iPod/iTunes Weirdness, Instapaper AWOL, and Safari Reading List Options
November 9, 2011 9:08 AM Subscribe
A few days ago syncing my iPod Touch with iTunes deleted all but its original apps (My fault for not noticing that the list of apps in iTunes had, for some reason, reverted to the factory defaults). While slowly restoring my purchased apps via the App Store App>Updates>Purchased, I noticed that ad-supported Instapaper was no longer listed. Googling 'Instapaper Free' told me that the ad-supported version was removed from iTunes and support discontinued sometime in April of this year. This has led me to several questions:
1) Why/how did iTunes lose my purchased apps? I didn't delete them manually. I believe it updated recently, is there a setting or an option that I missed somewhere that caused it to revert?
2) My tragic app-loss was a result of the iPod syncing to iTunes; can I set things up so that iTunes syncs to the iPod (Making whatever is on the iPod the default configuration)?
3) Is there a way to batch reinstall purchased apps? As I said before, I'm presently doing them one at a time onto the iPod, and it's sort of annoying (Though it seems that a bulk download/reinstall option would work better on the iTunes side of things, which would go against the sync iTunes to iPod setting I mentioned in 2)).
4) The conspicuous absence of Instapaper Free from the iTunes and Purchased Apps lists leads me to suspect that its disappearance played a part in the weirdness. Coincidence, or something more sinister?
5) Originally I would use Instapaper like this: Browsing with FireFox on my PC I see something interesting to read. I click the Instapaper bookmarklet and the reading material is added to Instapaper App on my iPod for off-line enjoyment. Assuming 4) was something more sinister, in which case there's no way in hell I'll buy the Instapaper app, is there some way I can continue doing what I'm doing, but:
-With iPod Safari Reading List instead of Instapaper?
-Without having to change my PC's browser?
Apologies for any rambling, lack of clarity or general n00by ludditeness, and thanks in advance for any assistance.
1) Why/how did iTunes lose my purchased apps? I didn't delete them manually. I believe it updated recently, is there a setting or an option that I missed somewhere that caused it to revert?
2) My tragic app-loss was a result of the iPod syncing to iTunes; can I set things up so that iTunes syncs to the iPod (Making whatever is on the iPod the default configuration)?
3) Is there a way to batch reinstall purchased apps? As I said before, I'm presently doing them one at a time onto the iPod, and it's sort of annoying (Though it seems that a bulk download/reinstall option would work better on the iTunes side of things, which would go against the sync iTunes to iPod setting I mentioned in 2)).
4) The conspicuous absence of Instapaper Free from the iTunes and Purchased Apps lists leads me to suspect that its disappearance played a part in the weirdness. Coincidence, or something more sinister?
5) Originally I would use Instapaper like this: Browsing with FireFox on my PC I see something interesting to read. I click the Instapaper bookmarklet and the reading material is added to Instapaper App on my iPod for off-line enjoyment. Assuming 4) was something more sinister, in which case there's no way in hell I'll buy the Instapaper app, is there some way I can continue doing what I'm doing, but:
-With iPod Safari Reading List instead of Instapaper?
-Without having to change my PC's browser?
Apologies for any rambling, lack of clarity or general n00by ludditeness, and thanks in advance for any assistance.
Best answer: When you opened iTunes, it was unable to read your library, created a new default one, and the new, empty library sync'd with your iPod touch.
There are lots of reasons iTunes may have been unable to read your library, and none of them have to do with Instapaper. For example, my iTunes library is on an external drive. If I launch iTunes without it connected, it throws an error. I think earlier versions would create a new library in your home folder by default. A problem with the file permissions could also have prevented iTunes from opening the library, that could be a result of something like the app crashing while writing, and the file lock not being removed.
If iTunes created a new, empty library, the old one may still be on your computer, with all your apps in it. On the Mac, you can access the option to select an iTunes library (or create a new one) by holding the option key while you open the app. I think the alt key has the same effect on Windows. You may be able to just point iTunes at your old library, then sync again.
posted by frijole at 10:01 AM on November 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
There are lots of reasons iTunes may have been unable to read your library, and none of them have to do with Instapaper. For example, my iTunes library is on an external drive. If I launch iTunes without it connected, it throws an error. I think earlier versions would create a new library in your home folder by default. A problem with the file permissions could also have prevented iTunes from opening the library, that could be a result of something like the app crashing while writing, and the file lock not being removed.
If iTunes created a new, empty library, the old one may still be on your computer, with all your apps in it. On the Mac, you can access the option to select an iTunes library (or create a new one) by holding the option key while you open the app. I think the alt key has the same effect on Windows. You may be able to just point iTunes at your old library, then sync again.
posted by frijole at 10:01 AM on November 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
frijole has it. Another reason why you might lose everything on a sync is if you sync to a new computer, but you should have seen a warning before you synced if that was the case.
In terms of apps, I assume you know that if you are still logged into the iTunes store with the same ID (or can log in with the same ID) that you used to purchase your apps, you can download them for free again. You don't have to pay twice for paid apps.
posted by immlass at 11:34 AM on November 9, 2011
In terms of apps, I assume you know that if you are still logged into the iTunes store with the same ID (or can log in with the same ID) that you used to purchase your apps, you can download them for free again. You don't have to pay twice for paid apps.
posted by immlass at 11:34 AM on November 9, 2011
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There's nothing sinister here. Apple doesn't care if Instapaper charges for their app or not. But it is just one guy running the whole Instapaper "empire". If you use it enough, it's worth the on time charge to help him out with future updates and to thank him for the program. He explains here why he decided to remove the free app for the iPhone. (In short, he felt that it was a mediocre app that people learned to live with that cut into sales of his paid app while at the same time he wasn't getting nearly enough in ad revenue to make it worth keeping it out there)
posted by inturnaround at 9:55 AM on November 9, 2011