My 500 will have the blue&me system. I'm just about to buy an ipod, but am unsure about how it will work with B&M as i hear it doesnt play AAC, i.e itunes music files!?

I know everything i import from CD can be imported as MP3 and transferred to ipod as an MP3, and be played fine using B&M.

So what happens about music i buy via itunes which will be aac? Can i not play them in any way thru B&Me????

You should be okay - there's a specific iPod holder and connection kit so I'm guessing it'll be okay.

I couldn't get my Ipod Nano to work with the car. It doesnt read AAC files (the manual says so) but it wouldnt even read MP3 that are on the Ipod. I gave up and just use a memory stick. In some ways it's probably easier as you can leave it in the car (the ashtray pot is perfect) and a 4GB stick will hold plenty. The system is Microsoft (shame!) so I guess they didnt make them compatible though for sure someone has made an adapter. I'd been interested to hear of any success!

It must work, FIATdo a special iPod holder & connector

The first thing I would look at is to check if the iPod is HFS+ or FAT32 formatted (i.e do you use it with iTunes on a Mac or in Windows). I would guess a MS system (Blue&Me) would need FAT32.

Won't be able to do any definitive testing for a good few weeks yet 'till my 500 arrives.

BTW, Macs are perfectly happy using FAT32 iPods unlike the reverse. The easiest way to keep everything happy is to prepare (i.e. the first PC connection) the iPod using iTunes on a Windows system.

Hope that helps,
Tony.

I just tried my Ipod again and it DOES work fine! I last tried it the day I got the car and we hadnt figured out the steering wheel controls yet - you can only control the player from the steering wheel.
I use an Imac and it still works fine and we tried my son's new Nano that is updated using windows XP and that worked fine too.

The car is fabulous. Sorry for you guys that have to wait! Fiat took a year's production in orders before the 4th July. Italians were ordering them before they even knew the prices. It's a big thing here. We waited 5 months and never got the car we ordered. I reckon 8 months will not be impossible.
Richard, Asti Italy
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1.3mjt Lounge. Cuor leggero blu (light hearted blue).

A little update on my previous comment: I just did a little more digging - the car wont read AAC (Apple files) from the Ipod, you have to convert the files in iTunes to MP3. So when you import new albums just go to settings and set 'import as MP3' then it works fine.

As it's New Year's day and all quiet I took my son out to a private road so he could have a drive of the 500. He got up to 4th gear without a judder - that's how easy it is to drive. He's 11!!

Richard

I know you can import cd's into itunes as MP3's, but with music purchased from itunes store there isnt a way of converting to MP3 is there??

Therefore, anything bought online wont be playable through a B&M stereo??

I believe Apple's official way is to burn your songs to CD (as a proper audio CD) then re-rip them into iTunes.

Regards,
Tony.