U2 iPod and music box

[Between Two Worlds]

If you're thinking about getting the U2 iPod, you may want to have a look at http://discussions.info.apple.com - particularly if you don't have an Apple.

Some report problems with one or two of the songs - twelve seconds of silence rather than 4 mins. of music and that kind of stuff. It may be just people who have had problems with their connection while downloading. I'd be interested to know whether some of you have had problems before I make a decision myself on dishing out the money...

(Thanks U2 wanderers for your good work on the compilation itself!!!)

[Carl]

Perhaps some general iTunes comments would be useful as well.  I've never had problems with it, but i don't use it all that much.  Can you redownload tracks you've bought (would that screw with their 5 computers per track policy?).  Or is there some process to get a refund, etc?

I can't imagine this being all that common an issue, given the sales rank of the complete set, but then how many people have actually listened through the entire thing yet?

I see it mainly for people who've gotten into the band recently, though if you have the money to spare, at least you get a lot of tracks at the same volume level and with nice id3 tags.  Some of the vinyl only would probably sound better than most homemade rips too.  And those lucky canucks get to individually download the unofficial tracks.  

Hey Apple, the US dollar has been dropping recently.  Have some pity eh?

[Brad]

I've tried to compile a list of all the known errors with "The Complete U2."  If you know of others, please post them here.  

Album: Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1
Track: Corpse (These Chains Are Way Too Long)
Error: Track plays fine in iTunes, but skips or stops at 0:34 when played on an iPod
Status: FIXED?

Album: Lemon Remixes and Melon
Track: Lemon (Perfecto Mix)
Error: Downloaded track is actually the 2:05 segment from Hasta La Vista Baby
Status: FIXED

Album: Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of Single
Track: New York (Live From Farmclub.com)
Error: Track Crashes iTunes at 0:30
Status: FIXED

Album: Who's Gonna Ride You Wild Horses Single
Track: Who's Gonna Ride You Wild Horses (Temple Bar Remix)
Error: Downloaded track is actually Paint It Black
Status: FIXED

Album: Wide Awake In America
Track: A Sort of Homecoming (Live at Wembley)
Error: Downloaded track is only 0:12 in length
Status: FIXED

Album: Best Of 1980-1990 and War
Track: Sunday Bloody Sunday
Error: First few drumbeats are cut off
Status: NOT FIXED; official quote from Apple customer service: "We have verified that this album is available on the iTunes Music Store as the record label intended."

Apple has fixed all of the errors except for one.  You must contact Apple customer service to be reauthorized to download any of the flawed tracks that you have.  You then choose "Check For Purchased Music" on the iTunes menu to download reauthorized tracks.

[jimbo913]

any other reports of errors.  I am getting closer and closer to buying this.

[Between Two Worlds]

Brad, many thanks for this list. I bought the set on the 9th of December from the Uk store and it had the problems you reported as "fixed" were indeed absent. The first on the list isn't fixed and I have written to customer services. I did not check the last one. I am not aware of any other bugs.

[Brad]

Two more quick ones.

Album: Where The Streets Have No Name Single
Track: Where The Streets Have No Name
Error: Downloaded track is the 4:38 edit from Best Of 1980-1990, not the 4:48 single version, which also differs from the album version.
Status: NOT FIXED

Album: Pop
Track: Discothèque
Error: Downloaded track is the 5:11 single version, not the 5:19 album version.
Status: NOT FIXED

Frankly, I don't expect either of these to be fixed.  There's nothing wrong with the tracks themselves, other than being a different mix/edit than the original CD.

Too bad, though, for folks who don't own the Streets single.  I've always liked Edge's backing vocals on that version.

[jimbo913]

Yeah, I have that (wtshnn) on 12" and on a 45.  I indeed do like that version best.  IIRC, that is the same one that is in the video.

Very dissapointing.  Why didn't they let me make this complete set?  I certainly would have done my research.  What a cool job that would have been... access to all these tracks, and the chance to do it 100% correctly.

[Edited on 12/20/2004 by jimbo913]