FAQ (frequently asked questions):
What
is BadApple?
BadApple is a small piece of
free software that expand iTunes interoperability by adding syncing support for MP3 players
to
iTunes software. Using BadApple you can easily move your music library with a couple of clicks to many MP3 player models.
What
is special about BadApple syncing and why should I care?
Normally iTunes can only sync to iPods, but there are many other types
of MP3 players. Using BadApple you can now sync to a wide range of MP3
devices such as Rio, iRiver, Samsung, Creative Rio/Nomad, Dell DJ,
Oakley Thump, Archos, Cowon Iaudio, etc. Basically any device that
mounts as a USB mass storage device should work with BadApple. If the
device appears under "My Computer" when plugged into your computer,
then it is mounting as a mass storage device.
Can I sync with MP3 players which do not mount as USB drive?
No. If it uses some proprietary method to transfer files then it will
not work with BadApple. Specifically you should avoid Microsoft
labelled "Plays for sure" MP3 players becuse they will definitely not play for sure with BadApple.
Does BadApple change how iTunes works?
BadApple is a plug-in which expands the functionality of iTunes. It
does not remove or change any existing feature. It does not interfere
with Syncing to iPods.
How
do I install BadApple?
You must already have iTunes software installed. (Get this from
iTunes.com
if you don't have it.)
Then download the BadApple plug-in from the download page. Once the
BadApple download completes, run the installer.
How
do I use BadApple?
After installing BadApple, open iTunes
software as you normally would and click on the "Music Store" link in
the left hand column. You will see the new features added to the main
iTunes window.
Click on the "Sync to MP3 player". If you have more than one device
mounted you will then be asked to select which device to sync to. The
spinning progress bar indicates a sync is in progress. You will receive
a confirmation message indicating how many songs were copied upon
completion.
How long does a sync take?
The time to perform a sync will vary widely depending on how large your
music library is and how large your MP3 device is. Although your time
may vary, it will likely take about 5 seconds per song so you can use
that as a rule of thumb to determine the time it will take to perform a
sync. You can continue to use iTunes to play music and perform other
duties while a sync is in progress.
Can I sync to multiple devices?
There is no limitation in how many devices you can sync to.
What tracks will be synced?
All checked tracks will be copied as long as they are in MP3 format.
(See the little check marks next to each song?) If there is not enough
space then a random selection of songs will be copied until the
destination is full.
Aren't all the tracks in iTunes in MP3 format?
If you purchased tracks from iTunes, then they are NOT in MP3 format,
but instead use DRM (digitally restricted music). This limits how the
track can be copied and where they can be played. Even though you
paid for the track you are merely renting it and Apple controls what
you can do with it. If you download MP3 tracks, purchase them from MP3tunes or convert your own CDs into MP3 format they will work fine.
I ripped my own CDs and they still will not sync!
The default format in iTunes is not the universally accepted MP3 but
instead a special format called AAC that Apple prefers. To change your
iTunes go to Edit: Preferences: Importing and select "MP3 encoder" with
the "Higher Quality" setting.
How does BadApple handle duplicate tracks?
If the track already exists on the MP3 player, then it will be skipped.
To put this another way, only new files will be synced. This allows
sync operations to only copy files you do not already have.
Can I sync to a network drive?
Any destination which mounts as a drive letter on your computer should
be capable of receiving a sync. This includes a network drive.
Why
was BadApple created?
The goal is to make iTunes play nicely with others.
How
does BadApple work?
BadApple works like a plug-in you would add to other software programs.
It's similar to adding fonts to Microsoft Word or macros to Microsoft
Excel. It's a piece of software which adds functionality to an existing
program.
What if I don't want BadApple?
Uh, it's voluntary so you are not forced to use it. Don't install if
you don't want it. And if you have installed it and decide you don't
want it, then go to Control Panel: Add or Remove Programs and uninstall
it.
BadApple
is not working, what are some troubleshooting tips?
First make sure that you have actually installed BadApple software by
downloading and running the installer. To verify that BadApple is
loading, open the
Windows Task Manager by pressing Control-Alt-Delete. In the Process tab
you should see badapple.exe. To verify BadApple is working, open iTunes
and click the Music Store link.
Secondly, you will want to make sure that Windows Firewall is not
blocking BadApple. After installing BadApple you may get a Windows
Security Alert (since they put one on everything now for pretend
security like when they make the old ladies at the airport take their
shoes off at metal detectors). Be sure and select "Unblock" to allow
BadApple to work
properly. You can verify this in Start: All Programs: Accessories:
System
Tools: Security Center: Windows Firewall: Exceptions. Make sure there's
a X next to badapple.
If BadApple still does not work, you will find a log file in the
BadApple folder which you can paste into a descriptive message on the
forum or send email. I can't promise I will get it working for you, but
I do want BadApple to work for the largest number of people.
How
do I get support for BadApple?
BadApple is free software - this means you didn't
have to pay for it. So there's no paid employee sitting around reading
Dilbert, listening to podcasts, waiting to answer questions.
Sorry. I've tried to make it as simple as possible and I hope it works
for
you. If it does not, you can try posting to the forum to get help. I
can't promise I'll respond to any individual email.
Does
BadApple work on Macintosh computers?
Currently, BadApple only works on Microsoft Windows computers. If
there's interest, a Macintosh version could be made.
Does
BadApple work on Linux computers?
BadApple does not work on Linux computers running software like
Linspire and Debian
because it is a plug-in for iTunes and there is no iTunes software for
Linux. The closest software to iTunes for Linux is Lsongs.
DISCLAIMER: BadApple is NOT from the Beatles. It's also not from
Apple
Computer Inc. It's definitely not endorsed or approved by Apple. In
fact, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't want you to use BadApple.