Adding music to an iPod Shuffle

[Rudi]

Hi,

I was given a gift today...an iPod Shuffle. I copied a few songs onto it by simply dragging music from my PC to the device using Win Explorer. After putting the earphones to my ears and switching it on, the device speaks and says, Please add music from iTunes library. It does not play the music I copied to it manually.

I do have iTunes and manage my iPhone backups using it, but I have not made a comprehensive music library in iTunes as I use my phone as a phone and not a boom box!! So my question is... Is there a way to add music to this small device without iTunes? I have Google'd and some freeware and shareware apps are listed but lots of useless ratings and skepticism on using/downloading these junkware apps?

Any advice or good freeware (tried and tested) that anyone can refer me to to get music on my device without iTunes...I will appreciate it. TX

[viking33]

Hi,

I was given a gift today...an iPod Shuffle. I copied a few songs onto it by simply dragging music from my PC to the device using Win Explorer. After putting the earphones to my ears and switching it on, the device speaks and says, Please add music from iTunes library. It does not play the music I copied to it manually.

I do have iTunes and manage my iPhone backups using it, but I have not made a comprehensive music library in iTunes as I use my phone as a phone and not a boom box!! So my question is... Is there a way to add music to this small device without iTunes? I have Google'd and some freeware and shareware apps are listed but lots of useless ratings and skepticism on using/downloading these junkware apps?

Any advice or good freeware (tried and tested) that anyone can refer me to to get music on my device without iTunes...I will appreciate it. TX

Who knows? Buy a radio?
I don't do that i stuff. Sorry.

[BobH]

FWIW, I never found any other way to add tunes to my iPhone but through iTunes. Darling daughter has a shuffle and a couple of iPods, but ole dad isn't thought to be hip enough.

[Rudi]

The question above still remains open, even though I have gone ahead and added some songs via iTunes. I'm not particularly keen on setting up an iTunes library of songs (firstly because I have my music in a music folder, grouped by artist and rated using windows rating system....and secondly, AFAIK, setting up an iTunes library ends up duplicating the songs on the hard drive since iTunes stores them for its purposes too in its own music folder!).

[DaveA]

It is a MAC product what do you expect it to work your way and NOT the Apple way!

[IMNetUser]

It is a MAC product what do you expect it to work your way and NOT the Apple way!

OUCH !

[Rudi]

I just expect it to be a convenience to use. It's all I ask for.
Anyways...I did not buy it. It was a gift, so I'll take it gratefully.

[jonwallace]

As far as I can see, Apple would like you to use iTunes to manage your iPod. But look here for a possible alternative. http://agoraphobeus.free.fr/iShuffle/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Disclaimer: I don't have any Apple stuff, so I've never tried it.
(I do love my Sandisk Sansa Clip+ though)

[Rudi]

Jon, thanks for the link. I did come across the iShuffle software on my searches, though your link explains the software a bit better than the links I saw.
I must admit that in my eagerness to get this iPod to work I installed iTunes on my secondary laptop (which I use for entertainment purposes at home) and then create two quick playlists with about 200 songs each. I used iTunes to add the songs...it all uploaded very smoothly and it is working great. I'll probably continue using the entertainment PC to manage the music on the iPod so there is no need to continue assisting with alternative apps. TX very much for all advice and links. I'll be making time to add further songs and playlists to the laptop and use it from now on.
Cheers all.