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Calling all iPod users


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You may need to set the prefs. One thing I've never heard is wiping the ipod clean unless your click restore to factory settings! Not an issue because it updates every time you plug it in, unless you set it other wise.

I must admit I rather liked the old Itunes (2) , a sure sign of getting old LOL.

There are also loads of share/free ware titles out there for both Mac and P.C, to customise the interface.

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Like with most things in life, different people prefer

different things.  Those using Mac

computers have a much more limited choice of such software (PC users have a far

greater selection).  I used to use

iTunes but found the user interface inflexible and the media supported formats

more limited than other PC software. 

That said, as you have an iPod, you will suffer from the same format

limitations.  As I found the iTunes

interface so restrictive over time I started looking around (PC software) and

found most other offerings were better. 

If you have a MAC then iTunes is probably best (mainly as you probably

have no choice).  If you are looking PC

then you have a far wider selection and can find offerings that to some/many

are superior.

One thing you will need to watch is that if you switch, and

then use iTunes again, iTunes will almost certainly delete anything it did not

put on your iPod (other software that supports iPods does not do this).

With regard to privacy, there has been a bit of bad

publicity recently with iTunes collecting info and sending it to Apple.  Of course Apple claim it t totally innocent

(as does Bill Gates, et al) – but it has show that all these companies are as

bad as each other when it comes to “money”. 

Apple say they are/have taken this out now, but you will need a very

recent version for this feature to have been removed.

Ian

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Oh dear, iPods are successful so we have to knock them! Apple tried to insert routines into the iTunes store, rather like those used by Amazon to establish your patterns of favourites - funny that the great unwashed press doesn't object to that - and the latest software update allows you to turn it off. Yes it does, I have it.

Where do you get the business of iTunes deleting things from? As the software you are putting on it is possibly dodgy that may be the reason, but like many I use my iPod as a portable hard drive, and no files I have saved on it have been affected in any way.

And yes, you will be limited to a superior format...

I am afraid that this is yet another case of PC users who don't understand Mac software spreading untrue stories.
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God I hate these « MAC’s are better » farces – but

I guess I do need to explain my comments as they seem to have been

mis-understood (again)

 

[quote user="Dicksmith"]As the software you are

putting on it is possibly dodgy that may be the reason, but like many I use my

iPod as a portable hard drive, and no files I have saved on it have been

affected in any way.  I have saved on it

have been affected in any way. [/quote]

 

For example, if you use RealPlayer to place music on your

iPod, then iTunes, iTunes will remove all the media Real Player had put

there.  Try it Dick (certainly this was

the case as of 3 months ago).  Dick, I

assume that as you are making statements about what PC software does you also

secretly have a PC (something you have never admitted to previously).  Apple treat the iPod as a very closed device

and others tend to have to reverse engineer a lot – pity as not everybody loves

everything Apple and many prefer to have a choice.

 

 

[quote user="Dicksmith"]And yes, you will be

limited to a superior format. [/quote]

 

For example, it is a great shame that iTunes/iPods do not

support the WMA format.  The variable

bit rate WMA suffers no loss of quality relative to the MP3 format yet has

dramatically smaller storage sizes. 

Most MP3 players these days support this format, iPods being one of the

few that don’t.  The format is available

but I Apple also suffer from the “not invented here” syndrome, particularly

with regard to anything Windoze related. 

WMA is now widespread, widely supported by non-MS devices yet Apple

continue to dig their heels in.  I would

probably have purchased an iPod by now if it had WMA support.  True that iTunes/iPod does now support

Apple’s AAC proprietary format – but its still “quite bulky”.

 

 

[quote user="Dicksmith"]I am afraid that this is

yet another case of PC users who don't understand Mac software spreading untrue

stories.[/quote]

I believe that if you read what I wrote re the information

being collected you will see that I stated that you require the latest version

to avoid this (exactly what you said Dick – so where is the “not understanding”

in this).  I must admit that I have not

developed and software for the MAC for 6 months – so I may be a bit out of date

– though from “keeping up-to-date” I can see little having changed.  They did more that try to put this

information collection in – they succeeded as well !!

 

I cannot be arzed with these futile MAC’s are better

arguments.  Not funny, not productive –

slag the rest of the world off if you want Dick but I do use/develop software

for both Mac’s and PCs and thus need to keep familiar with both so do not

consider myself totally ignorant of MACs (as you seem to accuse many of).  Both have their advantages and

disadvantages.

 

Ian

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Ian,

As far as I can see, there is one very big advantage in the Mac and that is that they do not seem to be attacked by the virus writers. In your experience, is this becuase there are less Macs so the sad individuals don't bother as they get less satisfaction or, is Mac security better? If the later, my next machine will be Mac, if the former I'll judge how popular Macs getting are before I buy.

Cheers

John

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Look, I am a Mac fanatic and make absolutely no bones about it and I'll bite anyone who knocks them (including you Ian, probably unfairly, so sorry for that) - but I am not a total bozo and there are reasons for my being a fanatic.

First - build quality and reliability. These are better than the vast majority of PCs. When I compare the case, keyboard and monitor of the G5 I am using now to the Dell I use at work there is absolutely no comparison.

Second - hardware and software integration - there are no compromises - ever used a Toshiba laptop with Toshiba's messing about with Windows? That was a real horror show.

Third - ease of use. There is a real difference in the intuitive way the Mac works. We all take the mickey out of Windows because to stop it you have to click on a button labelled 'start', but that is just symptomatic. In my opinion it is still the case that PCs are made for people who use Excel and Macs are for people who use Word. It's a mindset thing.

Fourth - style. I make style choices in everything I buy, and I like Mac style (in fact I am just negotiating to get hold of a table-lamp iMac because I like the style so much).

Fifth - working with graphics. I am a keen amateur photographer and the Mac is far better at handling large Photoshop files, colour management etc. It works in an integrated way that PCs just don't.

Sixth - security. Of course it is theoretically possible to write a virus or worm attacking Mac OS, but it has never been done (there was one some time ago - about 1984). That is partly due to the relatively small customer base (which is still millions of users, of course) but mostly because the OS is based on Unix which is relatively secure. There have been Unix virii but nothing which hurts Macs, although we can be affected by virii too, and we can pass them on. The virii we have to worry about are those which are contained in macros in Microsoft packages...

People bang on about price, but I recently looked up the spec for a top-of-the-range Mac and a similar Dell, and there wasn't much difference (see build quality). People look at the bottom price, and there are fewer low-spec Macs.

So I'm a fanatic - but I really do feel that Ian's approach of that of an outsider, not a user, and a bit of immersion might help!

I have a Mac poster from the 'Think Different' campaign framed on my wall (Gandhi). These now go for £65+ on eBay. Can't see that happening for a Dell poster.

If you are thinking of buying either go for an Intel iMac or wait for the Intel pro machines. My son (who works for Apple) has just got a new iMac and he is blown away by it, so the pro machines should be pretty good. I think the new Intel laptop is a bit of a filler-in for a new range later. I love the campaign slogan, "What is an Intel chip doing in a Mac? More than it ever did in a PC". Apparently Intel like the Mac connection because although it will never be a huge proportion of their business it gives them a sharp-end development partner. Look out for Mac OS for PCs in the next year or two.

(I believe that in the USA Mac Use is now registered as an official religion. I am but an unworthy acolyte).
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[quote user="JohnM"]

Ian,

As far as I can see, there is one very big advantage in the Mac and that is that they do not seem to be attacked by the virus writers. In your experience, is this becuase there are less Macs so the sad individuals don't bother as they get less satisfaction or, is Mac security better? If the later, my next machine will be Mac, if the former I'll judge how popular Macs getting are before I buy.

Cheers

John

[/quote]

I’d look at what you want to use the machine for and select

the most appropriate on that basis (software, hardware, etc.).  sometimes there is no “right answer”.  Different people will make different

judgements on security but quite a lot comes down to the user.  I have never had a virus/mal-ware/etc. on my

own computer whilst I have spent time clearing computers and networks of

viruses with exactly the same levels of security as my own machine.  Open “You’ve won a price” e-mail attachments

and you should not be surprised about what happens next.

Ian

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