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Kimi

macrumors regular
Original poster
I'm looking for a new MP3 to use with my normal iPod (B/W 4G). I never could see the use of a smaller player, but now I'm at uni and moving about a lot between classes, I'm finding my iPod a bit of a hassle due to it's size and controls.

Anyway, reading Apple's site, it uses playlists when talking about the shuffle. Does this mean I can have one playlist for music and another for podcasts? That would be great, but I want to make sure before I put it on my Christmas list.
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
You can choose between different playlists when loading the Shuffle, but there is no playlist access once it's loaded - you can play what's on it in sequence or shuffled, but there's no "playlist" concept.

I'd heard - but haven't tested - that it won't play 'casts or audiobooks when in shuffle mode, so I suppose you could put your 'casts at the beginning of your playlist and then shuffle when you don't want to play them and don't shuffle when you do. But I'm not sure of that info.
 

sushi

Moderator emeritus
Jul 19, 2002
15,639
3
キャンプスワ&#
I'd heard - but haven't tested - that it won't play 'casts or audiobooks when in shuffle mode, so I suppose you could put your 'casts at the beginning of your playlist and then shuffle when you don't want to play them and don't shuffle when you do. But I'm not sure of that info.
If true, this is very cool.

Can you verify this, or remember where you found that info?
 

Poff

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2003
1,258
1
Stavanger, Norway
I'd heard - but haven't tested - that it won't play 'casts or audiobooks when in shuffle mode, so I suppose you could put your 'casts at the beginning of your playlist and then shuffle when you don't want to play them and don't shuffle when you do. But I'm not sure of that info.

I can verify that this is the way it works on Shuffle Gen.1, so I guess it is true for Gen.2 aswell.

If you wanted to be a bit tricky, you could use Dougs Make Bookmarkable iTunes Script for Playlist1, putting that in the beginning of your iPod. Then put "normal" music files on the second half of the iPod.
If you want to listen to "playlist 1" - start at the beginning.
If you want to listen to "playlist 2" - engage Shuffle :cool:

I use this for having speeches from my Church first, and then music after. Makes it easy to navigate.

(You should remember to download the "make UN-bookmarkable" script aswell, as for when you want to alter your playlists.
 

Kimi

macrumors regular
Original poster
If it don't play podcasts in shuffle mode then that's great. What about auto resume of podcasts? Does it support that? (as in can play part of one, then switch to music, then back again and be in the corrent place?)
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
If it don't play podcasts in shuffle mode then that's great. What about auto resume of podcasts? Does it support that? (as in can play part of one, then switch to music, then back again and be in the corrent place?)
No - I'm sure it won't support that.

But at such a low price, why not buy two? ;)
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
Anyone else tried this yet? Two conflicting reports so far...

And I don't call £55 cheap, not by a long way.
Well, looks like I need to throw some podcasts onto it just to see.

So, Objectivist-C, you're saying that if I'm in non-shuffle mode and am in the middle of a 'cast, then switch to shuffle mode and play some music, then switch back, I'll resume the 'cast right where I left off?

If so, I'll throw an audiobook on it later.

I'll try this out within an hour or two.
And I don't call £55 cheap, not by a long way.
No. £39 here by me (converted from US dollars). Still not "cheap", but closer.
 

Poff

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2003
1,258
1
Stavanger, Norway
If it don't play podcasts in shuffle mode then that's great. What about auto resume of podcasts? Does it support that? (as in can play part of one, then switch to music, then back again and be in the corrent place?)

Yes, it does. Say I'm in the middle of a speech, swich to shuffle and choose "next track" so that it jumps to the music, when I select continous play again I'm still hearing the music, But.. click play three times and you get to the beginning of the library. Then skip to the speech/audiobook/podcast you were listening to and it starts right where it was before you changed to music.

That's the way it is on my 1.Gen Shuffle, I guess it's the same for 2.gen.
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
Agreed, Poff, that's how it seems to work.

On my 2nd gen Shuffle, i created a small playlist with a few podcasts and some music. I put the podcasts at the beginning. I started playing one, then switched to shuffle and clicked 'forward', which played a song, and each additional 'forward' click played only music.

When I switched off shuffling, i was able to get to and resume playing that podcast pretty easily. However, I only had a few podcasts and a few songs, so I can't verify the "three clicks" thing. For all I know, you'd need to click through the playlist a hundred or more times to get to the podcasts at the beginning. But, yes, it does seem to remember where you are, at least in podcasts, just as the 1st gen one did.
 

milo

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2003
6,891
522
Yes, it does. Say I'm in the middle of a speech, swich to shuffle and choose "next track" so that it jumps to the music, when I select continous play again I'm still hearing the music, But.. click play three times and you get to the beginning of the library. Then skip to the speech/audiobook/podcast you were listening to and it starts right where it was before you changed to music.

That's the way it is on my 1.Gen Shuffle, I guess it's the same for 2.gen.

It definitely does on mine, at least with content that is bookmarkable (which most podcasts seem to be). The shuffle will bookmark the spot you left off, and even transfer that spot to and from iTunes when you sync.
 

Poff

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2003
1,258
1
Stavanger, Norway
When I switched off shuffling, i was able to get to and resume playing that podcast pretty easily. However, I only had a few podcasts and a few songs, so I can't verify the "three clicks" thing.

The easy way for you to check that is to play one of the songs when in continous mode, then triple-click play - you should immediately start at the first podcast in your playlist. Either at the beginning, or within if you've allready listened to some of it. Works with both few and many songs. :cool:
 

jsw

Moderator emeritus
Mar 16, 2004
22,910
44
Andover, MA
The easy way for you to check that is to play one of the songs when in continous mode, then triple-click play - you should immediately start at the first podcast in your playlist. Either at the beginning, or within if you've allready listened to some of it. Works with both few and many songs. :cool:
Excellent! Now I can throw in an audiobook (with the bookmarking hack) and have that there for when I'm in the mood for one but shuffle normally otherwise. Thanks!
 

weg

macrumors 6502a
Mar 29, 2004
888
0
nj
No. £39 here by me (converted from US dollars). Still not "cheap", but closer.

Well, you have to add 20% for VAT and the Apple Europe premium, this makes it 55 pounds ;-)
 

sushi

Moderator emeritus
Jul 19, 2002
15,639
3
キャンプスワ&#
Say I'm in the middle of a speech, swich to shuffle and choose "next track" so that it jumps to the music, when I select continous play again I'm still hearing the music, But.. click play three times and you get to the beginning of the library. Then skip to the speech/audiobook/podcast you were listening to and it starts right where it was before you changed to music.
Cool! Thanks.

BTW, purchased a 2nd Gen Shuffle yesterday. Very nice! :D
 
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