iPod Nano

[madmatt]

Okay, I am going to admit this one time, and one time only.

The president and vice president of my company both got iPod Nanos for Christmas and allowed me to try them out (of course both had issues and needed my professional help).

I must admit, it's small, sleek, very nice, and I would buy one if it supported WMA and allowed me to transfer music using Windows Explorer.

Now I know why Apple makes the best digital music players.

 

[kcnychief]

They are very sexy, I know someone who has one and they are amazing. I'd get one, but I already have a mini and it works good enough for me

 

[jcim05]

Apple has the best hardware, however im not a fan of iTunes (as much as everyone raves about it). I would love a nano if I could transfer files through windows explorer.

 

[kcnychief]

IMO, iTunes is a good program, but bloated for simply transfering audio files to your iPod. Winamp has a plugin which will allow you to transfer using that program instead:

http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=138888

 

[muzikool]

I went to the Apple Store in Dallas recently and saw the nano for the first time.
<understatement>Wow, that thing is small.</understatement>

 

[madmatt]

That was my first impression, "where's the rest of it?"

I wonder if WMP has a plugin. Regardless, it doesn't support WMA format.

 

[X-Istence]

That was my first impression, "where's the rest of it?"

I wonder if WMP has a plugin. Regardless, it doesn't support WMA format.

I am surprised anyone has their library in WMA format with the fact that overall, I find the sound quality appalling compared to MP3 at the same bit-rate. I am not a big fan of MP3 either, I prefer OGG if it has to be an open format, or AAC/MP4 for a propriety codec.

There are programs out there that let you turn your iPod into drag and drop and not use iTunes, all they do is rebuild the iTunesDB after you have dropped your songs onto it. Most notably is the iPod Shuffle.

 

[Admiral Michael]

Found this site a while back:

http://www.redchairsoftware.com/anapod/

 

[Mastershakes]

It's so small I'd be worried about losing it, or constantly checking to see it's there when not listening to it. That being said, it's damn nice lookin.

About the WMP - some alternative solutions, some already mentioned in here

 

[Xie]

I thought iTunes/iPod both supported un-DRM WMA? I could be wrong but thought that was one of the nice features for Windows folks.

*edit* - Just found this in a 2sec search ..

Convert your existing music collection from unprotected WMA for syncing to iPod

Found it the feature list on the right side.

 

[NetRyder]

I thought iTunes/iPod both supported un-DRM WMA? I could be wrong but thought that was one of the nice features for Windows folks.

*edit* - Just found this in a 2sec search ..

Found it the feature list on the right side.

The iPod doesn't natively support the WMA format. iTunes converts WMA files into AAC during the synchronization process so that the iPod can play them. The problem with this is the noticeable quality-loss that occurs due to transcoding.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Who the hell uses WMA? It's an awful format.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure you can use EphPod and Anapod for updating an iPod with Windows Explorer, then there's the Winamp plugin already mentioned.

 

[madmatt]

If and when they support WMA (which will never happen) I would consider buying one. But I don't have to worry about that.

 

[SPeedY_B]

Ask Microsoft to license the WMA codecs to Apple then...

 

[madmatt]

I did, Bill told me he would think about it.

 

[NetRyder]

Ask Microsoft to license the WMA codecs to Apple then...

Come on. I really hope you're joking.
The iPod's lack of support for WMA has almost nothing to do with Microsoft's refusal to license it to them. If anything, Microsoft would be glad to have the most dominant device in the market supporting their format.

 

[ming]

Although they look very nice, I'm no fan of Ipods and probably won't ever own one.

 

[X-Istence]

Come on. I really hope you're joking.
The iPod's lack of support for WMA has almost nothing to do with Microsoft's refusal to license it to them. If anything, Microsoft would be glad to have the most dominant device in the market supporting their format.

That is not what happened at first. Microsoft did not want to license the codec to Apple when they first started selling the iPod's, it was back then that Apple decided to create their own format with DRM. Now that the iPod's have caught on, I don't doubt Microsoft would love for them to use WMA, but it's too late now.

(Will dig up the source for this information when I find the time to, was a great article surrounding iTunes in general)

 

[NetRyder]

That is not what happened at first. Microsoft did not want to license the codec to Apple when they first started selling the iPod's, it was back then that Apple decided to create their own format with DRM. Now that the iPod's have caught on, I don't doubt Microsoft would love for them to use WMA, but it's too late now.

(Will dig up the source for this information when I find the time to, was a great article surrounding iTunes in general)

I'll wait for the article. Hopefully it's from a reliable source. Until then, I find it hard to believe.

I can think of three major reasons why Apple would never want to support WMA on the iPod:
1) Licensing fees to Microsoft.
2) Potentially increasing the dominance of WMA, which is Microsoft's proprietary codec.
3) Jobs wants complete control over the entire end-to-end experience. This is basically the same reason why Apple flat out refuses to license FairPlay to any other company.

On the other hand, I see no rational reasons why Microsoft would not want to license WMA to Apple, now or in the past. They license it (the codec and the DRM implementation) to Creative, Dell, Sony, iRiver, iAudio and several other companies. Apple would simply count as yet another IHV to them, considering the fact that Microsoft doesn't build its own device to compete with the iPod.

 

[jimi_81]

Although they look very nice, I'm no fan of Ipods and probably won't ever own one.

i said the same thing dammit!
Ming, you win, i lose!