Re: mp3 Player inquiry-question-quandary-query-mystery


JohnO wrote:
---a bit of a iPod rant---

When I had to connect a Shuffle to a new computer after the old PC
died, iTunes gave me two options when it detected the player with music
already present...quit or reformat. Settings? There are no
settings...click continue or pull the device out.

There may indeed be options buried somewhere, but I looked at every
menu and clicked every button and couldn't find them, and of course the
help files were not any help whatsoever. Naturally, it would have made
sense for iTunes to offer up some of those options when it detected my
situation, but it didn't and that told me what I need to know about the
software.

And then there's that whole thing where Apple forces me to load
QuickTime in order to use the device, and I HATE that damn QT
player...it loads crap all over the system, and even when installed
carefully it wants to take control of my media files.

That's a shame because the sound quality is quite good, and the device
is nice. Hmmm, kinda reminds me of Sony, now that I think about
it...good hardware but the software is a fire hazard. I have my own CDs
and a little-bitty freeware MP3 ripper that does everything, and all I
need is a way to get the files on the device. Nope, can't do it without
iTunes and QT. So, I'll never allow another iPod in our house and I'll
never recommend one to anyone either.

sorry.

Fair enough, understood, no "apologies" necessary.

Tell it like it is.

I started with the Shuffle, so I don't have at least some of the same
issues. QT was a PITA on the old (1998-9) HP (Celeron 500, limited RAM)
but no apparent problems on the iMac, at least for my limited uses.

Just to say, there was another Christmas Shuffle last year, for the
daughter, and she recently got a Nano. If you plug one of them or my
Shuffle in while the "wrong" user account is open, it's no problem to
save your own playlist or whatever and just recharge while there. So
maybe there is a simple solution and/or workaround. True, you can't
just download from the Shuffle as would be convenient in that situation
but you can't really blame Apple (totally) for that.

In fairness, I wonder how "generous" other software is about sharing
with iTunes. Say, if I brought my iTun-ed Shuffle to your old 'puter,
pre- blow-up, and tried to merge song lists. Not sniping at you; this
might just be a situation where it would be difficult to accomodate
other music storage programs for saving data and arranging song
storage.

I'm tempted to call the supersecretowners-onlyapplehelp number and ask
about this problem, just for enlightenment. Then again, remembering my
previous (few, thank you) experiences, maybe not <g>. --D-y

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