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(Mods: is it really offtopic to discuss how to use an iPod in a column about... iPods?)

I've never used it, but supposedly it works well.

There is a third-party iPod driver for Windows in the works. Apple is considering providing their own solution.

Could someone tell me the feasability of getting an ipod and using it with a PC. I know there is a new software package out called XPlay that should allow this.

Does anyone have experience with this package?

Sean

But it is still in pre-release mode- looking at it I would say it is almost beta quality. I like the iPod, and might pick one up- but I need access to it, I hear the old style iMacs are going cheap and will run OS 10.1.

MediaFour had a demo of XPlay at MacWorld, running on XP, and I have to admit it was pretty sexy.

Download the trial here.

Well, they started with XPod. Winpod and iPlay are already taken. What else were they gonna call it?

I'm a little fascinated by Slashdot's ongoing fixation on this device. I mean, it is Apple-only at this point (Mediafour's PC-compatability efforts notwithstanding) and no one seems to be talking about Linux interactivity at all, aside from suggestions on how to basically hack into the hard drive. People keep saying it's expensive, that nobody will want it, and yet the local nerds keep bringing it up.

My only theory as to why is because it may not be Linux-y, but it's still a fascinating device. Aside from the technical challenges involved in accessing it from Linux, it's still a totally unique approach to MP3 players, from the interface to the controls to the expandability to the super-high-speed FireWire. It's Apple, which means it's about as proprietary as they come, but the geeks keep wanting to take it apart and make it work for them.

And I don't think it's because they want to break the proprietariness. Apple does that for convenience (theirs), not to lock people out, and anyone with a FireWire port on their Linux box and enough software-writing experience can eventually get it to sync with their favorite MP3 player. Microsoft locks down their software and people hack it because they don't like being told "no." Apple does it to sell iMacs, and people hack it because they don't want an iMac.

But what that means is they do want the iPod. If it weren't so expensive, I don't doubt it'd be Linux-ized already. Hopefully next year it'll be $100 less with a 10GB model replacing it, and we'll see a little more hacking going on.

But to me, this sounds like a success story for Apple. Yes, we all know its pricey and proprietary, but Slashdotters just can't seem to keep their eyes off of it. And if Apple can draw that much drool from the free software community, I think it's proof positive they know what they're doing.

Not true. It does require a firewire card (as little as $30 for a PC), but I have my iPod happily working with my non-apple PC thanks to the engineers over at Mediafour. It's by far the best mp3 player available imho.

"...simply slashing prices to allow, say, a tiny 1GB MP3 portable for under $250."

Or spend ~$150 more and get 4 more gigs and sex in a small package. ^_^ But the only downside to that is if you're a Win* user, you'll have to wait for these guys to finish their product, and hopefully they do soon.

Of course, I'm having trouble myself justifying a $400+ MP3 player when I got my new system (P3/1Ghz, 512mb ram, 40gig hdd, GeForce2, etc) for just $100 more. Hmm..

Why? Well yes, I can sort of understand why they are doing it, after all, the iPod is very sexy and no doubt the iWalk would be too. But if you consider the target audience for iPods/Walks you suddenly realise that they are the sort of people who already have a personal computer or laptop for which they use to listen to MP3's or syncronise with their favourite PIM.

Making them Apple only in an attempt to say "hey, if you want these cool things you have to have a Mac" is all very fine and well, but since the target audience is going to be happy with their PC and Windows or Linux, they're not going to ditch it quite yet and spend a couple of hundred pounds on a spanky new iMac just for the sake of one thing.

Or are they?

ps. Thankfully a company called MediaFour is creating an application called xplay (the new name for XPod) which will allow iPods to communicate with Windows.

Just thought you might want to keep an eye on XPlay by MediaFour. It's a Windows Ipod package... Here's the link:

http://www.mediafour.com/products/xpod/

Every time someone mentions XPod as a solution I think "huh?". Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

When you copy song to the Music folder on the iPod manually through the terminal or other hack programs, the copied file does not automatically add itself to the iPod's database. On the other hand when you add a song to the iPod through iTunes (through manual or automatic synching), the file is coped to the iPod and an entry is made in the iPod's database (located at /Volumes/[iPod]/iPod_Control/iTunesDB). This is the database which the iPod uses for the front end when you it as a standalone music player. It seems that XPod will *not* do this and thus will not enable Windows users to use iPod how it was designed - as a standalone portable music player. The files will be there, but the database on the iPod won't know about them.

I checked the XPod faq and it looks like XPod will simply allow you to use the iPod as a firewire disk with the added feature of catalogging the songs on your iPod and moving files back and forth. Is this good enough?

You use Mediafour's XPod (here). You need a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port on your computer, but you can buy adapter cards for these relatively cheap.

XPod isn't ready yet, but you can kludge it by copying files (having the iPod mounted as a FireWire drive) into the "secret" mp3 folder and then using the iPod to play the music. Voila.

FYI, I have used an iPod extensively, and it is an *awesome* mp3 player. Easily the best I've ever seen.

The Apple iPod does not have any "anti-piracy" features built in. Specifically, it states something to the effect of "Piracy is a social issue, not a technological one" on the packaging. You can use it with Windows (via Mediafour's XPod) or Macs, and probably soon with Linux. If you use the iPod as a portable drive on a Mac, you can simply copy files back and forth at will. But if you use iTunes to sync, the MP3 files are invisible. Some information on this is available here, and here's a simple utility to access the invisible MP3 files.

Also, the iPod supports a variety of encodings. It should support up to 256Kbps (or is it 320Kbps?), variable bit rate, joint stereo or normal stereo, because that's what iTunes supports. The 1000 songs it advertises is for 160Kbps songs.

There is a company making software for iPod for Windows but you really need a Mac to experience the real power of this amazing MP3 player. So the best gift I think you can give this holiday season is an iBook w/ and iPod. Apple Flavored UNIX and Firewire Music, what a great gift!

P.S. Steve Jobs wants me to say, "Don't Steal Music!".

MediaFour is working on an app to allow the iPod to work with Windows. Hopefully Apple won't nuke them with the DMCA.

MediaFour is working on an app to allow the iPod to work with Windows. Hopefully Apple won't nuke them with the DMCA.