iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual, Second Edition

The iPod Menus

The iPod’s menus are as straightforward as its controls. You use the scroll wheel to go down the list of options you see on the screen. Then you press the Select button to pick what you want. Small arrows on the end of each menu item (like this: Settings >) indicate that another menu lurks behind it, so keep pressing Select until you get where you want to go. (If you realize that that is not where you want to go, press the Menu button to retrace your steps.)

Note

The menus and screens described here refer to the ones used in iPod system software 1.3 (for 2001 and 2002 iPods) or 2.1 (on third-generation models that first appeared in 2003). If you have an older iPod that you haven’t updated in a while, you can update your software by downloading the current version from Apple’s Web site. Details on Section 15.8.

The main screen (Figure 1-9) says iPod at the top and offers a choice of five areas to go to next: Playlists, Browse, Extras, Settings, and Backlight. Here’s more about what’s under each menu item.

Figure 1-9. If you don’t see this main menu at the moment, press the Menu button repeatedly until you do. From here, you can drill down into any iPod function.

Playlists

A playlist is a customized list of songs that you create from the tracks in your music library. It’s your own personal music mix that you can save, store, and play over and over again on your iPod or computer. ...