is to run a random search that also determines how many songs can be taken from point a and shoved into point b. If anybody has any ideas, please let me know. Also, if you are a most industrious coder than me, please feel free to take this idea and make it yourself. Just send me a copy when it is done. Thanks!

*x-posted on Sample the Web.

Autofill from iPod

2005-01-24T13:02:00.000-05:00

The big thing that the iPod Shuffle is missing is the ability to Autofill from a mounted regular iPod. Since I only have about 2 GB of music on my computer, and around 32GBs of music on my iPod, the selection is limited. Being able to Autofill from my iPod would be a great way of adding value to the iPod Shuffle, marketing it as a smaller sidekick for your regular iPod. I don't see the downside to this option for Apple, as you'd still have all the regular DRM in effect and the inability to pull the songs back to a computer for unlawful tinkering and spreading of music. You could even "pair" a particular iPod Shuffle to a particular iPod.

Dear Apple / Steve Jobs.

Please enable Autofill from iPod as an option in iTunes for the iPod Shuffle.

Yours,
C.K. Sample, III

*x-posted to Sample the Web

Weekend with the 1GB iPod Shuffle

2005-01-24T11:33:00.000-05:00

So, Friday afternoon, my 1GB iPod Shuffle arrived. It's nice and I like the interface. I just wanted to note a few things that I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere. Everybody has been talking about how insanely light the iPod Shuffle is, so much so that I was afraid it would feel too light. I was worried it would not feel substantial, but rather flimsy because of its light weight. This is not the case. The 'Pod Shuffle has a nice feel to it.

I like the controls. They are rather intuitive like the regular iPod, but easier to navigate without a screen. For example, the Pause/Play button is big in the center, so if you are outside shoveling snow with your iPod Shuffle zipped up underneath your coat and your neighbor shouts something at you, you can just sort of push in the middle of your chest, and pause the music, so you can shout back, "WHAT?!" and listen to the answer.

Also worth note, I never would've taken my regular iPod out in the snow with me. It is simply too big of an investment and I would be too worried it would be damaged. In comparison—and this is where the iPod Shuffle really shines for me—the iPod Shuffle is constructed in such a small wear-around-the-neck sort of way that it is perfect for this sort of thing. No worries and less chance of damaging it, and even if something bad were to happen, it's priced low enough where it could be replaced with relatively little pain. It's the disposable iPod (not really).

It has a hold function, surprisingly. You have to hold down the Pause/Play button for three seconds to initiate Hold. A little orange light blinks three times to let you know that Hold is turning on, and then holding the button for 5 more seconds turns it off and this is indicated by a blinking green light.

Apple packages it with a little credit-card-sized information / instruction card with all the different control functions. Very nice. They should have this little card for all the iPod models.

Go with the 1GB. I can see this was the right move. If I'd bought the 512MB, I would've had a difficult time choosing how much space to give to songs and how much to files. As is, the 1GB is like 2 in one: it's a 512MB MP3 player and a separate 512MB USB flash drive.

Plugging the iPod Shuffle into my USB port blocks a port on either side of the iPod Shuffle on my Powerbook. Some people are going to be very annoyed by this. Just invest in a USB extension cord.

The sound quality is really good and it has a good internal amp. I actually like that there is no iPod-software-brain playing interference between the raw track and the output from the headphones as there is with the built-in equalizer and sound check functions on the iPod. I hate the regular iPod's equalizer. It's there, so I think I should use it, but if I use it, I feel like I have to continually change it for different songs. Really annoying. The iPod Shuffle eliminates this dilemma for me.

And finally (at least until I get a chance to read things over later and update this post), there is a very slight noise between tracks. I'm not sure if it is the internal workings of the device, or if it is the sound cutting out for a millisecond, but I notice it.

UPDATE: Two other thoughts occurred to me. 1. Unlike the 4G iPods, the iPod Shuffle does not auto-pause when the headphones are accidentally unplugged. This is a mistake, I think, and a feature that I would say is more needed in the iPod Shuffle, considering its design, than in any other iPod. 2. There is a little plastic slider on the headphones so you can choke the slack up to your chin. Is this a feature of non-iPod Shuffle headphones that I just happen to have missed?

*x-posted on Sample the Web

iPod shuffle Proves Elusive

2005-01-19T15:34:00.000-05:00

I've made a habit of calling the four Apple stores in Illinois daily, to discover if they have received an inventory of iPod shuffles. I've had no luck yet, but at least three of them have gotten some in, only to have sold out even before I called. The earliest shipment was last Friday at the Skokie store, but they only received the 512MB model. It seems the locations are realizing the demand, and attempting to stem the probably large volume of callers like me daily--I just called the North Michigan Avenue store, and was invited to put my name and phone number on a list, so that they can call me as soon as the 1GB model arrives.
What with the 3-4 week wait at the online store, I'm hoping I can get my hands on one before my trip next week.

iPod Shuffles a little further away

2005-01-13T22:27:00.000-05:00

The estimated shipping date of the 1GB iPod Shuffle at Apple's web store rose from 1-2 weeks to 3-4 weeks sometime this evening (and the 512MB model also receded further into the future). Urk! And, in case you were wondering, no, the physical Apple Store on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago doesn't have any. Now it's a guessing game--should I order it off the web and hope it ships in 3-4 weeeks plus 5 days shipping, or hope that the guy at the store was right when he said they might have them in 10 days?

UPDATE via C.K.: After reading your post, I checked the order I placed on the 11th for the 1GB iPod Shuffle. It said 5-7 business days when I placed the order, but now the ship date says "On or before the 24th." I don't like Apple's math. Grrr...

Portable Audio-listening Heaven, Part 2: The Simpl A1 Headphone Amplifier for iPod

2005-01-12T11:33:00.000-05:00

My article, Portable Audio-listening Heaven, Part 2: The Simpl A1 Headphone Amplifier for iPod, is up and ready for reading on AppleMatters. An excerpt:

The Shure E3c will ensure that your iPod's sound is clear at low and normal volume levels, but due to the iPod's limitations the sound may not remain clear at higher volumes. The audiophiles among you will notice that the iPod's internal amplifier can sometimes muddy things up when the music is cranked. How can you un-muddy it? With an external amplifier. Enter the Simpl A1.

Check it out.

iPod Shuffle

2005-01-12T11:22:00.000-05:00

iPod Shuffle: Integrated USB connector (thumb-drive) $99 for 512mb and $149 for 1GB.

Since yesterday was my birthday, I came into some birthday money. I'd been thinking about spending some money on a flash thumb-drive recently, so I went ahead and ordered the 1GB iPod Shuffle. I'll let you know when it comes in and how it compares to my 4G iPod.

In the meantime, here's the best bit of news I've heard so far about the iPod Shuffle:

iPod Shuffle: first impressions - The Unofficial Apple Weblog - apple.weblogsinc.com Breen takes the time to make one more point: the iPod Shuffle is formatted as an MS-DOS volume, which means you’ll be able to let this fresh new device be a swinger in the cross-platform set: no need to reformat to move it between operating systems.

Yeah! Now I don't have to setup the iPod Shuffle on a Windoze machine just to be able to use it as a thumb drive on whatever machine I'm closest to...

Also, for those of you still in school or associated with an educational institution, you'll be glad to hear that the 1GB iPod Shuffle will only cost you $139, but unfortunately, there is no educational discount on the half-gig model.

Get 13 free songs from iTunes Music Store

2005-01-06T11:32:00.000-05:00

This is a cool tip for free music:

Get 13 free songs from iTunes Music Store | MacMegasite
Apple has a promotion in which new iPod owners receive an iTunes Music Sampler with 13 free songs from iTunes Music Store. If you already own an iPod, you can also get the same free music.

The question is: Is the hassle of backing up my entire iPod collection and then copying it back over after the transaction is complete worth 13 measly songs? I mean, that's a lot of wasted time and energy.

how-to record on your ipod (for free)

2004-12-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

Check it out: how-to record on your ipod (for free) - ipod hacks - ipod.hackaday.com.

This would be really cool if it worked with my 4G iPod.

iPod-Linux Installer

2004-12-21T22:09:00.000-05:00

I can't wait until this comes out for the 4G:

SourceForge.net: Project Info - iPod-Linux Installer
An easy to use GUI program that enables Mac OS X user with iPods to install linux on their HFS formatted ipods while still allowing you to keep and use the Apple Supplied OS. Currently supports all but the photo, 4g, U2, and Mini iPods.

Tattoo your iPod

2004-12-15T11:21:00.000-05:00

This week's AppleMatters article is all about getting ink on your iPod. Check it out.

Build an eDoc Reader for your iPod

2004-12-15T11:20:00.000-05:00

Matthew Russell has written the first part of a series of articles on how to Build an eDoc Reader for your iPod. The article's title is a bit misleading, as this isn't a program to run on your iPod but a Mac-coded program to convert files to the proper format for reading on the iPod. The program looks cool, the article would appear to be a very useful tutorial for someone trying to get into Mac-coding, and I'm looking forward to the next installment's discussion of converting PDF files.

If you want to avoid having to code this stuff for yourself, there are already a few programs like iPoDoc and Text2iPodX that convert text files to an iPod-friendly format. Text2iPodX will even work with older, pre-3G iPods by porting the text to the Contacts folder. I wrote a couple of articles for iPod and iTunes Hacks that discuss these programs and cover how to hand-roll an iPod-readable document. Check it out.

Hack your iPod's Graphics

2004-12-06T07:06:00.000-05:00

Ok. This isn't fully realized yet, but check out this Hack a Day entry that links to this thread at iPod Hacks. Make sure you check out both links, as the graphics aren't showing up in the thread, but are showing up over at Hack a Day. Pretty cool.

iPod and iTunes Hacks: Got my copy!

2004-10-28T15:23:00.000-04:00

I just received my copy of iPod and iTunes Hacks via UPS this morning. Congrats to Hadley Stern for the hard work! The book looks great. For those of you eager to flip directly to the hacks written by yours truly as soon as you receive your copy, here's the breakdown:

Hack #21: p.93 Craft an iPod Case from Cardboard

Hack #22: p.103 Repurpose a Dead iPod

Hack #36: p.145 Play Games on Your iPod

Hack #37: p.147 Write an iPod Adventure Game

Hack #38: p.151 Convert Text Files into iPod Books

Hack #39: p.154 Write Your Own iPod Book

Hack #53: p.220 Import Lyrics into iTunes and iPod

Hack #57: p.238 Clutter Your Desktop with Music

The book is filled with a nice balance of need-to-know, useful, and plain old fun hacks. 100 hacks totaling 417 pages of cross-platform hackable goodness. Check it out.

*x-posted everywhere...

Apple - iPod Photo

2004-10-26T17:41:00.000-04:00

Hot diggety! Apple has released the iPod Photo. Photos on your iPod's new color screen, or on your TV with the video out port--in slideshow format with backing music from the iPod, natch! The simple-is-best highlight? The new iTunes 4.7 sends your album art to the iPod, so you can see the album cover of the song you're listening to, automatically. Cool!

A Month Off...

2004-10-16T15:22:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to apologize to everyone for not posting much recently. I'm getting married in less than a month and much of the time that I would normally spend on this blog is being eaten up by details involved with preparing to join my life with the life of another. In any case, rather than continuing the paltry performance I have produced here of late, I've decided to take a month off from 3650 and from my iPod blog. You may still see a post trickle out from time to time on Sample the Web, and I will continue writing my weekly article for AppleMatters.

Sorry for the drop off. I'll be back in the blogging-saddle in a month. Until then...

Hopefully, some of the other so-called contributers will take up some of the slack... *hint hint*

94.1 FM

2004-10-07T13:16:00.002-04:00

94.1 FM has been my iTrip station of choice for blaring my iPod tunes through my car's stereo during the daily commute. There seems to be a slight bit of interference very close to work, so I might be switching channels soon. For the most part, however, it's a really good connection and the iTrip is the first radio transmitter for the iPod that I've used and had work consistently well. Not needing a battery of its own is a huge plus.

I would like if—like the iPod dock's line out—the iTrip connected through the data port at the bottom of the iPod, so the line would be level and I wouldn't have to continually adjust the iPod's volume in addition to the stereo's volume for every new song. If anyone at Griffin designing the iTrip 2.0 reads this site, please implement this change, make iTrip 2.0 some sort of dangling dongle that can attach at the bottom of the iPod without forcing me to take my iPod out of its case, and see me a free one for being such a smart guy. Thanks!

Windoze Desktop Portability via the iPod

2004-10-06T14:38:00.000-04:00

Engadget reports on Migo, which offers the ability to take your Windows desktop with you on your iPod.

begin gloat// Being a Mac user, I've had the ability to boot from my iPod for some time or to simply sync my Home folder between multiple computers using the iPod. //end gloat

iPod and iTunes Hacks

2004-09-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

I contributed a handful of articles and served as technical editor on O'Reilly's iPod and iTunes Hacks by Hadley Stern. I've read all the way through the rough copies of the book, and it's packed with hackery goodness. Here's a link to O'Reilly's page for the book, which also links to some sample hacks, including this hack in pdf format by yours truly. Go preorder a copy already!

Thanks for the work, Hadley! Great working with you!

*x-posted everywhere...

iPod Promotions Galore!

2004-09-30T06:18:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the 21st Century! There's no reason why you shouldn't have an iPod or iPod mini, as everyone would seem to be giving them away forfree, albeit with a few strings attached. As previously mentioned, Ongo Bongo is giving away a free iPod mini if you sign up for a year of their service,. But now, Air France is giving away free iPod minis to anyone who flies to a European destination via a mail-in rebate. Also, although it isn't quite free, Audible.com will give you 100 bucks off an iPod with a year subscription to their service. In any case, join us. Get thee an iPod!

iPoDonut...

2004-09-28T14:07:00.001-04:00

Have you been craving glow in the dark sticker goodness for your iPod / iPod mini's click-wheel? Well, iPoDonut is here to save the day. Sure, it has a stupid name, but that hazardous materials sticker is cool!

iPod flashlight and laserbeam

2004-09-25T10:40:00.000-04:00

Griffin announces the iBeam, a set of peripherals for your iPod/iPod mini including a flashlight and a laserbeam. From their site:

Introducing the Griffin iBeam set, ready for your dock-connector iPod or iPod mini. The snap-on flashlight is great for finding keys in the dark. The other half of the package is a class IIIA laser pointer, handy for iPod-friendly presentations and other, less professional pursuits. Both units come with a snap-on protective cap that can be attached to any keychain for convenient portability and accessibility.

I have to point out here that actually finding the iPod and the snap-on flashlight in the dark would probably be more difficult than finding your keys (especially if the snap-on protective cap is attached to your keychain). In any case, lasers are always cool, but all in all it looks like the least useful iPod peripheral ever, as neither part of the set actually interacts with the iPod itself. Make a little laser attachment that produces a light show to go along with the currently playing track, and then you might actually have something interesting, Griffin.

The Cult of Mac blog on Free iPods

2004-09-25T10:33:00.000-04:00

The Cult of Mac blog has a few notes on FreeiPods.com that are worth reading. I've been trying the FreeiPods thing since they first launched and still only have two people who have completed the offer under me, so I am still waiting for that free iPod. If you're interested in trying to get your own free iPod, and wouldn't mind helping me out, then please use this link to FreeiPods.com and complete an offer. But read all the warnings over at C.O.M.B. first.

Free iPod mini for $264

2004-09-23T13:55:00.000-04:00

Ongo Bongo is giving away "Free" iPod minis after mail-in rebate and if you subscribe to their service for a year. The service? Basically: Netflix for CDs. But with an iPod mini, who needs CDs? If you are only renting the CDs you cannot legally put them on the iPod mini (or I suppose you cannot legally leave the songs on the iPod mini), so it looks like one big lawsuit waiting to happen. Check it out if interested, but make sure you read all the fine print on their legal page.

iPodDownload yanked!

2004-09-16T19:21:00.000-04:00

iPodDownload yanked. Apple killed it. Did you get it beforehand? Will a torrent of it emerge?

UPDATE: Somebody is mirroring it here.

iPodDownload

2004-09-15T15:19:00.000-04:00

iPodDownload is the brand new hotness:

This free iTunes plugin allows you to download tracks from your iPod to your iTunes library.

The integration with iTunes is what makes this great. Pick which songs you want to copy over without having to copy over everything.

New iPod mini

2004-09-13T15:43:00.000-04:00

On my recent visit to the US, I picked up a silver iPod mini at the Apple Store in Memphis.

I had a 10GB 1st generation iPod that died in January (thanks again for selling me a bum iPod, CK) and have really needed a replacement since then. It was a tough decision between a new 20GB Click Wheel iPod and the iPod mini, but in the end the mini won out because I felt it would the best fit for life in London.

Most people would say that I'm crazy for having bought a 4GB device when I could have purchased a 20GB device for $50 more... but, I move around a lot in the city, and my iPod is always in my pocket. The 10GB was like carrying a brick in the breast pocket of my jacket while the mini is like having a small phone.

And that's really the what tipped the scale in the mini's favor: size and weight. It is always with me and I want the lightest device possible. My trips are relatively short (even the occasional trip to Spain takes only 4 hours), so the mini's capacity isn't a problem.

Also, I used to backup files to the 10GB iPod. I don't use the mini for backup purposes anymore. That is what DVDs are for and should I lose my iPod, I really don't want all those files available to anyone with a firewire port. (Yes, I know they can be encrypted).

4GB of music is more than enough for the morning commute and the occasional trip. Intercontinental flights are a bit more problematic, but I only fly to the US once or twice a year. It's pretty hard to justify carrying around a larger iPod 363 days a year so that I have a bit more storage space the other 2 days.

My orignal reaction to the iPod mini after its announcement:

Well, I think Apple blew the price point on this one...$249 is simply too much for this iPod. As CK said you can get a 15GB for $299...

However, I think this little guy is a good indication of where the iPod is going over the next few generations- particularly size-wise. I'm glad they got rid of those awful buttons at the top of the iPod. One of my main reasons for getting the "old school" iPod from CK was the form factor. The new miniPod has improved on the original- instead of taking a step backwards like the current 3G iPods.

I'll have to see the aluminum finish in person to judge that, but I can imagine it will be beautiful. And the fact there there is no white miniPod could mean no more white Apple products...I can't wait for the second generation of this little guy....

I will say that the alumnimum finish is great, and after two weeks of use it looks like it just came out of the box. I think it's going to hold up much better than the scratch-magnet original iPod.

The click-wheel is a great piece of engineering as well. It's much better than the original scroll wheel with the buttons around it and light years ahead of the awful 3G buttons-above-the-wheel model.

The only problem I have encountered is the famous "stuck menu button". For some reason the Menu button decides to not work and the only way to get it working again is a soft reset (hold down menu and select for 10 seconds). Aside from that one (software) glitch, it's a fine replacement for my original iPod.

[Cross-posted at TechBytes]

Replace your iPod's Battery

2004-09-09T15:15:00.000-04:00

This is a pretty cool walkthru of how simple it is to replace your iPod's Battery.

iPod Tattoos, HP iPod, and Extreme iPod, oh my!

2004-08-27T13:28:00.000-04:00

Today is a crazy iPod day, filled with cool news. My favorite, by far, comes from HP, who announced their new HP iPod today. It's actually the same as the Mac iPod, so no big deal there, however, they also announced new iPod tattoos in different artist flavors and they are supposed to provide inkjet printable templates for them as well, which is the absolute coolest idea for an iPod peripheral that I have heard of in quite some time. Also, there's this new site ExtremeiPod, which I haven't noticed before, and HP has a pretty cool piece of vaporware in the DJammer for DJs iPod peripheral.

Kubrick iPod: Make Your iPod into a Robot.

2004-08-16T13:12:00.000-04:00

Check this out: iKub: “400% Kubrick iPod!” - Engadget - www.engadget.com. iPod + Robot = Cool.

Griffin RoadTrip...

2004-08-13T11:57:00.000-04:00

I spotted mention of the Griffin Roadtrip on Cult of Mac Blog this morning. Pretty cool all-in-one solution for iPod-to-car compatibility.

Two engadget iPod related thingies...

2004-08-03T16:00:00.000-04:00

This and this...

Make your iPod into a Universal Remote...

2004-07-27T17:05:00.000-04:00

This is a very cool hack. Turns your iPod into a universal remote. Although, I must say, I really like the Phillips Universal Remote that I bought from Best Buy not that long ago. It actually controls EVERYTHING I have in my collection....

iPod Gets Real...

2004-07-26T09:26:00.000-04:00

So Boing Boing is reporting that Real now will work on your iPod. Who cares? Real sucks...

iPod Update available via Software Update...

2004-07-20T14:10:00.000-04:00

Sure, yesterday a bunch of people reported that this was available, but did you really think I was going to manually navigate somewhere and click and wait for a download? Heck, no! In any case, the newest iPod Update is available via Software Update:

Read Before You Install iPod Updater

iPod Updater 2004-07-15 includes iPod Software 3.0 for use with iPods with a Click Wheel. iPod Updater 2004-07-15 also includes the latest software versions for iPod mini and the third generation iPod.

With iPod Software 3.0, you can:
Shuffle Songs with one click (using the Shuffle Songs item in the main menu)
Create multiple On-The-Go playlists
Delete songs from On-The-Go playlists
Select reading playback speed for audiobooks
Hear audible click user interface feedback in headphones
Charge via USB connection
Enjoy improved playback performance

For more information about iPod, go to http://www.apple.com/support/ipod.

iPod Updater 2004-07-15 contains the same software versions as iPod Updater 2004-04-28 for all other iPod models.

iPod 3.0 Software is not compatible with other models of iPod, including original scroll wheel and touch wheel iPods, and iPod mini.

iPod Software 2.2 and iPod Software 1.2 should not be used with iPod with Click Wheel.

Lock and load (although you might want to check this out first.)

In case you hadn't heard...

2004-07-18T10:32:00.000-04:00

New iPods tomorrow. Don't see the evidence in the article itself? Well, how about this picture:

Is it just me, or does Steve look CRAZY in this pic?

Also, podtender looks useful...

Free iPods

2004-07-17T14:33:00.000-04:00

Hey, everyone! If you are interested in getting a free iPod (and helping me to get a free iPod mini for Kristin), follow this link to FreeiPods.com and participate in one of the items / services linked to there. Since I have a pet parrot, I bought him some toys on the Pet Meds link on the page. Now I just have to get 5 other people to participate to get my free iPod and every person who participates only needs to get 5 more people to participate to get themselves a free iPod. Spread the word, word...

Alpine iPod in-car solution...

2004-07-13T11:05:00.000-04:00

Time to throw out those iPod radio transmitters that never work well enough. Alpine has a $100 solution that makes your iPod integrate nicely with your car's Alpine set.

London iPod Nightclub..

2004-07-08T15:07:00.000-04:00

Jason, and anyone else in London, might be interested in this. Or, maybe not.

iPod mini UK availablility

2004-07-08T09:03:00.000-04:00

The iPod mini is *finally* available for order on the Apple UK store. Plus, I'm actually impressed that Apple introduced the mini at only £179- I was really expecting £199, since the 15GB iPod goes for £249.

I wonder if Apple is diverting mini's from the US to Europe now...after having snatched them from us a few months back I half expected Apple to push back the introduction again to September. But hey, just because you can order one doesn't mean you can actually get one...

RetroPod..

2004-07-02T10:57:00.000-04:00

This is cool in the same way that bellbottoms are cool.

Bluetooth Headset for your iPod..

2004-07-02T10:55:00.000-04:00

These are cool. Please feel free to send me one.

For you non-BMW owners out there...

2004-07-02T10:53:00.000-04:00

...and that list includes myself, we find this nice little solution:

Alpine: iPod interface coming this fall
Apple and BMW's recent "iPod Your BMW" promotion offers a way for owners of recent-model BMW vehicles to interface their iPods with their stereos. But if you don't own a BMW or don't have a compatible model, what are you to do? One solution comes from venerable car audio maker Alpine, which in January announced the development of its Interface Adapter for iPod. With Apple and BMW's recent announcement making the rounds, Alpine recently offered further information about its product, which it now says will ship in the fall. [MacCentral]

I've been debating replacing the sub-par radio system in my Lancer, and this looks like a very viable candidate.

Update from Talking Panda

2004-06-28T20:36:00.000-04:00

I received a nice reply from Bob Ippolito, the developer behind Talking Panda:

CK,

All of your existing Notes are stored in a numbered Notes backup folder on your iPod. Unfortunately, due to technical limitations of the iPod (there are scalability and nesting level issues), we made the decision to "take over" the Notes reader rather than attempt to integrate with existing notes. As you can see, we've made a special notice on our page hoping to make this decision more clear due to your input.

We'll definitely be talking to Apple about upgrading the iPod firmware to better support our application in the future, but this is the "state of the art" as far as the iPod goes.

I apologize for the response latency today, but I (the developer responsible for the installer) am currently attending WWDC and do not have constant internet access while sessions are going on.

Bob Ippolito
Talking Panda

Hopefully, Apple will continue to expand the possibilities of the Notes function on the iPod.

Thanks, Bob!

WARNING: Don't install Talking Panda... [UPDATE]

2004-06-28T15:58:00.000-04:00

Alright, I just had a bad experience. This post over at Gizmodo pointed me to Talking Panda, a really cool language guide complete with audio built for the iPod's Notes feature. The problem? Well, installing the guide erased ALL OF MY NOTES without any warning or indication that it would, replacing my entire Notes folder with the Japanese demo. Supremely uncool. Here's the email I just sent them regarding this issue:

Hiya,

I just downloaded the demo of your Japanese book and was going to recommend it to my readers, because it really is a great idea. However, the installer to your program just erased all the Notes I had stored in my Notes folder on my iPod which really really sucks. You should probably fix it so that the book installs in a folder inside the Notes folder rather than simply replacing everything inside the Notes folder. Otherwise, it will make it extremely impractical and hazardous for many users.

Let me know when you've fixed this error.
--C.K.

If you never use your Notes folder, though, go check it out.

UPDATE: Okay, I discovered thanks to comments here that there was actually a backup folder of my Notes made on the iPod during installation. However, I have not heard back from the developers and there is no documentation of this backup in the form of a read me or on their website (only evidently in the installer itself, which I clicked thru). So, at the least, better documentation is needed. BUT, this still cripples my iPod's Notes functionality when on the go. I can either have Talking Panda, or I can have my Notes. I suppose I could drag the backed up Notes over to the Notes folder and have them all mixed up with Talking Panda, but that is extremely messy. I hope they revise the software so that it installs in a folder inside the Notes folder rather than becoming a Notes folder hog, as it currently is.

*cross-posted on 3650...

Save the iPod

2004-06-28T15:55:00.000-04:00

Just received the following email:

Hey CK,

This is a pretty important story. There's a bill up right now that could mean serious legal troubles for future iPods, so we just launched savetheipod.com. It would be awesome if you could post about it to your iPod blog.

Thanks a ton for your time,
Holmes

A new Senate bill (S. 2560 - "The INDUCE Act") would make businesses liable for customers who use their product to make unauthorized copies. Legal experts say this bill would give the big record companies grounds to sue Apple for selling the Apple iPod. People need to act right now to save the iPod:

www.savetheipod.com

Today, activists from freeculture.org will be on the ground at WWDC in San Francisco passing out "Save the iPod" stickers. But we need everyone to get involved. At savetheipod.com you can fax your senator, and send op-ed letters to local papers. Do it now!

Apple computer gave the major record labels the iTunes Music Store, quite possibly their best chance for survival on the internet. You'd think they would be gratetful. But now the major labels, along with Hollywood, are pushing for legislation that would give them the power to bully hardware manufacturers and software designers. The major labels say the law is aimed at p2p companies, but the legal language they're pushing is much broader than that.

The labels have not promised that they won't sue hardware manufacturers. Two decades ago, Hollywood sued Sony for making the Betamax VCR, and the INDUCE Act would make lawsuits like that possible again. This threat needs to be taken seriously.

Read more at: savetheipod.com

For legal information on how this new bill threatens Apple and the iPod see the EFF: http://www.eff.org/IP/Apple_Complaint.php

Usually, I would file this under "The Sky is Falling," but the way things have been going politically as of late, I fear that Chicken Little may be right....

WWDC Wishing

2004-06-24T17:55:00.000-04:00

I was just telling CK "Microsoft just introduced 250MB of (spam) storage for Hotmail. Apple used to offer 15x what hotmail offered, and now Gmail is the leader of free email with 1GB. So at 15x the free market you get 15GB. Why doesn't apple give us a "virtual iPod" to store all of our music, files and emails? Make it sync with your Pod or stream music to something else. Or act as a virtual HD so that your music is always accessible from wherever you are- no authorizing computers, no 5 computer limits. If you log in, you can listen. Period."

I can see the headlines now "Every iPod needs a .iPod"...

Buy more stuff: FEED YOUR POD!!!

2004-06-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

So, there have been some cool announcements in the world of iPod peripherals recently:

SendStation has:
the PocketDock Combo, which allows iPod owners to use standard USB and FireWire cables to connect their dock-compatible iPods to their PCs (instead of using Apple's cables) and the PocketDock Line Out, which includes both the standard FireWire and an eighth-inch stereo jack which feeds signal directly out of the iPods line-out port (instead of the amplified headphone jack at the top).

IcceWear iPod cases...

Bluetooth add-ons for your iPod.

Cards iPod Contest

2004-06-10T08:42:00.000-04:00

Win a free iPod mini if you design the best business card using this software in this contest. That is all.

Constitution on your iPod

2004-06-08T21:18:00.000-04:00

Go here to get a copy of the United States Constitution that you can read on your iPod (under Extras-->Notes). So you can listen to your iTMS purchases, read the Constitution, and get really really mad about how absurd DRM is.

iPod Beat: New iPod Community Site

2004-06-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

Check out iPod Beat, the new iPod Community Site on the block...

iPod a Greatest Rock n' Roll Moment

2004-06-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

Check it out:

iPod among greatest rock 'n roll moments
This month's Rolling Stone lists the iPod among "The 50 Moments that Changed Rock 'n' Roll."... [MacMinute]

This is cool in a way. But, then again, considering that Rock n' Roll used to be a cry of youthful rebellion, this consumer product being awarded the status of "great moment" is kind of sad in a way, too...

In other news, Velvet Revolver's new album hit iTMS today and I got it. Review soon to come. GnR + STP = KICK ASS!

PodQuest

2004-06-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

File this under useful:

PodQuest 1.2
About PodQuest
Adds a menu to your menu bar which allows you to download driving directions to your iPod. PodQuest supports downloading driving directions from MapQuest and MapBlast. [Mac OS X Downloads]

iPod resurrection [UPDATED]

2004-05-30T17:54:00.000-04:00

The iPod CK cleverly sold me just before its demise died of a firewire port failure a few months back. I've talked the system admin where I'm working into tinkering with it. We've re-soldered the firewire connection (which had completely broken off) but the iPod is still not working and I continue to be the proud owner of a very well designed paper weight.

We're going to try to fix it, but I'm hesitant to invest any more cash without a clear indication that I will get a return on the investment. Anyone had any success resurrecting a pod that died of a bad firewire port?
--

Well, after further investigation, tinkering and re-soldering the firewire port, my iPod resurrection turned out to be completely unsuccessful. It looks like once an iPod gets sick from Firewire port failure, it's a terminal illness. Use care when connecting and disconnecting your 1st gen Pods...

UPDATE FROM C.K.—Sorry, Jason.

MacFixIt updates their iPod report...

2004-05-28T12:19:00.000-04:00
Check this out:
iPod/iPod mini special report updated

We've updated our special report covering the iPod and the iPod mini with the following new and/or revised sections:

Sounds dropouts, pauses

iPod-stored tracks cannot use some iTunes features

iPod 2004-04-28 updater issues

iPod in the media

To read the full updated report, click here.
[MacFixIt]

Drool... I want an iPal!

2004-05-26T14:37:00.000-04:00
Check out the iPal:
The iPod's iPAL
Capitalizing/cashing in on the success of the iPod, Tivoli Audio has gone and designed a version of the PAL, their minimalist portable FM radio, called (most imaginatively) the iPAL that matches the color scheme of Apple’s player and has a line-in jack for use as an external speaker.
[Via Tech Digest]
[engadget.com]

I really want one of these suckers for my desk.

iPodLibrary

2004-05-26T10:29:00.000-04:00
Found iPodLibrary mentioned on iPodHacks. Here's what iPodLibrary has to say:
This is really just a holding page for now: There's lots to come, including the first few podBooks (currently in production - on music, anime, politics and Macs....) and an online engine for submitting your work. You can also submit a podBookby email if you want.
Here's a link to a guide on how to author a podBook [pdf file] , and once you're finished you should email your completed podBook to info@ipodlibrary.com

Nice emergent micro-publisher. I'm looking forward to some interesting titles...

Red Screen iPod Mod...

2004-05-24T12:03:00.000-04:00
Check out this modded iPod.

Get Jesus in your iPod: BiblePod

2004-05-21T09:32:00.000-04:00
BiblePod is freeware that lets you:
transfer books and chapters from the King James Version bible to your iPod, whether you’re running Windows or Mac. It takes use of the Notes feature built-in to 3rd generation iPods and iPod mini’s.

The only comment I have is: Why King James? I mean, it's poetic and all, but KJ was too politically involved in its making and ergo it is probably the worst English translation of the Bible, no matter what the Mormons and the Jehovah's Witnesses say...

LoadPod

2004-05-20T16:07:00.000-04:00
Still haven't found the time to load all your CDs onto your now, not so new iPod / iPod mini? You could always pay someone else to do it for you at $1.50 per CD: LoadPod.

Apple's iPod Division

2004-05-19T21:53:00.000-04:00
Check it:
Apple creates new iPod division, shuffles execs
Apple has created a new division within the company focused solely on the iPod... [MacMinute]

KBarticle on Resetting a Frozen iPod

2004-05-19T08:10:00.000-04:00
Apple has a new Knowledge Base Article explaining what to do if your iPod is frozen for those newbie iPoders among you who haven't yet dealt with the big music freeze.

Video iPod Rumors

2004-05-14T13:14:00.000-04:00
Video iPod Rumors are circulating again, but I have to say, the little screen on the iPod is a little too teenie (it's smaller than the one on my 3650). Also, I'd rather watch movies on my 3650, or alternately on my GBA SP. Word.

Kevin Rose's iPod mini just died on The Screen Savers...

2004-05-11T20:09:00.000-04:00
So, I'm watching TechTV's The Screen Savers and Kevin Rose's iPod mini just lost all of his songs live on air. That sucks! Good press for Apple's production flaws, tho.

DRM crippling older purchased iTMS songs...

2004-04-30T11:18:00.000-04:00
A nice breakdown of why iTMS DRM sucketh. All your 10 times burnable DRM songs were robbed of three of their burns when you updated to iTunes 4.5. I don't know about you, but I feel as if I am entitled to a partial refund.

I think this sort of "we can change the rules on and functionality of your previously purchased property any time we damn well please" aspect to the DRM is what makes me want to strip every song I buy of it. Good thing somebody has already cracked the new scheme... I wonder if 4.5.1 will be released soon to countermand this hack.

*x-posted on 3650...

iTalk Review...

2004-04-25T11:41:00.000-04:00
So, Powerpage has a much more detailed review of the iTalk than mine from the other day. Go check it out.

Griffin iTalk vs. Belkin Voice Recorder...

2004-04-23T13:55:00.000-04:00
So now I have both the Griffin iTalk and the Belkin Voice Recorder. I will be keeping the Griffin iTalk and giving the Belkin Voice Recorder away to a friend, however, both are exceptionally cool and useful products. The only down side to the Belkin Voice Recorder was the inability to plug headphones or an external mic directly into it. Really, the headphones is the main issue for me, as the Belkin mic is really good. In fact, I think the internal mic on the BVR is a little better quality than the one on the iTalk. However, the iTalk does have a plug for an external mic, which also doubles as a headphone jack. Unfortunately, you cannot listen on the headphone set while recording with the internal mic on the iTalk, which was something I was really excited to try out. However, I can leave the iTalk on my iPod at all times, ready to go and record whenever I need to, which is better than the BVR, which I had to pop on. Also, the speaker on the iTalk is much louder and clearer than the one on the BVR.

I recorded three different short clips for you to listen to for comparison purposes. This one was recorded with the iTalk and an AKG microphone plugged into it via a Shure line matching transformer. As you can tell it is much cleaner sounding, but much more quiet (and difficult to hear) as well. This could be because I actually was holding the AKG about 1/4" away from my mouth, but in any case, it would be nice if there was some sort of gain control. Here's the recording with the iTalk. It is much louder, with more ambient noise and some popping. It was recorded while holding the iPod about 6-8" from my mouth. Here's another recording with the Belkin Voice Recorder. Not as much popping, but still some. Not as loud. Not as much ambient noise. All three files are in AAC format. None of them are in any sort of *amazing* sound quality because Apple put a cap on the throughput on this functionality on the iPod. Anybody want to hack it?

x-posted on 3650...

MacFixIt on Troubleshooting iPod and iPod mini

2004-04-23T10:42:00.000-04:00
MacFixIt has a rather extensive list of troubleshooting articles on the iPod and iPod mini:
Troubleshooting the iPod and iPod mini

Data loss

Distorted iPod mini sound

iSight interference

iPod not showing up in iTunes

iPod batteries

Mac freezes when going to sleep with iPod connected

iPod mini audiobook issues

iTunes crash on iPod connection; solutions

Resetting a frozen iPod

AppleCare for iPods

iPod preferences not sticking

Cracked LCD Screens

Repair difficult, replacement often cheaper

Warning about Windows DRM and the iPod

Complaints about iPod earbud quality

Extracting files from the iPod

iPod Remote Control Protocol

[MacFixIt]

Check it out.

iPod mini woes...

2004-04-10T08:53:00.000-04:00
Check this bit of bad news out:
Problems with the iPod mini?There are reports of some problems with the iPod mini, and we don’t mean that Apple is
having trouble keeping them stock. Over at iPodLounge some iPod mini owners are complaining about its sound being
distorted and crackling whenever any pressure is applied anywhere on the player. The problem apparently is that the
part that the mini’s headphone jack is connected to its main board using only a small connector, and that doing almost
anything to the mini — like putting pressure on its case, putting it in its dock connecter, or plugging in
the headphones — applies tension to this connector, gradually wearing it out and causing this
noticeable degradation in sound.
[engadget.com]

Hmmm. Imagine that! A first generation Apple product with serious design flaws! What a rare occurence! //sarcasm off

Linux on iPod...

2004-04-06T08:44:00.000-04:00
Part of me, really wants to install Linux on my iPod. Another part of me, sits there screaming in the first part of me's ear "WHY?!"

playfair : rip the DRM from your iTMS songs...

2004-04-05T10:30:00.000-04:00
Check out playfair:
The playfair program is quite simple. It takes one of the iTMS Protected AAC Audio Files, decodes it using a key obtained from your iPod or Microsoft Windows system and then writes the new, decoded version to disk as a regular AAC Audio File. It then optionally copies the metadata tags that describe the song, including the cover art, to the new file.

playfair runs from the command line, and takes some basic familiarity with the Terminal to get it working, but relatively easy install all and all. Simply navigate to the decompressed playfair folder via the Terminal and:
$ ./configure
$ make
$ make install

Now, I can finally start listening to the songs I own on anything and anywhere I damn well please...

HOOT!

Preliminary Review of the XtremeMac Firewire Car Charger for iPod

2004-04-05T01:49:00.000-04:00
I just picked up this car charger for my 2nd-gen 10GB iPod (no dock connector) at the Apple Store on Michigan Ave. in Chicago. Having done a little research, I had eliminated the Monster brand car charger, because an online forum for my car (Honda Element) revealed that the 12v socket in my dash was built to specifically prevent use of a filament cigarette lighter--it's sized as a slightly smaller accessory socket. The Monster charger is a cigarette lighter-sized plug, not an accessory-sized plug, and some people have destroyed the plug attempting to get it back out of the socket (some have even ripped the socket out of the dash). Just as well; the Monster charger was $30, and the XtremeMac charger was only $13. Reports had it that the Belkin charger would fit, but I discovered that the Apple store now only stocks the dock-compatible Belkin charger. I decided to give the XtremeMac product a go after comparing the size of it in the package to the Monster and Belkin (dock-compatible) chargers in their packages.
I was a little wary, as the XtremeMac plug doesn't look as nice as the Belkin. It appears flimsy, unnecessarily long, and not as put together as the Belkin. It fits rather nicely in the socket, though, and so has provided perfect performance over the past few days.
I would provisionally recommend this product as a low-cost, effective solution to charging your iPod in the car, and I'll only retract that opinion should my car deliver a destructive review (admittedly, the car has a tough reputation and would be partially complicit).

New iSkin eVo

2004-03-27T17:38:00.000-05:00
iSkin has released a new eVo iPod case, that according to their page fixes a lot of the little problems that the previous model I reviewed had. Check here and here for what I said about the old model. I'm trying to get a new version to review on this site.

iPod availability slips to July

2004-03-25T11:55:00.000-05:00
"Apple today announced that is delaying the worldwide availability of iPod mini to July due to the much stronger than expected demand in the U.S., which it says is "far exceeding the total planned supply through the end of June." Apple says expects to ramp up its manufacturing of the iPod mini to meet worldwide demand in the July quarter."

What??

1. First up: fire the Product Manager. Four months of lost sales in inexcusable.
2. DON'T sell them all to the US. Sell them in Europe and the UK where they are MORE EXPENSIVE.
3. Fire the VP of Operations Planning. He (or his team) has consistently underestimated demand for other Apple products as well (15" Powerbook, iMac). This has cost Apple millions in lost revenue, damaged its credibility (it obviously cannot get innovative products to market) and caused superflous frustration for loyal Apple users (i.e. Me).

So, I guess this blows the "European iTunes" out of the water as well...I suppose we'll get that in the year 2006 with all the "hum, ho, wow." that "iPhoto Printing now available in Europe!" was received with last week (what a joke).

Rant off.

(BTW, did I mention my iPod is broken and that every single product I have ever purchased from Apple has broken? and usually just out of warranty?)

PocketDock for my iPod: ARRIVED!

2004-03-08T16:14:00.000-05:00
So, my PocketDock from SendStation finally arrived today, after a whole lot of waiting on FedEx. I am still waiting to be refunded the shipping fee by Apple. Anyway, as you can see in the picture it is small. Here's a 4 pic photo-gallery of it. Works like a charm. Much better than the cord that came with the iPod.

Make your PocketPC an iPod for $20

2004-03-08T11:07:00.000-05:00
This Wired article discusses a $20 piece of software, called pPod, that runs a virtual iPod of sorts on your PocketPC device. Now if I could only cram a 40GB hard drive in my old iPaq...

PocketDock for my iPod: (or why I H8 FEDEX)

2004-03-05T15:07:00.000-05:00
So I ordered a PocketDock from Apple on Wednesday, because the included iPod to Firewire adaptor cable that came with my 15GB iPod is already crimped in a few places from my daily abuse and looking like it will short out any minute. So, I decided to go with the PocketDock and a thick little 4" Firewire cable that I already own. Good solution. And I wanted it yesterday, so I decided to fork out the extra $12 to have Apple ship it overnight through FedEx. Unfortunately, FedEx was the only overnight operator that Apple has, and it looks like they have performed the usual inexplicable FedEx screw-up. Here's my tracking information on the package that was supposed to arrive by 3pm EST (now) today:
Ship Date : 03/04/2004
Delivered To :
Delivery Location : TARRYTOWN NY
Delivery Date/Time :
Signed For By :
Service Type : Standard Overnight
Estimated Delivery Date : 03/05/2004 15:00

Scan Activity Date/Time Scan Exceptions
-------------
Arrived at Sort Facility MEMPHIS TN 03/05/2004 12:14
Package status MEMPHIS TN 03/05/2004 07:06 Delay beyond our control
Left FedEx Origin Location RANCHO CORDOVA CA 03/04/2004 22:21
Left FedEx Ramp SACRAMENTO CA 03/04/2004 20:09
Arrived at FedEx Ramp SACRAMENTO CA 03/04/2004 19:09
Pickup status RANCHO CORDOVA CA 03/04/2004 13:10 Pre-routed meter pkg picked up

Now, how does something that is supposed to go to Tarrytown, New York, get misrouted to Memphis, Tennessee? And then, why does FedEx have the nerve to comment "Delay beyond our control" in the tracking info? Ridiculous! I already emailed Apple asking for a refund of the $12 shipping. //rant off...

This is what I get for not being patient and simply ordering directly from SendStation.

*x-posted on 3650 and a 12-inch

iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual 2

2004-03-03T08:52:00.000-05:00

The Rise of the Lost: the Answer of the Work-Around

2004-03-02T15:07:00.000-05:00
Another quick response from XO Play:
You should not have a problem. Please load it up under the contacts folder.
Business
XO Play
Well, that's interesting. Does that mean I can have roll-your-own notes on my iPod by putting stuff in my contacts folder? Could I mess around with the folder structure to make my own Notes menu item?

The Rise of the Lost: the Raising of More Questions

2004-03-02T01:15:00.000-05:00
I finally installed the iPod Scripts for Notes that C.K. was kind enough to send me, but it seems that Notes won't work on my 2nd gen iPod, OS 1.3. A page on their site indicates that this choose-your-own-adventure game works through Notes functionality, but that's contradicted by the company's claim that it will work on all generations of iPod.

DIY iPod Battery Pack

2004-02-29T18:08:00.000-05:00
Drew Perry has a step-by-step with pictures for turning a standard case for a deck of cards into a DIY iPod Battery Pack. He reports getting an extra 11 hours of play time from this little hack. Nice. Saw this link on MobileWhack.

Hack your 3G iPod's battery display...

2004-02-27T10:43:00.000-05:00
Found this hack mentioned on both Mac OS X Hints and MobileWhack:
If you'd rather have your (third generation only) iPod display an actual value for its battery state (instead of the disappearing battery bar graph), just open the Terminal (with the iPod docked and available as a hard drive) and type:

touch /Volumes/your_iPod's_name/iPod_Control/Device/_show_voltage

Replace your_iPod's_name with the name of the iPod as shown in the Finder. Now eject, disconnect, and restart your iPod, and you should see a number in the top right corner of the screen -- on a full charge, mine was showing 474; I believe the maximum is 500.

Coolness!

Take that Music Industry!

2004-02-26T08:28:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Mr. Spitzer!

I got me a check. I think I'll buy some music with this money...

x-posted on 3650 and a 12-inch...

Wired Interview with Dr. Michael Bull

2004-02-25T08:54:00.000-05:00
Wired has an interview with Dr. Michael Bull, who is, according to the New York Times: ""the world's leading—perhaps only—expert on the social impact of personal stereo devices." It's an interesting read about the social function of technology like the walkman and the iPod. I particularly liked this comment:
It's also very cinematic. The music allows you to construct narratives about what's going on. Or you use it to control thoughts. A lot of people don't like to be alone with their thoughts.

Interesting. Go check it out.