Very simple iPod question

Ohio

I've got an old 3g ipod that is synced to my iTunes at home.

When I bring it to work and plug it into my computer here, I get the message "This iPod is already synced to another library. Do you want to sync it to this library instead?" If I push yes, then it deletes everything I had on it (from home) and re-syncs to my work library.

So basically I cannot put songs from two different libraries on it.

Now, a year ago I got a Nano, which I was surprised to see I could plug into as many different computers as I wanted and take music from them all - the opposite of the 3g iPod.

So, onto my question. This Christmas I think I'm getting a new iPod classic, and I want to know which way it's going to be - can I only sync it to one library, like the old iPod, or multiple libraries like the Nano?

RNEMESiS42

Just set it so it doesn't sync? There is an option in iTunes that comes up when you plug in your iPod to add songs manually. It should be right next to the option that allows you to sync the iPod with your library. This allows you to take songs off that computer without deleting your library.

Szechuanosaurus

Yeah, just click 'no' instead of 'yes'.

New iPods seem to be total dicks about not just letting you drag and drop music from your computer's library into your iPod's library though. i don't know why they decided to stop letting you do that, it's pretty rubbish, but as far as I can tell, the solution is to just create a playlist, throw everything you want in there and sync that playlist to your iPod (or iPhone). AFAIK, you should be able to set up a second play list on another computer and sync it in the same fashion, so you could have 'Home computer playlist' and 'Work computer playlist'.

Gihgehls

Szechuanosaurus wrote: »

AFAIK, you should be able to set up a second play list on another computer and sync it in the same fashion, so you could have 'Home computer playlist' and 'Work computer playlist'.

This won't work because when you go to plug it in at work, it will give you the same old "this ipod is already synched with another library" stuff. There is a hack on the iPhone that will let you swap between two different libraries, which is an ok stop-gap solution. It is annoying to have to toggle between two libraries on the phone but it is worth it to be able to download podcasts at work for the drive back home.

Filler Inc.

Szechuanosaurus wrote: »

Yeah, just click 'no' instead of 'yes'.

New iPods seem to be total dicks about not just letting you drag and drop music from your computer's library into your iPod's library though. i don't know why they decided to stop letting you do that, it's pretty rubbish, but as far as I can tell, the solution is to just create a playlist, throw everything you want in there and sync that playlist to your iPod (or iPhone). AFAIK, you should be able to set up a second play list on another computer and sync it in the same fashion, so you could have 'Home computer playlist' and 'Work computer playlist'.

Umm I think you're mistaken.

All you have to do is select 'Manually manage music and videos' and then it's drag and drop with no automatic synching and updating.