You're viewing an article in iPO's historic archive vault. Here, we've preserved the comments and how the site looked along with the article. Use this link to view the article on our current site: Mossberg Addresses the iPod's Shortcomings

News

Mossberg Addresses the iPod's Shortcomings

Tuesday, January 17th, 2006 at 3:25 PM - by Staff

Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg on Tuesday published a new piece that addresses what he calls the iPod's "annoying shortcomings." He added that they're "becoming increasingly annoying as people acquire more iPods and more computers." The two that he finds most frustrating are the inability of the iPod to copy a music collection to multiple computers and the fact that iTunes doesn't allow multiple music libraries.

He noted: "Apple is aware of these shortcomings, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it solve the second one, multiple libraries, this year." The first one, he acknowledged is a tougher change because the record industry required Apple to cripple the iPod in that manner out of fear that it would increase piracy.

To get around both shortcomings, Mr. Mossberg ran down the utilities available to both Windows and Macintosh users, complete with explanations for using the ones he prefers.

8 comments from the community.

You can post your own below.

+ show options

Your current settings, click to change: Sort Oldest First, Show Guest Posts, Hide Community Stats

A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:47 pm

If you have your iPod set to manually update then you can add to it using different User Accounts even if they are on different Macs. I understand what he is saying, but I don't understand the problem other than iTunes does not allow multiple music libraries for the same user. You have a main library and branch libraries (playlists)

Quote this post ↓

Tiger said:

member since 17 Jun 2003 with 1018 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jan 17, 2006 4:55 pm

One person's "shortcoming" is actually an RIAA "feature."

Just wait till videos become the iPod rage. They've only just opened that can of worms. The MPA will make sure they lock down the iPod so tight so that movies can't be moved from machine to machine via iPod.

It's called Anti-Piracy. Like it or not. I'd say the many have to suffer for the few, but even that's a broad reaching assumption. It might be the many causing the few to suffer.

Quote this post ↓

macslut said:

member since 03 Sep 2004 with 61 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:12 pm

Apple solved some of the issue with needing multiple libraries by allowing playlist folders, but there are some of us who would still like multiple libraries. The reason is that some of us have collections that are (like mine) 400GB and contain music and videos as well as things like sound effects for video projects, voice mail (Phone Valet), audio books, lectures, and so forth. It also becomes an issue when you might have a lot of playlists as it can really slow things down.

The work arounds include creating and swapping the library metafiles, using an app that does this for you, or loging into another user account. All of these are cumbersome.

What would be nice is if you could go to a menu and select different libraries. All iTunes would need to do is swap the metafiles. This could be a feature hidden in the advance preferences.

Quote this post ↓

A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:50 pm

Weak complaints and not even accurate. They are more an issue with DRM and itunes, than with the ipod.

The real shortcoming in the ipod is lack of crossfade and no proper EQ.

Quote this post ↓

LaurieF said:

member since 15 Jun 2001 with 3547 posts, TMO Forum Mod, send him a message or view his profile

Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:22 pm

I can accept that everyone has a different take on what is good and bad about the iPod, but I don't understand why crossfade would be important. And what's improper about the EQ? And are they "deal breakers", or reasons to buy something different?

Quote this post ↓

A guest said: (hide)

Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:42 pm

Why is Mossberg so upset about multiple user libraries when Mac OS X already offers the solution - multiple user environments. Instead of having Tom, Dick, and Harry all use the same preferences, each can log in as a separate OS X user and have their own unique settings.

Dan Knight, LowEndMac.com

Quote this post ↓

gslusher said:

member since 13 Nov 2002 with 2088 posts, unranked, send him a message or view his profile

Wed Jan 18, 2006 1:18 am

macslut wrote:
Apple solved some of the issue with needing multiple libraries by allowing playlist folders, but there are some of us who would still like multiple libraries. The reason is that some of us have collections that are (like mine) 400GB and contain music and videos as well as things like sound effects for video projects, voice mail (Phone Valet), audio books, lectures, and so forth. It also becomes an issue when you might have a lot of playlists as it can really slow things down.

Lessee, there are how many people with this problem? Maybe 0.001% of the users? Here's another solution: keep most of that stuff offline, on an external HD or DVDs, not part of iTunes' library. Keep only what you're using in the Library. For one thing, iTunes is a pretty lousy video player--QuickTime Player is much better. If you want playlists, VLC can make all the playlists you want.

Also, Mossberg's "shortcoming" about multiple libraries wasn't about folks like macslut, but about families with several users. That's a problem ... wait for it, folks ... with WINDOWS, not with iTunes. He addresses only Windows users in the article and ignores OS X's multiuser environment, which can solve the problem as he describes it. If the family wants to share music, then his method of defining playlists will work. BTW, you can set up an iPod's preferences to automatically update only certain playlists. You don't have to do it manually, as Mossberg suggests.

Quote this post ↓

A guest said: (hide)

Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:47 am

Yep, Mossberg deserves commendation for trying to address user issues, but gets a brickbat for not researching the workarounds a little more carefully.

Quote this post ↓

Post Your Comments

  Remember Me

Not a member? Register now. You can post comments without logging in, but they'll show up as a "guest" post.


Please enter the word exactly as you see it in the image above. Registered users aren't prompted for this. Having trouble reading the image get a new one.