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Cross-Platform iPods?

Shrek

Shrek

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 23, 2002
1,118
0
Nashville, Tennessee USA
NOTE: This is not necessarily a rumor. Just an idea. ;)

You know what would really be nice: if Apple would design a series iPods that work with both Macs and PCs! Sure, there are iPods that work with Macs and iPods that work with PCs, but there is no iPods that work with both PCs and Macs.

Question is though, is it even possible? And would such iPods likely be more expensive than the current iPods? No matter what though, it's still a good concept IMO. :D

What do you think? Should I send this one to Apple? Perhaps we all should? That would be very :cool:!

edit: Well, think about it. What if it just worked. Without any hacks, without any software to install. Wouldn't it just be great if you could just walk up to any Mac or PC, plug in your iPod and be able to start streaming music over right away? :cool:
 
Wasn't there an unofficial hack that let you use the iPod with a PC? I think Apple just wants to give Mac users preference.
 
Well, think about it. What if it just worked. Without any hacks, without any software to install. Wouldn't it just be great if you could just walk up to any Mac or PC, plug in your iPod and be able to start streaming music over right away? :cool:
 
It is most definitely possible, but there's a huge compromise.

The only disk format that the two operating systems can read is a CD-ROM format. Of course, you can't write to that.

Now, Apple opened up the specifications to the HFS+ format, so if Microsoft would allow Windows to inter-operate with the format, everything would be easier. :)
 
Originally posted by bousozoku
Now, Apple opened up the specifications to the HFS+ format, so if Microsoft would allow Windows to inter-operate with the format, everything would be easier. :)
Click to expand...

I don't know. If Windows PCs can read Mac OS partitions over a network and Macs can read Windows Partitions over a network, then I suppose all that is needed is a firmware update. :)
 
i may be completely off track here, but i thought that the pc ipods used firewire that had fewer pins than mac firewire? so the problem is in the cable and ports, rather than the software?

like i said, i haven't checked this out, so i could be completely wrong.
 
market analysis

I'm guessing Apple is trying to keep the two separate so they can perform market analyses and see just how many Mac iPods are sold compared to Windows iPods so they can decide how worthwhile it is to support Windows.
 
I think the main reason is to enforce the one iPod to one computer policy. Making them cross platform would make it all a lot harder to manage.
 
Originally posted by Macette
i may be completely off track here, but i thought that the pc ipods used firewire that had fewer pins than mac firewire? so the problem is in the cable and ports, rather than the software?

like i said, i haven't checked this out, so i could be completely wrong.
Click to expand...

Maybe, Sony's i.Link uses a different cable with fewer connections (no recharging) although it's still IEEE-1394.

I've got to believe that the main difference is the hard drive formatting though.
 
You can use Mac iPod with WinPC

Install EphPod & Datawiz's MacOpener in ur windows PC, then u can use HFS+ ipods just like any other harddrives in Win PCS..i backup my files to ipod from my work machine - IBM Thinkpad with PCMCIA Firewire card and plug it in my Tibook.. it just works.

Update :
 
umm......

Read the thread about 6 slots down, iPod for PC, there is no difference between iPod for Mac and PC except the software included twith the iPod itself......Musicmatch...... my uncle had a so called Mac iPod and has been running it on his Dell for 2 months. If Apple weren't so hokey they'd have included Mac and PC software CD's from the beginning......
 
The possibility would definitely be nice if you wouldn't have to downlaod some stupid hacks for it, but i doubt it is possible for apple to do something like this. They want the Mac users to stay Mac users by keeping PC and Mac iPods different.



atari
 
Originally posted by bousozoku
The only disk format that the two operating systems can read is a CD-ROM format. Of course, you can't write to that.
Click to expand...
Not true (unless I missunderstood your statement. Mac OS X can read FAT formated discs fine, I have tried it. I am not sure about FAT32, though. Not NTFS AFAIK.

FAT, though, in not very efficient, and I doubt you can make FAT partitions of 5 GB, not at all 20.
 
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