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AssassyN · Mar 19, 2003, 09:08 PM

Check out www.apple.com for the newly released iPod Software, Version 1.2.6!

poocat · Mar 19, 2003, 09:24 PM

any info on what this does?
they say just battery fix.

anyone installed it yet?

pc.

OpenStep · Mar 19, 2003, 09:26 PM

Installed it,, no problem so far. I'll be glad if it stops going from 3 bars to 0 then back to 3 then shutting off cause of a "low battery".

AssassyN · Mar 19, 2003, 09:30 PM

I'm assuming the major fix here is prior battery issues, which is a big deal in the iPod market actually.

hardcat1970 · Mar 19, 2003, 10:03 PM

it's about time. Fortunately i got a replacement when i still had my warranty. Even though same thing still happen on my current ipod. I am going to wait out other's response. Apple recently screws up big time.

jasong · Mar 19, 2003, 10:12 PM

I installed the update and my iPod still works. No idea if the battery life has returned to "normal" or not, but I am hopeful. No harm in installing the update, you can always revert the iPod back to factory settings (firmware and all).

My gripe is in the installation process of the iPod firmware. What crack smoking moron at Apple came up with that? Download a Disk Image, double click an installer which then installs an unknown piece of software to an unknown location on your computer. You are then supposed to find this unknown piece of software in the unknown location, double click on it, and install it on the iPod. What is the first installer for? Why do I need to install the installer? How is a newbie supposed to know that they aren't done after step 1? It said it sucessfully installed my software, why aren't I done?

Apple has had a year to come up with a better way than this. I love the iPod, but that is ridiculous.

-- Jason

hardcat1970 · Mar 19, 2003, 10:32 PM

yeah, the installer is stupid enough.

sorry for this lame post, i just got to get my 300th post tonight.

sensorfreaky · Mar 20, 2003, 01:30 AM

Originally posted by jasong:
My gripe is in the installation process of the iPod firmware. What crack smoking moron at Apple came up with that? Download a Disk Image, double click an installer which then installs an unknown piece of software to an unknown location on your computer. You are then supposed to find this unknown piece of software in the unknown location, double click on it, and install it on the iPod. What is the first installer for? Why do I need to install the installer? How is a newbie supposed to know that they aren't done after step 1? It said it sucessfully installed my software, why aren't I done?

Apple has had a year to come up with a better way than this. I love the iPod, but that is ridiculous.

Jason,
Looks like you're complaining because you've made the iPod software update harder than it really is. Once you click on the .pkg file in the disk image which "installs an unknown piece of software to an unknown location on your computer", all you have to do is simply plug in your iPod, which then launches iTunes (default, if you have it set that way), which automatically detects the installed software update and prompts you if you want to continue with the update. Then you just follow some other simple prompts, unplug and replug your iPod, and bam! you're done.

How hard was that? To recap:

Step 1: Download software from Apple.com

Step 2: Double-click .pkg file from mounted disk image (assuming a browser like safari mounted it automatically), and follow prompts for installation.

Step 3: Connect iPod to launch iTunes and follow updater promts.

Step 4: Disconnect and Reconnect iPod when prompted.

The step where you had to find the unknown software from an unknown location is an uneccessary step that you made up. By simply plugging in your iPod and/or launching iTunes, the rest is practically automated save a few prompts. I don't see how they can make it any easier. What did you expect? Do you want an installer that will plug and unplug your iPod for you?

dav · Mar 20, 2003, 07:09 AM

AAC playback yet?

poocat · Mar 20, 2003, 08:13 AM

actually what i'd like was for the .pkg
to look more like something you should install, or to say that it will be left on your computer.

i'm running off a fairly small drive (12g) and knowing that apple's leaving things around my computer that i hopefully don't need anymore (or could download again if i did) without telling me... that's kinda lame.

but you're right.
i love how when you plug in your ipod it's like "hey, wait, you wanna make this doper?"

and i'm like "yes. ab-so-lutely."

pc.

sensorfreaky · Mar 20, 2003, 08:24 AM

Originally posted by poocat:
actually what i'd like was for the .pkg
to look more like something you should install, or to say that it will be left on your computer.

i'm running off a fairly small drive (12g) and knowing that apple's leaving things around my computer that i hopefully don't need anymore (or could download again if i did) without telling me... that's kinda lame.

but you're right.
i love how when you plug in your ipod it's like "hey, wait, you wanna make this doper?"

and i'm like "yes. ab-so-lutely."

pc.

Actually, Apple intends the latest iPod updater to be left in your computer. Not only is it an updater, it can also be used to erase and reset your iPod in case of a corruption or if something goes wrong with it. Sorta like a complete iPod reset. Notice that when you run it independently after already doing the update, you will have choice of "update" or "restore" in which case the "restore" button is highlighted since it is the only viable option at this point. So you see... you may need it in the future after all. Besides, it's big but not THAT big.

clebin · Mar 20, 2003, 08:25 AM

Well, I'm having all sorts of problems with this installer.

I attach my iPod, iTunes launches and it asks me if I want to update. When I say yes, my iPod's icon disappears from the desktop.

Then it says "A single iPod is connected, but cannot be updated since it is not mounted on the desktop".

Infuriating...

Chris

clebin · Mar 20, 2003, 08:38 AM

Well, restore might be exactly what I have to do. I can't even sync songs to the iPod with iTunes now.

This is a Windows iPod, but I'd be gutted if that made a difference at this stage.

Chirs

edddeduck · Mar 20, 2003, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by clebin:
Well, I'm having all sorts of problems with this installer.

I attach my iPod, iTunes launches and it asks me if I want to update. When I say yes, my iPod's icon disappears from the desktop.

Then it says "A single iPod is connected, but cannot be updated since it is not mounted on the desktop".

Infuriating...

Chris

Go into iTunes and deselect the use as HD option in the iPod options. then run the updater.

That should work,

Edwin

clebin · Mar 20, 2003, 09:39 AM

Originally posted by edddeduck:
Go into iTunes and deselect the use as HD option in the iPod options. then run the updater.

That should work,

Edwin

Thanks mate - unfortunately I couldn't get the iPod to show in iTunes once I had the updater installed....

Anyway, I did a full restore - which was quicker than expected - and all seems well, and the iPod is at 1.2.6.

I think the problem must have been caused by it being a Windows iPod. After restore, I get a nice iPod icon on my desktop instead of a generic disk icon (which I replaced) and the disk format is now MacOS Extended. Also my iPod doesn't have 'Windows' in the About section, which must be a good thing!

Chris

Andrew 8808 · Mar 20, 2003, 12:12 PM

Installed it fine, haven't checked the battery life yet. We'll see today, when I use it

tonewheel · Mar 20, 2003, 12:44 PM

Well, there appears to be a major improvement with this update.

With all previous versions of iPod software, if you left your iPod plugged in to your computer to charge, the iPod's hard drive would run continuously until you unplugged it. Not good. With 1.2.6, my iPod updates and the HD spins down after a minute or two of inactivity, even when plugged in to my PowerMac.

I now have no problem leaving my iPod plugged in to my computer as the HD won't be put under undue stress anymore.

G-mac · Mar 20, 2003, 12:55 PM

That's great news!

I've noticed this hard drive running issue too. Does this mean it would be safer to charge the iPod while inside of a case? I know the iPod gets rather warm when charging (especially via computer), but does this reduced drive usage cause the iPod to charge cooler?

I'll probably test it out myself and report back.

Haven't been able to test increased battery usage yet, but I'll report back when I have.

tonewheel · Mar 20, 2003, 01:11 PM

G,

The heat difference between charging via AC vs. your computer was due to the fact that the HD was constantly spinning. You should notice a difference with 1.2.6.

hui · Mar 20, 2003, 02:38 PM

erm... Ive read all your posts and I still cant seem to install the darn software. It does not even give me the option to Upgrade or Restore when I have already installed the .pkg file.
The software on my iPod is still 1.2.2 Its a 20gb iPod bought in the UK.
Steps I performed were as follows:
1) Double click the "iPod Software 1.2.6 updater"
2) Double clicked the iPod126.pkg
3) Perform the installation as stated on the pkg. However, there was no option to Upgrade or Restore.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG!?!?! ARgh...
Many Thanks

andreas_g4 · Mar 20, 2003, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by hui:
WHAT AM I DOING WRONG!?!?! ARgh...
Many Thanks

Go to Applications>Utilities. There is the update application.

hui · Mar 20, 2003, 02:43 PM

Well tried it one more time after sending the post (a total of 12 times now). What I seemed to have done wrong was not to have quit iTunes when performing the installation. Yay, Ive now installed it. They really should mention such an important thing in the Readme file like so... N.B. MAKE SURE YOU QUIT iTUNES BEFORE INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE!!!!!

andreas_g4 · Mar 20, 2003, 02:44 PM

What? I installed the update, now have 1.2.4 on my iPod?

glideslope · Mar 20, 2003, 04:44 PM

Just installed. The HD no longer spins while charging on my machine. Will report on battery life tomorrow.

Ya Hoooo!!!!!!

maxintosh · Mar 20, 2003, 04:47 PM

Originally posted by andreas_g4:
What? I installed the update, now have 1.2.4 on my iPod?

I don't speak much German, but I think that's referring to the FireWire driver, not the iPod firmware.

You can check your iPod information right on your iPod though.

andreas_g4 · Mar 20, 2003, 05:52 PM

Originally posted by maxintosh:
I don't speak much German, but I think that's referring to the FireWire driver, not the iPod firmware.

You can check your iPod information right on your iPod though.

Thx, right. I should check my brain - oh no, wait - I'm always that stupid...

Raining Down in Texas · Mar 20, 2003, 06:27 PM

I ran my October 2001 5 Gbyte iPod for over 11 hours today after this update, and that was on shuffle mode. It used to last about 5-6 hours on a charge. Seems like a good update so far.

icruise · Mar 20, 2003, 09:32 PM

It's been my experience that the iPod lasts for a long time if you just let it play (even in shuffle mode, it's still just loading the shuffled tunes into memory and playing from there, so it shouldn't make a difference unless you skip back and forward a lot manually). If I used it more normally (skipping songs or selecting new playlists) and over a period of a few days, I found that I was only getting 5-6 hours total. This did seem to be somewhat down from what I got when it was new, although I didn't really perform any tests then.

So my question is, did you test in the same way before an after the update? Even with the old software, mine would last around 11 hours if you played it straight through on a full change, but considerably less under realistic usage conditions.

sensorfreaky · Mar 20, 2003, 09:35 PM

Originally posted by Raining Down in Texas:
I ran my October 2001 5 Gbyte iPod for over 11 hours today after this update, and that was on shuffle mode. It used to last about 5-6 hours on a charge. Seems like a good update so far.

Same here. My 1 year old 10-gig iPod ran for 9 hours today on a full charge when it only ran for about 5 fully-charged prior to the update. I wonder what took Apple so long. An earlier software fix could've saved them lots of warrantly replacement/repair costs from many disgruntled iPod owners.

Raining Down in Texas · Mar 20, 2003, 10:05 PM

So my question is, did you test in the same way before an after the update? Even with the old software, mine would last around 11 hours if you played it straight through on a full change, but considerably less under realistic usage conditions. [/B]

When my iPod was new, I could get 11-12 hours of continuous play. I did perform this same test about 2 months ago, and got 5 hours. For me, this is close to a realistic usage condition - I put it on random shuffle at work and listen to it all day. I was getting used to plugging it in after lunch.

Todd Madson · Mar 21, 2003, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by sensorfreaky:
Same here. My 1 year old 10-gig iPod ran for 9 hours today on a full charge when it only ran for about 5 fully-charged prior to the update. I wonder what took Apple so long. An earlier software fix could've saved them lots of warrantly replacement/repair costs from many disgruntled iPod owners.

Probably testing. They wanted to make sure the update worked for sure. If it didn't, people would just be angrier.

kOnshii · Mar 21, 2003, 06:07 AM

I charges my bat for 4 hours,

and after 5 minutes of listening its say empty???

Well, i thought my ipod was at bunggers, but now i know an update will fix it, i only got it two days ago.

Bobby · Mar 21, 2003, 09:49 AM

This fix works great!!! I used to think my iPod was broken, because it would almost NEVER run without a power supply. I thought that my problem was so extream that it was far different from what I thought the other battery issue to be. I tested my iPod yesterday... I started playing the iPod around 8:00 (always keeping it connected to an audio output device), and let it run non-stop all day long... The battery went down every bar (normally it would never get any lower than 3), until there were no bars left, then it said the battery was dead. The iPod ran until 10:00 PM, which is 14 hours total!!!

Jens Peter · Mar 21, 2003, 12:08 PM

Okay, I simply can't install the update. And it's driving me crazy!
Here is what happends:

I connect my iPod to my iMac.
The iPod mountes on the desktop, and iTunes launches.
iTunes asks if I want to install the updater.
I press 'Cancel' and quit iTunes.
I run the updater in applications>utilities
In the updater, I press the 'Update' button
The iPod unmounts, and the updater tells me that the iPod must be mountes on the desktop to install the update.

I have been trying 15 time by now - arrrrrgh!

Please, help me....

Jens Peter.

glideslope · Mar 21, 2003, 02:05 PM

My iPod ran close to 10hrs today. Two days ago 5hrs was the norm.

I'm happy!!!

CatOne · Mar 21, 2003, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by Jens Peter:
Okay, I simply can't install the update. And it's driving me crazy!
Here is what happends:

I connect my iPod to my iMac.
The iPod mountes on the desktop, and iTunes launches.
iTunes asks if I want to install the updater.
I press 'Cancel' and quit iTunes.
I run the updater in applications>utilities
In the updater, I press the 'Update' button
The iPod unmounts, and the updater tells me that the iPod must be mountes on the desktop to install the update.

I have been trying 15 time by now - arrrrrgh!

Please, help me....

Jens Peter.

I don't understand... why are you cancelling and quitting iTunes? Update it from within iTunes.

kOnshii · Mar 21, 2003, 05:19 PM

so true,

i don't understand why you would cancle from itunes either???

Todd Madson · Mar 21, 2003, 05:21 PM

Originally posted by Jens Peter:
Okay, I simply can't install the update. And it's driving me crazy!
Here is what happends:

I connect my iPod to my iMac.
The iPod mountes on the desktop, and iTunes launches.
iTunes asks if I want to install the updater.
I press 'Cancel' and quit iTunes.
I run the updater in applications>utilities
In the updater, I press the 'Update' button
The iPod unmounts, and the updater tells me that the iPod must be mountes on the desktop to install the update.

I have been trying 15 time by now - arrrrrgh!

Please, help me....

Jens Peter.

Like Edwin said:
"Go into iTunes and deselect the use as HD option in the iPod options. then run the updater."

Todd Madson · Mar 21, 2003, 05:28 PM

Last night I updated my iPod to 1.2.6.

This morning, I started listening to the iPod while waiting for the bus at approximately 6:40 a.m. CST.

I played it on the bus, then while walking from the bus stop downtown to work. Then I plugged it into small powered speakers at work and listened to it until it was time to go to lunch. I listened to it walking to lunch where I was going to meet a friend, Jim, who also had his iPod. During lunch I kept it playing the entire time while just taking the headphones off.

I listened some more on the way from lunch back to the office, and reconnected the speakers once there.

Around two o'clock the iPod went from 4 bars to 3 finally and it was still playing. I kept it going.

At 4 p.m. the iPod went from 3 bars to 2 bars and kept on playing. Work was over and I walked from work to the bus-stop, listening all the while.

Then, on the way home from work I was still listening on the bus.

I got to the bus stop and took off the headphones but kept the iPod playing and drove home. I got the mail, put my jacket away and walked to the computer and plugged my iPod into my powered speakers that my computer uses.

It's STILL going....about 11 hours and 40 minutes so far. The iPod says it's still on two bars. So far 145 songs of 1053 at the moment.

Amazing. This is great.

I'll post my final playback time a bit later tonight.

Jens Peter · Mar 22, 2003, 05:07 AM

Maybe my last post wasen't specific enough.

I have tried to enable/disable the firewire disk mode, I have tried to update from iTunes, and from the installer it self. Whatever I do, it tells me, that my iPod is connected, but not mounted on the desktop.

I guess the last way out, is to restore it...

Jens Peter.

Peter · Mar 22, 2003, 06:44 AM

Originally posted by Jens Peter:
Maybe my last post wasen't specific enough.

I have tried to enable/disable the firewire disk mode, I have tried to update from iTunes, and from the installer it self. Whatever I do, it tells me, that my iPod is connected, but not mounted on the desktop.

I guess the last way out, is to restore it...

Jens Peter.

That happened to me, it says its mounted but not on the desktop. The iPod says 'Do not disconnect' I just disconnected it and then replugged it in.

Jens Peter · Mar 22, 2003, 07:05 AM

Originally posted by PeterClark2002:
That happened to me, it says its mounted but not on the desktop. The iPod says 'Do not disconnect' I just disconnected it and then replugged it in.

I didn't try that, but I used the 'Restore' function, and now I have an updated iPod.

Jens Peter

daydreamer · Mar 22, 2003, 02:38 PM

Nice, usually I got 5-7 hours play time , now I get 11-13 hours ! Great update Apple.

Todd Madson · Mar 22, 2003, 05:26 PM

My iPod finally ran out of battery juice
at just short of the fourteen hour mark,
about six to seven minutes short of that.

I was running the bass booster EQ setting
and earlier in the day I'd used the backlight quite a bit (I normally never do) so I suspect it would go for longer if I'd shut those off.

JasonBourne · Mar 23, 2003, 07:55 AM

Did anybody notice a volume down on the ipod after the upgrade.

jasong · Mar 23, 2003, 10:23 AM

Sensorfreaky: Thank you I had no idea it was that smooth. I guess my problem is that usually my iPod is already plugged in when I install the installer.

You learn something new everyday.

BTW is anyone here using Firewire Internet Sharing? I am using it to share my DSL between my desktop and laptop. My iPod is set up for use on my laptop. If the PowerBook is connected to the desktop through firewire and I plug in the iPod (to the PowerBook), iTunes launches on the desktop and complains that this isn't my iPod and do I want to erase it and make it mine. the iPod also shows up on the desktop in firewire mode.

Very strange . . .

Oh, just to be on topic. I am also getting massive increases in battery usage since the update. I bought my 5 gig two months after they came out and returned it to Apple last november because the battery life was non-existant. Imagine my surprise when they sent me back a brand new iPod (still a 5 gig though)! Further imagine my surprise when the battery life still sucked (firmware 1.2.2). I gave up at that point and figured this was my punishment for being an early adopter. The 1.2.6 has brought back my old friend (well, a clone of him).

-- Jason

gorickey · Mar 24, 2003, 12:34 AM

Damn, this update has truly rocked...too bad it took Apple so damn long...oh well, at least they aren't lying by saying 10 hours now.

Awesome work Apple.

Peter · Mar 24, 2003, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by JasonBourne:
Did anybody notice a volume down on the ipod after the upgrade.

No I havn't noticed, wasnt that the European update that lowered the volume?