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Genius Feature Coming to Older iPod Classics [Updated: No]

Wednesday September 10, 2008 10:49 am PDT by Arnold Kim
Crave.cnet.co.uk has posted a brief look at the new iPod Classic (120GB) that was released at Apple's media event yesterday. Like the new iPod Nano, the new Classic incorporates on-the-go Genius playlists. According to Apple representatives, the company will be releasing a software update to bring Genius playlists to existing iPod classics:

Apple representatives at the event yesterday told us, however, that a free software upgrade will be adding the Genius feature to existing iPod classics.

While only the iPod Classics are specifically mentioned, we would expect that the previous iPod Nanos would also get a similar update.

Genius playlists were introduced yesterday and provide a Pandora-like music recommendation system where similar songs in your library are grouped automatically in a playlist.

Update: Cnet.co.uk has retracted their claim after being contacted by Apple.

A previous version of this article suggested Apple would be making a free update for the original iPod classic that would add Genius functionality. Apple gave us a call, and apparently an Apple representative at the event the other day wasn't as much of an expert as we'd hoped.

Apparently there aren't plans to offer a free Genius-enabling update to the original iPod classic. This was, by the way, the same rep who told us high-definition iTunes downloads would be supported by the new iPod classic -- something that turned out to be only vaguely accurate.

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heads up
45 months ago
i wonder if this could also been done on the older ipod videos?
that would be sweet!

i'm actually surprised how well the genius feature works. i have a lot of artists that aren't available on the itunes store, but it still does a great job with them.
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iGary
45 months ago
WHY CAN'T I GET THIS ON MY IPHONE?! :mad:
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Breegy
45 months ago
Am I the only one not terribly excited about this Genius feature?

When I listen to bands, I listen to one or two great bands of one genre and all the similiar ones aren't really interesting to me.

For example, Flogging Molly. I love Flogging Molly, but I never cared too much for Dropkick Murphys. I can think of examples like this for several other specific genres as well. One or two bands catch my interest but the rest that are pretty much the same aren't too enjoyable to me.

Regardless of that, the Genius feature still isn't too exciting...
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SkippyThorson
45 months ago

i wonder if this could also been done on the older ipod videos?
that would be sweet!


YES!!!
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arn
45 months ago

WHY CAN'T I GET THIS ON MY IPHONE?! :mad:


It's coming on Friday.

arn
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kornyboy
45 months ago

WHY CAN'T I GET THIS ON MY IPHONE?! :mad:


They said that the 2.1 firmware will be available on Friday and you will get the genius playlists in that.
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TEG
45 months ago

WHY CAN'T I GET THIS ON MY IPHONE?! :mad:


It is coming with 2.1, more than likely.

TEG
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heads up
45 months ago

Am I the only one not terribly excited about this Genius feature?

When I listen to bands, I listen to one or two great bands of one genre and all the similiar ones aren't really interesting to me.

For example, Flogging Molly. I love Flogging Molly, but I never cared too much for Dropkick Murphys. I can think of examples like this for several other specific genres as well. One or two bands catch my interest but the rest that are pretty much the same aren't too enjoyable to me.

Regardless of that, the Genius feature still isn't too exciting...


why would you have the the dropkick murphys on your computer if you don't like them?
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nemaslov
45 months ago
I am still so upet that they actually decreased the capacity of a product for the very first time. The iPod classic!!!

Now I have commented on several of the other posts about this. They should have kept the slightly thicker 160GB and not released a 120. That is a big reduction.

Please don't rant about how could anyone fill an iPod with that much music but there are many who want to have big collections with them at second houses, studios, hotels, workplaces and so on. We want to play these thought stereos and don't care about a slim body. We are not running with these. If we were we'd go Nano! We want to choose from our huge collections when we are away from out computers. You never know what you feel like playing a week later on the road.

I truely hope they keep at least one Classic for those like me and expand withe an HD is available to go 24 or more. Those who have music at lossless and have huge collections would this. For many of us it is NOT about video or movies but music.
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Breegy
45 months ago

why would you have the the dropkick murphys on your computer if you don't like them?


Maybe I'm misunderstanding what the Genius feature does...

I thought it not only filled in blank spaces of the music you already have, say you're missing a song out of an album, but that it also recomended other music like what you already have. (like similiar artists)

If I am wrong, then what I said about other music doesn't make sense.

But still, that's not something that's very exciting regardless. It seems to be like its being made out to be a big deal. It just fills some holes. Cool app, but not something amazing.
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