IPod touch play count dosnt work

Question

ok my ipod touch doesnt update play counts. like i play though any song all the way throughand plug it in to the computer and it says is hasnt played at all. but when plugged in to the computer the play count works fine. any suggestions on how to get play count working on ipod too???

Answer 1

Play count is a sort of metadata that doesn't have a direct display implementation on the iPod (well it isn't data that is actually saved to the file, but instead stored as a preference in the library database ). It's there, you just can't see it! The exception is if you use smart playlists (see my comment below), where you can use logic to sort tracks by play count into distinct playlists.
With your iPod connected to your computer, playing in iTunes, you can choose to display play count in your track listing. Select View > View Options…, then check the Play Count checkbox.
You can build smart playlists based upon play count and last played, which is a very powerful and handy feature for those who prefer to manually manage their iPod content, allowing you to create dynamic playlists that propagate based on your listening preferences (such as "play only tracks I haven't heard in a while" or "play only newly added tracks I haven't heard yet"). Create a smart playlist in iTunes by holding down the option key and clicking on the create playlist button. This is the solution for new iPod users who complain that their iPod playing in shuffle mode keeps playing the same tracks.
The main problem is that iPod touch does not always properly keep track of play count, something that iPod classic excels at. It's like using a calculator that has an inconsistent math error -- how can you trust it?