A new mac app has been released called Random Playlist Creator. This application randomly generates iTunes playlists from a source playlist, which can be of any type that references Library tracks.
Creates multiple iTunes playlists of a specified combined file size or playing time.
Creates "super-playlists", each consisting of one or more segments (each segment comprises an iTunes playlist). This feature is especially useful for flash-based MP3 players with expansion cards where the internal memory is a different size than the expansion memory.
Allows the last generated super-playlist to be randomly padded with tracks from previously generated super-playlists.
Allows groups of tracks to be kept together in a specified order within the generated playlists.
Provides an enhanced shuffle mode where an entire playlist can be shuffled into a single new playlist with the track groupings intact.
Apple has posted new section their battery technology.
"Paying attention to just a few common sense pointers will pay off with a longer battery lifespan and battery life for your iPod. The most important thing is to keep your iPod out of the sun or a hot car (even the glove box). Heat will degrade your batterys performance the most."
There's a great page on the iPod and another on laptop power useage.
The highlights:
Update to the Latest Software
Use iPod Regularly
Hold and Pause
Minimize Backlight Time
Turn off Equalizer
Use Compressed Songs
Tried using Genre/Rating to create Smart Playlists but found this too hit an miss (too many crossover artists in my collection perhaps)
Instead I have added comments as follows:
Radio 2 (Easy listening, oldies, etc)
Friday Rock Show (Hard Rock, Metal etc.)
XFM (Alternative, Pop-Rock etc)
Jazz FM (Blues, Jazz etc)
A track can have more than one comment and fit into more than 1 Playlist!
Now I can set a Smart Playlist:
Comments contain XFM, Rating is greater than 2 stars
This crosses genres and gets that obscure Captain Beefheart and Zappa tracks in amongst all the Alt. Rock, Pop Rock stuff. I can have an Eagles track along with my Metalica if I feel that way inclined.
Once all tracks have relevant comments I only have to rate them on the fly and they are added to Playlists.
Having just got my iPod about 6 weeks or so ago, and having done the usual thing of loading loads of music in one long weekend hit, I have lots of tracks that aren't rated.
I decided to create a playlist that plays all unrated tunes and then I can rate them as I listen, slowly whittling down the list.
Create a Smart Playlist:
Rating is less than 1
Last played is less than 7 days
Comment does not contain 'mixed'
Note - that last criteria is because I have a lot of mixed dance cd's on the iPod and I don't rate individual songs - just the whole CD.
Final point - I also give every song that I'm not sure about 1 star, and then after I have cleared my original list I can go thru the 1 stars and decide whether to delete or not..!
I just came up with a clever little scheme to remind myself to delete songs I've decided I never should've uploaded, and to fix songs that skip or edit down those songs that have the 'hidden track' and therefore upwards of 5 minutes of empty silence:
I only rate songs 3-5 figuring if i'd give it a two or one - why have it on the iPod anyways?
so 3 is good - 5 fantastic...
one is "trash" and two is "fix"
I made a playlist called "Remove" and it's parameters are:
My Rating is *
live updating
and a second playlist called "Repair" it's parameters are:
My Rating is **
live updating
This works much better than the little post-it's I'd write saying "the cramps - what's inside a girl - skips!" or "Dead air in Mr. T, Experience 'god bless america'" which would just get trashed or lost...
