Mobile Carriers Fault

According to a survey by Wired magazine, many of the speed issues are the fault of the mobile carriers that lack the 3G networks need by iPhone. In addition, many iPhone blogs report that mobile device processors aren’t fast enough to support most Flash sites, which will cause a major slowdown.

Update iPhone

The best way to be sure you are running at the fastest speeds and with the best fixes is to use the latest version of iPhone. Apple claims the 2.1 software update will increase speeds, reduce time to backup to iTunes, better battery life and decrease dropped calls among other fixes. You need to connect your iPhone to your computer, go to iTunes 8 and choose “Check for Updates.”

Turn Off Error Reporting

Your iPhone is constantly sending error reports which can slow it down. To stop your phone from automatically sending these reports, follow these steps:

1. Right click on iTunes and choose “Reset Warnings.”
2. The next time you use it, you will get a box asking if you want to send reports. Find “Do Not Ask Me Again” and uncheck it. Click on “Don’t Send.”

Disable Diagnostic Data Sending

If you are finding the iPhone slow when you are synching it, you can follow these steps to speed it up:

1. Connect the iPhone to your computer.
2. Open iTunes and select iPhone.
3. You will see “Automatically synch when this phone is connected.” Uncheck this box.
4. Unplug the iPhone, the plug it right back in again.
5. Select iPhone again and right click on it. Choose “Reset Warnings.”
6. Synch the iPhone. You will see a pop up message. Uncheck the box and select “Don’t Send.”

These suggestions may get you an increase in speed. If not, the best you can do is wait until the next iPhone update and see if it is working better.

There really isn’t any reason that the two devices shouldn’t be pairing up, as long as the cell phone is supported by the headset requirements. There is conflicting information floating around about whether the headset that you have is able to recognize a 1.1 Bluetooth capability. It might require a 1.2 capability, which your phone may or may not be equipped with. Check the user manuals for both items and check their compatibilities first. If your phone is equipped with 1.2 Bluetooth capability, or if your headset recognizes 1.1, or both, then technically they should be pairing. It is possible that there is a hardware problem that will prevent one or the other from working, but first let’s review the steps that you’ve taken.

Pairing Procedures

The procedure to pair your phone and headset might vary be a little different depending on the particulars of the models, but are relatively straightforward.

Charged and Ready

• Make sure that both your phone and your headset are fully charged. On the headset there is a small button that you need to press to prepare the headset for synching. Press and hold the button down for a few seconds. When you let go there is a signal that the process is complete - usually a flashing light or a sound - or check your manual to see how to tell when its ready.

Confirm Bluetooth is Turned on

• On your phone open the menu for your Options and confirm that Bluetooth is turned on for wireless. Next, select the option to add a new device. If you can’t find this category, check your phone’s user manual.

Let Phone Search for Devices

• The phone will now search for devices around it that are Bluetooth enabled and present a list of names. Select the right device and then, if prompted, enter the code, which is often 0000 or else check the manual for this information, then select OK.

This should do it. If the phone still can’t detect the headset you could try another phone to see where the problem is and, if none of this works, then you might have a broken or defective headset, or a problem with the Bluetooth connectivity from your phone.

Computer Problems

If you are running Leopard on Mac, you need to download a new version of iTunes here:

http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/ .

Older Macs have USB1.1 ports rather than USB 2.0 ports and may have trouble getting iTunes to synch with the iPhone. It may work better if you open iTunes first, then connect the iPhone.

Resetting iPhone

There is a big difference between resetting the iPhone which is basically a reboot, and a restore, which is where you erase all data and then restore the device to factory settings. To reset the iPhone, hold down the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button at the same time. You can also reset the iPhone while it is connected to iTunes which may help with your downloading problems. Make sure your iPhone is fully charged, and don’t charge it from the USB port on your keyboard - there isn’t enough power. A poorly charged iPhone won’t be recognized by iTunes. It takes about an hour to charge the iPhone to 80%.

Firewall Problems

Some firewall settings on your computer will block the downloads, particularly if you are using Macafee Personal Firewall. You need to change the settings to allow full access for iTunes and iTunes Helper. For Mac users, on your computer, in Systems Preference, go to Security and then to Firewall. Set it to allow all incoming connections. If you have it set to only allow essential services, the Apple remote won’t work.

Enable Bonjour

You need to make sure that Bonjour is enabled in order to download. For Windows, go to Start and then to Run. Go to Services.msc and right click on Bonjour Services. Then click on Properties, then Automatic and Start. Restart iTunes and it should work. You can also enable Bonjour through Chat on the phone. Start iChat & Command 2 to activate your Bonjour Buddy list. If it isn’t working, it will allow you to enable it there.

Reinstall iTunes

If you are running an older version of iTunes, reinstall the program to iTunes 7.7 or later. Sometimes simply upgrading to a newer version will solve your problems.

Restore

If your iPhone is being recognized at iTunes, you can back up your data and restore your iPhone to factory setting. Go to the Apple website at: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414 for detailed restoring instructions. Because it erases all of the information you have put on your iPhone since purchase, I recommend trying everything else before you go to this step.

The iTunes application is a multifunctional program that is a free program for use with Macs and PCs. The iTunes application allows users to sync their iPods and iPhones, download music, play digital music, play digital videos, and more. Plus, all of this can be accomplished on a 24-hour a day basis.

The iTunes Library includes all of your imported music as well as all of your iTunes purchases. These purchases can include movies, podcasts, ringtones, TV shows, audiobooks, and games. It is possible to keep multiple iTunes libraries.

The iTunes Library Genius is a new feature in iTunes 8. This feature is designed to create the perfect playlist of songs. The user selects one song from the playlist and iTunes Library Genius is designed to generate an entire list of songs that play well with the song. The individual user can pre-select the number of songs to be generated from 25, 50, or 100 songs.

What Does iTunes error message 13026 mean?

After upgrading to iTunes 8, many users have reported encountering the iTunes error message 13026. The iTunes error message 13026 is displayed along with text stating that the iTunes application could not be opened. One or more files with this application are not working properly either due to a faulty installation or a faulty program design.

How Do I Solve iTunes error message 13026?

I can suggest two possible solutions for solving this issue. It is possible that when you downloaded your current version of iTunes, one or more of the files did not install correctly. Back up all of your files before doing so in order to safeguard all of your downloaded music, videos, games, etc. Try uninstalling and then installing again and your iTunes should work.

Some iTunes users have reported success with solving error message 13026 by removing the iTunes Genius file. This file is only an issue if you have enabled it. Therefore, if you haven’t enabled iTunes Genius, attempt an uninstall and reinstall of iTunes to correct the error.

I suggest you read the forums and make your own decision on this. Personally, I have not had an issue with the iTunes Genius file in my household, so I cannot verify that this fix will work. It might take more than one attempt to install the newest version correctly.

How to Delete the iTunes Library Genius file?

The iTunes Library Genius.itdb file is located in the iTunes folder. Simply access your iTunes folder to delete the file. Please note that if you have multiple iTunes Libraries, you will need to delete this folder from each one.

Additional Help with Tunes error message 13026

Contact the support department at Apple for help with this issue via the Apple.com website for help from their trained technicians. Additionally, if you are experiencing this error and none of the above solutions have helped to solve the problem, you can also contact live support at http://www.filetonic.com/support to receive help.

The iPod Shuffle

The iPod Shuffle is a small digital music player that currently allows users to download as many as 500 songs onto it. It is wearable and colorful.

iPod Shuffle Performance Issues

iPod Shuffle performance issues can occur as the result of several issues. Among the more common ones are:

• The need to update the software
• Faulty components due to damage
• Faulty components due to normal wear and tear.

iPod Shuffle Updates

One of the first steps to take when experiencing difficulty with the iPod Shuffle is to check that you have the latest updates for it. In order to update and reinstall the iPod Shuffle software, you must download the latest version of iTunes to your computer, which you can do by visiting iTunes Downloads.

Next, once the download is complete, open the new version of iTunes. Connect your iPod Shuffle to your computer. Select your iPod Shuffle from the source list. Click the selection for “Check for Updates,” which you can find under the “Settings” tab. If the check determines that an update is available for your iPod Shuffle, iTunes will perform the update automatically for you.

iPod Shuffle Factory Restore

Although completing a restore to factory settings is one of the recommended strategies for troubleshooting iPod Shuffle problems, it apparently has not worked for you. The steps to complete a factory restore are located here: Factory Restore. Anyone who does intend to return their iPod Shuffle to factory settings, should be aware that this task will erase each song and file that you currently have on the disk. Therefore, you should back up all files and songs before completing the factory restore strategy. Save these files and songs to your iTunes Library so that you will be able to restore them to your iPod Shuffle.

iPod Shuffle Repairs at the Apple Service Store

In some cases, performance issues are related to accidental damage to the components of the iPod Shuffle. The headphone jack might have lost its connection to everything else within the iPod Shuffle. This can occur due to any of the following circumstances:

• It has been dropped.
• The headphone jack became disengaged when taking out head phones.
• Normal wear and tear or factory imperfection.

If none of the above solutions worked for you, visit the nearest Apple store. Their technician should be able to either fix it or give you a replacement iPod Shuffle. The fact that your iPod Shuffle works with your computer makes me believe that you need to have the headphone jack replaced. Good luck!

You don’t say what kind of iPod or dock, or if this is a new problem, so I’m going to assume that everything has been working fine until now. I’m thinking that because you have several problems all at once that you will probably have to restore your iPod, but let’s walk through each problem individually.

iPod Docking Problems

If your dock is an iHome, you can reset it by holding down the Menu and center button at the same time. This may get your iPod to charge. Some older docking devices use firewire to charge, but new iPods only use USB voltage. In general, newer iPods work with newer iHomes, but they may not work properly if one is significantly older than the other.

iPod Earphone Problems

These are pretty obvious, but let’s run through them anyway. Make sure it isn’t your earphones and not the iPod. Wrapping the cord and life in general tends to shorten earphone life. Check for loose wires or connection problems. Try another pair. If neither pair works, then you can be fairly certain it is the machine itself.

Resetting the iPod

This is the least drastic method for fixing your iPod problems and is worth trying first. Press and hold the Menu and Select (the button in the middle of the wheel) buttons at the same time, keeping them pressed for about 10 seconds. Try this when it is not connected to anything and then again when it is sitting in the dock.

Erasing Your iPod

If none of these solutions are working for you, you need to go for drastic measures. This will cause your iPod to lose all of its data - make sure you have your music backed up someplace else. Connect your iPod to the computer and follow these instructions:

Erasing your iPod for Mac:

1. Go to MacIntoshHD, then Application then Utilities.
2. Select iPod in Disk Utility.
3. Press Repair.
4. Press Erase to erase the hard drive.

Erasing your iPod for Windows XP:

1. Go to My Computer and find IPOD in the drive (usually C)
2. Right click and Choose Format.
3. Select FAT32 and then Format
4. Reboot

Erasing your iPod for Vista:

1. Right click on My Computer.
2. Go to Properties, then Hardware.
3. Device Manager will be listed as USB controller.
4. Click on the device and you will get to the drive.

Restoring Your iPod

1. Connect your iPod to the computer.
2. Open the newest version of iTunes. Download a newer version if necessary.
3. It may prompt you to install new software, or you can select iPod from the Source column on the left hand side.
4. Click Restore.
5. When the factory settings have been restored, unplug the cable from the iPod.
6. The iPod will tell you to reconnect, so plug it back in. It will update and restart.
7. It will say “Automatically Update”. This is set by default, and you can deselect this if you want.
8. Click Done. The download status will display.
9. Quit when done.

If none of these work, the iPod makes a good doorstop. Okay, not funny. If it’s under warranty, you can easily get it fixed or replaced. If it isn’t, you can try getting it repaired by an iPod repair tech; but if it is an older model, you might want to spring for a new one.

The .ithmb file contains the full color thumbnails that have been downloaded from an iPod or iPhone. Thumbnail images are smaller versions of an image that can be clicked to access a larger version of the image. While .ithmb problems do not generally occur on an iPod or iPhone, they do arise when the files are transferred from the accessory onto the computer. The problem lies in the fact that the .ithmb file has not been converted into a file that the computer can read such as a TIFF file. Therefore, you can’t access the thumbnails for viewing. This seems to be a common problem that occurs frequently and for most first time users of the iPod or iPhone. Programs that convert the files to TIFF are mainly restricted to Mac operating systems. Therefore, the following two options might be easier and less expensive for you.

The easiest strategy to have followed would have been to set the iTunes preferences to the setting labeled “Include full resolution photos”. This setting makes full sized images accessible on the iPod/ iPhone from the beginning. Therefore, when you transfer the photos to the computer, the photos are full resolution ones that are recognized and accessed readily enough.

Try the following:

• Connect the iPhone to the computer.
• Open the “photos” section of your iPhone.
• Turn on the “Include full resolution photos” setting.
• If the full size photos appear, retransfer the photos to your computer.

Try the following:

• Turn on the “Include full resolution photos” setting.
• Connect the iPhone to the computer.
• Select the Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard to download your iPhone photos to your computer. Once you click on the Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard, you should be able to view all of the photos from your iPhone. Select the ones that you wish to download.

If this is the case, the fix is simple. In Internet Explorer version 7 there is a new page zoom tool that is able to adjust the display size of text, images, charts, tables and frames with easy keyboard shortcuts. To zoom in, press the Ctrl (Control) key at the same time as the + key. To zoom out, use Ctrl and the - key. You can try this a couple times to see if zooming out will get the whole page on the screen. There is also a shrink-to-fit type shortcut that will size the data for the screen by simultaneously pressing Ctrl, Shift and the ‘p’ key. And Ctrl and ‘0′ will set the zoom at full size.

If the problem is that the computer isn’t able to load all the install software that came with your iPod, you can try using the View tab in the tool bar at the top of your computer screen, then adjust the layout, text size or page display settings. If none of this is getting at your problem, you might want to double check that your computer meets the system requirements for the iPod Nano. If you are using a Mac, you need an OS X operating system version 10.4.11 or later and iTunes version 8 or later. If you are using a Windows based system, you need Windows Vista or XP Home or Professional with the Service Pack 3 updates and iTunes version 8 or later.

T-Mobile PM Collect is the online “picture messaging” retrieval service of the T-Mobile UK. Similar services exist in other T-Mobile networks in other countries. In this case, the photos are either sent and received by camera phones or a camera phone attempts to send a photo to a non-picture message enabled phone. When a photo arrives as a link, rather than an image, the recipient must go to www.t-mobile.co.uk/pmcollect (the address is different for US or other T-Mobile networks) to view the photo. The photo remains available on the site for 14 days. You can also save the photo to disk.

In this case, the Filetonic reader who asked this question indicated that she is accessing the PM Collect link via her PC. While the T-Mobile picture messaging service is neat, the answer to her question doesn’t involve the fact so much that the photo is a T-Mobile photo; rather, it involves the fact that the PC isn’t recognizing the photo itself.

What I would do is save the file to my computer using the save feature of the T-Mobile PM Collect Web site. Then, I would right-click the photo and choose Open (or Open With depending on the operating system). Windows then displays a list of programs that it thinks should be able to open the photo. For example, on my computer, clicking on a .jpg photo in this manner prompts me to choose Paint, Picture Manager, Windows Photo Gallery, and a few other programs. If you have a program that you want to try (such as Picasa) that’s not listed, you can browse for it as well.

Photos come with a variety of different file extensions depending on the original application that made the photo. Common file extensions include: BMP, JPG, GIF, and TIFF. It’s possible that your computer recognizes some extensions but is unsure what to do with others. It may take a bit of trial and error to find an application capable of opening the exact file though it shouldn’t be too difficult. If it’s a common file extension, most of the built-in picture viewer tools Like Windows Photo Gallery or Paint should be able to handle the image.

Once you’ve found a program that opens the photo, you can set your computer up to always use that program. This is called making a file association. Once again, right-click the photo and choose Open. Select the program that you want and place a checkmark in the box that says “Always use the selected program for this file type.” If you have Windows Vista, you have to choose “Choose Default Program” before getting to this step.

To add the application, go to your Facebook profile and type mobile in the search bar in the upper right-hand corner of the page. The search results will bring up a list of people, pages and applications; the very first one is the mobile application group. There is a ‘view application’ link on the right side. You can also click on the blue title to read the wall posts and messages posted by other users. On the right side of this page you’ll find a ‘go to application’ link; click this and go to the application page.

On this page, you can activate the application by confirming your phone number. If you have posted it on your profile, both the number and your mobile phone carrier will already be entered. Click the ‘activate’ button underneath the number. Facebook will then send a text message to your phone with your confirmation code. Enter the code where prompted on the webpage. Then Facebook will text you with some instructions and you’re all hooked up. At the same time, the website will take you to a preferences page where you can set up your mobile Facebook connection details.

Now, to add photos. There are two ways to send photos from your phone to your Facebook profile. You can send them as an attachment in an MMS, which is a multimedia messaging service that can send text, photos, video and sound to other cell phones or to email addresses, or you can use your phone’s web browser and email them to mobile@Facebook.com. If you want to include a caption with the picture, put it in the subject line. You will get a confirmation text reply from Facebook with a mobile uploads confirmation code. Enter this code on the mobile application web page the next time you log in through a computer and the program will remember you in the future.

There is no charge from Facebook to use the mobile service but normal charges from your cell phone carrier will apply. To upload video you will need to add the additional video application to your Facebook account. Not all cell phone carriers support Facebook text messages, though growing public interest might change this in the future. However, most phones should be able to use the mobile uploads application to post pictures, videos and notes.