I got annoyed by the iPod mini 1.4 software update yesterday. The biggest issue, to be honest, is that smart lists no longer update properly. So I plugged the mini into my Cube, and everything looked to be in order…

… except, when I went to downgrade it, the iPod Software Updater just said “Plug in an iPod to update it.”

Yikes.

I tried all sorts of things. Removed the library, removed a bunch of “invisible” files and folders (via the command line), and ultimately wiped out the whole thing with Disk Utility. Nothing worked, though I did manage to bring up the dreaded Exclamation Point In Triangle on the iPod for each subsequent reboot. Time to panic? Yep, I’d say so.

Eventually and in a fit of desperation I plugged the mini into my work laptop. iTunes immediately recognized that there wasn’t any software installed and took care of it for me. And, when I brought it back to the Cube, I still had bizarro behavior. A reboot cleared that up. Go figure.

In retrospect, I should’ve saved myself some heartache and simply rebooted the Cube, huh?

Well, at least Apple has apparently acknowledged the loss of functionality. I’m looking forward to the next update, which will (hopefully) smooth out the rough spots.