[GT40FIED]

That may also be the case, but using a proprietary format is bullshit. I'm pretty sure iPods will play MP3 format despite their inherent shittiness, but if you have to convert everything to an iTunes format, what's the fucking point? Using AAC would effectively destroy the iPod's marketability simply because 98% of it's users are far too stupid to comprehend audio conversion. A friend of mine had the same problem with a regular iPod...it worked for a while and then just stopped recognizing that it had songs on it. I still say return the fucker. If you have the same problem next time, it's time for a refund because any company that uses a proprietary format is full of shit and doesn't deserve any money...period. Proprietary software solely exists to cover one company's bottom line. That is to say "if you don't use our software, you can't use our product". That's fucking bullshit. Fuck iPods, fuck Apple, and fuck MP3 players in general.