iPod Basics and Purchasing Guide

So, you are looking to purchase an iPod? Please take the time to read this brief article which will at best help you get the most out of your new iPod, and at the least, help you avoid mistakes and misconceptions. This article is written out of my personal experience with iPods.

1. What is an iPod?

An iPod is a MP4 player, not a MP3 player. Basically, the MP4 format is a proprietary format only recognized by Apple products, such as iPods and QuickTime™. In order for music to play on an iPod, it must be in MP4 format. Apple’s music download site, iTunes™, offers music only in the MP4 format. The iTunes™ software which comes with an iPod will convert MP3 music files to MP4 format, so they will play on your iPod. An iPod will not play MP3 files, neither will Windows Media Player play MP4 files. Both the Nano and Video iPod will store and display photos, but a video iPod is needed to play video files.

2. What is iTunes?

® Apple hosts the world’s largest music download site called iTunes™. As of March 2006, over 1 billion files have been downloaded for use in iPods. Pretty amazing. This site offers music files for 99 cents each, and you need not download an entire album, but can select only the music files you want and download it into your computer. The iTunes™ software in your computer is the vehicle by which files are loaded into the iPod. Simply place your iPod into its dock (which is attached via USB to your computer), start iTunes™ and your iPod is updated automatically with new music, playlists, Podcasts and so forth. I have tried other music download sites and have not found any which I like as well as iTunes™, even though they may offer music cheaper than iTunes™. A basic search will locate alternative music download sites.

There are a variety of other files available on iTunes™ called Podcasts. These are audio or video files which include news broadcasts, informational programs, comedy programs and many others. The great majority of Podcasts are free, and others are not.

3. What You Get

iPods come with the following:

iPod with battery

Earphones (called “earbuds”)

A generic pouch for the earbuds

A docking station (to transfer files and charge the iPod)

iTunes™ software CD

Instruction manual

That is all.

4. What You will Need

Every iPod user will need a case, and we strongly recommend a screen protector.

Both the iPod Nano and 5th generation (5G) Video iPod are susceptible to scratching, and the black units seem to show scratches worse than the white ones. This is true of both the iPod housing AND the screen. Nothing is worse than having your iPod blemished with unsightly scratches, especially when it is easily avoidable by using a case and screen protector. Having your unprotected iPod floating around inside your purse or in your pocket will absolutely cause your iPod to quickly accumulate scratches both on the housing and on the screen. Be warned! This is not really a defect, but just the way it is.

5. Using iPods in your Car

Most people quickly realize that it would be great to be able to have their iPod play music through their car stereo. No longer would they have to mess with CDs or tapes. How many CDs would you have to carry to have your entire music library with you in the car? You can take it all in the palm of your hand with an iPod. So, how does one play music through their car stereo? There are several options.

First, there are cables available for most car stereos which plug into the iPod and the other end of the cable plugs into a port on the back of the stereo. Removal of the stereo is usually required to accomplish this task. Also, the wire used to connect your iPod is exposed. It does, however, sound great! Some car stereos have a line input on the faceplate. In this case, all one needs to do is use an adaptive cable from the headphone jack of the iPod to the input on the stereo. In both of these scenarios, the iPod will run on its internal battery unless a car charger is used as well.

Second, (and by far the most popular) method, is to use an FM transmitter to transmit a signal from your iPod to your FM radio and play it as if it were a radio station. There are a variety of FM transmitters from several manufacturers. We recommend using a unit which is a dock and not a plug into the iPod port. The plug-in units consume power from the iPod battery and seem to produce a weak signal resulting in poor audio quality. A docking unit (such as the Griffin RoadTrip™) holds your iPod in place, charges the iPod and produces a strong signal. The RoadTrip™ also features a removable FM module which allows it to plug into your computer. You can therefore listen to FM radio through your computer without having to install software.

6. Using iPods at Home

iPods can easily play through your home stereo. One can simply use an adaptive cable which plugs into the headphone jack of the iPod and into the stereo input of your stereo. In this setup, the iPod is operating on battery power unless the iPod is also plugged into a charger.

Docking your iPod is the preferred method, and there are a variety of docking solutions available. The iPod docks into a base which charges the iPod, and an output jack on the base connects the iPod to your stereo via a cable. Some units offer remote controls for your iPod and others do not, but often these remotes are weak and have very limited range and field of reception. We have found that some television or stereo programmable remote control units can be programmed to work with certain iPod docking systems, while others work partially or not at all. It is worth trying if you have a programmable remote.

Some docking units also have a video output for use with the 5G Video iPod, which allows one to watch videos or photos stored in the iPod on a television. We have found that the picture quality is poor on large screen televisions, but ok on a smaller screen. Using a dock with S-video output will provide a far superior picture than units using an RCA connector. As of now, iPods do not support high definition.

There are speaker systems which contain their own amplifier and operate as a stand-alone unit with an iPod. These are not all created equal. Our testing has found that a high price does not always equal high quality. We have found $150 systems which in our opinion sound significantly superior to $400 units. It is best to listen to the various systems before making your selection; or if buying online, follow the recommendations of the seller IF they have tested the systems and can provide you with recommendations based on testing results.

There are alarm clock radios (such as iHome™) which allow you to go to sleep listening to your iPod and wake up to it as well. We have tested the iHome™ and others, and found iHome™ to be our unit of choice.

7. Loading Movies into Your 5G Video iPod

When the Video iPod first came out, I gave it a high ranking on the “Dumb-O-Meter.” Who wants to watch a movie on a 2.5 inch screen? However, after having used one, I have recanted my original opinion. It is now my iPod of choice. Unfortunately, iTunes™ and other MP4 download sites usually have little to offer in the way of legal movies which are formatted to play on an iPod. ITunes™ does have some short films, music videos and television shows, but not much else.

An easy solution for this is to convert your own DVDs into a format that the iPod can play. This can be accomplished by means of a software product called a DVD to iPod converter, such as Cucusoft, Lenogo and others. It is a simple process. Put a DVD in your computer, start the converter program and let it convert the movie to iPod format. Then, move the converted file into your iTunes™ video list. The next time you dock your iPod to your computer, it will load into your iPod. Some converter programs will also convert AVI, MPEG, MPG, WMV and other computer video formats for use on an iPod. This can allow you to convert your family videos and view them on your ipod. IPod movies are great for entertaining children on the road, for the business traveler stranded at an airport or for long airplane trips.

DVD converters we recommend are available here.

8. iPods and your PC

The music files for your iPod are stored in two places: in your PC in the iTunes™ program, and in your iPod. If your PC crashes and you loose your hard drive or have to reformat, you will loose EVERYTHING contained in your iTunes™ folder, including all of the songs you have purchased from iTunes™. Furthermore, iTunes™ does not offer the means to re-download songs you have purchased for free. You will have to buy them again. Neither does the iPod come with a means to load files into a computer. Fortunately, there are software programs which allow you to copy the contents of your iPod into a PC or from one iPod to another. These programs are usually titled “iPod to PC”, or something similar. If your computer crashes, you will kick yourself for not having this program to restore your music files back into your computer.

IPod to PC programs we recommend are available here.

We hope you found this article helpful.

iPod Basics and Purchasing Guide

So, you are looking to purchase an iPod? Please take the time to read this brief article which will at best help you get the most out of your new iPod, and at the least, help you avoid mistakes and misconceptions. This article is written out of my personal experience with iPods.

1. What is an iPod?

An iPod is a MP4 player, not a MP3 player. Basically, the MP4 format is a proprietary format only recognized by Apple products, such as iPods and QuickTime™. In order for music to play on an iPod, it must be in MP4 format. Apple’s music download site, iTunes™, offers music only in the MP4 format. The iTunes™ software which comes with an iPod will convert MP3 music files to MP4 format, so they will play on your iPod. An iPod will not play MP3 files, neither will Windows Media Player play MP4 files. Both the Nano and Video iPod will store and display photos, but a video iPod is needed to play video files.

2. What is iTunes?

® Apple hosts the world’s largest music download site called iTunes™. As of March 2006, over 1 billion files have been downloaded for use in iPods. Pretty amazing. This site offers music files for 99 cents each, and you need not download an entire album, but can select only the music files you want and download it into your computer. The iTunes™ software in your computer is the vehicle by which files are loaded into the iPod. Simply place your iPod into its dock (which is attached via USB to your computer), start iTunes™ and your iPod is updated automatically with new music, playlists, Podcasts and so forth. I have tried other music download sites and have not found any which I like as well as iTunes™, even though they may offer music cheaper than iTunes™. A basic search will locate alternative music download sites.

There are a variety of other files available on iTunes™ called Podcasts. These are audio or video files which include news broadcasts, informational programs, comedy programs and many others. The great majority of Podcasts are free, and others are not.

3. What You Get

iPods come with the following:

iPod with battery

Earphones (called “earbuds”)

A generic pouch for the earbuds

A docking station (to transfer files and charge the iPod)

iTunes™ software CD

Instruction manual

That is all.

4. What You will Need

Every iPod user will need a case, and we strongly recommend a screen protector.

Both the iPod Nano and 5th generation (5G) Video iPod are susceptible to scratching, and the black units seem to show scratches worse than the white ones. This is true of both the iPod housing AND the screen. Nothing is worse than having your iPod blemished with unsightly scratches, especially when it is easily avoidable by using a case and screen protector. Having your unprotected iPod floating around inside your purse or in your pocket will absolutely cause your iPod to quickly accumulate scratches both on the housing and on the screen. Be warned! This is not really a defect, but just the way it is.

5. Using iPods in your Car

Most people quickly realize that it would be great to be able to have their iPod play music through their car stereo. No longer would they have to mess with CDs or tapes. How many CDs would you have to carry to have your entire music library with you in the car? You can take it all in the palm of your hand with an iPod. So, how does one play music through their car stereo? There are several options.

First, there are cables available for most car stereos which plug into the iPod and the other end of the cable plugs into a port on the back of the stereo. Removal of the stereo is usually required to accomplish this task. Also, the wire used to connect your iPod is exposed. It does, however, sound great! Some car stereos have a line input on the faceplate. In this case, all one needs to do is use an adaptive cable from the headphone jack of the iPod to the input on the stereo. In both of these scenarios, the iPod will run on its internal battery unless a car charger is used as well.

Second, (and by far the most popular) method, is to use an FM transmitter to transmit a signal from your iPod to your FM radio and play it as if it were a radio station. There are a variety of FM transmitters from several manufacturers. We recommend using a unit which is a dock and not a plug into the iPod port. The plug-in units consume power from the iPod battery and seem to produce a weak signal resulting in poor audio quality. A docking unit (such as the Griffin RoadTrip™) holds your iPod in place, charges the iPod and produces a strong signal. The RoadTrip™ also features a removable FM module which allows it to plug into your computer. You can therefore listen to FM radio through your computer without having to install software.

6. Using iPods at Home

iPods can easily play through your home stereo. One can simply use an adaptive cable which plugs into the headphone jack of the iPod and into the stereo input of your stereo. In this setup, the iPod is operating on battery power unless the iPod is also plugged into a charger.

Docking your iPod is the preferred method, and there are a variety of docking solutions available. The iPod docks into a base which charges the iPod, and an output jack on the base connects the iPod to your stereo via a cable. Some units offer remote controls for your iPod and others do not, but often these remotes are weak and have very limited range and field of reception. We have found that some television or stereo programmable remote control units can be programmed to work with certain iPod docking systems, while others work partially or not at all. It is worth trying if you have a programmable remote.

Some docking units also have a video output for use with the 5G Video iPod, which allows one to watch videos or photos stored in the iPod on a television. We have found that the picture quality is poor on large screen televisions, but ok on a smaller screen. Using a dock with S-video output will provide a far superior picture than units using an RCA connector. As of now, iPods do not support high definition.

There are speaker systems which contain their own amplifier and operate as a stand-alone unit with an iPod. These are not all created equal. Our testing has found that a high price does not always equal high quality. We have found $150 systems which in our opinion sound significantly superior to $400 units. It is best to listen to the various systems before making your selection; or if buying online, follow the recommendations of the seller IF they have tested the systems and can provide you with recommendations based on testing results.

There are alarm clock radios (such as iHome™) which allow you to go to sleep listening to your iPod and wake up to it as well. We have tested the iHome™ and others, and found iHome™ to be our unit of choice.

7. Loading Movies into Your 5G Video iPod

When the Video iPod first came out, I gave it a high ranking on the “Dumb-O-Meter.” Who wants to watch a movie on a 2.5 inch screen? However, after having used one, I have recanted my original opinion. It is now my iPod of choice. Unfortunately, iTunes™ and other MP4 download sites usually have little to offer in the way of legal movies which are formatted to play on an iPod. ITunes™ does have some short films, music videos and television shows, but not much else.

An easy solution for this is to convert your own DVDs into a format that the iPod can play. This can be accomplished by means of a software product called a DVD to iPod converter, such as Cucusoft, Lenogo and others. It is a simple process. Put a DVD in your computer, start the converter program and let it convert the movie to iPod format. Then, move the converted file into your iTunes™ video list. The next time you dock your iPod to your computer, it will load into your iPod. Some converter programs will also convert AVI, MPEG, MPG, WMV and other computer video formats for use on an iPod. This can allow you to convert your family videos and view them on your ipod. IPod movies are great for entertaining children on the road, for the business traveler stranded at an airport or for long airplane trips.

DVD converters we recommend are available here.

8. iPods and your PC

The music files for your iPod are stored in two places: in your PC in the iTunes™ program, and in your iPod. If your PC crashes and you loose your hard drive or have to reformat, you will loose EVERYTHING contained in your iTunes™ folder, including all of the songs you have purchased from iTunes™. Furthermore, iTunes™ does not offer the means to re-download songs you have purchased for free. You will have to buy them again. Neither does the iPod come with a means to load files into a computer. Fortunately, there are software programs which allow you to copy the contents of your iPod into a PC or from one iPod to another. These programs are usually titled “iPod to PC”, or something similar. If your computer crashes, you will kick yourself for not having this program to restore your music files back into your computer.

IPod to PC programs we recommend are available here.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony’s gearing up to take on Apple this year, with the long-awaited PSP phone and a netbook/eBook reader/PSP hybrid to fight the iPad.

And just in the nick of time for our Sony tough love fest, We Miss Sony!

There aren’t extensive details available yet—including any info about pricing and specs—but we can expect to see the both the PSP phone and the PSPad sometime this year. The Sony Ericsson PSP phone, in particular, has been in the works since at least 2007, but has met with various delays since then.

As for the multifunction iPad competitor, it’s not clear exactly what form that will take. Both devices, though, will leverage the media platform Sonys launching later this month. The Sony Online Service—a temporary name—is going to provide similar media content as iTunes, but will supplement its offerings with its extensive (and exclusive) catalog of PlayStation games. Mostly older games are expected to be available on the mobile devices.

The project is apparently being speared by Kunimasa Suzuki, who has an oversight role in both Sony’s Vaio and PlayStation businesses. Getting previously disparate corporate divisions to work together has been a major part of CEO Howard Stringer‘s turnaround plan, making the PSPad an incredibly important sign of if that labor has born any fruit. Is this the Sony renaissance we’ve been longing for? Or will it be another in a long line of proprietary format failures? We’ll find out soon, either way. [WSJ]

It’s easy to see why Apple takes a strong stance against Flash on their mobile devices. As DailyTech rightly points out:

Apple has its reasons. Flash on a base level provides a very real threat to Apple’s lucrative App Store, one of the key things that it uses to differentiate the iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad from its competitors. If Apple adopted Flash, many of its developers could move to Flash which would free them of the restrictions of Apple’s App Store approval process. And that would ultimately ruin the exclusivity of Apple’s app catalog and make Apple vulnerable to handsets with superior hardware. Also, with Flash customers could simply view TV episodes from Hulu for free, rather than buy them from Apple’s iTunes store.

So when Steve Jobs dismisses Flash as a CPU hog and vulnerable to security holes (which is true), it’s hard to believe he’d do so out of genuine altruism. Especially when he dismissively says it will be “trivial” for people to drop Flash for something like H.264—an expensive, proprietary format—and claims that Apple made people stop using the floppy disk.

Speaking of App Store restrictions, over 5000 apps have been banned. New rules straight from the developer of Wobble, an app that allows people to make the boobs on any picture jiggle:

1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)

2. No images of men in bikinis! (I didn’t ask about Ice Skating tights for men)

3. No skin (he seriously said this) (I asked if a Burqa was OK, and the Apple guy got angry)

4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs (yes – I am serious, we have to remove the silhouette in this pic)

5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned

6. Nothing that can be sexually arousing!!

7. No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content (not sure how Playboy is still in the store, but …)

Maybe I can see why Wobble would be banned, and I definitely wouldn’t want to see men in bikinis! But ice skating tights?

Apple’s Jobs Says Flash Crashes Macs; No Flash for iPad, iPhone Planned, >5000 Apps Banned; The New Rules

Post from: The Gadget Blog

By Chris Scott Barr

It’s amazing what can be accomplished by changing a bit of software, such as the firmware on a device. When optimized properly, a firmware upgrade can increase performance and sometimes add completely new features. Well Amazon has just announced a firmware upgrade for the Kindle that is going to blow your mind (if you already own one, that is). Not only does this bring native PDF support, but they also claim that your battery will now last 85% longer than before.

The boost in battery life applies to users who leave their reader connected to the internet at all times. You can now expect to go a full week between charges, as opposed to only four days before. If you leave the wireless turned off, then expect it to last about two weeks. Native PDF support is probably the most exciting thing, as before you needed to go through Amazon to have such documents converted to their proprietary format. If you’re still interested in converting them, you’ll now be able to do this yourself.

[ Amazon ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

Another month, another version of the Kindle. I’ve been using a Kindle since it was shaped like a very thin doorstop and I’m delighted each time I see a new version. The latest version is the DX, a monstrous 9-inch version of the smaller Kindle 2 that supports direct PDF reading without conversion.

Why am I interested in the Kindle? Well, I already have a first-gen Kindle so I’m not too keen on upgrading immediately. But I’ve been waiting for Amazon to solve something with the Kindle DX that has been nagging me for quite a while. You see, I have a problem. I don’t want to read the New York Times on paper anymore but paper seems like the only logical way to read it. Reading the newspaper on a gadget is rude and dangerous – especially with toddlers around the house. It’s a tough sell to have a gadget at the breakfast table. But then I know that I’ll never read it on the desktop whether through the Times Reader or any other source. So the DX sounded great. I has all of the features of the current Kindle plus rotational sensing and a beautiful, huge screen that might just fit the entire NYT front page and not just one article. So that’s why I wanted to see the DX.

For context, here is what we said about the K2. We didn’t formally review it.

The DX is basically a 9.7-inch reading device. It has a small keyboard, navigation buttons only on the right side, and uses an improved version of the e-ink screen that displays gray scale with surprising fidelity. It has native PDF support and can store up to 3,500 books. It costs $489.00 and will be available next week.

Like the original Kindle the device has a wireless feature that lets you download books over the air but you can also drag books – basically Amazon’s proprietary format – and PDFs right onto the device via USB. It can last for up to 4 days with wireless on. It also reads your books aloud to you, where applicable. Some publishers are selectively shutting this feature down.

The Bad
First the cons. The Kindle DX is heavy. It’s heavier than the original Kindle by over nine ounces. It’s not much, but clearly Mosso and I share a strange affliction called “Ouch, our wrists hurt holding this thing.” It’s a big device. It works best on a table.

The second problem is the auto-rotation. If you move the Kindle a little too much in any direction, the screen rotates. It’s a good feature if you’re reading a newspaper or magazine, for example, but it’s not so good if you’re nodding off in bed.

The Good
Now the pros. This thing is quite easy to read books on. Each page holds a multitude more words than the original devices and you rarely have to press the page buttons – there’s just more real estate. Images are crisp and clear and books can be viewed horizontally.

Them there sure is a lot of words.

The page size also makes for an easier read although all that grey does get tiring. This thing is good for heavy duty reading. The annotations and notes system is good for research as it drags the notes off of the book and onto an Amazon website – a huge plus for students and scholars. My original complaint with the Kindle 2 was that it wasn’t good for research. This model has remedied all of those concerns.

Newspaper reading is a bit of sticking point. It is easier to browse stories on this larger screen and the nature of news stories allows many of them to fit on one or two pages as opposed to the endless parade of pages on the smaller Kindles. I’m going to be trying to read the paper on this for the next month and I’ll report back when I put the DX through those demanding paces. However, I understand that there are certain formatting considerations here that only updates to the software and hardware can fix.

In short, this is a bigger Kindle. But is it the Kindle for you?

Bottom Line

I’m convinced that the Kindle – as a brand – is the book reader to buy. Unless you’re into piracy, getting first run books onto any other reader is too convoluted and the UI and Kindle system is the best, hands down. I’ve used the Sony Reader and a few other e-readers and the Kindle is made for real readers i.e. people who read and want a seamless reading experience. If you like to read, get one. If you like to download PDFs and TXT files – say you’re a slash fiction fan – get something else.

That said, the DX isn’t the Kindle for the average reader. The Kindle proper, a 6-inch model that is quite light and nice, is the best they offer. Anecdotally, here is the best metaphor I can come up with to the difference between the Kindle and the Kindle DX. When my buddy worked at Dairy Queen we used to go through the drive thru and order a Blizzard, a concoction of ice cream and candy and other stuff that would have put a horse into diabetic shock. But instead of making the Blizzard in the normal manner, our friend would drop in little treats like a whole brownie or five scoops of M&Ms. The Kindle is a regular Blizzard while the Kindle DX is my friend’s extra-packed Blizzard. It’s more of a good thing, and sometimes that can be bad.

If you have a specific need for a bigger screen i.e. you’re doing doctoral research and intend to upload a lot of PDFs, get the DX. Otherwise, even if you’re a student reading textbooks and novels you’ll probably be better off with the smaller, cheaper model. It’s more portable and it has all of the same functions.

As for price, I can’t help you. $500 is a lot for a Kindle. But this is the best e-reader out there. It’s a complex and unique tool. You pay for that complexity.

And what about newspaper reading? The jury is still out. But we’re coming closer and closer to a paperless publishing industry and these are just baby steps along a long road.