iTunes for Windows Breaking Older iPods 683
evil_liam asks: "In our office we've been running an older 5gb iPod with both Macs and PC's (using Xplay), but when we installed iTunes for the PC the iPod stopped working. Songs and playlists transfer over fine, and you can see them and play them in iTunes, but you can't listen to them on the iPod, itself. It shows the song details and so forth, but skips through the tracks, playing 0 seconds of each one until it finishes. This only applies to tracks added since iTunes was installed. No amount of reformatting, or rolling back firmware seems to work. When I called Apple, they stated that they simply don't support the use of the older Mac iPods on PC's and are not responsible, even though they admit that it was their own software that caused this. We're not alone, see this thread at Apple.
I'm not quite suggesting that this was deliberate, but they are aware of it and don't seem to care." Does anyone have ideas on possible fixes for the afflicted iPods?
Apple approved fix (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:2, Insightful)
I knew it wouldn't take long for someone to blame Apple's fuck up on MS.
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Err WTFark are you spewing forth? (Score:4, Funny)
Sure, if you felt like tipping the Apple Store guys $370.
Re:Err WTFark are you spewing forth? (Score:3, Informative)
Meanwhile, OSX 10.3 goes for $129 [apple.com].
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:5, Interesting)
The Germans also had a device that was very close to being a computer, but did not store its programs - more akin to a Babbage difference engine without conditional branching - built in 1937 by Konrad Zuse. It used Binary arithmetic - an interesting advance for its time; Zuse calculaters were used in the engineering of the V2 rocket.
The computers built after that were one of a kind - there was no 'standard hardware' or 'standard software' floating around from different vendors.
Back in the days of the Dinosaurs, [catb.org] Real Programmers [catb.org] built the first operating systems for the new beasties - and generally ended up rewriting their creations when hardware became obsolete and new equipment entered the data centre. Not until the introduction of the mini-computer did standardization, interoperability and portability start to show up on the radar screen (circa 1960s).
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:3, Informative)
I've been mail-ordering them from a place in NYC's music district; my dad has the catalog right now so I can't give you more at the moment, but they're primarily a sheet-music publisher that's been there since 78s were state-of-the-art. Google for 'Victrola replacement parts' and you'll see quite a lot. In a pinch, if you just want to hear what's on there, you can even use a cactus needle without damaging the record. It's good enough to hear an FDR speech, anyway.
If you're any good with your hands, a f
I call bullshit (Score:5, Informative)
I will say that I'm still using the same firewire chassis, only now with 7200 RPM instead of 5400 RPM drives, and haven't had the problem since. The iPod has a rather slow hard drive too, which could explain the similar issues.
Regardless, I'm inclined to believe Windows just has a shitty VFS or Firewire subsystem...
Re:I call bullshit (Score:5, Funny)
Windows gays up firewire drives
Yes, but after it does so, the firewire drive is tastefully decorated and sports a colorful rainbow sticker.
Flamebait??? (Score:4, Funny)
The parent used "gay" as a synonym for "broken." THAT's flamebait. I riff a lighthearted joke to call it out, and I get modded flamebait?
Wait a sec... Apple hardware has impeccable aesthetics, the logo has a rainbo... oh, crap. If I read it that way I'd have modded myself a troll.
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:2)
It is very much like using the *Mac-only* iPod on Windows is not supported.
Re:Apple approved fix (Score:5, Funny)
-anonymous slashdot coward
Buy a newer iPod. Sucker.
-S. Jobs
Buy a newer iPod. Sucker.
-B. Gates
Apple's DRM is illegal and unconstitutional. Buying a newer iPod will not remove the infraction.
-D. McBride
Apple always said... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Apple always said... (Score:2)
What the hell are you talking about? As far as I know there is no such thing as a "windows firewire port", it's PC or it's Mac. You can run windows on a PC - so are you saying Windows uses Firewire differently or a PC has a different standard of firewire than a Mac does?
Re:Apple always said... (Score:2)
keep 'em comin!
Re:Apple always said... (Score:2)
Re:Apple always said... (Score:3, Interesting)
Leave it to Sony to bring "standard" interfaces into goofy, needlessly proprietary crap!
Re:Apple always said... (Score:2)
That aside, the posters flaming you are right: the only difference is the software. I'm not sure if my box was marked Mac/Windows or just Windows, but it came formatted as HFS. Part of installing the Windows software involves formatting it as FAT32.
My opinion.. (Score:4, Funny)
Penny Arcade [penny-arcade.com]
eBay it and get a walkman. =P
Re:My opinion.. (Score:5, Funny)
J
Re:My opinion.. (Score:2)
Not Bashing... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Not Bashing... (Score:2, Informative)
Apple supports older hardware. You can run Panther and the latest version of iTuns on older hardware. You just can't run the current version of iTunes on an old version of the operating system because it makes use of the Safari web rendering stuff that didn't exist in the older version of OSX.
This is not unusual and not a problem.
OS X works on a much wider range of hardware than Apple promised it would and officially supports.
For instance, I have it running on an old beige G3 thats r
yes, you are bashing.. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Not Bashing... (Score:2)
Re:Not Bashing... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not Bashing... (Score:3, Insightful)
besides, who told you being an engineer was easy?
Properly designed, backwards compatibility does not have to be implemented directly, it can be emulated.
Now, another layer usually slows things down, but considering the power of new computers, it would be more then enough to run legacy software, with at least as much power as computers had whe
Perhaps you should have read the manual or the FAQ (Score:5, Informative)
Answer: No, not at the same time. iPod is configured for either Mac or PC. You can use the iPod Software Updater utility to restore iPod to work with a Mac or a PC (depending on which version of the utility you use). See technical document 60983, "iPod: How to Restore" for more information.
Note: Using the iPod for Mac on a PC, or using the iPod for Windows on a Mac, is not supported by Apple.
Question 8: Can I use an iPod formatted for Mac on a PC, or an iPod formatted for Windows on a Mac?
Answer: It is not possible to use an iPod formatted for Mac with Windows. This is because Windows does not support the HFS Plus file system and therefore will not see the drive.
You can convert an iPod formatted for Windows into an iPod for Mac by using the iPod for Mac Software Updater on the Apple website. Note that once it is reformatted, it will only work with Macs. You need Mac OS 9.2 or Mac OS X 10.1 or later to reformat an iPod for Windows into an iPod for Mac.
Note: Using the iPod for Mac on a PC, or using the iPod for Windows on a Mac, is not supported by Apple.
Exactly correct. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Perhaps you should have read the manual or the (Score:5, Insightful)
This point needs to be emphasid a lot, because it is the key issue here. As far as I know, Apple has had this policy for all iPods since day one. So who's to blame, Apple for saying "use a Mac iPod on a Mac, and use a PC iPod on a PC", or the user who didn't listen and did what he wanted? Yes, it stinks that some people used to do this without problems, and now they're not so lucky. But the bottom line is that nobody should ever have used a Mac iPod on a PC in the first place.
How evident is the distinction to consumers? (Score:2, Flamebait)
If I understand correctly then there's a "Mac ipod" and a "Windows ipod"? I've browsed the apple store and certainly not had this distinction leap out at me. If Apple is relying on people reading this fine print in order to avoid buying "the wrong kind" of ipod, I'd say that it's Apple responsibility to do far bett
Re:Perhaps you should have read the manual or the (Score:3, Funny)
Damn straight!
They should have simply bought two iPods. Damned techno-anarchists, trying to deprive poor Apple of another $400!
Regardless of what Apple may have claimed since day one, generally getting something "for PC" or "For Mac" only meant which drivers it included. If you could connect it to the same type of port and run it driverless, you could use it on either. Ethernet-connected "Apple-only" PC
Re:Perhaps you should have read the manual or the (Score:4, Informative)
Does anyone remember buying pre-formatted 3.5" floppy disks? They would say "for Mac" or "for Windows" on the box, right? Again, poor driver support, right?
The iPod is a drive... it's formatted in the file system appropriate to the machine it's used on. Has nothing to do with the drivers or ports. Sure, there's some software for the PC that will let you use your HFS+ formatted, first-generation iPod with it... iTunes isn't of this variety.
Even the newest iPods have to be formatted for Windows before they are used under Windows. But the included software does that for you now.
Re:Perhaps you should have read the manual or the (Score:3, Insightful)
The iPod is a drive... it's formatted in the file system appropriate to the machine it's used on. Has nothing to do with the drivers or ports.
Perhaps I look at this somewhat differently, as a firmware engineer (y'know, one of the guys who writes drivers for a living), but I still call it a driver issue.
Rather than forcing users to reformat their iPods as either FAT32 or HFS, Apple could have taken the simple step of writing an Windows driver to add HFS support. No fu
Why the hell are FSs incompatible anyway? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:People are lazy. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Perhaps you should have read the manual or the (Score:4, Insightful)
There is a perfectly good excuse. Apple chose not to include this feature. Why? I dunno, maybe it would have been a good one to include. But maybe it caused other problems with the software, or their UI guys said it would just confuse people who couldn't use their old, out-of-the-box Mac iPod software on their Windows machine.
If you want to say "Hey, this is a feature Apple should have included," go ahead, but don't act like it's a bug that they didn't.
Good post - Pressure always works with Apple (Score:2, Interesting)
Not surpising... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Not surpising... (Score:3, Informative)
In the case of Mac iPods versus Windows iPods, the Mac version is formatted in HFS+ and the Windows version is
Hmmm. (Score:5, Informative)
Also in the linked discussion board, it seems like multiple problems are being reported as a single problem. For example, one guy reverted to old iPod software and still had problems. Another guy has problems only with music downloaded from iTunes. Another guy only has problems with CDs he ripped.
Every consumer device has issues and flaming mad customers. The real question is, is the problem widespread. The other question is, why has Cliff posted three "an Apple consumer is having a problem" articles in the last couple of days (the first two seemed to be pretty damn stupid and non-widespread to me).
Re:Hmmm. (Score:4, Informative)
However you can replace the batteries yourself for $49 and a screwdriver. There are numerous places that sell them.
Just that nit. Other than that I agree fully with what you say.
Accurate? (Score:5, Informative)
Call tech support again. I've always found them quite helpful (at least the AppleCare ones) when i've had hardware issues. Or take it to an Apple Store, heard good things about them ebing willing to bend over backwards to help out.
Re:Accurate? (Score:3, Insightful)
Unworthy of Slashdot (Score:4, Insightful)
Slashdot is not tech support.
But I thought Apple wanted people to switch? (Score:5, Insightful)
It's silly to think they're trying to sabatoge the Windows base. And if some phone rep blew it...well, that's clearly a problem but I just don't see this as anything more than one person's screw up.
Warranty? (Score:3, Insightful)
As many of you who have worked in retail know, it hardly matters if you smashed it with a hammer. They'll take it back.
Before you rush to blame Apple. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Before you rush to blame Apple. (Score:2, Insightful)
One of two things should have happened :
A: Ipod should not have let programs do something to damage it or
B: Software should detect if it's an older Ipod and not do whatever it did to screw it up.
In your analogy, if we put the VW dashboard back and fi
Re:Before you rush to blame Apple. (Score:2, Insightful)
*Sigh* Just a little research kids... (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re:damn that sucks (Score:2)
Actually, you are wrong (Score:2)
There's hope... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:There's hope... (Score:5, Insightful)
Can't they just fix it in ITunes? (Score:2)
I'm not an IPod user, so illuminate me if I'm on the wrong track...
Deliberate ? (Score:3, Interesting)
Well, the breaking may not have been deliberate, but their refusal to support their customers is most certainly deliberate . And is it more than a coincidence that fixing this problem isn't going to sell many more iPods, is it ?
Exactly why I can't spend $300+ on an iPod (Score:3, Insightful)
And that's what scares me (next to breaking or having stolen) about an iPod -- what happens when Apple says "Sorry, we don't support you" as few as two years down the road -- are you just SOL? Time for another $300+ to buy another one?
I'd have a little more faith in these things if they were primarily 1394/USB disks with firmware. Put MP3s and playlists on them, voila, it will play them, and did not have a closed interface with proprietary software that the vendor may or may not decide to support or fix, rendering an otherwise functional machine worthless.
Re:Exactly why I can't spend $300+ on an iPod (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Exactly why I can't spend $300+ on an iPod (Score:2)
It still is dependent on software to put songs on there. Just because there's a whole garden variety of third party applications still means you're dependent on special applications to put songs on it.
I want to copy songs there with Explorer/Finder/etc. I *don't* want to rely on ANY software (other than the device's firmware) to make those songs playable.
How an iPod works (Score:4, Insightful)
Into that ram it loads an index, a database, containing all the song information on all the songs: The metadata, the ID3 information, the playcounts, the volume and EQ settings, the ratings, the notes, the extra album info, comments, everything.
It is *because* of this file, this index, this database, that the iPod has a UI par exellance, the most usable, friendly, fast, and efficient UI on any MP3 player.
All iTunes does, in copying music to your iPod, is create a bunch of *normal* folders (which the Finder can do) onto the iPod, and copy the iTunes generated (no even encrypted!) database file onto the iPod (which the Finder can do as well). It's all regular HFS+ or FAT32 files, no voodoo, no magic.
So no extra software is necessary to make the songs playable, but extra software is necessary to make the iPod usable.
If this doesn't make sense, download iTunes, import several thousand songs into it, and use it (ID3 tags, metadata, and everything) for a week. This is *exactly* how the iPod works. Without that very same data used in iTunes, the iPod would be useless (try manually navigating 8.000 songs in a flat, unstructured, list!). iTunes generates several hierarchies through which you can navigate your iPod:
Artists->Songs
Albums->Songs
Songs
Genre->Al
Composers->Songs
Playlists->Songs
All iTunes does is *generate* those structures. You need *something* to generate those structures. Of course, the standard response to the iTunes/iPod naysayer is "I want to create my own genre/artist/album hierarchies in The Finder/Explorer damn it!"
Yeah, feel free, I guess. Me, I enjoy letting iTunes do it for me, and all I have to do is 'click, click, scroll, click' and enjoy.
Re:Exactly why I can't spend $300+ on an iPod (Score:3, Insightful)
There needs to be an index of all the MP3 files on the disk for the iPod firmware to use. The UI needs to use the index to show all the song listings. So you need to build this index one way or the other. You can either have the host PC build it, or have the iPod build it itself from the files that are on the disk.
In order to use your method, you'd have to have the iPod build the index itself. That means that every ti
Maybe you should check with XPlay (Score:2, Interesting)
File a bug report. Flash firmware. Don't complain. (Score:5, Informative)
Join ADC [apple.com]
Bug Apple [apple.com]
Very little at Apple actually happens without a report in this "RadarWeb" bug tracking system of theirs. Think about it- this is how actual engineers have actual tasks/problems assigned to them, except maybe when Steve says "make it so".
Of course, as you're perfectly aware, you broke your Macintosh-only iPod while trying to use it on a PC, something you were rather clearly warned against doing when you bought the device. Did you complain to Sony because your Betamax tape player was screwed up by a VHS tape, too?
So why are you complaining about it on Slashdot, anyway ?
I'm willing to bet you could fix the problem by installing the most recent iPod firmware update, if you were willing to try that and weren't just trolling.
How is this news? (Score:2, Insightful)
How does a thread with 11 posts become generalized on Slashdot as iTunes for the PC is breaking all 5gb iPods?
There is something known as journalistic integrity, one piece of which involves not misrepresenting or overstating a single piece of information.
Give 'em a break (Score:2)
This seems to be another cry of "wolf," like the earlier story this week about Apple not providing security fixes for older OS versions. What happened in the end? The next day, Apple said that the allegations were untrue and that security fixes were coming out.
Stop getting all your news from the Drudge Report...
Stay away from Apple's Software! (Score:2, Informative)
- Got the charging USB 2.0 cable, OTW a full battery lasts about 15 min during sync.
- Uninstalled Apple's crap drivers and software, and installed EphPod. EphPod works thru the standard USB storage interface, lets you copy music off of the iPod, and access the contacts, notes, etc. All Apple's software does is restrict the user, crash and fail to detect the iPod intermittently.
My friend recieved an iPod as a gift, and it got co
Simple Problem, Simple Solution (Score:4, Insightful)
The simple solution is to back up the data from the iPod, and format it using Apple's software updater on their website.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120 236
Then start over with iTunes. Should work. The only reason its failing is because they initially tried getting it to work with a file system hack (Xplay). Using the PC updater above for iPod 1.3 will make the iPod into a PC 5 GB or 10 GB or 20 GB iPod ( the hardware is absolutely the same be it PC or Mac compatible, just the software is different ) and Windows iTunes will work properly with it.
Duh. (Score:5, Informative)
Get thee to eBay! (Score:3, Insightful)
Gee. (Score:3, Insightful)
It didn't work. It broke your iPod. Now you want Apple to fix it. You're mad because they won't.
Every product is sold with instructions detailing how it is to be used. You did not follow the instructions. Seems pretty straightforward to me. It's not like you didn't *know* that using that version of the iPod with Windows was unsupported, you just chose to ignore the fact.
Interesting.
Hmm..mod down or respond? (Score:3, Insightful)
Or there's:
"but when we installed iTunes for the PC the iPod stopped working"
Now we don't even bother reading the article posted directly above our replies? He's saying second-party software worked perfectly (Xplay) but when he installed Apples own iTunes software the players stopped working. Bad Apple
Re:I have a fix (Score:2, Insightful)
I'm not sure this is the best fix, after all, if the older ones are vulnerable to this and Apple won't lift a finger to assist, then what reason do we have to believe that the next incarnation of iTunes won't break the newer ones?
On the cynical side, lack of function has never seemed to deter Windows users in the past, I wonder if Apple will even feel a hiccup from this?
Re:I have a fix (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple built the hardware, labeled it as mac only. You hooked it up to a PC using somebody else's software. Why exactly should apple provide any support whatsoever to this problem? That's why companies provide specifications-- if your hardware doesn't meet specs, don't come running to them. Your PC doesn't meet the spec of being a Mac, so why complain?
Re:This was an accident. (Score:2)
Re:Apple's Ongoing Problem (Score:2)
Re:Don't buy Apple products. (Score:2)
Re:Don't buy Apple products. (Score:2)
Re:Don't buy Apple products. (Score:2)
Re:Will be fixed.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Instead, they have to stay firm at the lower level while the problem escalates the hierarchy and gets finally solved. That's life, but the slashdot editors don't seem to realize it. If one guy at the Apple support was in a bad mood and trash talked a customer, you immediately have a story on the front page: "Apple says 'Fuck You' To All Customers".
Re:Will be fixed.. (Score:3, Informative)
Let's take an example: I call the sony customer service, saying that I installed their beta driver for their digital camera for FreeBSD for which they offer no warranty at all and it doesn't work... Would they send me a new camera for free? Not sure.
Re:Will be fixed.. (Score:3, Informative)
So, it is not breaking anything, really. It is just that iTunes for PC is incompatible with older iPods. That's what I don't like in this misleading headline! It shouldn't be "iTunes for Windows Breaking Older iPods" byt "iTunes for Windows Incompatible With Older iPods".
Re:Will be fixed.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Will be fixed.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Will be fixed.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Sigh (Score:2)
Get real. While these are important issues, the important thing is whether or not Apple
Re:Sigh (Score:3, Insightful)
If this were the case, then what the fuck are Apple doing by releasing Windows software in the first place?
I dunno, trying to capture that 80% of the home PC market still dominated by Windows?
This must be the lamest excuse I've ever heard for a poor product. C'mon, Apple isn't some $10 start-up run by preteens; it's a large, experienced software/hardware company, and they shouldn't be screwing things like this up. If MS were shown this much latitude, p
Re:Sigh (Score:2)
Re:Sigh (Score:2)
And then quicktime for windows as an application makes me realize I made the right decision. "Do you want to register?", "hey, hey, I was just wondering if you were ready to register." "Hey, you didn't need those file association
Re:Sigh (Score:2)
Re:Sigh (Score:3, Interesting)
When you install Windows iTunes it installs a background service for running the iPod, which sits there, using up memory and cpu time looking to see if you've got an iPod plugged in
What's the need of this for all the people who installed iTunes, but don't own an iPod? Surely there should be a seperate iPod service install (or install option in iTunes) that you run if you actually have an iPod
I disabled the service and it hasn't had any obvious effect on the operation
Re:Sigh (Score:3, Insightful)
Surely Apple itself, being the maker of the iPod was perfectly aware that old iPods are Mac-only, meaning that iTunes on Windows should just say "sorry, this iPod is not compatible with iTunes for Windows" rather than just ignoring that fact and breaking the thing.
Re:Mac Zealot Translator a go-go! (Score:2)
"It's no hassle to use a plethora of keyboard combos to make up for the patronising one-button mouse. Despite the fact that my hands have FIVE fingers, and multiple-buttons make Web browsing so much more pleasant, I prefer my computer to be treat me like a special-needs child."
Hey now! My special needs 4 year old can run a 3 button mouse just fine, thank you very much!
I'd suggest you use an ape or other animal in your comparison, but honestly, that wouldnt b
Re:Diminishing Hardware Support & QA (Score:4, Insightful)
having said that, and noting that I *like* my Apple products - I have to cry foul in some of your comments.
FireWire hard drives self destruct
This was more a FW800 firmware issue than an Apple issue. The actual problem requires two rare conditions to exist, and in a laboratory was extremely hard to duplicate - in fact, one drive manufacturer could not do so. But the bridge manufacturers had to make updated firmware to fix their problems. There are too many discussions on this already, so I won't go into it too much - but this was not strictly an Apple issue, just sadly hit Apple square in the nuts...(Roshambo ya for it...)
Minimal 3rd party video card support
How on earth is this Apple's fault? I have TONS of third party accessories from my PC days that will NEVER be supported on the Mac, and I have many that will not even be supported on any version of windows made in the last 5 years or years to come! The vendors are responsible for that support, not Apple. Even Microsoft has this problem...
Other misc networking problems
That is too vague and inspecific. All computers can suffer from "misc networking problems". This just doesn't belong unless you can be specific.
Dozens of less debilitating problems, unusable features, and long-standing unfixed bugs.
Again vague and inspecific. Name one computer platform that doesn't have long-standing unfixed bugs. Heck, I am a developer and I have systems in production that have long-standing well documented bugs. What "unusable features" are you talking about? And unusable to whom? I would wager that "dozens" of problems existing in millions of lines of code being used by millions of people is a pretty good ratio. Have YOU developed anything with ZERO bugs or ZERO problems, and then made it work on an infinite combination of configurations?
10.2.8 Initial release: Complete fiasco -- update pulled
This was NOT a Complete fiasco. It simply caused problems on an extremely small number of Apple's machines. Could the quality control have been a bit better? Perhaps. But for the extreme vast majority the update was smooth and problem free. Apple promptly recognized the problem and made the requisite repairs. How is that a "complete fiasco"?
iTunes for Windows: Doesn't work with 1st generation iPods
Should it? I am not so sure. Times move on. Weren't the original iPods supposed to be Mac only anyway? When did the Windows iPod debut? My CAR has a warranty that EXPIRES - why should Apple support their products indefinitely? If my car has a defect outside of the warranty period, I either have to live with it or pay for the repairs (except in the rare case where the manufacturer was found by a court to be negligent or fraudulent - but Apple is held to the same standard anyway, see the OSX on G3 case recently). GET OVER IT PEOPLE, at some point in time your technology will become obsolete and you will either have to continue to use it as originally specified - or buy new stuff. My VCR doesn't work with DVDs, should I complain? My old Nintendo RF-Out doesn't work with my new HDTV without a third party adapter, should Nintendo replace it?
For crying out loud. Apple is a business. They are human just like anyone else. They have to make money just like any other business. They can't support every whiny user forever. At some point in time, they have to move on. I don't claim to know what a good cutoff time is - but don't think Apple loves you like your mother - because they don't. They just want you to buy a computer and iPod or two.. That's all.
But their stuff is better than most, and I like it. If you think Apple is hard on customers - try cellular phone companies. Now THEY suck.... Hehe, or Cable TV... Don't even get me started down THAT path...
Re:Hypocrites (Score:3, Informative)
And so does the iPod. You can indeed store whatever the fuck you want on it right out of the box. Mine right now stores a full backup of my home directory, including all the photos of my iPhoto library. You need additional hardware to read the photos directly from memory card. Can your MuVo do it right ot of the box? Errrm, can