Hacking iPod^® and iTunes^®

by Scott Knaster (San Jose, CA, author and software developer)

• ISBN13: 9780764569845
• ISBN10: 0764569848
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-01
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

Put on the headphones and crank up the action! Here's the one and only, ultimate guide for music junkies looking to squeeze every possible bit of potential from their beloved iPods, both Mac and Windows versions Legendary Mac maven Scott Knaster shares more than 100 hacks, tweaks, and mods that unlock both the musical and non-musical tricks in the iPod's repertoire Since iPod is the constant companion of music lovers everywhere, they'll groove to the discovery of how to make it download headlines, stock quotes, even driving directions; become a Bluetooth transmitter; or run Linux-and that's before they learn to create and play adventure games with it In this latest offering from ExtremeTech, readers learn to tweak Gracenote CDDB in iTunes, hack their own iTunes music library and album covers, and more According to Apple's research, an iPod is sold nearly every thirty seconds iTunes owns digital music-more than eighty percent of legal music downloads, over seventeen million songs, have come from iTunes since its launch

Author Biography

Scott Knaster is a legendary Mac hacker with a number of books to his credit, including Macintosh Programming Secrets, which has achieved cult status among Mac programmers. He is the coauthor of Mac Toys, also published by Wiley, and the proud owner of several hacked iPods and every issue of Mad magazine.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xxiii
Part I: Hacking iPod
Chapter 1: Sounds Awesome: Music on Your iPod	3	(10)
Share Your iPod	3	(3)
Create a portable family jukebox	3	(2)
Music, music, everywhere	5	(1)
Update Your iPod without Replugging	6	(1)
Use Smart Playlists to Keep Your iPod Fresh	7	(1)
Shuffle Your Music to Hear It All	8	(1)
Use Repeat, Use Repeat	9	(1)
Get Sound Check to Work	10	(1)
Use the Equalizer to Get Terrific Sound	11	(1)
Scrub Your Songs to Hear What You Want	12	(1)
Summary	12	(1)
Chapter 2: More Than Music	13	(28)
Hardware Accessories	13	(9)
Use standard FireWire cables	13	(1)
Record voice memos	14	(1)
Store digital photos	15	(4)
Belkin Media Reader for iPod	16	(2)
Belkin Digital Camera Link for iPod	18	(3)
Boot from your iPod	21
Use external batteries	19	(1)
Use your iPod as a light	19	(1)
Use Your iPod as an External Disk Drive	20	(2)
Software	22	(17)
Import your contacts and calendar	22	(2)
Use Contacts and Calendar with Outlook	24	(5)
Go to sleep and wake to your iPod	29	(1)
Use Apple's iPod scripts	30	(2)
Use WinAmp with Your iPod	32	(1)
Connect your iPod to Macs and Windows PCs	32	(2)
Download Audio Books	34	(1)
See Outlines from OmniOutliner	35	(1)
Read and Write iPod "books"	36	(3)
Summary	39	(2)
Chapter 3: Way Beyond the Music: Hardware	41	(24)
Check Out Built-in Secrets	41	(6)
Use button combinations	41	(1)
iPod mini	42	(1)
Run iPod diagnostics	42	(3)
Hear sounds from the iPod speaker	45	(3)
Use a Tiny External Speaker	46	(1)
Share Your iPod with a Splitter	47	(1)
See a Numeric Battery Display	48	(5)
Mac OSX	49	(3)
Use the Finder and a utility program	49	(1)
Use Terminal	50	(2)
Windows XP	52	(1)
Restore the battery icon	53	(1)
Get a Wireless Remote for Your iPod	53	(1)
Put Your iPod in a Case	54	(2)
SportSuit Convertible	54	(1)
Groove Purse Triplet	54	(1)
Vaja Leather	55	(1)
Icewear for iPod mini	55	(1)
Listen to Your iPod in Your Car	56	(5)
Connect to your car stereo	56	(4)
Power your iPod in the car	60	(1)
Get the ultimate iPod car kit	60	(1)
Replace Your iPod's Battery	61	(3)
Battery replacement surgery	61	(2)
Advanced battery info	63	(1)
Summary	64	(1)
Chapter 4: Way Beyond the Music: Software	65	(38)
See and Copy Your Songs	66	(13)
Mac OSX	67	(8)
The same thing, only hackier	69	(3)
Automatic for the pod people	72	(3)
Windows XP	75	(7)
Cool tools	77	(2)
Put Large Text Documents on Your iPod	79	(2)
Read the United States Constitution	81	(1)
Read Shakespeare's Sonnets	81	(1)
Get News, Weather, Movie Listings and More	82	(3)
More than just information	85	(1)
Synchronize Your iPod with Microsoft Outlook	85	(7)
PocketMac	86	(2)
iPodSync	88	(3)
Export from Windows Address Book	91	(1)
Use PocketMac for Macintosh	92	(1)
Read E-Mail on Your iPod	93	(2)
Run Linux on Your iPod	95	(4)
Summary	99	(4)
Part II: Hacking iTunes
Chapter 5: Play with Your Music	103	(26)
Playlists	103	(1)
Turn Selections into Playlists	103	(2)
Make a "Freshest Tracks" Playlist	105	(5)
More ideas for Smart Playlists	106	(4)
All "unchecked" songs	107	(1)
Themed playlist	108	(2)
Streaming Radio playlist	110	(1)
Drag and Drop to Create a Playlist	110	(5)
Look out below	111	(1)
Major drag	112	(3)
Use Keyboard Shortcuts with Playlists	115	(4)
Create a new smart playlist	115	(1)
Reshuffle a playlist	116	(2)
Delete a song via a playlist	118	(1)
Change the Play Order	119	(2)
Play songs in a different order	119	(1)
Permanently change play order	120	(1)
See Precise Playlist Statistics	121	(1)
Reset Play Counts	122	(1)
Move Your Playlists to Another Computer	122	(2)
Listen to Streaming Radio	124	(3)
Turn off streaming radio	125	(2)
Use a List Column for Equalizer Settings	127	(1)
Open Multiple Windows in iTunes	127	(1)
Use iTunes Window Modes	128	(1)
Use SnapBack Arrows	129	(2)
Get Album Art	131	(2)
iTunes Catalog	131	(1)
Clutter	131	(1)
art4iTunes	132	(1)
Summary	132	(1)
Chapter 6: Extreme Music Playing	133	(26)
AppleScript	133	(1)
Turn on AppleScript in iTunes	134	(6)
Get Information from the Web	135	(2)
Check or uncheck multiple tracks	137	(1)
Export library listings	137	(1)
Miscellaneous quick tricks	138	(2)
Doug's AppleScripts for iTunes	140	(11)
Handle duplicate tracks	140	(2)
Remove duplicates	140	(1)
Trash duplicates	141	(1)
Wrangle same-named tracks	142	(1)
Corral all dupes	142	(1)
Get rid of dead tracks	142	(3)
List MIAs	143	(1)
Remove dead tracks	143	(1)
Super remove dead tracks	144	(1)
iTunes Track CPR	144	(1)
Fix bad tag info	145	(2)
Swap track name and artist	145	(1)
This tag, that tag	146	(1)
Make iTunes an alarm clock	147	(2)
Start iTunes ...when?	147	(1)
Alarm clock applications	147	(1)
Street spirit fade out	148	(1)
Change the play count	149	(1)
More fun with scripts	149	(2)
Find album artwork with Google	150	(1)
Google lyric search	150	(1)
Now Playing in iChat AV	150	(1)
Find More Scripts for iTunes	151	(1)
Create Your Own Scripts	151	(2)
Looking at scripts	151	(1)
How to find out more	152	(1)
Master the Visualizer	153	(5)
Set visualizer options	153	(3)
Set the size of the visual effect	156	(1)
Use the Visualizer as a screen saver	156	(1)
Get Visualizer plug-ins	156	(1)
Create your own Visualizer plug-ins	157	(1)
Summary	158	(1)
Chapter 7: iTunes and Hardware	159	(12)
Broadcast Your iTunes	160	(6)
Listen with cordless headphones	160	(1)
Play music over WiFi	161	(5)
Run iTunes by Remote Control	166	(3)
Control your computer with ATI Remote Wonder	166	(1)
Get Keyspan Digital Media Remote	166	(3)
Play Tunes on Your TiVo	169	(1)
Set Up a "Now Playing" Sign	170	(1)
Summary	170	(1)
Chapter 8: Music In	171	(26)
Keep Your Music CD-Quality	172	(2)
Add Files to Your Library by Dragging	174	(1)
Automate Your CD Ripping	175	(3)
Setting up iTunes	176	(1)
Best hardware	177	(1)
Doing the ripping	177	(1)
Get All Your Music Together in One Place	178	(1)
Merge Tracks from Live CDs	179	(5)
Record Whatever Your Computer Plays	184	(2)
Macintosh programs	184	(1)
Windows programs	185	(1)
Convert Streams to Songs	186	(3)
Windows programs	187	(1)
Macintosh programs	187	(1)
Making adjustments	188	(1)
Get LPs into iTunes	189	(1)
Rip Stubborn CDs	189	(1)
Get Legal Free Tracks	190	(5)
Artists	191	(2)
Record companies	193	(1)
Web sites	193	(2)
Summary	195	(2)
Chapter 9: Music Out: Burning and Beyond	197	(12)
Use MP3 to Make a 12-Hour CD	198	(1)
Make a Mix DVD	199	(2)
Create Gapless Music CDs	201	(1)
Burn a CD from an Album	202	(1)
Burn as Many Songs as You Want	203	(2)
Burning Long Playlists	204	(1)
Change the "Volume Up And Down" Sounds	205	(2)
Get Music Out by Dragging	207	(1)
Back Up Your Music	207	(1)
Summary	208	(1)
Chapter 10: Music Library: Check it Out	209	(14)
Convert Between Audio Formats	209	(2)
Conversions: Useful, possible, and otherwise	210	(1)
Use a Cross-Platform Disk	211	(2)
Delete a Playlist and All Its Songs	213	(1)
Listen to All the Music on Your Computer	214	(2)
Find All Playlists a Song Is On	216	(1)
Finetune the Music Library's Appearance	217	(2)
Get rid of the "Genre" column	217	(1)
Bend columns with your bare hands	217	(2)
Fool with the browser	219	(1)
Edit in place	219	(1)
Playlists too	219	(1)
See Album Art	219	(2)
Size matters	221	(1)
Summary	221	(2)
Chapter 11: iTunes Music Store	223	(26)
Get Around the Store	223	(5)
Use navigation tools	223	(2)
Narrow your search	225	(1)
Use the browser to find music	226	(1)
Browse genre pages	227	(1)
Find all new music	227	(1)
Browse music in charts	227	(1)
Billboard charts	228	(1)
Radio charts	228	(1)
Buy Music at the Store	228	(6)
Use the Shopping Cart	228	(1)
See your account information	229	(2)
Check out iTunes essentials	231	(2)
See celebrity playlists	233	(1)
Listen to audio books	233	(1)
Get More Free Stuff from the Store	234	(4)
Listen to free previews	234	(1)
Get more artist information	235	(3)
Use iTunes Music Store Links	238	(4)
Get and share iTunes Music Store links	238	(1)
Make Music Store URLs	238	(1)
Make your own celebrity playlist	238	(4)
Miscellaneous Store Hacks	242	(3)
Get listings sent to you	242	(1)
Watch videos and movie trailers	243	(1)
Use iTunes Music Store to check your connection	244	(1)
Rebuild "Purchased Music" playlist	244	(1)
Close the store	245	(1)
Summary	245
Part II Appendices
Appendix A: iPod Note Reader	249	(12)
Appendix B: Where to Find More Information	261	(4)
Appendix C: iPod and iTunes Version History	265	(4)
Appendix D: iTunes Library XML Format	269	(6)
Index	275