What am i "missing" about ipods?

drizzy said:
Except that it seems to manage the library by having a hidden directory filled with a bunch of folder names like F01 with 4 letter file names in each, presumably with a database managing mappings between files and songs.

For example, on my iPod:

E:\iPod_Control\Music\F01\BSWG.mp3

This is on a 30gig 5th gen iPod though, maybe they've stopped doing that now with new ones and it's simply kept the format for historical reasons.
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Afaik they still use those naming conventions, but last time I tried that and added the songs back into the iTunes library, iTunes found the song names automatically, so even though the files on the hdd were like you say, a collection of letter, when you put them into a media player they go back to using the proper song / artist. Or at least that's what happened in my experience. I've only used the method once or twice, after formatting a PC and needing to get the media off my iPod onto a PC.

I agree with what some have said that the iPod needs a way other than this of being able to copy from iPod to computer without having to resort to 3rd party methods. This works for me on PC, but on a Mac I'm not aware of any way to get the songs off without using a 3rd party app.
 
.one. said:
So if anyone disagrees that's the argument ? it's just a very average mp3 player.

Far better players available.
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Theres bad and good Sony players, just like theres good and Apple players. I would say the best Apple players are better then average but not the very best. They used to have terrible SQ but they've got a lot better.
 
We have one in a drawer somewhere, still in its box, never felt the need to use it. What might very well change that will be having a car stereo with an IPOD jack, I can well see the point in having one then, I guess until then it'll stay unused.
 
daz said:
Do iPods have "on the go" playlist creation yet? :o
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They have had for ages haven't they?

I hated itunes until I got an iphone and had to use it. I kinda like it now, it does what I want it to and is simple enough to use.

It's a painless joy compared to the old Sony Sonicstage hell I used to go through!
 
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I don't know, I had a first gen iPod for years (which didn't have it :o). Only just changed to a nano equivalent Sony player. Good to know though. :cool:
 
Trifid said:
I can't import a M3u playlist to have it on the Zune. (The following might not be fair, but it still annoys me) Doesn't handle playlists how I would want it to - can't have playlist and drill down to artist, album. Adding Classical music is just a mess of artists, so want it in a separate playlist. The software is as bloaty as itunes.



Having to middle click to select artist, album etc is terrible. I miss it and go sideways often. Getting your passenger to do it who is not familiar with it is next to impossible.

If you gone back one too many times, you then press back again until the track is on now playing. If you press back again now it will go back to the starting menu where you select music etc.

No simple way to get random on and off.

The device has no idea how much battery life you have. Seems to go from 3/4 to empty instantly.

Rubbish lossless support, and it seems to crash if a track size is over a certain size. Not good when a lot of tracks I listen to are over 10 minutes long.

As said, the only redeeming feature is the DAC is very good.
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I have .m3u playlists on my zune? They import accross just fine.

Software as bloaty as iTunes? It opens when I plug my zune in, automatically updates the library and transfers it accross. It runs one very small program in the background whereas iTunes iirc runs 2? iPodHelper and iTunesService? It doesn't slow to a crawl with big playlists like old versions of iTunes did and it generally does nothing wrong. Honestly don't get you with that one. It's hardly a foobar2000 but, eh, what can you expect?

Classic music is fine when you have it set to display album artist rather than album and track artist.

Can't say I've ever had the middle click being a problem, that's just because people are used to other players!

The back button behaviour I can understand how it can bug some people but it suits me down to the ground. Plus easy enough to get back to artist/tracklist by going middle click - go to tracklist/artist.

Simple way to get random on or off? You go and change the song :confused: Or you middle click turn shuffle of if that's what you mean.

Battery I also had problems on, lookup how to do a full calibration on the thing and it sorts it right out, am getting a good 15+ hours out of mine now compared to the pathetic times before.

Lostless, fair play, it lacks in that respect, but I can't say I've ever had crashing problems and have a fair lostless collection on the device. iPods don't exactly haev wild lostless support either though? ALAC only is it not?

Just wish we could have the Zune marketplace over here, that's by far the best deal in legal music going.
 
aardvark said:
i hate ipods - like all apple products it only does what apple 'says' you want - not what you actually want and might be useful.
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erm..... all products just offer the customer something. Its up to you to decide if its to your needs or not.

As clearly shown in this thread the ipod/iphone do meet some peoples needs and not others. It really is that simple.

Just because people in sound city say I need a 2000pound sound system to fully enjoy music doesnt not mean it is want I want and might be useful... see what I did there ? :p
(by the way no offence to the audiophiles from sound city :) )
 
I also don't really see the big appeal, when you can just use your phone. I would say 99% of iPod users will have a mobile phone that can play music as well. Why not just spend a bit more on your contract/phone and get a phone with better music capabilities. Or in fact simply a phone that will play music at all. Hell, that's all an ipod does. It just does it nicely. I tend to just press play once and then it's in my pocket for X minutes/hours anyway. I'd never spend money on an iPod / mobile pocket PC / netbook / low level point and shoot camera, when a phone can do it all. Even my phone does all that.
 
Because phones sound like poo playing music in general (possible things have improved a bit!) and the battery life drain is shocking.
 
Hxc said:
Because phones sound like poo playing music in general (possible things have improved a bit!) and the battery life drain is shocking.
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My phone lasts a week because I didn't chose a pants one. Does also NOT sound like poo. It sounds a lot like listening to an ipod surprisingly.
 
aardvark said:
an expansion slot for memory cards
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That's more of a personal niggle than anything else. How anybody can't fit the bulk of their music that they actually listen to on their iPod (8GB+) is beyond me. Some people seem to become obsessed with downloading (illegally) every track by everybody ever, to listen to only a selection - pointless if you ask me.
 
jaybee said:
My phone lasts a week because I didn't chose a pants one. Does also NOT sound like poo. It sounds a lot like listening to an ipod surprisingly.
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there is not even a remote chance that your phones battery will last a week when using it for mp3 player (even if you only listen to music an hour a day...)
 
Nitefly said:
That's more of a personal niggle than anything else. How anybody can't fit the bulk of their music that they actually listen to on their iPod (8GB+) is beyond me. Some people seem to become obsessed with downloading (illegally) every track by everybody ever, to listen to only a selection - pointless if you ask me.
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To be fair, in a lossless format 8gb is only about 200-250 songs.
 
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