i need iPod help

Ritt · #1 (**permalink**) 12-17-2004, 11:15 AM

Can the iPod be used as an external drive like a USB driver on a Mac and how? I don't know anything about Mac's (it's for my daughter at school) or computers for that matter.

. She uses a lap top Mac

It's an "Apple iPod 5G MP3 Player for windows"

Thanks,

LRwrnglr · #2 (**permalink**) 12-17-2004, 11:42 AM

I have MACS at school too and one of my freinds has the ipod and she said that it would hook up through the USB but dont quote me on it.

LR

judge09 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-17-2004, 01:47 PM

I am almost 100% that all iPods can connect through the USB port. I dont know what you mean by use it as an external drive. I believe that the iPod can only support music files. If you want to use it as an external HD I dont think it will work. But if your daughter has a laptop with a USB port than she will be able to use the iPOD and its full music capabilities.

Ritt · #4 (**permalink**) 12-17-2004, 02:46 PM

Thanks for the help.

I think I found it on www.tigerdirect.com:

Firewire & USB Connectivity
iPod mini not only lets you listen to music but to do other things as well. Much more. For example, you can use the included FireWire or USB 2.0 cable to connect iPod mini to your computer and copy files. Word documents. Keynote presentations. Excel spreadsheets. Photoshop files. You name it. After all, iPod mini has a 4GB hard drive, and while you’ll want to reserve most of it for your music and audiobooks, you may also like to use a bit of it to tote documents, too.

My daughter's a post grad. working on her phd and wanted something to store data. She wanted just a simple USB driver but these iPods hold 4 MB...........bigger is better right.

judge09 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-17-2004, 04:26 PM

If all she wants is files storage then you can go alot cheaper than iPods. I bought a 120 GB external HD for $60 at Staples a couple months back. I dont know what you daughter is studying but 4 GB isnt as big as you might think. My brother was a film major in school and had dual 180 GB HDs in his MAC.

iPods also have 20 and 40 GB versions...FYI

XJNick · #6 (**permalink**) 12-18-2004, 12:03 AM

Hi,

Almost all modern Hard Drive based MP3 players (including the iPod) also function as external hard drives. That is, you can connect one to a computer and copy other files to it just like a normal hard drive.

Windows should do this automatically. Though on some versions you may need to install a separate driver. In Linux/UNIX you would simply mount it as a removable storage device. I'd assume you do the same in Mac OS 10, as it is UNIX based, but am not sure. Though, I'd imagine Mac OS also has software for the Ipod to do this automatically.

Oh, and if you're doing all of this on a Mac, I'd use Firewire instead of USB (if you can).

-Nick

Inspector-Gadget · #7 (**permalink**) 12-18-2004, 04:53 AM

Hi-Ya Ritt,

A couple of other (and more generic) methods to accomplish the same objective without an iPod, a variant, and not PC operating system specific:

(1) The removable memory cards of many digital cameras can often be used as portable data storage devices. (A camera memory card typically does not care what you are storing in it -- it is all "ones" and "zeroes.") Load files from PC to camera memory; then later offload digital camera memory to a PC at a different location. (This method assumes computers at both locations can deal with the camera and/or memory card.)

(2) Many ISPs allocate a finite amount of on-line data storage to each subscriber. That on-line storage space is typically advertised as intended for the purpose of allowing a subscriber to set-up a personal web page. You can use that subscriber web space instead as on-line intermediate data storage. That is: upload/ftp data files to your ISP allocated personal web space, say from a home PC. That stored data can later be accessed and downloaded to a different computer; for example, a computer at a school. (A no additional cost, no additional gadget, non OS-specific way to transfer data files between personal computers.)

Not that I -- of all people :wink: -- would ever have anything against Gadgets, but the above two methods might prove useful to those needing to transfer data between/among personal computers by other than real-time connection methods.

Regards,

Gadget

geopig · #8 (**permalink**) 12-18-2004, 05:31 PM

The new generation of iPods can be used as an external hard drive. That is the iPod mini (4 GB) and the latest 20 and 40 GB iPods. I have the 40 GB, and it's fantastic. This size is a little excessive for most, but I have a huge music collection and also routinely transfer between 5 and 15 GB between my research computers at school to my home system as backup. So if you get an iPod mini for your daughter: a) she will love it, its very small, very cool, and very easy to use and b) she can use it for both music listening and for data backup very easily. Very cool gift to give!!

Ritt · #9 (**permalink**) 12-20-2004, 08:17 AM

Thanks for the replies. We only communicate once or twice a month since she's a post grad with 6 more years in Vancouver and I'm in CT. I wanted to buy the iPod as a gift for her since she's coming home for a few days at Christmas. It's difficult to send things to her because Canada charges a 25% duty on everything and transporting has become very difficult. We'll see what happens. :wink:

Thanks again for the help,