Why isn't the charging icon always animated (flashing)?

Laptop or portable connecting via USB? "Laptop or portable connecting via USB? See iPod not recognized when connected to Windows laptop over USB for more information. Your computer doesn't meet iPod system requirements Make sure that your computer meets the system requirements to use iPod for Windows. Your iPod displays an exclamation point folder or sad iPod icon, or doesn't appear in iTunes or My Computer If your iPod displays a folder with an exclamation point icon or a sad (unhappy) iPod icon on its screen, or if your iPod doesn't appear in iTunes or My Computer, follow these instructions to resolve the issue. Your iPod isn't formatted for Windows iPod for Windows Software only recognizes iPod for Windows. You cannot use iPod for Macintosh with a Windows PC. To see which platform your iPod is formatted for, follow these instructions. Your iPod isn't connected to a high-power USB port If you're connecting an iPod, iPod mini, or iPod shuffle to your Windows computer, make sure that you're connecting it to a high-power USB 2.0 port on your computer (not a low-power one such as the USB port on your keyboard or bus-powered USB hub). Typically, USB 2.0 high-power ports are located directly on your computer. Try connecting your iPod to another USB port on the computer (or to a self-powered USB 2.0 hub that's connected to a high-power USB 2.0 port on your computer) if the computer still doesn't recognize your iPod. Alternatively, if your computer has a FireWire connection, try using that instead. If you're connecting an iPod, iPod mini, or iPod shuffle to a Windows laptop computer through USB, connect the laptop to a power outlet before connecting your iPod. You're not using a WHQL-certified IEEE 1394 card If you have a FireWire (IEEE 1394) card installed in your computer and are using it to connect your iPod, make sure that the card is Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) certified. If it isn't, your iPod may not be recognized, or you may not be able to send music to the iPod. If you're not sure about your card's WHQL certification, check the inbox material that came with your FireWire card or contact the card's manufacturer. You can view a list of WHQL-certified cards on the Windows Hardware Compatibility List website. To view this: Go to the Windows Hardware Compatibility List website. Enter All Products in the ""Search for"" field. From the Product Categories pop-up menu, choose 1394 Controller. Click the Search Now button. Note: Windows XP information is not listed on the initial search screen, but is listed when you click on an individual card. You can also check the list of recommended FireWire and USB cards that have been tested by Apple with iPod and Windows XP. (Apple sells FireWire cards that are compatible with iPod at the Apple Store.) To rule out an issue with your FireWire card, try connecting a different FireWire device to the card to see if your computer recognizes it. Your connectio

For windows users "When you plug your iPod nano into a power source, the charging icon appears?it's a lightning bolt over a battery. Depending on the state of the battery, it may or may not animate (flash between gray and green). In either case, the icon indicates the battery is charging successfully. When the battery is fully depleted, the iPod nano may not appear in iTunes until it has been charged for about 10 minutes. The non-animated version of the icon, shown above, appears when your battery has been fully or nearly depleted of charge. This appears for up to 10 minutes. Note: If your iPod nano is connected to the computer, the computer won't see it until after that 10 minutes has elapsed. After that, you'll see the ""Do not disconnect"" screen. Here's the animated version you would see after 10 minutes, or when the battery is not fully drained: If the charging icon is flashing and your computer doesn't recognize it, Can't see your iPod in iTunes or Windows Explorer? Remember these five basic suggestions when you run into a problem with your iPod. If one of the following doesn?t help, read on for solutions to specific problems. Reset, Retry, Restart, Reinstall , Restore Reset your iPod. Retry with a different USB port. Restart your computer and make sure you have the latest software updates installed. Remove iTunes software and then reinstall iPod and iTunes software from latest versions on the web. Restore your iPod. See ?Updating and Restoring iPod Software? in the user's guide. Still can't see your iPod? Several things could keep iPod from appearing in iTunes or Windows Explorer. The most likely causes are listed below?you'll find information for both USB and FireWire (IEEE 1394) iPod connections. Check each one starting from the top of the list to see if that is what's keeping iPod from appearing. iPod appears in Windows Explorer but not in iTunes or iPod Updater If your iPod shows up in My Computer, but iTunes and iPod Updater don't recognize it, there may be a software conflict, or iPod Service didn't load. You may see an ""iPod Service Error"" alert or a ""Please Reinstall iTunes"" message. If you see either of these messages, try the solutions in this article to resolve the issue. Laptop or portable connecting via USB? See iPod not recognized when connected to Windows laptop over USB for more information. Your computer doesn't meet iPod system requirements Make sure that your computer meets the system requirements to use iPod for Windows. Your iPod displays an exclamation point folder or sad iPod icon, or doesn't appear in iTunes or My Computer If your iPod displays a folder with an exclamation point icon or a sad (unhappy) iPod icon on its screen, or if your iPod doesn't appear in iTunes or My Computer, follow these instructions to resolve the issue. Your iPod isn't formatted for Windows iPod for Windows Software only recognizes iPod for Windows. You cannot use iPod for Macintosh

For Mac users "When you plug your iPod nano into a power source, the charging icon appears?it's a lightning bolt over a battery. Depending on the state of the battery, it may or may not animate (flash between gray and green). In either case, the icon indicates the battery is charging successfully. When the battery is fully depleted, the iPod nano may not appear in iTunes until it has been charged for about 10 minutes.The non-animated version of the icon, shown above, appears when your battery has been fully or nearly depleted of charge. This appears for up to 10 minutes. Note: If your iPod nano is connected to the computer, the computer won't see it until after that 10 minutes has elapsed. After that, you'll see the ""Do not disconnect"" screen. If the charging icon is flashing and your computer doesn't recognize it,Can't see your iPod in iTunes or or the Finder? Remember these five basic suggestions when you run into a problem with your iPod. If one of the following doesn?t help, read on for solutions to specific problems. Reset, Retry, Restart, Reinstall , Restore Reset your iPod. Retry with a different USB or FireWire port. Restart your computer and make sure you have the latest software updates installed. Remove iTunes software and then reinstall iPod and iTunes software from latest versions on the web. Restore your iPod. See ?Updating and Restoring iPod Software? in the user's guide. Still can't see your iPod? Several things could keep iPod from appearing in iTunes or in the Finder when you connect it to your Mac. The most likely causes are listed below in logical order (you'll find information for both USB and FireWire iPod connections). Check each one starting from the top of the list to see if that is what's keeping iPod from appearing. Battery depleted? If you have an iPod nano, click here to find out what you'll see if the battery is depleted. If this is what you are seeing, wait 10 minutes while iPod nano is charging. You're using USB instead of FireWire If you use USB instead of FireWire to connect, it won't appear in iTunes unless you update to Mac OS X 10.3.4 or later. If you can't update your software, then use FireWire instead. Note: iPod shuffle and iPod nano are compatible with USB only. With any model of iPod (except for iPod shuffle), if you connect it to a low-powered USB port (such as one on your keyboard or bus-powered USB hub), the following alert may appear: If you click OK, your iPod won't appear. Make sure that you connect your iPod directly to one of the computer's USB ports or to a powered (as in connected to an electrical outlet) USB hub. Your Mac is sleeping Your Mac must be awake to recognize iPod. Be sure that you wake the computer before connecting your iPod. Your Mac doesn't meet iPod system requirements Make sure that your Mac meets the iPod system requirements. Third-party FireWire and USB cards and PC cards may not work and are not supported by Apple. You're missing some system sof