So, I finally bought an iPod! Just before the end of the year I purchases the 60GB model that plays video and promptly spent several days converting DVDs and to MPEG4 to get them into the thing.
What I'm really getting into is Podcasts. We're blessed in Tokyo to have about 6 FM radio stations for the entire city so radio choice is poor at best. The Podcasts are great and I'm rediscovering some old favorites that I used to listen to 10 years ago, like Research File from Radio Netherlands.
But there's a problem.
As users may know, the iPod has to be paired with a host computer running iTunes. New songs and podcasts come into the host computer and it updates the iPod each time they are connected. Apple only allows one computer to be paired with each iPod -- to present unauthorized duplication of music I think -- but that it's really inconvenient for the Podcasts.
My iPod is paired with my iMac at home so I can't update podcasts during the day at work. A couple of weeks ago when I was in Las Vegas at CES last week I couldn't update either, so I had no new radio to listen to on the 10 hour flight back to Tokyo.
The only solution is to pair the iPod with my work laptop, which I carry with me, but I don't want all my personal music on a work machine and neither does the IT department!
Is there a way I can update just the podcasts from a second machine? I haven't found one yet but it's something I'd love to see added sometime. Steve, are you listening?!
The solution is simple - sell the ipod and buy the Creative Zen Vision M. It's got more features than the ipod, and it's doesn't lock you into itunes or the single comuter clause.
Oh, and it did just win best in show at CES.
That's not very helpful advice, Rigo. You want to try to hook up a Creative player on an iMac? Microsoft has frozen Windows Media Player for Mac OS X on version 9, so I think anything other than an iPod is a bad idea.
I might have a solution. Set your iPod to "manually manage songs and playlists". You should be able to drag and drop files from multiple versions of iTunes onto the iPod at will. I think. (Never actually tried it myself, personally; to be honest, I don't see the point of updating podcasts at work. I feel the point of podcasts is that I don't have to constantly check for new content; it'll show up eventually when it's available.)
Yes, that works. Set the second machine to manually manage playlists, then create a playlist for your podcasts, and then actually drag that playlist onto your iPod.
Cool blog! Come visit my site. John Martinez