diff --git a/beets/device.py b/beets/device.py
index 73d98fe3f..efcf62b9b 100644
--- a/beets/device.py
+++ b/beets/device.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ FIELD_MAP = {
 class PodLibrary(BaseLibrary):
     def __init__(self, path):
         self.db = gpod.Database(path)
+        self.syncing = False
 
     @classmethod
     def by_name(cls, name):
@@ -28,41 +29,40 @@ class PodLibrary(BaseLibrary):
     def _start_sync(self):
         # Make sure we have a version of libgpod with these
         # iPhone-specific functions.
+        if self.syncing:
+            return
         if hasattr(gpod, 'itdb_start_sync'):
             gpod.itdb_start_sync(self.db._itdb)
+        self.syncing = True
 
     def _stop_sync(self):
+        if not self.syncing:
+            return
         if hasattr(gpod, 'itdb_stop_sync'):
             gpod.itdb_stop_sync(self.db._itdb)
+        self.syncing = False
     
-    def add_items(self, items):
+    def add(self, item):
         self._start_sync()
-        try:
-            for item in items:
-                track = self.db.new_Track()
-                track['userdata'] = {
-                    'transferred': 0,
-                    'hostname': socket.gethostname(),
-                    'charset': locale.getpreferredencoding(),
-                    'pc_mtime': os.stat(item.path).st_mtime,
-                }
-                track._set_userdata_utf8('filename', item.path.encode())
-                for dname, bname in FIELD_MAP.items():
-                    track[dname] = getattr(item, bname)
-                track['tracklen'] = int(item.length * 1000)
-            self.db.copy_delayed_files()
-        finally:
-            self.db.close()
-            self._stop_sync()
-
-    def add(self, path):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        track = self.db.new_Track()
+        track['userdata'] = {
+            'transferred': 0,
+            'hostname': socket.gethostname(),
+            'charset': locale.getpreferredencoding(),
+            'pc_mtime': os.stat(item.path).st_mtime,
+        }
+        track._set_userdata_utf8('filename', item.path.encode())
+        for dname, bname in FIELD_MAP.items():
+            track[dname] = getattr(item, bname)
+        track['tracklen'] = int(item.length * 1000)
+        self.db.copy_delayed_files()
 
     def get(self, query=None):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def save(self):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        self._stop_sync()
+        gpod.itdb_write(self.pod._itdb, None)
 
     # Browsing convenience.
     def artists(self, query=None):
diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index 5f59e4938..15d8882af 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -141,7 +141,18 @@ class Item(object):
         self.dirty = {}
         self._fill_record(values)
         self._clear_dirty()
-    
+        
+    @classmethod
+    def from_path(cls, path, library=None):
+        """Creates a new item from the media file at the specified path. Sets
+        the item's library (but does not add the item) if library is
+        specified.
+        """
+        i = cls({})
+        i.read(path)
+        i.library = library
+        return i
+
     def _fill_record(self, values):
         self.record = {}
         for key in item_keys:
@@ -156,8 +167,7 @@ class Item(object):
             self.dirty[key] = False
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return 'Item(' + repr(self.record) + \
-               ', library=' + repr(self.library) + ')'
+        return 'Item(' + repr(self.record) + ')'
 
 
     #### item field accessors ####
@@ -283,28 +293,7 @@ class Item(object):
             
         # Either copying or moving succeeded, so update the stored path.
         self.path = dest
-    
-    def delete(self):
-        """Deletes the item from the filesystem. If the item is located
-        in the library directory, any empty parent directories are trimmed.
-        Also calls remove(), deleting the appropriate row from the database.
-        
-        As with move(), library.save() should almost certainly be called after
-        invoking this (although store() should not).
-        """
-        os.unlink(self.path)
-        self.remove()
-    
-    @classmethod
-    def from_path(cls, path, library=None):
-        """Creates a new item from the media file at the specified path. Sets
-        the item's library (but does not add the item) if library is
-        specified.
-        """
-        i = cls({})
-        i.read(path)
-        i.library = library
-        return i
+
 
 
 
diff --git a/bts b/bts
index 8b94ca60f..2915c09c4 100755
--- a/bts
+++ b/bts
@@ -188,8 +188,11 @@ class BeetsApp(cmdln.Cmdln):
 
         from beets import device
         pod = device.PodLibrary.by_name(name)
-        pod.add_items(items)
+        for item in items:
+            pod.add(item)
+        pod.save()
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     app = BeetsApp()
     sys.exit(app.main())
+
diff --git a/test/test_files.py b/test/test_files.py
index 19df33b04..e40ad5166 100755
--- a/test/test_files.py
+++ b/test/test_files.py
@@ -71,30 +71,6 @@ class MoveTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.i.move()
         self.assertEqual(self.i.path, beets.library._normpath(self.dest))
 
-class DeleteTest(unittest.TestCase):
-    def setUp(self):
-        # make a temporary file
-        self.path = join('rsrc', 'temp.mp3')
-        shutil.copy(join('rsrc', 'full.mp3'), self.path)
-        
-        # add it to a temporary library
-        self.lib = beets.library.Library(':memory:')
-        self.i = beets.library.Item.from_path(self.path)
-        self.i.add(self.lib)
-    def tearDown(self):
-        # make sure the temp file is gone
-        if os.path.exists(self.path):
-            os.remove(self.path)
-    
-    def test_delete_deletes_file(self):
-        self.i.delete()
-        self.assertTrue(not os.path.exists(self.path))
-    
-    def test_delete_removes_from_db(self):
-        self.i.delete()
-        c = self.lib.conn.execute('select * from items where 1')
-        self.assertEqual(c.fetchone(), None)
-
 class WalkTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         # create a directory structure for testing