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iPod Buying iPod for my military guy overseas

C

creativewitch

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I want to buy an iPod for my hubby overseas in the military. What I want to make sure is that I can download songs/videos to my computer at home...transfer the files to a CD and send him the CD to upload the files/songs/videos. He's out in the boonies on SLOW SLOW SLOW dial up and I know he won't be able to download the stuff himself.

Can someone tell me?
 
As long as he has a computer capable of running itunes (with a USB connection), then yup that will work splendidly. Just copy as many cd's as you would like and he can rip them all to his computer than to his new ipod! hope that helps!
 
thanks for posting an answer for me...but I am totally new to the while iPod thing. What exactly is iTunes? Is it a program? (Can I save it to a CD for him to install if it is?) or do you have to be connected to the internet to run itunes?
 
creativewitch said:
What exactly is iTunes? Is it a program? (Can I save it to a CD for him to install if it is?) or do you have to be connected to the internet to run itunes?
Click to expand...
It is a program... it can be saved onto CD and then have him install it (noteif you do end up purchasing a new iPod for him, it comes w/ iTunes on a CD for him already).

iTunes can run w/out the internet but you lose a lot of the neat features-- lookup of the song/track/album/artist info... you lose access to iTMS (iTunes Music Store), etc. But it works well as just an application to play the music you already own.
 
creativewitch said:
What exactly is iTunes?
Click to expand...

It's like a jukebox where you import your music from CDs and can see all your songs listed, arrange them into playlists etc. You can also listen to internet radio stations and podcasts (downloadable shows). It's free and can be downloaded from Apple's site.

It also manages the iPod so you can add or delete songs from it.

And lastly, when connected to the Internet, it acts as a browser to purchase music from the iTunes Music Store (iTMS). You don't need to use this option to use an iPod — I've only ever purchased one song from the iTMS, all the rest are imported from CDs that I have purchased over the years.

http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/

🙂
 
You guys are the best! Thanks so much! I understand now 🙂 I'm going to order a new one from the apple store - now to see if anyone has a promo code that I can use 😛 😀
 
creativewitch said:
You guys are the best! Thanks so much! I understand now 🙂 I'm going to order a new one from the apple store - now to see if anyone has a promo code that I can use 😛 😀
Click to expand...

i would maybe wait til thanksgiving cuz i think there might be a sale (maybe wall adapter for ipod cuz it isnt included)..
 
Okay - I can wait a few days but not much more than that in order to get the iPod in time to ship for christmas. 🙂 thanks for the tip - how would I know if there is a sale? Just check the apple store?
 
Oh and make sure you get him the BLACK ipod. I think he will be kicked off any special ops with a WHITE ipod flashing around. That white iPod screams surrender. 🙂
 
creativewitch said:
You guys are the best! Thanks so much! I understand now 🙂 I'm going to order a new one from the apple store - now to see if anyone has a promo code that I can use 😛 😀
Click to expand...

If he has dial-up, that is still good enough to get CD track names.

To add to what others have said:
Your iPod syncs with iTunes.
First you put all of your songs on iTunes. Then as soon as you connect the iPod to your computer it puts everything from iTunes onto the iPod. Now (once the iPod is disconnected) if you add/delete songs, it will add/delete them on your iPod also.

If you make a customized CD (not a full CD that you just copied - track for track) I don't think iTunes can retrieve track info. Only when it is a full Album.
 
Personally, rather than sending him a ton of regular audio CDs, I would send a couple of data CDs and save on shipping. If you are downloading music for him from the iTunes music store they are already in a compressed format and all you have to do is change the settings in preferences>advanced>burning to data CD (from audio) and then burn the playlist as usual. This way, rather than sending him just 20 or so songs per CD, you'll be able to send a ton more.

This will probably become more obvious and easy to understand once you actually have iTunes. But you could download iTunes and get the songs ready that you want to send him already.

Another option, if you are going to open the box and see if the iPod actually works before sending it to him, is to enable disk use on the iPod (I believe this option's under preferences>ipod>music). The iPod will act as an external hard disk and you'll be able to just copy the music files to a folder on the iPod so you won't need to send CDs at all.

Finally, just so you're aware, the current iPod doesn't ship with a power adapter so it might be a good idea to buy one at the same time as purchasing the iPod. It can be a pain to have to rely on computers to charge the iPod, especially when moving around.
 
EricNau said:
Your iPod syncs with iTunes.
First you put all of your songs on iTunes. Then as soon as you connect the iPod to your computer it puts everything from iTunes onto the iPod. Now (once the iPod is disconnected) if you add/delete songs, it will add/delete them on your iPod also.

If you make a customized CD (not a full CD that you just copied - track for track) I don't think iTunes can retrieve track info. Only when it is a full Album.
Click to expand...

Okay, so now...say I wanted to download a video to send to hubby to put on his iPod. Can I download the video, put that file on a CD and send him the CD and then he can upload the video too? Just like music...? (I am getting the 30G iPod that plays videos)

And, can he plug the iPod into his computer and play the movies/videos on his computer from his iPod?
 
MacTruck said:
Oh and make sure you get him the BLACK ipod. I think he will be kicked off any special ops with a WHITE ipod flashing around. That white iPod screams surrender. 🙂
Click to expand...

EXACTLY 🙂 A black one is definitely a MUST!

And also, thanks for the link for that rubberized case thing. How did you know that is EXACTLY the kind of thing I was looking for? 😀
 
creativewitch said:
Okay, so now...say I wanted to download a video to send to hubby to put on his iPod. Can I download the video, put that file on a CD and send him the CD and then he can upload the video too? Just like music...? (I am getting the 30G iPod that plays videos)

And, can he plug the iPod into his computer and play the movies/videos on his computer from his iPod?
Click to expand...

I haven't tried it, and I know there's a way, but it might take a little thinking and clicking around for a while. What type of Videos are you going to send? Home movies or are we talking episodes of Lost?

As for playing the Videos on his computer, yes he could, but it wouldn't be from the iPod. Any time you put something on your iPod, it has to go onto your computer first, therefore you would just play it straight of your computer.
The trick is, once you get something on your iPod, you can't delete it off of your computer, because the next time you hooked up your iPod, it would sync to match what you have on your computer, and would therefore delete it off your iPod also.
 
creativewitch said:
EXACTLY 🙂 A black one is definitely a MUST!

And also, thanks for the link for that rubberized case thing. How did you know that is EXACTLY the kind of thing I was looking for? 😀
Click to expand...

Ex military. Desert Storm. Been there. I know what he needs.
 
erickg said:
Personally, rather than sending him a ton of regular audio CDs, I would send a couple of data CDs and save on shipping. If you are downloading music for him from the iTunes music store they are already in a compressed format and all you have to do is change the settings in preferences>advanced>burning to data CD (from audio) and then burn the playlist as usual. This way, rather than sending him just 20 or so songs per CD, you'll be able to send a ton more.

Another option, if you are going to open the box and see if the iPod actually works before sending it to him, is to enable disk use on the iPod (I believe this option's under preferences>ipod>music). The iPod will act as an external hard disk and you'll be able to just copy the music files to a folder on the iPod so you won't need to send CDs at all.

Finally, just so you're aware, the current iPod doesn't ship with a power adapter so it might be a good idea to buy one at the same time as purchasing the iPod. It can be a pain to have to rely on computers to charge the iPod, especially when moving around.
Click to expand...

GREAT info! Thank you thank you! I am planning to open up the box and put everything I can possibly put on it on it before I send it to him. I just now downloaded iTunes (but for some reason it won't open so I'll have to figure that one out...) and am planning on getting some music and videos ready for when the iPod gets shipped to me.

If I do the 'enable disk use' thing, do I have to change any settings before sending to him? In other words, the perfect gift would be one that he doesn't have to change settings on, kwim? I guess some of this stuff I'll just figure out when I get it. I can't wait! He knows it's coming...he said that I'm only getting it for him b/c I want to have it when he gets back. LOL He knows me well! 😀

Everyone here is so helpful! Thanks!!
 
Oh, when you get that power supply buy an extension cord, a long one. If he is in the field he will need it. Also, if you have iphoto you can put tons of photos on it for him. I am sure he will like that.
 
MacTruck said:
Oh, when you get that power supply buy an extension cord, a long one. If he is in the field he will need it. Also, if you have iphoto you can put tons of photos on it for him. I am sure he will like that.
Click to expand...
You can also do this with Windows; it's just not as simple, it would say how in the instruction booklet.
(You have to put the pictures in folders on your computer then tell iTunes to sync with those folders.) - I think that's how it works atleast.
 
EricNau said:
You can also do this with Windows; it's just not as simple, it would say how in the instruction booklet.
(You have to put the pictures in folders on your computer then tell iTunes to sync with those folders.) - I think that's how it works atleast.
Click to expand...


Cool.
 
creativewitch said:
GREAT info! Thank you thank you! I am planning to open up the box and put everything I can possibly put on it on it before I send it to him. I just now downloaded iTunes (but for some reason it won't open so I'll have to figure that one out...) and am planning on getting some music and videos ready for when the iPod gets shipped to me.

If I do the 'enable disk use' thing, do I have to change any settings before sending to him? In other words, the perfect gift would be one that he doesn't have to change settings on, kwim? I guess some of this stuff I'll just figure out when I get it. I can't wait! He knows it's coming...he said that I'm only getting it for him b/c I want to have it when he gets back. LOL He knows me well! 😀

Everyone here is so helpful! Thanks!!
Click to expand...

You shouldn't have to change any settings besides that one. I'd make sure the iPod doesn't synchronize with your iTunes library (as this will be lost as soon as he synchronizes it for the first time on his computer), enable disk use and transfer all sound, video and picture files in separate folders on the iPod. Then it should be good to go, he'll be able to copy all the files on the iPod to his HD and iTunes, delete them from the iPod (to clear up some space) and synch away.

Good luck!
 
Make sure the computer he is using has USB 2 or he won't be able to charge it, unless you buy a mains adapter (which I believe you can buy separately).
 
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