Get the most out of your iPod
By JASON COX for Smart
You finally got one. After hearing all the hoopla for the last few years, you asked for an iPod, and someone bought it for you for Christmakwanzikuhfestivus. But now it’s sat in the box ever since, staring at you, pleading to be played with.
The first time you toy around with an iPod might be an intimidating experience, especially for all of you self-proclaimed technophobes out there. But with a little guidance and few quick tips, you’ll be rocking out like those funky silhouettes in the iPod ads in no time.
How to get set up
1. Plug it in. If you haven’t already downloaded the software iTunes to your computer, do so at www.itunes.com
2. Follow the directions! Follow a couple more on-screen instructions. (The default options are the ones you’ll want to choose in almost all cases, but read through them just in case.)
3. Copy music to the iPod. If you already have some tunes in your iTunes Library, the computer will start copying the music over to the iPod immediately. If you don’t have any songs yet, you can buy them from the iTunes Store by clicking the icon that appears in the left-hand column of the iTunes screen. Also, you can pop in any CD you own, and iTunes will ask you if you want to import the tracks to your computer’s music library. Once you have some tunes in the library, click on the iPod icon in the left-hand column. Then click “Sync” to send them over to your iPod.
General tips
1. Be nice to your battery. Although rechargeable battery technology is better than it used to be, there are still a couple things to keep in mind. First, don’t keep your iPod in extremely hot or cold places (this one should be obvious). Second, wait to charge up your iPod until the battery is close to depleted and then charge it all the way back up again. This will help maximize the overall life expectancy of the battery.
2. Buy a case. There are about 14 bajillion types of cases out there for every model of iPod. It’s most important for iPod Classic owners to get a case, since it is the only iPod to still use a spinning hard drive inside, which allows for large storage capacities, but can be fragile to bumps and drops.
3. Get the free stuff. One often overlooked area of the iTunes Store is the Podcasts section. Here you will find literally thousands of audio and video programs ranging from downloadable NPR radio shows to Comedy Central standup acts to National Geographic specials. And it’s all free. Every last second of it. You can watch/listen to the programs on your computer or copy them over to your iPod to enjoy them on the go.
4. How to unfreeze your iPod: Has your iPod locked up and become unresponsive? This could happen once in a while as it does with computers. If you have a frozen iPod, hold down the “Menu” button at the same time as the center click wheel button for a few seconds. This should reboot the iPod, and you’ll be back in action. If that doesn’t work, well, it’s time to put in a call to Apple’s support line, 1-800-APL-CARE. (For iPod Touch users, hold down the “Home” button with the “On/Off” button to reboot it).
Playlists to get you started...Playing With The Kids Mix: “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses
“My Girl” by The Temptations
“Still Fighting It” by Ben Folds
“Banana Phone” by Raffi
“1234” by Feist
“Mr. Roboto” by StyxSpecial Time With The Significant Other Mix: “Protection” by Massive Attack
“With or Without You” by U2
“Doin’ It” by LL Cool J
“At Last” by Etta James
“Colorblind” by Counting CrowsDowntime Mix: “Under the Milky Way” by The Church
“Secret Garden” by Bruce Springsteen
“Wonderwall” by Oasis
“Don’t Panic” by Coldplay
“Breathe Me” by SiaDance (and Sing) Like Nobody’s Watching (or Listening) Mix:
“Dancing Queen” by ABBA
“Rehab” by Amy Winehouse
“You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC
“Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey
“I Wanna Be Sedated” by The Ramones
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