PC iPod vs Mac iPod

Izzy

Izzy

luv my lil' malteaser
I'm confused as to what the difference is between the PC and mac versions of the iPod. Is it just that the PC iPod works on PC's ONLY and wont hook up to a mac? Wouldn't make more sense if you could just plug in one type of iPod and have it be cross platform?

Am I reading this wrong here?
 
As far as I can tell, they are the same hardware but with different firmware installed - the PC version would need to sync with MusicMatch. I'm not entirely sure about that, though. Also, the PC version uses a different Firewire cable. (PCs use a different plug, I guess)
 
Only difference I think are:
- Sony's proprietary iLink cable (4 > 6 pin) instead of FireWire (6 > 6 Pin). (altho I think all PCs that use iLink or Firewire still have 6 > 6 pin ports)
- Software (MusicMatch vs iTunes)

I don't think anything else is different between the two, just to make life easier for PC Users. :p
 
That's a shame though...because in a way it's going to make switching over PC users a lot harder. Lets say a current PC user really wants to get an iPod...he/she buys the PC version and is happy as all get up. His experience is so great that he decides to check out more mac products. After doing a little reading and maybe even seeing macs in action he/she decides to make the leap...

...but now, he/she finds out that the 400-500 dollar iPod purchase only works for their PC...the new gadget that got them interested in Apple doesn't even work on one?
 
Not true. Since the Mac ships with iTunes, all our hypothetical iPodder would need is the right firewire cable.

Plus, I'm pretty sure there's no allowance in the PC version for synching contacts, or those new Audio Book things. Did you see the bit about major newspapers? How cool is that ... grab the morning paper and listen to it on the drive to work. Without iTunes, they wouldn't get half of the wonderful features. All they get is a way to get music in and out of the iPod.

Also I doubt it would run as a firewire disk under the windows mode.
 
Originally posted by symphonix
Not true. Since the Mac ships with iTunes, all our hypothetical iPodder would need is the right firewire cable.

Plus, I'm pretty sure there's no allowance in the PC version for synching contacts, or those new Audio Book things. Did you see the bit about major newspapers? How cool is that ... grab the morning paper and listen to it on the drive to work. Without iTunes, they wouldn't get half of the wonderful features. All they get is a way to get music in and out of the iPod.

Also I doubt it would run as a firewire disk under the windows mode.
Click to expand...

OK...so then was I wrong? You can use a PC iPod on a mac? All you need is the mac firewire cable?

If so, then *whew*
 
There is no such thing as a "mac" firewire cord or a "windows" firewire cord. They are the same cord, just on a windows cmoputer it is not called "firewire" which is an apple owned name. It is called IEE1394 I believe, or Sony uses the term "I-Link". There ARE two different types of cable though, one that lets power and data through, and one that just lets data through. I would assume the windows version would have the same cable, as the ipod needs to have power come through the cable in order to charge it. If someone nkows this better than me please chime in....
 
cords are cables...

:D

not all pc firewire cards power the cables though, and i think there is some issue with ipods not working correctly on an unpowered cable. 4 pin cables probably fix that because the ipod isnt waiting around for power from those other pins (yes, i know im not an engineer)

i dont see any reason it wouldnt work as a firewire disk on pc, it IS a firewire disk after all... the filesystem will probably ship as something pc friendly yet still mac mountable though (fat32)

unless apple is doing somehting really confusing or im forgetting something huge then it should be as easy as buying a 6 pin cable and formatting the drive to make a 'pc' ipod into a 'mac' ipod
 
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