iPod/iTunes Users Thread

[Ken Pachkowsky]

Could someone send me in the right direction as I don't know a damned thing about these?

Thanks
Ken

[speakerdave]

Go to the Apple site and read. Don't buy an imitation. Bought one for our younger son last year. Order early.

David

[sfellini]

This is probably what you want...

http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/

[Titanium Dome]

I own a lot of Apple gear and have frequently bought refurbs. Original packaging and warranty applies. Look like brand new. Never had a single problem.

Of course, YMMV.

Scroll about halfway down the page linked below for the iPods. Look at the "Apple Certified Refurbished iPod with color display" models. They'll kick the iPon Nano's ass, but they're not as cute. However, they have bigger screens and much higher capacity, and they're priced better as refurbs..


http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL....3.1.1.0?90,50

[Titanium Dome]

BTW Ken, I remember you as a Windows guy, so if your son is too, he'll need to have iTunes installed on his computer. This is not a big deal, and lots of Windows machines have it pre-installed. The Compaq/HP laptop I bought my GF had it already.

It's a nice music management app, and it gives you lots of choices for ripping and encoding files. I've encoded my "audition tracks" in lossless and take the iPod around when checking out speakers and other gear.

I've got songs, photos, my calendar, contacts, audio books, and to do lists on mine. I took it to my GF's college graduation and uploaded photos into it and ran a sweet musical slide show off it at the reception. Major points, Bud, major points.

Someday I'll buy the video capable iPod that just came out so I can watch the Simpsons, Futurama, and Family Guy when Fox starts to sell them at the iTunes Store. Woo hoo!

[Ken Pachkowsky]

I appreciate the help guys.

Ken

[boputnam]

Hey, Ken...

I'd suggest a lookie at these: http://www1.archos.com/home.html?cul...try=us&lang=en

I've got the Gmini 200 - 20 Gbyte monster. Reads .wav, .mp3, etc. - no special formatting required. I pay Steve Jobs nuthin'...

Easy to load, works EXTREMELY well. Taken it to South Africa, Russia, Japan, anywhere. Fits inside the Bose Quiet2 headphone case...

[porschedpm]

'Son Wants an Ipod for Christmas'

Hi, Ken. It sounds like your son asked specifically for an iPod. I'm afraid if your son is like mine, nothing but the iPod will do. If however he asked for an MP3 player, not specifically an iPod, there are several to choose from that have features as good and sometimes better than the iPod. But the last I heard the iPod holds about 80% of the MP3 player market. So the iPod is the player most buyers are choosing. Regardless of which player you go with you may first want to determine how much music your son has. If he has 100's of CD's the he may want a 20 or 30GB player. If he has 50 or so CD's then maybe a 4 or 5GB player will do. You should also consider how discriminating a listener he is. I'd say most people store music on their players at 128Kbps. But at that bit rate, a discriminating listener can hear the difference the CD and the MP3. Songs stored at 256 become harder to tell the difference but use twice as much disc space. Apple Lossless is supposed to be indiscernable from the CD but uses 4 to 5 storage space. Think of the old reel-to-reels. Albums recorded at 3-3/4ips were close to the original album but not quite identical. 7-1/2ips got you close and good enough for most listening. And 15ips got you so close most couldn't tell the difference between the tape and the album. I have a 40GB iPod that I have stored all songs at Apple Lossless and have a little over 1000 songs on it. I can't hear a difference. If you're looking at iPods here's the iPod line up:

iPod Shuffle........512kb........ $ 99....... holds 125 songs at 128kbps
iPod Shuffle...........1GB........ $ 129......holds 250 songs
iPod Nano..............2GB........ $ 199......holds 500 songs
iPod Nano..............4GB........ $ 249......holds 1000 songs
iPod....................30GB........ $ 299......holds 7500 songs
iPod....................60GB........ $ 399......holds 15000 songs

The 30GB and 60GB models now also have the capability to store video clips and pictures in addition to music. So lots of decisions for you to make. You may want to ask your son if it was specifically an iPod he wants and if so which model he had in mind. Hope this helps.

Ed

[Audiobeer]

porschedpm is right. I went through the same thing with my daughter. I bought her a great "Brand X" and she's had it for a year. She's graduating from college this December and took my wife aside and asked her specificaly for an Ipod. The kids all use it and the learning curve is low when all your frieinds have one. I know Bo and he's a guru when it comes to the Tech stuff as well as the other posters. This is one area where you will find that this is kind of a cult thing with the kids.

[Mr. Widget]

Hi, Ken. It sounds like your son asked specifically for an iPod. I'm afraid if your son is like mine, nothing but the iPod will do.

I am not a father, well at least as far as anyone has told me... but I do recall being a teenager and having the right brand of shoes, pants etc. meant everything... it isn't rational, but then I hear there is a group of old farts that have a ridiculous fascination with a certain brand of loudspeakers...


Widget

[chad]

.... but then I hear there is a group of old farts that have a ridiculous fascination with a certain brand of loudspeakers...


Widget

Pathetic.

[takenodisk]

Bear in mind that if battery life is done so does the whole thing and have to throw to the bin,wife owe's one and is happy with.

[Titanium Dome]

I bought a replacement battery off ebay for my original, first generation iPod. It was very easy to install and cost less than ten dollars.

So my original iPod is working fine after several years.

If anyone has an iPod with a dead battery and plans to throw it away, send it to me, and I will pay the shipping.

[takenodisk]

Hi titanium,i was talking about the brand new slim thing ,i would be glad to replace battery at this price but can't even find a hole for screwdriver,anyway i'll make a search see if there's any available on the net,that would save me from throwing it away(to you) .
I'm kidding Titan,thx for the useful info,regards .

I bought a replacement battery off ebay for my original, first generation iPod. It was very easy to install and cost less than ten dollars.

So my original iPod is working fine after several years.

If anyone has an iPod with a dead battery and plans to throw it away, send it to me, and I will pay the shipping.

[Titanium Dome]

We've had references to iPods in many threads, even Bo's poll (iPod Poll). Comments good and bad flowed back and forth. The point of this thread is to give actual iPod and iTunes users a place to exchange information, ideas, experiences, and tips.

If you want to take a shot at iPods, iTunes, or their users, please start a separate thread. Thank you.

Here's an interesting article from Stereophile about the iPod and the new iPod Hi-Fi.

http://www.stereophile.com/news/030606menace/

Today I bought my third iPod, a 512MB iPod Shuffle. I'll use this for the ol' treadmill, weight lifting, and aerobic work. I find the bulk of the other iPods to be distracting, and the screen is a nuisance in this application. The feather light, screenless iPod Shuffle should fill the bill nicely.

My iPod universe currently contains a 1G (5GB) iPod on loan to my GF, an iPod Photo (30GB), and the new iPod Shuffle. I have an iPod Dock for my main system, and an Airport Express on the main system to stream music from iTunes on my PowerBook to the FAP T1+, FAA1000.5 (two of them) and JBL Performance Series. At work, I've got the JBL Creature II hooked into my PowerBook for iTunes play, and an iPod Dock direct into the Carver, Soundcraftsmen, and JBL 4430/B360 system.

In the shop/garage I use the Griffin iTrip to broadcast to the three receivers there when running the various speakers, and on the road the iTrip does its duty there as well.