Of iPod (which we don't have) and BOSE (which we do)

Factual Questions
1

The subways are full of ads for an iPod base module from BOSE and a competing one from some other company (Janovic or something like that?): you plug the iPod into the thing’s base and the base module supplies nice room-quality speakers and also gives you a remote.

We already have a BOSE though, and it seems silly to shell out for yet another sound system with yet another set of fancy speakers, especially since the iPod should be able to connect into the Sound In port of the existing BOSE. So…if we did it that way, is there a way of remotely controlling an iPod? Track-skipping, etc? (volume-changing would still be done from the BOSE’s own remote, I guess).

Also, a couple of newbie questions (I’ve never owned an iPod): does an iPod simultaneously charge itself and play music when plugged into its cradle-thingie?

And is there now an alternative programming software for moving .MP3s into the thing and setting up playlists, for those of us who detest iTunes? I don’t want my music moved or re-organized on my actual computer; my own playlists aren’t by composer or artist or someone else’s idea of genre, and the actual MP3 files are in folders organized according to my own playlists, and I don’t want them rearranged or imported by iTunes into my home directory etc. Also, it would be good to be able to add some songs and playlists from my computer and then add some different ones (in addition) from my girlfriend’s computer and set up playlists for the iPod. Are these things possible?

2

You can easily connect your iPod to your stereo, so you’re right in thinking that it would be a waste to buy a whole new system.

If you want to change songs remotely, the NaviPod let’s you control the iPod wirelessly while it’s connected to your home stereo. Then again, you might want to look at the reviews on the bottom of the page. Every single one is horrible.

Yes, while the iPod is in the cradle you can charge it and play songs. The cradle itself has a line out so all you need is a 1/8" patch cord and maybe an adapter if you stereo doesn’t take 1/8". It can also recharge from your computer (if you have a 6 pin firewire port) while you are updating the songs.

If you hate iTunes, I would first reccomend to just try it and get to know it better. It works best and was made for the iPod. I hated it too at first, but now I actually like it better than my old player (WM player, no surprise there). There is an option in iTunes to not copy all the music to the iTunes folder, so you don’t have to worry about that. If you want to take songs from two different computers you either have to network them to transfer the actual songs to your iPod computer or you have to download 3rd party software that lets you connect the iPod to two different computers. The fact that you can only use it with one computer is my biggest complaint. I assume they do that for copyright reasons, to prevent people from giving their entire library of songs to their friends.