Every month at our firmwide meetings, we have a quiz or a contest. Well, in September, they had a "building name and architect" quiz for buildings across the world...I won with 46 out of 50 correct.

The executive assistant to the Pres hands me a pouch. It had an IPOD Nano. People go: "ooooh" but I don't know what to do with it.

I'm going to Montreal on Saturday. I want to put songs I have on my computer plus some selected songs from CDs.

Is it easy to do? How does one do it at their computer at work? Can I listen to these songs from a rental car? Please help me out since I have always been a "late adopter" of technological innovation (as if this wasn't already obvious )

Here's how to use your iPod...

First, wrap it carefully.

Second, go to the post office.

Third, mail it to:

Brian Dreggors

1565 Ba...

Okay, just kidding.

I don't have one, but I don't think it's that bad.

It probably comes with a version of iTunes, which you can use to organize your collection and install it on the Ipod. It seems like you'll probaly need to get your songs onto your hard drive first. You can also do that through iTunes.

If you want to play it in the car (unless you get a GM with the black tie radio), you'll probably need an FM transmitter. You can pick one of those up for $20-40. If you do get the black tie radio, then all you need is a male-to-male stereo headphone cable from Radioshack (<$5).

1. install iTunes

2. open iTunes and connect iPod for the first time

3. grab the CDs you want to be able to play on your iPod

4. make sure computer is signed onto the net

5. insert CD into CD-Rom drive*

6. Click the "import" button in the upper right corner of iTunes

7. Repeat with each CD.

*Non-professional CDs will not import track names. Only shrink wrapped CDs will import track names.

1. install iTunes

2. open iTunes and connect iPod for the first time

3. grab the CDs you want to be able to play on your iPod

4. make sure computer is signed onto the net

5. insert CD into CD-Rom drive*

6. Click the "import" button in the upper right corner of iTunes

7. Repeat with each CD.

*Non-professional CDs will not import track names. Only shrink wrapped CDs will import track names.

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Yep, but the "import" button is now in the bottom right-hand corner on the newest version of itunes. Also, once you get the CDs onto itunes, you'll have to unplug your ipod and plug it back in again in for it to update your ipod. As for listening to it in a rental car, you can always get a itrip. They sell them at best buy and it uses a FM transmitter to send a signal to a certain radio station. Not the best sound quality, but it works when moving from vehicle to vehicle.

it seems you've gotten all the help you need already! here are some good ipod/itunes sites:

Everything iPod

Ipod Lounge

enjoy the nano! Between my boyfriend and I we have a 60 gig video, a 6 gig nano, and a 4 gig mini.......we're total iPod fans!

I have a nano, and it's pretty good. Transfer is relatively easy with iTunes, but that's at home.

Last I checked, you can't really modify your iPod's playlists and songs on a second computer, aka, at work. There are programs that try to give you that flexibility, but they cost money, and they aren't that great. Just fill the iPod up with music and customize playlists at home.

Oh, do make sure to spend ten to twenty bucks at a Best Buy or place like that and buy yourself an iPod nano protector. Usually, they are silicone rubber and they slide over you iPod and protect it from scratches and your accidentally dropping it. Best ten bucks I've ever spent because mine is black plastic and would be totally ruined if I hadn't spent the extra cash.

I have a nano, and it's pretty good. Transfer is relatively easy with iTunes, but that's at home.

Last I checked, you can't really modify your iPod's playlists and songs on a second computer, aka, at work. There are programs that try to give you that flexibility, but they cost money, and they aren't that great. Just fill the iPod up with music and customize playlists at home.

Oh, do make sure to spend ten to twenty bucks at a Best Buy or place like that and buy yourself an iPod nano protector. Usually, they are silicone rubber and they slide over you iPod and protect it from scratches and your accidentally dropping it. Best ten bucks I've ever spent because mine is black plastic and would be totally ruined if I hadn't spent the extra cash.

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You can always update/modify your iPod's playlist from any computer as long as your sticking to the same format - a windows formatted iPod should be recognized on any Windows PC with iTunes, a Mac one will work on another Mac.

Be careful with auto syncing your main PC to the iPod, it's a setting in iTunes and if you have autosync selected, you could lose your music when you connect to another computer because the ipod will sync to that second computer. If you have all your music on your home computer and then hook up your iPod to your work computer that only has 10 songs, you could potentially lose what was on your iPod. Simple fix......just go to iTunes preferences and select manually manage rather than auto sync.

The websites I linked to earlier have huge FAQ sections that give lots of tips on how to use your new iPod........enjoy!

enjoy your iPod- I've had a couple since they were introduced and they are great. I get bookd on CD out of the library and listen to them on the bus on the way to work, in addition to music. The podcasts are fun too.

Bobbity Bob... What to do with it? Well, if you like being old tech, you can always send it my way. I love gadgets.

I bought a new Next-Generation Nano just tonight as a matter of fact. Here's pretty much what the quick guide states . . .

1. Download and install iTunes from www.apple.com/ipod/start *

2. Connect iPod Nano to your computer (not to USB port on keyboard).

3. Follow the Setup Assistant.

4. Get music at the iTunes store or import it from CDs.

5. Connect to charge the battery and transfer music. **

6. To disconnect, click Eject. Then remove the cable.

*Download takes around three hours on a 56K connection. Make sure you have plenty of time.

**I recommend you charge your iPod for a good chunk of time before using it. The more juice the first charge has, the less energy will be sapped from the battery when you play the games installed on the iPod.

I like the new Nanos. Instead of white or black plastic, they now have a metal casing. Mine is cold as ice right now, though, for some reason. You can also import mp3s from your harddrive as well. I'll tell you how later when I have a little more time.

Good luck with it. Take good care of it, and you'll be able to avoid most of the problems most people have with these things over time.