Tech Blog

[#1]

How many podcasts could an iPod shuffle shuffle if an iPod shuffle could shuffle podcasts?

That's a crazy tongue twister, but the answer is simple: zero.

The iPod shuffle may shuffle up your music, but if you like to run listening to podcasts, you'll be forgiven if you think your iPod shuffle is broken when you try to rotate up the order of your favorite mix shows.  The iPod shuffle can't shuffle podcasts.

I'm currently training for a marathon on Easter Island with Team Diabetes.  When I head out for 2+ hour runs, I like to load up my tiny shuffle with a few different podcasts.  One run I had the shuffle switch toggled on and got nothing but blinking orange and green lights.  I thought the battery was dead, so I charged it up.  That didn't work.

After poking around the Apple website I found the directory of what all the blinking orange and green lights mean on my 2nd Generation shuffle:

My blinking orange and green lights indicated no music was loaded on the shuffle, which was true - only podcasts were loaded.  It was only after much searching that I eventually discovered podcasts can't be shuffled since they appear with a different file extension.

Podcasts are served as .M4B files through iTunes, while music appears as .wav, .aac or .mp3.  The shuffle will only default shuffle the music file types.  Therefore, podcasts can't be shuffled.

"When using iPod shuffle (1st and 2nd generation), if iPod shuffle is set to shuffle songs  it will play all the audio files on iPod shuffle except audiobooks and podcasts1. To play an audiobook or podcast, set the switch on iPod shuffle to play in order ." [Apple Support]

With the 3rd generation iPod shuffle you'll be able to mix up your podcasts if you sync them as a playlist.

"If content is played from a playlist synced from iTunes, audiobooks and podcasts will only be played if the iPod's switch is set to play in order . In addition to playlists synced from iTunes, iPod shuffle (3rd generation) will create a special playlist for each audiobook synced and one for podcasts. When accessing these special playlists, audiobook and podcast content will play whether the iPod is set to play in order  or shuffle songs ." [Apple Support]

If that's a little confusing just remember to check your shuffle/loop toggle if the orange and green lights start looking like fireworks if you only have podcasts on your iPod shuffle.

catch the buzz ... pass it on.

Message Edited by ElizabethS on 07-28-2009 12:51 AM

Message Edited by Laura on 08-21-2009 10:28 AM

Message Edited by ElizabethS on 09-10-2009 08:08 PM

[#2]

Leave it to Apple to be nit picky with file formats. The OS that eschews file extensions...

[#3]

A quick question from a non-shuffle user? Couldn't you just get the podcasts in .mp3 format and move them over in that format? I used to do that with Songbird and my older 2G Nano...haven't tried it with my iTouch yet though.