Wait on Vista upgrade, Apple says

Apple has released a small repair tool that solves one compatibility issue between its jukebox software iTunes and Microsoft's new operating system Windows Vista, but says PC users are better off waiting for the next version of iTunes before upgrading to Vista.

The latest version of iTunes, 7.02, may work with Vista on many typical PCs, but Apple knows of a few incompatibility problems, including some that are serious.

For instance, users who remove their iPod from their computer using the "safely remove hardware" feature in Vista may corrupt the contents of their iPod, Apple said. In addition, users may not be able to make changes to their iPod settings, synch contacts and calendars with the iPod, or play songs they've bought online from the iTunes Store.

An Apple support document on its Web site offers a couple of tips for customers who do decide to upgrade to Vista before the new iTunes release, including reinstalling the latest version of iTunes. Apple is also now offering the repair tool which should help customers who are having trouble playing songs they've bought from the iTunes Store.

Still, Apple recommends that customers wait until a new release of iTunes becomes available in a couple of weeks before upgrading to Vista.

Microsoft, which launched the long-awaited operating system last week, recommends just the opposite.

"We're committed to ensuring that all partners, including Apple, get all of the resources they need to ensure that their applications work with Windows Vista. Customers shouldn't feel that they need to wait to adopt Vista for these reasons," Microsoft said in a statement.

Microsoft offers software partners a variety of resources to ensure that their products will be compatible with Vista, it said.