Is iTunes iCrap for Old School PC users?

Factual Questions
1

Instead of listening to a U-verse music channel on the TV in my man cave, I thought I would try internet music. Pandora, no problem. Read some story saying iTunes was good so I thought I’d try that. I got the impression I could listen to free music (limited I know) from iTunes on my PC. I downloaded iTunes to my PC. In order to use iTunes Radio I must have an AppleID. Problem is they want a credit card number. Since I just want to check it out for now, that pissed me off. Doing a search on this I find an Apple support page saying I have to download a free app from the iStore (or whatever it’s called). I don’t have an iPhone, iPad, or iAnything and don’t see any apps, free or otherwise for a plain old PC. The supposed “none” option (described on one help page) doesn’t exist for a billing option when trying to setup up an AppleID directly without downloading anything.

Since this is not a critical need for me, I am most likely just going to swear off the iFrustration this iCrap causes. Sorry for venting like this – if I’m missing something I’m all ears.

2

It doesn’t matter that you don’t have an iphone or ipad - you can download an app for those devices with your computer. Seems strange that the official instructions would tell you to do that, but I guess that’s their workaround.

You probably won’t find iTunes Radio to be appreciably better than Pandora, unless you want to buy some songs as well.

3

Give a look into Spotify and Rhapsody (there are others, but those are the two we subscribe to). It’s been a while, but both had an option to listen for free for a set amount each month.

I have no idea why anyone pays per song anymore (if anyone out there still does). We can download tracks to a local device for offline playing, and have access to enormous catalogues in every room of the house and whenever we have an active internet collection. And if we broke the about we listen to into dollars, we’d be broke by now had we gone the pay-for-each-song model.

We’re still getting used to Spotify, but Rhapsody’s music radio is very good. Not quite to Pandora’s up/down voting fine tuning, but very good nonetheless.

Try them – buying MP3s will seem like such a foolish waste of money.

4

tellyworth, I can find something that is a free song, but I don’t see any “download button” or equivalent. Same if I select a free app for iPhone or iPad. Even if I found something I could actually download, why wouldn’t it just take me to the same “Create AppleID” page which does not have “none” as a billing option?

I think the “none” billing option is something they used to have which they don’t anymore.

I’m not even anal about providing my CC#, but I want to know I want to buy something first.

I’ll check those other ones out Rhythmdvl.

5

In the app description you click on the button that says “Free”, then you get a popup to enter your Apple ID. There will be a link at the bottom of the dialog box to a slightly different create Apple ID page which will let you set one up with no CC attached. I know it still works, because we just helped all our 8th graders set them up to use with their school issued iPads.

6

Have tried what you suggest over and over. No luck.

Then I uninstalled the iTunes app on my PC. Did a search on Apple ID and got to a webpage to create an ID without going through the app. I am now the proud owner of an Apple ID. Yea! :rolleyes:

OK, so I have to download something from the iTunes Store before using the radio service. When I try to download a free something I get prompted to login which I do and… I get “This Apple ID has not yet been used with the iTunes Store.” No shit, that’s what I’m trying to do. Says “Please review your account information.” Click THAT and get the original screen that wants payment info and still does not have a “none” option even though I am trying to download something free.

I googled the “ID has not been used” message and see other people have had the same problem. After reading two nonsensical “answers” in the Apple community, I give up. Thanks for the ideas.

7

If you’re a Windows/PC user and you don’t own any Apple devices DO NOT bother using iTunes. It blows. It doesn’t really use the fundamental folder/file paradigm that Microsoft has used since DOS, and for a PC guy that can drive you insane. There are things which take two mouse clicks in Windows that are flat out impossible to do in iTunes! Any other online media application(s) is a better option for a PC.

8

You need to provide your payment information, even if you never purchase anything…

9

Not according to the link in post 2.

10

That’s the difference between theory and reality…

11

I just helped a whole class of eighth graders, including my daughter, set up Apple IDs with no payment method attached not more then 8 weeks ago.

That said, as someone who uses both Macs and Windows, I have long suspected that both companies deliberately make their products work poorly on each other’s systems to try to make users blame it on the OS.

12

Sorry for the double post, but I just now created an Apple ID for my other daughter with no card attached. When the screen for payment method came up there were icons for all the major credit cards, and the last icon said NONE. I selected it, the account was created, and I was able to access radio logged in to her account.

13

Hmm… Did you use a PC, MAC, or some other device? If PC, did you create the ID from a webpage or Windows iTunes app? The only thing I can think of is if you’re creating an ID from the iTunes app you may have an older version.

I appreciate your assistance and the comments of others. I think I’ll just chalk it up to the Microsoft and Apple worlds not always playing well together. BTW, I have no animosity towards Apple, Macs or iProducts, just for unnecessary frustration of which I’ve had plenty with MS and Windows.

14

I used a Mac with the current version of iTunes (11.1.5). The screens for setting up a new Apple ID don’t come from the app, they come from Apple’s servers. As far as I know you can’t set up an Apple ID without a card from a webpage, and “None” for payment is only an option if you’re trying to “purchase” a free app.

Firing up a nearby PC

I just went through the steps on a Windows XP machine running iTunes 11.1.5, and got exactly the same screens as on the Mac. Last option on the list for payment method is None.

15

Got it working!!! Still not sure why my many attempts never showed a “none” billing option when attempting to create an ID several different ways. Also as I described above, if you create an ID from an Apple web page without any billing info you can’t download something free to select the “none” billing option.

Anyway, I went step by step through the support page on this to create a new ID using a different email address as the ID. The 17 steps were unclear and/or wrong in some places. For posterity’s sake I am providing my modifications to support.apple.com/kb/HT2534.

Make sure you have the current version of the iTunes application installed on your PC.

Creating an account on a computer

  1. Skip to step 3.1.

  2. Click iTunes Store (on the left side of the iTunes window), and pick your country by clicking the appropriate country flag located in the bottom-right corner of the main iTunes Store page.

  3. Navigate to the App Store by clicking on App Store from the top navigation bar.

  4. Important: Before proceeding to the next step, you must download and install a free application. To find a free application, navigate to the Top Charts column on the right side of the App Store window. Scroll down until you see the list of Free Apps. Select any application by clicking on it. Then, click Free App underneath the application icon.

3.1 Go here iTunes - Apple for free apps.

3.2 Click on any App Icon graphic to go to the iTunes Preview page.

3.3 Click on the “View in iTunes” button below the App Icon graphic. This will take you to the App Store within the iTunes PC app with your selected free app.

3.4 Click on the “Free” button below the App Icon graphic.

  1. In the pop-up window, click Create Apple ID.

  2. You are directed to the “Welcome to the iTunes Store” screen. Click Continue.

  3. You’ll need to read and agree to the iTunes Store Terms & Conditions. Make sure you select the checkbox next to “I have read and agree to these terms and conditions.”

  4. Click Continue.

  5. Enter your email address, create your password, continue to create and answer your security questions, and then enter your birthday.

  6. You can also enter an optional rescue email address. If you frequently change email addresses, this is recommended.

  7. Once you are satisfied with the information entered, click Continue.

  8. Select None as the payment type.

12.Continue to fill out the required name and address fields.

12.1 Click “Create Apple ID”.
Go to 13.1.

  1. You’ll then see a “Verify your Account” screen. Click Done, and then check your email for a verification email from iTunes Store.

13.1. You’ll then see a “Verify your Account” screen.

13.2. Check for a verification email and click the “Verify Now” link in the email.

13.3. You will be taken to a My Apple ID web page. Enter your email and password and click “Verify Address”.

13.4 The My Apple ID page should say “Email Address Verified” and have a “Return to Store” button.

13.5. You’ll then see the “Congratulations” screen. Click Start Shopping to be taken to the iTunes App Store home page.

13.6. Not sure if required, but I downloaded a free song by clicking on the “Free on iTunes” link under Quick Links on the right of the page; then click on “Free” button below a free song to download.

13.7. Go to step 666.

  1. Open the email, and click the link enclosed in the email to activate your account.

  2. Once you click on the link, the Apple ID website should ask you to sign in with your account name and password.

  3. After signing in, you should see that your email address is associated with your Apple ID. A

button labeled “Return to the Store” should appear.

  1. Once you sign in, you’ll then see the below “Congratulations” screen. Click Start Shopping to be taken to the App Store home page.

  2. DONE!

I think I’ll go take a nap now.