What iTunes Can Tell You About Your iPod

iTunes not only lets you decide which songs and videos end up on your iPod, it also helps keep your iPod's own internal software up to date, see how much space you have left on your player, and change your music, video, and podcast synchronization options.

When you connect your iPod to the computer it shows up in the iTunes Source list (in the Devices area), Click the iPod icon to see all your options. Each tab at the top of the screen lets you control a different kind of content, like Music, Photos, or Games.

Here on the Summary screen, iTunes tells you:

❶ The size of your iPod, its serial number, and if it's formatted for Windows or Macintosh.

❷ If your iPod has the latest software (or if it's having problems, the chance to reinstall its software).

❸ If your iPod is set to automatically synchronize with the iTunes library or have its contents updated manually by you. (Automatic means everything in iTunes ends up on your iPod—space permitting, of course; manual means you get to pick and choose.) If you have one of the new Nanos, you can turn on spoken-word prompts and hear your Nano recite things like menu names, song titles, and so on.

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