I bought an iPod (I'm such a fool).

[Kiwiburger]

My contempt for Apple is now solidified. OK - I know you all are going to laugh at me ... but i'm so pissed I don't care anymore.

 

I - mistakenly - thought I was doing a nice thing by buying my wife an iPod Shuffle for her birthday. I thought it would be a cheap fun disposable device for playing MP3s on the run. A friend at work uses my PC to charge up the battery on her iPod shuffle - so I thought I knew what I was buying.

 

When you plug an iPod into an ordinary XP PC with no Apple software installed, you see it appear as a USB drive in Windows Explorer. You can see the files, and playback is as simple as a cassette walkman.

 

I use USB pen drives and numerous USB devices. I don't think i'm a technophobe. I have enough bloody IT qualifications and an little card from Microsoft that says I can do stuff.

 

Anyway - this morning I gave my wife her iPod, and we didn't have a lot of time but we just wanted to hear something - anything. I wanted to make sure the battery was charged too.

 

I inserted the iPod, sure enough it appears as a disk drive and I copy some MP3's across. No sound - no playback. That was a disappointment - read the manual - totally no mention of how to get an MP3 to play.

 

I figured that the evil Apple bstrds probably have jiggered this to force you to use their software. Normally with digital cameras and DVD recorders and Video recorders, I ignore the supplied software because it's typically total crap. I'm happy to do my own file management, thanks.

 

OK - I load the CD. First up - it ask for the serial number, which is printed on the back of the iPod. OK - in big letters I can see this POS is made in China. The battery check button doesn't always work - but hey, I knew this was a cheap disposable piece of plastic. Sort of forgivable. But where the hell is the serial number? Well it's there - in the smallest imaginable letters, in light grey on white. My eyes are better than many people - I don't need glasses - but I couldn't read it in normal light.

 

How the hell do Apple expect older people, or people with diminished sight to EVER be able to read that serial number? And it's going to wear off in a few days of use - what then? Scum.

 

OK - so we decipher the code and load the software. It hangs at the formating stage, and after waiting 5 minutes I have to hard boot by pulling the plug. OK - probably my mistake for trying to charge the battery before loading the software.

 

Tick the EULA without reading - I bought this retail, i'm not going to rip off these bstrds - I can't use the friggin thing without ticking the box - so screw them.

 

I enter the minimum data (why do they want all our personal details for a friggin plastic toy). Screw - i just want to hear some music and the clock is ticking.

 

After ages, bloody iTunes and Quicktime has finished filling my Windows Registry with mega crap. This is an audio device. Why the fck must I have Quicktime loaded in my SysTray? Sod them!

 

I resist having Apple taking over my PC - so I don't accept being spammed by Apple, or having shortcuts on my desktop.

 

For some reason, these idiots install PDFs for iPod Nano. WTF? I didn't buy that POS, because everyone says they break easy. And there is a global shortage, you can't buy them anyway. So why do I want a PDF manual for a frikkin Nano?

 

I open iTunes - sheesh, what a POS. I see a bunch of tacky looking icons for various global sites. Of course, "iTunes aren't available in my country". Pss off - I just want to play my MP3's.

 

Try to find the Help for playing MP3's. You bstrds say you support MP3 - where, how, why, what the?@#$%^

 

I have to call it a day. Our birthday girls gift is a shabby piece of {censored} and our morning is ruined. I promise that if I have to replace this with something else that can actually play MP3s, I will do so.

 

Does anyone else make a good MP3 player?

[amplayer]

I sympathize with your frustration. Apple has indeed made a hardware product that ONLY works with iTunes. If you simply copy files to the iPod as a disk device, you won't be able to play them even if they are audio files.

 

However, you can play mp3 files on your iPod fairly easy as long as you don't mind setting it up with the iTunes application (not the store).

Simply start up iTunes. Then go to your windows explorer app and select all the mp3 files you want to play. Then open those files in iTunes (with right click).

Once they're in iTunes, you can play them on your computer. To get them into your iPod, you could accept the default behavior of iTunes which is to do automatic updates. Otherwise, you have to "Create a playlist". I personally hate the automatic updates for a smallish mp3 player, because you can easily run out of room on the device. I suggest getting rid of automatic updates (through iTunes preferences), and make your own playlists.

 

I think once you try the above, you'll be pretty happy with the iPod.

[Kiwiburger]

Thanks Amplayer - i'll try that.

 

It would be nice if Apple supplied these with some audio files installed, so you can hear some sound right out of the box.

 

Even if it's just Steve jobs laughing at us.

 

I seem to recall Microsoft got a right bollocking over supplying Windows with Internet Explorer. That makes perfect sense, and they never disallowed alterntive browsers, but they were persecuted by the government laywers.

 

I think Apple should be ashamed of themselves, and somebody should take a class action against them for this pathetic scamming.

[Kiwiburger]

So what's a good MP3 player?

[blackpig]

Sorry to hear of your trials and tribulations but "welcome" to the digital age

 

At risk of spamming I would suggest a Sony HD5 which your pc will recognise as just another external drive - you can use it to back up pictures or word documents if you like

 

The provided software "Sonic Stage" has issues - it has a tendency to "hang" requiring a hard reboot

 

Sony have addressed this in the latest version but I havn't bothered installing it as I have been told by some Sony people that the new version won't allow you to burn audio CDs of stuff that you download

[gearmike]

 

Originally posted by Kiwiburger So what's a good MP3 player?

 

 

 

 

Here

[Kiwiburger]

I was hoping that iPods wouldn't suck so much.

 

Can anyone confirm if the more expensive models are also software dependant?

 

Price wasn't the issue - but we don't need video playback - we've got cameras and videos and plenty of other digital toys that play nicely with each other.

 

I don't mind paying for good hardware - but why should we be forced to use crap software to be able to enjoy hardware we have paid for?

 

I don't want sodding iTunes. They aren't available in my country, and I never want to pay Apple another dollar.

 

Unless they make a good iPod that can play MP3's without requiring looneyTunes ...

[Kiwiburger]

No risk of spamming Sony here ... I have been burnt with Sony, and they won't be getting any money from me either.

 

Sorry to hear Sony software is as bad as Apple ...

 

Anyone make a good MP3 player?

 

And I was welcomed to the digital age back in the '80's ... I am well accustomed to getting screwed.

 

One day, i'd like to be able to buy an electrical appliance that doesn't required registration on the internet, and doesn't require the mandatory use of flakey software.

 

Enough is enough.

[amplayer]

 

Originally posted by Kiwiburger I was hoping that iPods wouldn't suck so much. Can anyone confirm if the more expensive models are also software dependant?

 

 

I will confirm that they are all dependent on iTunes for music playback. However, they will all work as an external drive without iTunes.

Maybe somebody has hacked the iPod firmware enough to figure out how to load music files onto them without iTunes, but I don't know of that software yet.

In any case, once you get beyond your anger, I'll bet you'll find using iTunes software is generally a pretty nice experience. I'm very happy with iTunes software. Plus, since the software is completely free, it isn't as heinous for them to require it IMHO.

However, I think the docs that come with the iPod could point this out better.

 

If you are using PCs exclusively (i.e., no Mac computers), you might want to check out the iRiver mp3 players. I have one, and it has some nice features that don't exist on the iPod, especially for musicians. However, be forewarned: the iRiver devices are awful on a Mac. iRiver basically doesn't support the Mac. My iRiver device crashes my Finder app on my Mac all the time during file transfers. However, transfering between the iRiver and a PC doesn't have any issues.

[MorePaul]

Sadly, my systems got caught in the services conflict issue with iTunes

 

yes, the bug was ugly, but that happens -- the handling of the issue was very poor

 

 

There are, I believe, some Ipod/PC products such as anapod which allow non-itunes use of the ipod

 

some things (such as audible brand programming) require the use of itunes, however (I know of no workaround for this)

 

Apple does seem to play the itunes/ipod integration very close to the vest (ugh, remember real v Apple) to try to make verticals, but it simply gets in he way for me

[where02190]

 

in big letters I can see this POS is made in China.

 

 

Like anything electronic is made anywhere else these days?????

[offramp]

sorry...I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of an "ordinary XP PC".

 

Shuffles weren't designed for "old people". You should know that. It's designed for active, hyper teenagers and self-absorbed 'on-the-go' people who place far greater value on their job and position in life than their workplace superiors do. Disposable income guides this device.

 

I'm an Apple user (former zealot, then I grew up), and I won't likely change. But, in this day and age...wake up and smell the marketing.

 

 

Like anything else "computer", iTunes requires some initial hurdles; there's always an establishment learning curve involved.

[Kiwiburger]

Thanks for that. Yeah - i'm sure when I cool down a bit i'll be able to get iTunes going. I hope.

 

If iTunes is free software, I don't see the need for forced registration with an illegible code that's printed on the device.

 

I'm PC only (this iPod is the first Apple i've owned - I hope it's the last). So maybe the iRiver is worth a try.

 

USB pen drives and external harddrives and DVD recorders don't have these stupid issues to contend with.

 

Why must they ruin what could have been a great little product? I can see that they are trying to force users to use their iTunes service - but i would be much more agreeable to this if my hand wasn't forced.

[gearmike]

You need to run iTunes to use an iPod.

 

You don't need to use the Apple music store.

 

You don't need to use AAC files.

 

The iPod will play back MP3's just fine.

If you would just slow down and actually try to use the thing as it was designed, you would see that iTunes isn't such a bad piece of software.

 

I hate it when people think they know better, don't read the manual, don't read the ReadMe file, try to do it some other way first, and then complain that something is crap!

 

Just try it the way it was meant to be used.

[offramp]

 

Originally posted by Kiwiburger I don't see the need for forced registration with an illegible code that's printed on the device.

 

 

And on the other side of the coin, Apple users don't see the need for being asked for so many times for consent to do so many things or being required to jump through hoops to use software you've already legally purchased.

So, I guess the playing field's even, then.

 

Besides, it's a CYA thing. Free software operated in conjunction with an Apple-authorized device. It simply says "Hey, here's the software we provided for this purpose, with this code. Anything outside that, they did it, not us. Sue them.

[nat whilk II]

 

Originally posted by Kiwiburger Thanks for that. Yeah - i'm sure when I cool down a bit i'll be able to get iTunes going. I hope. If iTunes is free software, I don't see the need for forced registration with an illegible code that's printed on the device. I'm PC only (this iPod is the first Apple i've owned - I hope it's the last). So maybe the iRiver is worth a try. USB pen drives and external harddrives and DVD recorders don't have these stupid issues to contend with. Why must they ruin what could have been a great little product? I can see that they are trying to force users to use their iTunes service - but i would be much more agreeable to this if my hand wasn't forced.

 

 

I've often felt the very same frustrations about all the Windows operating systems and related products - I feel I'm being herded down a marketing chute when all I want is to run my computer and control what it does myself.

 

nat whilk ii

[aliengroover]

I love iTunes and I don't even have an iPod. I have a little Creative MuVo player, and it has it's own, not-too-bad, software, plus I have Rhapsody. But I get everything together in iTunes. Plus, I always find when I throw in a CD and let the software lookup the titles, it seems iTunes gets it quicker than the others. Overall it works great for me. Sorry to hear about your troubles, but once you really start using iTunes, most people dig it.

Peace

[MorePaul]

 

Originally posted by nat whilk II I feel I'm being herded down a marketing chute when all I want is to run my computer and control what it does myself.

 

 

I think most users of closed-source OSs feel that way

 

esp those who are not OS fluid (or worse, those that take "If you ain't one o us...you're one o dem" view of OS choice)

 

The sentiment has certainly gotten worse now that "desktop" OS follow preemptive models of multi-tasking, have their UIs integrated, hardware management layers are interposed, etc

[Kiwiburger]

Thanks MorePaul - your suggestion of Anapod seems to be the answer. It's clearly superior to iTunes and worth the $20.

 

I sure hope iTunes uninstalls properly.

 

I'm not a teenager anymore, but i'm not old, blind or stupid. Yet.

 

I use so much technology that i've become dependant on the {censored}, and now it's all catching up with me. Instead of doing my work and making music, I spend my life trying to load registration codes and passwords.

 

I wanna be a Luddite.

[deanmass]

I am sorry, but you guys are just wrong. I have owned a ton of these (mp3 players, creative/Olympus/memorex/archos), and you cannot get an iPod to work, go back to cassettes.

[Rudolf von Hagenwil]

Mr. IT

 

out of 198 models of MP3 player, why you chosed a Apple, who needs iTune? Where with all other models you just drag & drop you files to. You can't blame apple for that --> do you?

 

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[steadyb]

Originally posted by gearmike You need to run iTunes to use an iPod. You don't need to use the Apple music store. You don't need to use AAC files. The iPod will play back MP3's just fine. If you would just slow down and actually try to use the thing as it was designed, you would see that iTunes isn't such a bad piece of software. I hate it when people think they know better, don't read the manual, don't read the ReadMe file, try to do it some other way first, and then complain that something is crap! Just try it the way it was meant to be used.

 

 

[offramp]

Angelo is right, although I'd wager some of those models mentioned aren't available in the U.S.

[Phil O'Keefe]

Kiwi, I got a 4GB iPod Nano recently, and I'm really digging it. iTunes software is essential for loading MP3's and utilizing / organizing things on your iPod. I'm not sure how it works with the Shuffle, since they really don't have definable "playlists" like the larger iPods do, but with my Nano, I can do all sorts of cool organizational stuff... but it's a bit more expensive than the Shuffle.

 

Oh, and FWIW, I had to wear TWO sets of reading glasses simultaneously AND use a magnifying glass to read the S/N.

[Egz]

First, iTunes is a free software program. It automates many tasks - like ripping any CD into ( Preferences can select Import as AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, @ Several quality settings - like 320K AAC or MP3 )

Second, it allows you to sort "Playlists" to make compilations for say an iPod, or to Burn as a CD, ( also has a built in CD/DVD Burner - free! )

iTunes Software, interfaces with the iPod, and sync's playlists, launches iTunes when iPod is plugged in automatically - begins recharging, and shoots Audio/Video/ data - or whatever YOU like at 50MB/sec!

 

The iTunes Music Store, which IS available in your country now, ( It was a while ago ) but you do not have to use it. You can buy from the iTunes Music store from IN iTunes software, but unlike "Other" solutions, the software allows you to import/export/ encode/ switch formats/ burn to CD or DVD - as MP3 disc with over 1000 songs plays on any DVD player - to data - Audio CD.

It helps YOU manage music, if you have 10,000 songs - it lets you search by artist, year, when you added, last played, how often played, decades, style of music...etc.

iTunes also allows you to set up iPOD as DISC MODE - so you can see it as a drive...

 

I hate registering too... My nephew just turned 15, as he saw iTunes registration, he wrote Leave Me Alone,123 YRU BuggingMe, etc. LOL!!!

 

WHY???

 

iPod uses a Database file system. So, it's not readable like a device which just mounts - and as long as it's in the right folder - will play ( Like say my Treo650 cell phone ) but that is a pain in the neck!!!

Why a database? Apple made free software, a music store which earns them zero money, just so iPod users would be able to use it, all connected, integrated, since no one else would...

 

( You need Quicktime because MS wont let you do anything but import files - exporting? Only as Windows Media - so we can rule the world - Quicktime does not limit this -and again, MS wants iPods to run Windows CE, and MS Music software - which sucks!)

 

Apple is paying people to give you a free database driven application ( iTunes ) because you "May" have over 25,000 songs in your life - and may want to back up on DVD's, mix CD's, sync to iPod, and... even throw pictures & Video on that iPod

A LOT of us also back up our Hard drives with Audio/Video/Photo/Work/ often the WHOLE HD as back up - and easy way to access your stuff from any computer.....

 

OK, you did buy the cheapest MP3 player you could, and you refused to follow the 2 or 3 directions.... OK, I am not perfect... who is? You complain about free software Anyone would LOVE (free download- no iPod required ) confuse it with iTunes store

 

 

 

There is a Mac OS X app called Loadpod FREE - which let's you see the data structure like files & Folders

( I don't personally know of any Windows ones - but don't use windows )

 

OK, now I CAN use an iPod without iTunes. Yet, my DVD collections, Photo's, MP3's, contacts, calendar, Birthday reminders, alarm clock, plus back up HD - keep getting bigger....

( So, I see why a database is a good idea! )

 

Please, try iTunes, also try the FREE Podcasts you can access FREE through iTunes there ( Hear a 2 hour program you are asleep for, or from other countries.... whenever you like! ) If you like... Use the free CD & DVD burner, and iTunes store - remember Apple makes zero money from, only a service to iPod owners...

 

( No other MP3 player has integrated solutions - which is why 80% of the market is iPod. + Itunes software + iTunes Store - it's actually easier than throwing MP3's around.... )

 

For the record, I have a 60GB iPod, and I know a LOT of people with iPods.... They play MP3's as well or better than anyone - but it's the way it imports CD's, rips to MP3 of choice, organizes, and syncs automatically that has kept all of us... buying the only name in MP3 players... Try iTunes, and see why! You'll see it is no scam... No agenda... Not like MS...

 

A Database. Isn't that widely considered the best way to store data, especially lots of it?

 

If you want to do MS style, and avoid software which limits you, you may need to consider Apple is not evil... ( any limits are imposed by record industry - of which Apple's is least draconian in real life - of them all - again just as a non profit iPod owner service! )

 

Go use iTunes.... If you still have trouble, I will do what I can... iTunes is a cool program....

 

 

But, yeah, iPod Shuffle is NOTHING like the other iPods.... ( Never even heard of anyone buying one! It's like using cell phone - never gonna be a great Music device! )

 

Use iTunes as Apple suggested, paid for, hired inventors, and gives away for the common good... with no gaining idea...

iTunes + iPod + ITMS = Everyones favorite ( Bill Gates even! )