5th generation iPod nano compatibility with Linux?

There is no version of iTunes for Linux so managing updates on the Nano would be a real problem. You might check the Linux forums to see if there is an alternate iPod manager available that someone has used with a 5th Generation Nano.

I also have Linux on my computer and I have just been offered a 5th generation iPod nano for my birthday.

First, I have been very impressed by the design and the features of this device (video camera, radio tuner with RDS, ...) ... a very nice device.

Then I have connected it to my computer to access the iPod's filesystem and retrieve the short video made with the iPod. Everything was nice.

But when I decided to had some MP3 and videos to the iPod, I thought this was possible with any computer (even without iTune installed), simply by copying the files to filesystem of the iPod (as I do with my other non-Apple players)... but I was wrong.
After checking the documentation, I realized that iTunes software was the only way to add some files.

Why not let the customer choose to use iTunes or not ?
Be able to add individual files just by copying them from any computer (any OS, with or without iTunes installed), and use a filesystem browser on the iPod to select which file to play in which directory.

Please, release a new iPod firmware supporting this feature.

trailman00 wrote:
Why not let the customer choose to use iTunes or not ?
Be able to add individual files just by copying them from any computer (any OS, with or without iTunes installed), and use a filesystem browser on the iPod to select which file to play in which directory.

Only Apple would know the answer to this. However, based on the history of the iPod, it seems unlikely that you're going to see this happen. One of the major differentiating features of the iPod is that one doesn't have to mess with a file system browser, it's all handled automatically by iTunes. Now, that's not to say that everyone is going to like players that work this way. Hence, the continuing market for other brands of players.

Please, release a new iPod firmware supporting this feature.

Again, seems very unlikely as it runs counter to the entire Apple design philosophy. However, if you want to make your feelings known to Apple (as opposed to just the fellow users who are going to be seeing this post), submit your feedback here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipodnano.html

Best of luck.

Sorry, my post was to reply to deggie, not to maria XD

Thank you Meg St._Clair for the feedback link.
I'm going to try it and hope I'll be lucky 🙂

When the iPod was first released, it only supported the MacOS. Later SJ had a Windows version of iTunes developed, and many Apple employees were enraged ("You've joined the dark side...you're abandoning the core Mac users!"). Of course, SJ was right, ignoring 95% (at that time) of the market was foolish. When the Windows version of iTunes was released, the iPod sales went through the roof. Fast forward to today, and Linux represents 0.001% of the market - it's not exactly a gravy train. When Apple believes that the Linux market represents a significant revenue stream, a Linus-compatible version of iTunes will be developed.

OK, porting iTunes to Linux would require too many efforts for a market of only several percents (not 0.001% I guess); but what I mean is just using the IPod without iTunes.

The iPod is already seen as an USB disk from which I can download the videos made with the iPod for example.
Why not let the user copy some files (audio and video) to the iPod without any database to update. This is supported by (nearly) all other players or multimedia boxes in the world and make them usable on any OS supporting USB without additional software.

This would only require a firmware update having a file browser to manually select the directories/files to play without the database stuff.

Only Linux users believe that Linux accounts for several percent of the installed OS base.

Just for interest - details from the w3.org website regarding their visitors:

http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_os.asp

Shows linux at 4.2% MacOS at 6.8%

Doesn't mean that linux is at 4.2% or MacOS at 6.8% however, it is an indication that linux customers shouldn't be ignored. Especially in the case that the number of products sold make 1% or 2% a significant amount of profit.

Also - linux users are typically enthusiasts. While it's true that a lot of us lack social skills 😉 we do usually have a bit of a reputation for 'knowing about computers and stuff' and we are often asked for advice.

I've got a 5th Gen also. I use windows purely for testing sites I build. Now I have to use it for transferring songs as well. As soon as I work out a way around this I will be back to using linux to transfer the songs.

PS: I don't pirate, if I must I'll buy mp3s from bigpond music store (I'm Australian).

Good luck all!

Also - check out the number times this thread has been viewed. Whether it is linux users or just out of interest - people are interested in whether it is possible to use hardware that has been purchased with whatever operating system they want. I would personally love to be able to plug my ipod into my media pc and run an automated sync...