Three Nanos under the tree?

[Mom-to-3]

My dad is giving each of my kids (ages 16,13, 11) an iPod Nano for Christmas. I've been trying to read up about them and have a few questions. I am an MP3 idiot.

I've read repeatedly that they'll need to get a skin so I'm going to make a certificate for that. Is there anything important to avoid or have in a skin?

Will they all use the same iTunes free download? Is there a better/easier program?

Can they all use the same charger that is plugged into a USB port? Do you just lay the Nano on top of your hard drive tower?

What about the automatic synching? How will that work with 3 Nanos? (Honestly, I don't understand the synching thing).

Thanks.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I can't answer your questions, but did want to say that you should make sure that they all have good cases since you don't want them dented. My son got a really nice case for his nano--very rugged looking, but I don't remember which one it was.

 

[dcentity2000]

Some screens scratch VERY easily - that's why they suggest you have a skin.

Only iTunes bought music and generic MP3s will play on iPods, generally speaking. Other music stores (with the possible exception of Real's) will NOT play.



Rich::

 

[stinkerbelle]

I don't have an ipod...but I have HEARD of there being issues of 'one computer, multiple ipods'...wherein iTunes is funky. (that's the name of the "music manager"...not just the download site...right?)

You might need to set up 3 "profiles" in iTunes to recognize each nano.

but in regards to HARDWARE...yes, they calll all use the 1 USB port/docking station...but you might want to have 3 separate means of charging the iPods...(meaning - each kid can charge theirs up separately and not wait for their siblings to charge...KWIM?)

That's so nice that each got their own for christmas...must have had some good kids this year!

 

[BunsenH]

I have only one iPod, but iTunes recognizes it by a name that I chose. I assume that if the 3 Nanos are named differently, iTunes will sort them out. You may need to have the kids log onto the PC as different users in order for them to see their own collection of music on iTunes.

Check out www.ipodlounge.com for more info than you can process!

 

[Sparx]

the skin is so you don't scratch the screen. you don't NEED it, but it would be really nice to have.

Yes. THey can all use the same itoons. THey will need to make their own playlists on them though, because I doubt that they all listen to the exact same music.

Yes they can all use the same charger.

I don't know about the auto synching one. All i know is that it is something about how the ipon and the pc talk to each other.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

The cover isn't just to protect the screen from scratches, but also to protect the iPod from dents, which can void the warranty. We went throught that with my DD's iPod--it stopped working and she was told at the apple store that it must have been dropped (there was a small dent on it) and that the warranty was void. It wasn't dropped, at least not that she was aware of, and most certainly not just before it stopped working right. We eventually mailed it back to apple and she got a new one, but if it hadn't had the dent to begin with we maybe could have gotten it repaired/replaced directly from the store.

 

[SueM in MN]

Can they all use the same charger that is plugged into a USB port? Do you just lay the Nano on top of your hard drive tower?

What about the automatic synching? How will that work with 3 Nanos? (Honestly, I don't understand the synching thing).

Thanks.

They will each come with a charger that plugs into a USB port. You can also purchase a charger that plugs into an electric outlet. My youngest DD has a speaker system for her ipod that charges it at the same time as it is playing.
When we go on vacation, we usually only take one (electric outlet) charger with us and share it between us.

The software that manages the music and the ipods is called itunes. You can download songs from the internet or from CDs you own onto itunes, which converts the MP3 files to the format that ipods use. About 90% of the music on my ipod was from CDs I already owned.
We have 3 ipods that are (or at least were) using the same computer. The computer recognizes each ipod (we have 3 ipod minis and the computer even puts up the correct color icon when each ipod is attached - I have a teal mini, youngest DD has a pink one and DH has silver). Each ipod has its own "name" and it's kind of cute to see the little color icon with the correct name under it. That's on a mac though; I don't know if a PC is the same. In my experience with PCs, it might just show up as a "USB storage device".

All the music that you load onto the computer is put into the "Library" and then, each ipod user chooses songs from the Library to put into their own playlist, which goes on their ipod.
When you first attach the ipod to the computer, the software asks whether you want to automatically synch the ipod to itunes. Not sure if that's exactly how it's asked, but the gist of it is whether you want to have new songs that were added to itunes automatically put onto your ipod. We chose not to do that and just manually add the songs we want from the Library into our playlists when we attach the ipod.
I prefer not to autosynch because there are some things that I downloaded to the computer on itunes that I don't necessarily want on my ipod. Here's a link to the apple site about autosynching that explains a bit more.

Hope this is helpful. We don't have experience with nanos (other than that DD got one for her boyfriend for a Christmas/birthday gift). The nanos do scratch easily, especially the black ones (the body is made of the same stuff as ibooks are, which is a polycarbinate that they use over glass to make bulletproof glass. I haven't hear of denting, more cracking of the screen if people sat on them or had them in their pocket and had something like a seat belt tight against their pocket). Features to look for in a case are whether you can keep it on all the time - can you still use the dock on the bottom and the click wheel with it on?, does it have a clear cover for the screen? If they want to "attach" the ipod to themselves, some of the covers have lanyards or armbands.


Here's a link to the apple ipod nano page.

 

[pixiemomma]

Some screens scratch VERY easily - that's why they suggest you have a skin.

Only iTunes bought music and generic MP3s will play on iPods, generally speaking. Other music stores (with the possible exception of Real's) will NOT play.



Rich::

But they can be converted into the i-tune friendly format. I buy alot from other stores because my video editing software doesn't support the itunes format. I buy the tune, burn it to disc, then add it to my I-tunes library. Kind of a waste of disks but the Aida soundtrack doesn't sound so hot with a group of hockey clips.

OP, don't worry, Ipods are very easy to use!

 

[Stitchfans]

OMG! Talk about how silly I can be. When I saw 3 nanos I thought you meant those iddy bity bananas.

I even said to DD11- 3 nanos, why would they put that under the tree those are bananas.

need some coffee or something to get the brain going I guess.

 

[chyam]

All the info you have gotten is right on........I even use the same charger in the USB port for my mini that I use for the Nano. You defineately want to get a cover, if you don't want to splurge for the expensive ones, check out JCPenny they have some in accessories made by Rolfs leather goods that are $9.99 and come in some neat colors. They have a belt clip and also a hook thingy.I left the little piece of foam in mine to accomadate the Nano. I find the case is nice since the Nano is so light I would think it could fall off and not even be noticed so having the belt clip was nice. I also use the same itunes library for my nano as the mini, so I don't think you will run into any problems there either. Your kids can also import their own cds onto their nanos.........after seeing them you will probably want one for yourself!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

OMG! Talk about how silly I can be. When I saw 3 nanos I thought you meant those iddy bity bananas.

I even said to DD11- 3 nanos, why would they put that under the tree those are bananas.

need some coffee or something to get the brain going I guess.

Usually I'm the one misreading the titles of threads!

 

[DarkSideMoon]

Some screens scratch VERY easily - that's why they suggest you have a skin.

Only iTunes bought music and generic MP3s will play on iPods, generally speaking. Other music stores (with the possible exception of Real's) will NOT play.



Rich::

Acrually, I have put many .wav files on my iPod. when you put them into iTunes it asks id you want to change formats.

 

[Stitchfans]

Usually I'm the one misreading the titles of threads!

At least I am in good company.

 

[Mom-to-3]

wow, wow,wow Thank you so much. You guys are great. This should be very interesting to watch. Maybe the kids will cooperate with each other.

It also makes me wonder what new technologies we'll see in the years to come. I still remember making custom cassettes using 33's and 45's.

 

[Shutterbug]

Kind of a waste of disks but the Aida soundtrack doesn't sound so hot with a group of hockey clips.

I have another music service too. I use REwritable cd's that way I can use same ones over.

 

[pixiemomma]

I have another music service too. I use REwritable cd's that way I can use same ones over.

I know...I am just being cheap and buying the R-s!! Next stack I buy will be RWS!