Does anyone here own an iPod?

[MAXIMUS]

Hi all, wasnt sure whether to put this under the entertainment forum or the cafe but i guess it can be applied to both.

Does any1 here own an iPod? Im really interested in buying one because it can hold so many files and does all the major fuctions a Palm pilot does (alarm clock, contacts, txt reader) and it just seems so cool that it can hold computer files. Im looking to buy either the 15GB or 20GB one but mainly the 15 because its more space then 10 and less expensive then the 20giga byte one. Just wanna know if it's worth it and whether I should spend this much money on something. It does seem to be worth it but Id like to get some more user feedback before I rush into it.

 

[sandwichman]

His name is Pickles. He's a 15 gig I got this year, and it has been one of my favortie things to fiddle with so far, ever. But if you have a Windows, make sure it has a Firewire port, or you can't update it. It's so very worth it, except for one thing. When I turn off Pickles, the clock stops until I turn him back on. So, yeah.

 

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Short version: Yes, you should buy an iPod.

(Full disclosure: I am an Apple stockholder, so my answer is not entirely unbiased. However, I own stock because I believe in the company, not the other way around. I was a longtime customer long before I was a shareholder.)

Longer version. I got one of the original 5GB iPods, and thought it was the coolest gadget anywhere ever. I was sitting out the MP3 revolution up until the iPod, mostly opting for lugging CDs everywhere instead. The iPod and iTunes got me into digital music in the first place. They're also real handy for carrying around files and making quickie backups when you need -- I backed up my iBook using an iPod this morning before installing the latest OS X.

I got my wife one of the 15GB ones earlier this year. I think they messed up some of the ergonomics compared to the old ones, but the complete absence of moving parts (other than the "hold" switch) makes them definitely less susceptible to dust or dirt than my old iPod was. And, of course, they're a whole lot bigger.

Apple got everything right about these other than the price (which, I think, ought to drop at least $25 and probably $50), but if you can afford one you are really getting the best MP3 player on the market today. If you have a Mac, don't even bother looking at anything else.

Other thing to consider is that song sales on the iTunes Music Store are only compatible with iPods. At this moment, though, the iTMS is clobbering all the other legit downloadable music services, and I suspect their business plan means they're going to outlast all the other newcomers, too. If you buy digital music already, you may need to look beyond the iPod out of necessity.

(Edit: sandwichman's statement about FireWire is not true any more because the new iPods are compatible with both USB 2.0 and FireWire.)

-- Ed/Ace

 

[Ben]

Or you could just get an WMA to MP3 converter for like what, twenty bucks.

 

[sl4]

The problem with the iPod is that you're limited to CDs you own and The iTunes Music Store.

The iPod does not support Windows Media Audio files, which all legal music download stores except for The iTunes Music Store use. (The iTunes Music Store uses AAC files with digital rights management.) And the iPod does not, and likely will never, support WMA files.

There are problems related to this. The iPod is the only portable that can play AAC files with FairPlay DRM. (There are other portables that can play AAC files, but not the ones with Apple's DRM.) This means that all the music you (legally) download has to come from The iTunes Music Store and every portable music player you buy in the future has to come from Apple. (Unless you want to buy all your music again in WMA format from another music download store.) No taking advantage of price wars or exclusive tracks from the new, legal Napster for you.

....umm, no. You're not limited to CDs you own and the iTunes Music Store. You can, you know, use mp3s...

And seriously, who's smart idea was it to use WMA files for music anyway? <_<

Anyway, I've got one of the original 5gb iPods and I wuv it.

 

[Dee]

I dunno. I see everyone at school with them but I get along just fine with cds.

The cost could stand to go down, and they'd have to prove themselves to be a long-lasting item in the music world. Im not going to spend a ton of money on a fad that just fades away.

 

[Julie]

They cost way too much. Even if I wanted one, there'd be no way that I'd actually -get- it. :/ Bah. It was hard enough to get that PS2..

 

[MAXIMUS]

Few more questions:

1) Can u pause the MP3's?
2) How is the Volume level?
3) Is there a Random button where it just randomly plays ur mp3s?
4) Can u fast forward and rewind the mp3s?

My friend says I should just get a palm pilot or a Pda but I think the iPod is better because it does the basic palm fucntions like contacts, and has a much bigger storage space then a palm pilot can hold which is only about 256mb. Still not sure, I heard a new model was on the way so maybe ill wait a few more days .

Thnx for all the feedback though I really appreciate it and keep it comin!

 

[sandwichman]

1) Can u pause the MP3's?
2) How is the Volume level?
3) Is there a Random button where it just randomly plays ur mp3s?
4) Can u fast forward and rewind the mp3s?

1) Yes. The play button also pauses.
2) Pretty loud with the head phones they give you. One time I was in a hotel with my friend and he turned it on full volume. Then he hid in the bathroom and clogged the bottom of the door with towels. With the iPod on the other side of the room, he could hear it clearly.
3) No. But I only listen to about 20 songs for a week or so, then I add more and get addicted to those. So, no big loss for me.
4) Yes, just hold down the "next" and "previous" buttons. Or you can tap the thingy in the middle and scroll through the song.

 

[SlyBoy]

I've meaning to get an iPod for a while. I need to replace my old Rio 600.

 

[RZetlin]

I think you should wait getting an iPod until Apple solves the battery issues.

 

[Caffeine King]

Nope, don't got one.

And just like Delia I get along fine with CDs, or fine other ways to get my music, which I don't feel like sharing.

 

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

( Is there a shuffle mode? )
3) No. But I only listen to about 20 songs for a week or so, then I add more and get addicted to those. So, no big loss for me.

That was true of older iPods, but the newer ones do have a shuffle mode. Check out the Apple TechSpecs page under "Customizable Settings" (or just search for "shuffle" once you load the page).

I think you should wait getting an iPod until Apple solves the battery issues.[/url]

I've heard anecdotes of problematic Apple iPod batteries, but neither of the 2 iPods I have seem to have battery issues, nor do the iPods of any of the people I know (brother, guy I went to high school with, and ex-college roommate) have problems, either. The number of people who don't have problems with an iPod battery far outweigh the number who do -- it's just that the ones who do will tend to be heard more.

In any event, if you need to replace your iPod battery, Apple will do it for $99 (scroll down to the "iPod Service Request" section, way down at the bottom of the page). If you're feeling adventurous, you can buy a new iPod battery and install it yourself for $49.

-- Ed/Ace

 

[RZetlin]

That article is nearly a year old.

Watch this then.

Here's more info.

 

[TylerL]

Watch this then.

...you mean the site that was launched the day AFTER the $99 battery replacement program?
It would've been a good "wake up, Apple" video if it came out a few months ago.
That's just as out-of-date and inaccurate now as the other article.

 

[MAXIMUS]

so apple has a $99 replacement and not a $255? cuz i live in canada and thats way more here. Or is it just IF the battery dies? What I mean is, is it a for sure thing that the battery will die after a certain set amount of time?

 

[TylerL]

so apple has a $99 replacement and not a $255? cuz i live in canada and thats way more here. Or is it just IF the battery dies? What I mean is, is it a for sure thing that the battery will die after a certain set amount of time?

Some people's batteries have died after a year and a half.
Most people's batteries are working fine.

I'm thinking something like, 9:1 are working fine.
Still, 10% is a lot, and that's why there's a replacement program instead of the crazy $255 "repair" (replace).

 

[pabcool]

They cost too much. Anyway, CD's are more bang for your buck and allow you to discover new things, plus I just bought a CD Player so getting an IPod would be kind of stupid right now.

 

[MAXIMUS]

I used to think CD's were way better then mp3 players because u could fit more on a CD, but now that i have like 100 cd's its just more hassel to carry them around and have to find and switch em. IF its all in one directory in the ipod its way easier.IMO

 

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

so apple has a $99 replacement and not a $255? cuz i live in canada and thats way more here. Or is it just IF the battery dies? What I mean is, is it a for sure thing that the battery will die after a certain set amount of time?

All batteries die eventually. I've had my 5GB iPod for 2 years now and have no problems with it in regular use (as in 3-5 hours a day 5 days a week for months). Other batteries have worn out sooner and some have died prematurely, but it seems to be a luck-of-the-draw kind of thing rather than a design flaw. However, it is a $99 (US) to replace just the battery from Apple, or $49 if you want to install it yourself. The $255 is if your iPod breaks (cracked screen, dead hard drive, "just stopped working") and you want to replace it with a refurbished unit.

Some day, your battery in your iPod will die. By that time, you may have already upgraded your iPod. I think the lack of support for other pay-for-download music services is a bigger deal than trouble with the battery (and I think all the other services are on the way to Dotcomrunouttamoneyville).

If you buy one and the battery dies or fails to charge during its warranty period (90 days of phone service and 1 year hardware), Apple will repair or replace for free. If you're outside the warranty period, you can buy AppleCare for your iPod for $59, which gets you another year of coverage for your hardware.

-- Ed/Ace