When I connect the ipod nano to the computer, how can I tell if it is charging or is fully charged? I've connected it and it shows a picture of the cable end and says "connected (eject before disconnecting, which is a good joke since it won't let me "eject") Nothing indicates that it is charging and I can't find the information on what the battery symbol means, what shows a full charge? How long does it usually take?
Do I really need to take my computer with me on vacations so that I can charge my ipod?
Trying to determine whether my new/first iPod (nano 4G) was charging (on a Windows PC) had me totally confused too. Perhaps what follows may be of some help.
I gather from your post that you haven't checked the User Guide. I'd suggest that first you download it. (No, it doesn't come with the nano. And, perhaps because I'm a first-time iPod user, I'm finding that I cannot use such an "intuitive" device without that "optional" documentation.)
Now I'll deal with my experience. Note: for this purpose I'm assuming Windows XP or Vista (may be slightly different for earlier OS), and that iTunes is NOT running when you connect the iPod (as otherwise the behavior changes somewhat).
If we believe page 17 of the User Guide, and if we do NOT see the "Charging" screen (with the BIG battery icon) there illustrated, we could assume that the answer lies in the warning at the bottom of that page. It says that "+If you don't see the Charging screen ... Try another USB port on your computer+". I believed that, and wasted a lot of time.
Now look at page 19, the second paragraph beginning "+If iPod nano is connected to a power source+...", and check the two small icons below that. It's only from trial and error experience that I came to realize that this page contradicts the previous one. (But it does tell you what the battery symbol means.)
When I connect the nano to the PC (iTunes not running), I get the "Connected" screen shown on page 15. I assume from your post that that's what you are getting. What I didn't notice until much later, while waiting for the "Charging" screen that never came, was the tiny battery icon at the top right of the "Connected" screen. And THAT is how you know that it's charging. (Refer back to page 19.)
That said, I have since had the "Charging" screen pop up at times - but can't remember the exact circumstances.
IMHO, page 17 of the User Guide is wrong, or at best misleading. I mentioned this to an Apple Support person, who refused to accept that suggestion. He somewhat patronizingly kept repeating that if the tiny icon was showing on the "Connected" screen, all was well. Each time that I tried to say "+Yes, but page 17 specifically tells me to use a different USB port+", he would reply that the guide was designed for ALL iPods, and that applied to some older ones, but not to my new nano. When I would try to point out that this was the NEW User Guide, specifically for the 4th gen nano, he would go back to telling me that if the "Connected" screen had the tiny icon, all was OK. (I gave up after going around the circle 2 or 3 times, wondering why on earth I had thought that spending an extra $60 for extended support was a good idea. But that's another story.)
If you are NOT getting that small icon at top right of your "Connected" screen, then this won't be helpful and I've wasted your time. But perhaps others led astray by that User Guide warning may benefit.
Next, you suggest that "eject before disconnecting" is a joke because it won't let you eject. I had a problem with that too. Again, this may not be the same situation as yours, but just in case, here goes.
User Guide again, page 16. It's easy to miss, but if you read carefully you'll notice that Apple's definition of "eject" includes using Windows' "Safely Remove Hardware" facility. (What they don't tell you is that often that is the ONLY way to eject the iPod, if iTunes isn't talking to it.)
"How long does it usually take?" - They say around 3 hours.
"Do I really need to take my computer with me on vacations so that I can charge my ipod?" Apparently yes, unless you purchase an Apple USB Power Adapter (no, it didn't come with the nano either), or use someone else's computer, or buy one of the "car charger" accessories. Warning: there are dozens of complaining posts in these forums about chargers, docks, speaker systems, etc. that will charge other iPods, but not this one. Proceed with caution.
Trying to determine whether my new/first iPod (nano 4G) was charging (on a Windows PC) had me totally confused too. Perhaps what follows may be of some help.
I gather from your post that you haven't checked the User Guide. I'd suggest that first you download it. (No, it doesn't come with the nano. And, perhaps because I'm a first-time iPod user, I'm finding that I cannot use such an "intuitive" device without that "optional" documentation.)
Now I'll deal with my experience. Note: for this purpose I'm assuming Windows XP or Vista (may be slightly different for earlier OS), and that iTunes is NOT running when you connect the iPod (as otherwise the behavior changes somewhat).
If we believe page 17 of the User Guide, and if we do NOT see the "Charging" screen (with the BIG battery icon) there illustrated, we could assume that the answer lies in the warning at the bottom of that page. It says that "+If you don't see the Charging screen ... Try another USB port on your computer+". I believed that, and wasted a lot of time.
Now look at page 19, the second paragraph beginning "+If iPod nano is connected to a power source+...", and check the two small icons below that. It's only from trial and error experience that I came to realize that this page contradicts the previous one. (But it does tell you what the battery symbol means.)
When I connect the nano to the PC (iTunes not running), I get the "Connected" screen shown on page 15. I assume from your post that that's what you are getting. What I didn't notice until much later, while waiting for the "Charging" screen that never came, was the tiny battery icon at the top right of the "Connected" screen. And THAT is how you know that it's charging. (Refer back to page 19.)
That said, I have since had the "Charging" screen pop up at times - but can't remember the exact circumstances.
IMHO, page 17 of the User Guide is wrong, or at best misleading. I mentioned this to an Apple Support person, who refused to accept that suggestion. He somewhat patronizingly kept repeating that if the tiny icon was showing on the "Connected" screen, all was well. Each time that I tried to say "+Yes, but page 17 specifically tells me to use a different USB port+", he would reply that the guide was designed for ALL iPods, and that applied to some older ones, but not to my new nano. When I would try to point out that this was the NEW User Guide, specifically for the 4th gen nano, he would go back to telling me that if the "Connected" screen had the tiny icon, all was OK. (I gave up after going around the circle 2 or 3 times, wondering why on earth I had thought that spending an extra $60 for extended support was a good idea. But that's another story.)
If you are NOT getting that small icon at top right of your "Connected" screen, then this won't be helpful and I've wasted your time. But perhaps others led astray by that User Guide warning may benefit.
Next, you suggest that "eject before disconnecting" is a joke because it won't let you eject. I had a problem with that too. Again, this may not be the same situation as yours, but just in case, here goes.
User Guide again, page 16. It's easy to miss, but if you read carefully you'll notice that Apple's definition of "eject" includes using Windows' "Safely Remove Hardware" facility. (What they don't tell you is that often that is the ONLY way to eject the iPod, if iTunes isn't talking to it.)
"How long does it usually take?" - They say around 3 hours.
"Do I really need to take my computer with me on vacations so that I can charge my ipod?" Apparently yes, unless you purchase an Apple USB Power Adapter (no, it didn't come with the nano either), or use someone else's computer, or buy one of the "car charger" accessories. Warning: there are dozens of complaining posts in these forums about chargers, docks, speaker systems, etc. that will charge other iPods, but not this one. Proceed with caution.
I just connected the nano to the PC while iTunes was running. It showed the "Connected" screen (as I expected).
I then "ejected" the iPod from within iTunes. This caused all of the following...
a) All traces of iPod recognition disappeared from iTunes (as expected);
b) The iPod screen changed, telling me it was disconnecting (ditto);
c) The Windows "Safely Remove..." icon disappeared from the system tray, and Windows no longer recognized the iPod as being connected (arguably logical);
All of the above would suggest that, cable connection notwithstanding, the iPod is NO LONGER "connected". However...
d) The "Charging" screen (User Guide page 17) now came up!
So it seems that the iPod will charge when (it believes that) it is "DISCONNECTED" from the PC!
In reality it is "disconnected" from Windows (and iTunes), but is still "connected" to my hardware. However the logic of Apple's documentation escapes me.
The plot's even thicker! But I think that I've discovered how to get that "Charging" screen (User Guide p.17) to appear. (This still assumes that iTunes is NOT open)...
1. "Connect" the nano to your computer. (The "Connected" screen comes up.)
2. Use Windows' "Safely Remove..." feature to "disconnect" (eject?) the iPod. (The iPod menu eventually appears.)
3. Turn the iPod "off" (Hold Play/Pause).
4. Instead of this turning the iPod off, voilá! -
now the "Charging" screen appears.
Of course if your "Backlight" and/or "Energy Saver" settings are on (no, I don't know the difference, and no-one has so far replied to a separate post where I asked this), then the screen will soon turn off. And if you try to look again at the charging progress, using the controls to bring the screen back, you get the Menu, not the Charging screen!
But one small step at a time, I guess. What I do find difficult to accept is how much time some of us have to put into this (even after reading the "optional" documentation) just to figure out the first basic step - charging the battery. I'm starting to dread working out more "complex" features, and still wonder whether the flaw is in design, documentation, or this user.
I actually did read the user’s guide, but I did not memorize it at first reading and later reread about the lightening symbol, I used a magnifying glass to see what the symbol on my battery symbol was when connected and it matched.
The only port that brings up the full screen
charging or
full is a USB 1 that causes my computer to lock up.
ManfromOz
IMHO, page 17 of the User Guide is wrong, or at best misleading. I mentioned this to an Apple Support person, who refused to accept that suggestion. He somewhat patronizingly kept repeating that if the tiny icon was showing on the "Connected" screen, all was well. Each time that I tried to say "Yes, but page 17 specifically tells me to use a different USB port", he would reply that the guide was designed for ALL iPods, and that applied to some older ones, but not to my new nano. When I would try to point out that this was the NEW User Guide, specifically for the 4th gen nano, he would go back to telling me that if the "Connected" screen had the tiny icon, all was OK. (I gave up after going around the circle 2 or 3 times, wondering why on earth I had thought that spending an extra $60 for extended support was a good idea. But that's another story.)
Amusement at your description, sympathy for your wasted time, glad to know it isn’t just me who finds that kind of dialog ridiculous. My favorite this year was Samsung sending me the wrong case and charger for my phone because they didn’t have the ones that fit my phone in stock and didn’t want to disappoint me, and then wanting me to return it, insured, on my own dime. I argued up three levels, they sent a UPS pick up without telling me they had decided to do so.
I tried “Safely Remove Hardware” and that didn’t seem to work either, we installed some new ports and I haven’t tied the process with them yet.
I have disconnected the ipod after turning off the computer and the “safe to disconnect” comes up after it is disconnected.
Car chargers… I had read that they are not charging the new Nano’s. Or is it the connection to the radio/speakers doesn’t charge and the charger is separate? This will take more research...
Thanks for your through answers, yes, I need to spend more time with the user’s manual. However, it is very nice to have someone with a sense of humor translate the manual for me, 😉 Thank you.
