How To Add Podcasts to iPhone From Multiple Computers?

This feels like such a stupid question because it appears to be by design, but I can't imagine why because it would make no sense.

So I have 3 or 4 computers that I use on a regular basis. Because of this I download podcasts on all of them so I can add them to my iPod from whatever machine I happen to be at. I have never had any problems doing this with my Nano or my old Mini and 5th gen iPod.

A week ago I decided to try out the iPhone after hearing really good things about the 2.1 update.

So last night for the first time I try to add podcasts from a machine other than the one I originally connected my iPhone to, and it refuses to let me do so. As soon as I hit apply after checking off the "manually manage music and videos" option, this screen appears:







Is that some kind of sick joke?

First of all, that screen is wrong, I don't sync anything, ever. I always manually manage everything that goes on my iPods/iPhone (that or I'm just taking the term too literally?).

Regardless, I've never had issues adding music or podcasts to my iPods from any of my machines. Is iTunes seriously telling me here that it's impossible to do so with an iPhone? Because that would be just about the most idiotic thing they could possibly do. SURELY I'm not the only person with an iPhone that wants to add music and podcasts from more than one computer. And yes, both machines are authorized and it makes no difference if I'm logged into my store account.

So if I want to add new podcasts to my iPhone, I have to wipe EVERYTHING off first? What about my apps? Some I downloaded from my initial computer, others I downloaded directly on the iPhone. Would it delete all my apps too because it's not listed in this iTunes library?

If I'm understanding this correctly and I truly do have to wipe my iPhone clean of ALL current music/podcasts just to add a few new podcasts from a different computer, that's just about the most asinine thing ever and I'll be returning my iPhone because of it, because this would mean it's incapable of being used how I need it to be.

PLEASE tell me I'm totally wrong here and just misunderstanding something...

7on said:

Check out mediafly.com (easier to setup on a computer first)

Whenever I want to check out new podcasts without having access to my sync computer, this website will stream any feed. Create an account and load up urls to the podcast. Then you can check it for new episodes on the go

Not really the direct answer to your question, but a solution nonetheless.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, but yeah, that's an unacceptable alternative. I'm on planes a lot and need my media to actually be ON my device so I don't need network access to listen to/watch them.

Small White Car said:

I've always experienced this problem with all my iPods in the past, so you're one step ahead of me there.

Ok, I have no advice for you, sorry. I'm just saying that what you're describing is what I've been used to for years on all my iPods, so this is all news to me.

Click to expand...

Really? I couldn't ever do it with a Shuffle, but I never had issues on a Mini, 2nd gen Nano, 3rd gen Nano, and 5th gen classic.

The only problem I can recall having is with the formatting. I initially formatted my 5th gen on my Macbook, so when I plugged it into my XP desktop iTunes said it had to be PC formatted to be able to use it, so I let it download the Windows software, format and set it back up under Windows formatting. After doing this, however, I was able to plug it back into my Macbook and add music to it (with Windows formatting) with no issues. That was the only iPod I initially set up with my Macbook though, all the others were XP.

I suppose that I should note that I never buy any music in iTunes, all of my music is from CDs I own that I ripped with a separate program and imported into iTunes. I don't see how that's relevant to podcasts though.

That's the thing that really irritates me; this isn't just some issue with paid-for things like music, it's locking down FREE podcasts and preventing me from adding them to my phone without deleting everything else first. I don't keep all of my music on my laptop and it's stupid to have a system forcing you to re-download all the podcasts you haven't seen yet that you have to put BACK on your iPhone because Apple is too fascist to let you just keep them on there in the first place...

Sorry for the rant but my God, it's just so mind-numbingly stupid it drives me crazy.