How to perform a hard reset on an iPod shuffle.

On both the 1st and 2nd generation iPod Shuffle, you can perform a hard reset on it by powering it down for 5 seconds then powering it back on. Also be sure you do not have the device attached to your computer or any other device while doing this. This is the only thing that can be done to reset it.

For more information see Apple’s document on resetting the iPod Shuffle here.

Make the iPod act as a hard drive.

1. Connect your iPod to your computer.

2. Open iTunes.

3. Click once on your iPod on the left pane.

4. Select the Settings button toward the top of the window.

5. Check the Enable disk use checkbox. Click OK on the warning about manually ejecting the iPod. Now you can select how much space on the iPod you would like to use for songs and data by dragging the meter to the desired setting.

7. Click Apply on the bottom portion of the screen.

Your iPod should now appear as a drive under My Computer. You can now copy files onto it like you would any other drive. When you are finished copying the files, you must eject the iPod.

1. Download the greasemonkey extension for Firefox
2. Go to www.userscripts.org and installed the “Download YouTube Script”
3. While watching a YouTube video, click Download Video and saved it to disk
4. Install and launch Super video converter from www.erightsoft.com.
5. Select Apple iPod from Output Container option and then the output video codec H/264/AVC.
6. Set Size to 320×240
7. Convert.
8. Drap the Converted file into iTunes
9. Watch it on your iPod

NOTE: If an error is encountered during conversion, disable the Use DirectShow button.
SOURCE: WIRED

How to reset iPod Nano if it is not responding or frozen.

Hold down the Center and Menu buttons simultaneously. The screen will start to melt away. Then you will see the Apple appear on the screen. The iPod has been reset sucessfully.

Music files should still be saved, but some customized settings may be lost.

If that doesn’t fix your problem, try a hard reset by holding down Menu and Play/Pause simultaneously for about 10 seconds. A hard reset will clean all data off the unit.

Other resources:
iPod troubleshooting basics and service FAQ

I just realized how common hardware with USB ports are. My phone was out of power and I left my charger at work. Could I use my Tivo to charge it?

I did however have a USB data cable for my cell phone. My laptop however was also left behind. My Tivo has USB ports, so I figured I’d try plugging my phone into it. The Tivo started charging my phone.

So I took it one step further. My iPod was also low on power. I plugged it into the back and it charged it as well.

You can do this with almost any device now. Some cable boxes even have USB ports. You can find USB data cables for almost any cell phone. Just google or eBay “nokia data cable” for example.