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you may typeset your iPod nano ’s clock - like interface by it : When Apple ships a major update to iOS , you may depend that an updated version of iTunes is also on the menu . Such is the case withiOS 5and its fellow traveler , iTunes 10.5 . ( As is Apple ’s custom , you require the latest interlingual rendition of iTunes to use a new Io update . )

The basic feature ofiTunes 10 ( ) have n’t changed at all . Media is organise just as it was before , iTunes contain the same hodgepodge of metier tools and feature film , and Ping persist a decrepit social networking elbow grease . Rather , what ’s most exciting about iTunes 10.5 is that — thanks to iCloud and wireless syncing of iOS devices — you should have to sit down in front of the app far less frequently .

Syncingsanswires

One rationality that you may see iTunes less often is wireless sync , a feature of iOS 5 that allows you to sync your iPhone , iPod sense of touch , or iPad with iTunes 10.5 without the aid of wires — at least after the first sentence you sync your equipment . For this to work your gimmick must be using Io 5 and your Mac need only be go Mac OS X 10.5 or afterward — Lion is n’t command .

so as to enable wireless syncing , you must first plug your iOS gimmick into the computer you wish to sync with . You then choose the equipment in iTunes ’ germ list , snap the Summary tab , and then within the Options area enable iTunes ’ Sync With ThisiPhone / iPod / iPadOver Wi - Fi choice . Click Apply and iTunes will sync with the connected equipment .

you could now unplug your equipment from your computing machine . Its name will remain in iTunes ’ Source tilt as if it were physically connected to your Mac . To sync it later , just beg Sync Now in the Wi - Fi Sync setting screen or take the gadget in iTunes ’ Source list , make any change you like , and get through Apply . The new content will be synchronize to the gimmick wirelessly .

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Your device remains in iTunes Source list even when unplugged

Your gadget remains in iTunes Source list even when unplugged

With iTunes Wi - Fi sync enable , the gimmick will also automatically sync when you plug it into a powered cable , furnish that iTunes is up and running on the calculator you ’re sync with . alas , Wi - Fi Sync does n’t have the power to auto - launching iTunes when you induct syncing . One extra regret : You ca n’t make changes to the content you ’re sync from your iOS gimmick . For exemplar , if you require to sync a especial album or movie that was n’t sync before , you must do this from within iTunes .

Your gadget will stay in iTunes ’ Source list even after you ’ve give up and restarted iTunes or boot your Mac . However , if you unmount the gadget by clicking on the Eject icon next to it , you have to physically tether it to your Mac to mount it again . Once you do , it will remain in the Source list until you specifically eject it from within iTunes . This is pretty confounding when you first try it , but it makes sense . Suppose you ’ve impound your iPhone to your iMac and set up wireless syncing . A few weeks later , you decide that you ’d favor to sync the phone with your MacBook Air . By release it from the iMac ’s written matter of iTunes , you ’ve release it to prove a sync kinship with another computing machine .

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Your device remains in iTunes Source list even when unplugged

And , of course , there ’s datum synchronize . If you have an iCloud account and have switched on iCloud Backup within iCloud ’s Storage & Backup screen ( which require that you be run OS X Lion on your Mac ) or in iTunes ’ Summary , much of your data point is backed up to the swarm , meaning one less slip to iTunes . This is another automated choice . Just plug your twist into power , connect it on a Wi - Fi web , and lock it by press the Sleep / Wake button . It will back up your camera coil , accounts , documents , and preferences . Alternatively , you could tap the Backup Now button in the Storage & Backup screen to do just that ( you do n’t need to unite the gadget to power for this to work ) .

I made my initial attack to back up my iPhone ’s data ( approximately 4 GB ) on the day iCloud was first activated and it was very irksome fail . My earpiece suggested it would take 14 hours to back up my data over a connection that plump for an unimpressive upload upper of around 600 kbps . The next mean solar day I tried again and the estimate was a far more reasonable three hours .

More flexible download options

Downloads are another area where Apple is help you to pass less clip with iTunes . First is the Automatic Downloads feature that people with iOS equipment will love . The idea is simple . When you bribe euphony , apps , or books from one of Apple ’s online emporiums , that purchase can be automatically downloaded to your other devices — iOS - based or iTunes - running . To make it chance on a gimmick running iOS 5 , just water faucet configurations - > Store , and slide the Music , Apps , and Books switches to On . On your Mac , open iTunes ’ taste , select Store , and enable whichever of the Music , Apps , and Books options you need in the Automatic Downloads arena . Subsequent purchases from the iTunes Store , App Store , and iBookstore will automatically download to any computers and gadget configure to take advantage of Automatic Downloads , no matter of where you make the leverage . For those who have an iPhone , iPod touch , and iPad , this makes for far fewer trips to the iTunes Store , App Store , and iBookstore or to the transcript of iTunes on their Mac .

Configuring Automatic Downloads in iTunes

iTunes in the Cloudis the other bounteous download betterment . Within iTunes , press the iTunes Store , navigate to the store ’s plate Sir Frederick Handley Page , and then intercept the Purchased link in the Quick Links sidebar . This takes you to a Thomas Nelson Page where you may re - download any medicine , music videos , television set show , apps , and ebooks you ’ve purchased . you could download items singly , by album or season , or — in the casing of songs , apps , and volume — all in one fell swoop . This feature is great for adding content on an iOS machine that has restrain storage when you ’re out and about , but it ’s a convenient thing to have with a laptop as well . If you ’re on the route and the hotel idiot box delivers nothing more than the day ’s Pilates schedule , you could re - download some of the TV sequence you have n’t had a chance to watch at home base .

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Configuring Automatic Downloads in iTunes

On the horizon

The one brake shoe that has n’t yet dropped isiTunes Match . This is a $ 25 - per - year overhaul that will let you get at the music in your iTunes library on other calculator and iOS devices . Unlike inspection and repair such as Google Music and Amazon Cloud Player , with iTunes Match you do n’t have to upload your intact depository library — it will count at a database of your music and allow you to download ( but not swarm ) 256 - kbps AAC copy of that music if it ’s in the iTunes Store ’s 20 - million - track catalog , even if the original files were encode in a lesser format . If the music is n’t in the store ’s catalogue , you’re able to upload those tracks in their native format . You ’re modified to put in up to 25,000 tracks , but iTunes purchased tracks do n’t weigh against that sum .

iTunes Match voice like a expectant estimation if you have a lot of music pull at unimpressive bit rate or if you simply require access to the bulk of your music depository library from anywhere with a decent Internet connector . Of course , if you have a rigorous information jacket from your ISP or on your iOS twist , iTunes Match may not be an ideal friction match .

But we can only speculate about iTunes Match at this item : The service is slate to go live in the come weeks . Once it does , you may bet we ’ll take a closer spirit at how it works and whether it delivers on what sounds like a promising idea .

Macworld’s buying advice

The latest version of iTunes works hand - in - hand with Io 5 to bring in many cool new features to your iOS equipment . It ’s easy to give “ purchasing advice ” for an practical program that ’s free , helps untether your iOS gimmick from your computer , and is need if you trust to have a chance of running the late interpretation of the iOS at its best on your iPhone , iPod touch , or iPad .

[ Christopher Breen is a senior editor for Macworld . ]