iPod shuffle without iTunes

I use an iPod Shuffle to listen to podcasts and music when doing sports, driving my bike etc. The iPod Shuffle is a bit different than most other iPod models since it does not have a display. The content browsing is therefore limited to skipping forward and backwards until you find the tune you want to listen to. In my opinion this eliminates the need for iTunes as a tool for organizing your music.

I have recently found an easy way to avoid using iTunes. Read on for more.

Every blogpost should have a nice image with some generic caption.

The tool we are going to use is rebuild_db, a free open source tool for creating the playlists that the iPod Shuffle uses.

Installation instructions (MS Windows)

Download the file rebuild_db-1.0-rc1.zip from this page. Unzip it, and copy the file rebuild_db.exe to the iPod’s root directory, eg. E:\

Using rebuild_db

  1. Plug in the iPod without starting iTunes.
  2. Copy the music you want to listen to to E:\ (assuming that where the iPod is mounted).
  3. Run rebuild_db.exe by double clicking on it.
  4. Unmount your iPod.
  5. Listen to some music!
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2 thoughts on “iPod shuffle without iTunes

  1. If only had so I could test it. Nice illustration btw :)

    For the Linux and Mac users out there it should be mention that the program above actually works great in these operating systems as well, since it is basically a simple python script.

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