http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/computers/software/how-to-download-music-to-your-ipod-or-psp.html http://www.articletrader.com/computers/software/how-to-download-music-to-your-ipod-or-psp.html Sat, 09 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
The process of transferring music to your favorite portal device can be frustrating. Let’s face it, whether it’s the famous Ipod or even the widely popular Playstation Portable (PSP), there are restrictions that need to be understood, and steps that need to be followed properly to transfer songs on to either music platform.

So how do I download music to my Ipod?

Downloading music from your hard-drive to you Ipod is done with the program called Itunes. This program comes with your Ipod purchase or can be downloaded at http://www.apple.com. The software is vital because it not only allows you to purchase from the popular Itunes music service, it’s also the only way you can transfer songs onto your Ipod.

So let’s look into the Itunes software, and more specifically, the Itunes library that is used to transfer songs from your hard-drive to your Ipod. You’ll find it on the left hand panel of the program. Your library contains all your songs, movies, and podcast that you want to transfer over. Through the Itunes library, you’ll be able to use their drag-and-drop feature for easy and fast transfer to your Ipod.

Before we move one to the next step, it should be made clear that songs that are downloaded from P2P clients might not show up on the Itunes library. You must add them manually, because you will not be able to transfer any songs until they are integrated into your Itunes library. Doing this is simple. Click on file>add file to library, locate the file you want to add, and press enter to complete the process. There is also the ‘add folder to library’ function which allows you to transfer a whole folder of songs into the Itunes library. This is quite handy to have if most of your songs are stored in one place on your hard drive.

Alright, let’s get back on track here. You know the proper steps in which to keep your Itunes library updated now, and the last step is a breeze. Plug in your Ipod to the USB port in your computer, and you’ll notice the new option to add songs from your Itunes library to the Ipod. Click and drag your files into the Ipod transfer screen and then you’re done! You’re now ready to explore the wonderful world of music without the burden of a large cumbersome computer to haul alongside you!

Downloading music to your PSP

The common misconception about the PSP is that it’s just to play old Playstation games. It’s not. More and more it’s being used as a great alternative to an MP3 player, and the quality is just as good. There are however some drawback in the PSP that can make downloading music to your player extremely frustrating.

Lets get down to the drawbacks first, and what you need to know to start downloading files onto your PSP. The first is that some file extensions will not work. For example, every song downloaded from the Itunes music service will not work on the PSP because the .m4a extension, which is associated with Itunes, is not compatible with the PSP. Furthermore, if you’re a user of another popular music service such as napster, you’ll find that music downloaded from their service has restrictions placed on their files that will also not work with your PSP.
There are a few options to work around that. The first way to get around this problem is with the use of an audio conversion program. This software will convert a format such as the .m4a extension to an extension that is compatible with your PSP like the .MP3 format.

Currently, the only extensions that work with the PSP are the MP3, AAC, and WMA formats. Before you proceed on, make sure that your files end in the proper extensions!

The next step is to make sure your memory stick, which is where your songs will be stored, is formatted properly. It’s a fairly simple process. Turn on your PSP, go to system settings, and then format your memory stick. A music folder should automatically appear that will be used to place your music in.

From that point, connect your PSP to your computer, via a USB connection. Once that’s done, a new diskette folder should appear in your ‘my computer folder’, in which to drag and drop music files to play on your PSP.



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Charles runs the popular legal music download review site: MP3 Download Reviews

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/music/p2p-networks-the-dangers-of-kazaa-and-other-file-sharing-platforms-explained.html http://www.articletrader.com/entertainment/music/p2p-networks-the-dangers-of-kazaa-and-other-file-sharing-platforms-explained.html Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0500
Using Kazaa and other peer-to-peer networking programs can be alluring to the uneducated user. The Music is within easy grasp, the clients are simple to use, and even the communication aspects are things that people find irresistible. But before you delve into the world of music downloading, there are a few things that every user needs to know. Through proper information we can be forewarned. And forewarned is forearmed.

P2P networks are a breeding ground for viruses and malicious software

When you first install Kazaa or any other peer-to-peer networking programs, the first thing that crosses most of our minds is the music we’re thinking of downloading. What we should be asking though, is what dangers are involved and is it worth the risk of using this software! It’s time to get forewarned people!

The first thing that needs to be understood is that installing this software gives any potential viruses an entry point into our computers. It’s through P2P programs that viruses are able to bypass the general security software on our computers, such as firewalls and anti-virus software. These security systems do have flaws, especially when you’re basically opening the door and letting these critters roam on in.

All of these viruses have only two functions, but it’s enough to do a lot of damage. The first function is to replicate and spread to other users, and the second is to carry out the objective they were programmed to perform. The objective can be anything from erasing data that screws up different programs in you’re computer, it can make your computer difficult to load by using your system’s resources, and it can even cause programs and files to completely disappear.

For example, the ‘My doom’ virus recently got a foothold into Kazaa and spread at a ferocious rate. The virus would sit in someone’s download folder and assume the name of a popular file. That file would then be downloaded by another user, and the infection would keep spreading until it got out of hand. The result, 1000’s of people with damaged computer systems, and a lot of frustrated users.

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What about Spyware?

Spyware is exactly as the name implies, (Spying Software). This spying software can usually be located within the P2P client itself, and it’s used to collect information that is later sold to various advertising companies. You know what that means right? Not only do you have viruses to worry about, you also got Kazaa violating your basic constitutional rights. It’s absolutely atrocious that these Kazaa and other companies are making money off the average user in this way

The RIAA

If you thought there were only two things to worry about, you were wrong. The Recording industry association of America is also out to get you. Their strategy to counter online piracy is to make an example of the people who use these programs. Don’t think for a second your safe, because 1000’s of people have already been slapped with lawsuits.

The RIAA finds out who you are by following a fairly simple process that leads to an eventual charge of copy right infringement. First, your IP is obtained from sharing music online. Second, a lawsuit is filed against a “john doe user”, because a specific name can’t be obtained from your IP address alone. Third, a subpoena is requested against your internet service provider, accepted, and your full name is given to the RIAA. Lastly, the RIAA will usually write a letter demanding a settlement, and if refused, the RIAA will then amend their lawsuit to name you as the John Doe user, and proceed with trial.

There have been 15,000 lawsuits filed since 2003, and the number is continuing to rise. The increasing number lawsuits is just another of the many dangers of using P2P networking for your source of music downloading.



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Charles Oakland runs the music review site: Music Download Reviews


Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>