iPod Shuffle: Bad buttons; Going from one Mac to another; more

Bad buttons A few readers are beginning to report issues with their iPod Shuffles' buttons.

Some have reported that the buttons wiggle, or become loose after a few hours of use. Others report that the buttons are overly sensitive, not requiring the normal click to be activated, and instead being activated by light touch or jostling.

If you are experiencing this issue, please let us know.

Going from one Mac to another Several readers have reported issues with synchronizing the iPod Shuffle with one Mac, then attempting to retain its song content while synchronizing with another Mac.

This behavior is by design, and occurs because, like other iPods, the iPod Shuffle cannot be linked to more than one iTunes library. In order to retrieve music tracks from a new Mac, you will need to select "Sync with this Mac," when connecting the iPod Shuffle, which will delete any tracks currently on the device.

Cannot connect to eMac A handful of users with eMacs have reported difficulty connecting the iPod Shuffle because of the eMac's USB port configuration.

As documented by Apple, the iPod Shuffle cannot be directly connected to the eMac's USB port(s), but can be connected to the keyboard's USB port. This will only work if you are running Mac OS X 10.3.6 or later, and your iPod Shuffle will not charge via this method. You can, however, use the US$29 USB Power adapter offered by Apple when you;'d like to charge the device.

Another option is to use the US$29 iPod Shuffle dock, which will provide both power (from your eMac or iMac G3?s rear-USB port) and synchronization.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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