Sunday, June 15, 2008

Help with annoying Apple device

Okay, I don't usually do this, but...

Can anyone help me understand something to do with my iPod?

I got my iPod 2 1/2 years ago, and there are now 1400 songs on it. I hardly ever add music to it anymore because it is synced up with my old computer, which is a piece of crap. The only reason I ever turn that thing on is to juice up the iPod. I don't want to use it anymore. I want to sync my iPod using the lovely shiny computer that I use now. What I want to do is import the 1400 or so songs that are currently in my iPod into iTunes into my new computer. So I downloaded iTunes to the new computer, and stuck my iPod in, but as I suspected, "an iPod can only be synced with one iTunes playlist at a time."

Does anyone know what I'm supposed to do about this? How can I get the songs out of my iPod into iTunes on the new computer? This must be doable, it must be!

Note: I can get the 20 or so songs that were actually purchased on iTunes into the new computer, but not the rest (which were copied from CD). Don't tell me I'm not allowed to do the other ones at all?!

I'm sorry I'm so daft.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

ok, do you have an apple or a PC? if you have a PC, i know of a freeware program that will do that. email me and i can send you instructions :o)

grumpyABDadjunct said...

You can also link the two computers via firewire or usb cable, making the old comp your 'target' and the new one treats it like an external hard drive. Then you can import whatever the heck you like.

Brigindo said...

Do a google search for iTunes spelled backwards....that's all I'm allowed to say.

Anonymous said...

What I've had to do is find freeware/shareware on the web that will let me download from the iPod. I think I googled something creative like "download music from iPod." Because basically, Apple/iTunes/whoever don't want you to be able to distribute your music, so the iPod isn't supposed to go in the opposite direction (download from as opposed to download to). But the nice software people out there in the world have come up with solutions. I can't remember which specific ones I've used, I'm afraid, but it was straightforward once I had the software.

Hilaire said...

NK, yeah, that's what I figured, that they would be sticky because of copyright issues - that's why I've waited almost a year before even trying to do this. It's just so ridiculous, that's why I tried it anyway! I mean, do people's computers not die/get stolen/get replaced. Grrr...I am not a fan of Apple. (Also because I think the iPod was way over-hyped...mine has not been all it's cracked up to be...) Go into copyright law from the public interest side! Fix this! :)

I took your advice and googled and found a program that looks really good...

And I've also emailed you, Justme. Thanks!

And Brigindo, I don't have a Mac, unfortunately - so can't use that great program!

DBM/GAA - I'm totally intrigued by this option, even though I don't know how I would make one of the computers my "target".

Thanks, all! You are all so helpful!

Maude said...

i know i'm a little late to the convo here, but i used a program called iPod copy. i think it cost me like 12 bucks or something. and i used it on a computer totally different and much newer than the one i had originally used for the iPod. there's a mac and a pc version available.