Unlock your
iPod’s potential
This article sponsored by SDI Technologies.
iHome, a division of SDI Technologies, was
launched in 2005 to market iPod® Electronics.
In its first year, iHome became the premier
brand in the iPod electronics market, thanks
to the success of its iPod Clock Radio. iHome
maintains its number-one
status by consistently
delivering quality products
at affordable prices.
By J.D. Biersdorfer
SINCE IT HIT THE SHELVES IN 2001, Apple’s iPod has become the hottest
music player on the market—who knew it could be so easy to fit thousands
o f songs in your pocket? But if you think the iPod is just a music player, think
a gain. Along with its video capabilities, it can also be used as an electronic
o rganizer, a digital photo album or a pocket projector to pump out a movie or
a PowerPoint presentation to a room full of people. PowerPoint presentation to a room full of people.
And the best part: You don’t have to have a degree in computer science or
k now a 14-year-old to do all of these things. The key to unlocking your iPod’s
p otential is right there in i Tunes. All you have to do is connect the player to
y our computer, and click a few checkboxes on the iPod’s preferences screen
i n the i Tunes window. Most of the features mentioned here work on three of
t he four current iPod models. (The screenless iPod shuffle has limited powers
b ut is still your best buddy for a demanding gym workout.)
Addingcontactsand calendars
Who needs to lug along a personal organizer when y ou have an iPod? If
y ou”ve got the addresses of your friends and colleagues
s tored in Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Contacts,
t he Windows Address Book, the Mac OS X Address
B ook or Entourage 2004 or later, copying that data is just
a hop, skip and sync away when you have your iPod connected to i Tunes.
Click on the iPod icon in i Tunes and then click the Contacts tab (or the Info tab on the iPod Touch) in the
middle of the i Tunes window. Put a check in the box nex t
to “Sync contacts from” and the n
select the program you use from the pull-down menu. Click th e
“Apply” button to synchronize the contact information over to the iPod. Later, when you unhook the iPod from the computer, your contacts will be waiting for you
in the iPod’s Extras menu (or
under the Contacts icon if you
have an iPod Touch.)
If you use Outlook, iCal or
Entourage, you can copy your c omputer”s
calendar in the same way. Click on the Contents or Info tab in the i on the Contents or Info tab in the Tunes
window, scroll down to the Calendars section and put a check in the box next
to the calendar program you use, then click the “Apply” button to sync things
up. You can see your schedule by going to the Calendars area of the Extras
menu on an iPod classic or nano, or by tapping the Calendars icon on the
touch screen. Click or tap on a day to see its events.
