Posted on: Tuesday, January 25, 2005
HELP DESK
Windows complicates iPod use
By Kim Komando
Apple's iPod and iPod Mini digital music players make playing your favorite tunes on the go more intuitive than perhaps any other player on the market. Perhaps that's why Apple says it sold 4.5 million of them during the holidays.
Older versions of Windows are incompatible with the iPod, and there are some peculiar default settings that could wipe out your music collection. Luckily, there are solutions for every problem, and we have four to share.
1. Use a recent version of Windows.
iTunes, Apple's free software that transfers music to the iPod from your computer, only works with Windows XP and 2000.
But Windows 98SE and ME owners can use their iPod through third-party software. XPlay (www.mediafour.com; $30) and Anapod Explorer (www.redchairsoftware.com; $25) are two programs that transfer music files to iPods — and they'll do it using the 98SE and ME version of Windows.
XPlay requires a FireWire port, which is often missing on Windows computers. So you'll have to buy and install one. FireWire cards start at $20. Anapod Explorer can transfer music to your iPod using either a USB or FireWire port.
2. Build a music library.
When importing music, iTunes lets you change the format and amount of compression it uses. To do this within iTunes, click Edit, Preferences and select the Importing tab.
To get music from a CD onto your hard drive, insert the CD into your computer. ITunes will look up the CD title and song information from an online database and display it. Remove the check next to any song you don't want and click the Import button.
3. Organize your tunes.
To help you find your favorite tunes quickly, create playlists in iTunes. Use them to organize songs by theme, genre or any other category.
To create a playlist, select File, New Playlist. Type a name for the playlist under Source. Click Library to view your song files. Drag any song onto the playlist. Select multiple songs by holding the Control or Shift key while clicking.
4. Transfer tunes to your iPod. With iTunes open, connect your iPod to your computer. ITunes automatically will transfer songs and playlists to your iPod.
But anything on the iPod that's not in iTunes will be erased. To avoid this, set iTunes to only transfer certain songs. Or, you can manually drag and drop music files.
To change the settings, open iTunes and select Edit, Preferences. Click the iPod tab. Click the Music tab and make sure "Automatically update all songs and playlists" is selected. Then click the Advanced tab and select the "Only update checked songs" checkbox.
To manually transfer songs, choose Edit, Preferences and click the iPod tab. Click the Music tab and select "Manually manage songs and playlists." Then drag songs from your library or playlist to iPod in the Source list.
But connecting the iPod to your computer to transfer tunes and manage your music library isn't always simple — especially if your computer runs Windows.
