Filed under: iPod Family, iTS, iTunes
iPod software updates adds a slew of podcasting features
iTunes 4.9 got all the press, but the iPod software update is just as important. This update adds many podcast specific features to the iPod (or at least it did to my iPod photo, so I assume it will do the same for most iPod models).To the right you can see the PodFinder Podcast playing on my freshly updated iPod. This podcast makes use of chapters, and we can see that the duration bar has a bunch of black lines on it separating the bar into segments. Each segment represents a chapter, and the cool thing is that if you hit the forward button you don't jump to the next song, but rather to the next chapter in the pod cast.
Read on after the jump for a few more pictures.
Above we see what happens when you hit the center button of the iPod. You go into 'scanning mode,' as you usually do, however, the name of the chapter is now displayed in order to make finding that particular part you wanted to hear that much easier.
Of course artwork is supported, and each chapter displays the appropriate album cover:
And finally, the podcast description is available on your iPod, by hitting the center button a few times. Here's what is looks like:
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Small Paul said 2:29PM on 6-29-2005
"Most iPod models" - ho ho ho, not us poor fools on 1st and 2nd Gen models. I got my 20Gb iPod in December 2002, and I'm constantly shafted on software updates.
Still I really should get me one of the new ones soon. Maybe when the 60Gb comes down in price a little.
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Mark said 9:24AM on 6-29-2005
hmm... i wonder if this feature is going to be on my mini?
i updated everything last night but didn't have time to put any podcasts on my mini this morning before work.
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fishpatrol said 10:10AM on 6-29-2005
Ran the latest iPod Software Update, plugged in my 3G 30GB iPod. It said my software was up to date. There's 65MB I don't need sitting on my computer.
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Guille said 9:44AM on 6-29-2005
It works on my 4G 40GB iPod monochrome.
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NCTRNL said 9:58AM on 6-29-2005
Why am I so tempted by those iPod color units. I have a 4G 40GB monochrome so it's not a matter of size or anything. I know that I should wait until the 5G iPod's come out because they will be even cooler but still. That color screen tempts me so...
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Tyler said 12:14PM on 6-29-2005
I reformatted my 3G 20 gig ipod with the new updater, and the only change was now there is a playlist called podcasts. It's horrible. All it does is dump all my podcasts into that folder. No separate sections for diffrent groups, just one folder with 20+ unarranged podcasts.
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Eric said 11:21AM on 6-29-2005
So us 3rd generations were left in the dust? :-(
I don't see how it could be any more trouble to update the 3rd generation than it is to update the 4th; their only real difference is battery life and the means of input, so the firmware and such should be almost exactly the same. I feel jipped :-
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Alex said 4:08AM on 6-30-2005
to #5.
I had a 3G 20gb and when the photos first came out I splurged and got the 40Gb photo...haven't looked back since...GIVE IN...the color screen is SO pretty to look at! And Album art is always fun.
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Gordon said 11:51PM on 7-01-2005
Does anyone know how to create chapters in a Pod Cast and add photos to the chapters as discussed?
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EpicEmpire.com said 6:18AM on 7-02-2005
Whos gonna listen..Iwould
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Frank Patrick said 8:45AM on 7-03-2005
Apple, yet again, gives with the right hand, while taking away with the left.
Sure -- Add the fancy podcasting features to automate what I was able to do manually. Fine.
BUT TAKING AWAY THE iPOD'S ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO SMART PLAYLISTS IS NOT FINE.
Discovered this when I heard the same tunes come on on the homebound commute that I heard on the way to work -- tunes that my playlist previously would have set aside for a month or two or six depending on their star rating.
TUAW's recent collection of smart playlist ideas are now obsolete regarding the iPod between synch-ups with iTunes.
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alison said 7:58AM on 7-07-2005
How do you get a podcast put into your podcast FOLDER on your ipod - instead of just being lumped into all the other songs as if it were a song?
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Heiligkeit said 3:46PM on 7-07-2005
The new Apple Podcast is so awesome.
But I have a question? Are the podcasts updated on your iPod(in the car, on the plane) or do you have to do it while your iPod is in your computer via iTunes?
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dan said 4:42PM on 7-12-2005
"I don't see how it could be any more trouble to update the 3rd generation than it is to update the 4th; their only real difference is battery life and the means of input, so the firmware and such should be almost exactly the same." (post 7)
Actually, the 4g iPods are based on a totally different unit (the 4g, photo, and minis use the PP5020, while the 1g, 2g, and 3g all use the PP5002), so its not just the input that is different - the firmware is completely different and not compatible between the two in the least. That being said, it is well within their capabilities to modify the firmware for the other models in the same way (especially since they already have the code for the other firmwares - I would expect it to be rather easy to apply it to the older firmware), and the system differences is no excuse - I expect that they just want to give poeple another reason to upgrade their old models.
"BUT TAKING AWAY THE iPOD'S ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO SMART PLAYLISTS IS NOT FINE.
Discovered this when I heard the same tunes come on on the homebound commute that I heard on the way to work -- tunes that my playlist previously would have set aside for a month or two or six depending on their star rating." (post 11)
I assume you have a photo, mini, or 4g (because you were able to upgrade your firmware) - I don't know if anyone else has experienced this, but I have always found this to be the case with my 3g, or at least for a long time (6 months at least, I don't remember if it worked before that or not). I always have to connect my ipod to my computer and run iTunes to get smart playlists to update - I wasn't aware that 4g ipods used to do this.
Just another way that Apple continues to not support any but the latest iPods. I support the company strongly (raised on macs), but I can't agree with their lack of support for older products - especially when its something as simple as a firmware update. I'm still waiting for a number of features on my 3g - features that I don't really expect ever to come (speed control on audiobooks, podcast support, etc.). I really hope that they will change this policy - its one of the few things that I strongly dislike about Apple.
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dan said 4:56PM on 7-12-2005
Just I minor correction on my previous post - I just remembered that the new iPod minis (the ones after the 6GB was released - both the 4GB and 6GB models, you can tell the difference in that the new line has the hard drive capacity printed on the back) have a slightly different system inside - the PP5022 (the old minis did have the PP5020, though).
The PP5022, however, is completely backwards compatible with the PP5020 (register values are the same) - so the firmware does not need to be changed in the least from the old minis - they can support both types of minis with the same firmware.
Not really important, but I thought I'd point it out.
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