Ipod Impressions
 

Hi All.

I'm going to buy an IPOD.

Some Impressions ?

Is it a good item ?

Thanks

I use a 20GB ipod on the road for two different reasons...

1) I like my music

2) I use it as a external firewire drive beofre my trip. I load it up with all the files I'll need on my trip and then use it as an external drive with my Powerbook.

Not sure if it will double as a hard drive if you get the Windows version.

My impression? It is invaluable to me.

My opinion:

Poor battery life (even on the newest generation).

Poor software support, quite frankly I find itunes to be a major PITA

Expensive accessories

Expensive purchase price of the device.

The ipod is overrated, I had an ipod in the week it was introduced (paid $600 for the original 5Gb). Personally I'd pick one of the other HD players out there, like the Dell or the Iriver.

I have an iRiver iHp-140. 40Gb, cheaper than the iPod of the same size, better functionality (radio, Ogg and WMA support etc), almost double the battery life and it does the whole external HD thing like the iPod doesn't do on Windows. It's slightly bulkier, but for me that's fine. On balance though, friends and colleagues love their iPods and I love my iRiver so everyone is happy :)

^ ^

And don't forget the included LCD backlit remote control!

The more I've been reading about the iRiver 20gb, the more tempting it looks. Maybe I should trade someone my iPod for one...

Has anyone found a website that does a good comparison between both devices?

I've had one of the newer iPods for about two weeks now (the 20GB version). I love being able to listen to whatever I want whenever I want. The device is pretty slick from a design perspective and very functional. I do find the battery life to be somewhat lacking though.

Contrary to what another poster indicated, I feel that iTunes does a pretty good job of organizing the music I've got.

The iTMS is also a fantastic spot. I'll probably never buy another CD again.

I think www.misticriver.net might help a lot.

Wow. I also picked up one of the 5GB original's as soon as it hit Swiss shores (metaphorically of course, America's Cup not withstanding). I only paid ~650 CHF. That would have translated into 400 to 500 USD (I guess I could go back and confirm the exchange rate on the date of introduction on www.oanda.com, but nah). Why did you get nailed for such a premium?

As to the OP's question. I'd say go for it unless you are into technical hobbies. I do audio restoration for a hobby and have worked in and dealt with audio gear at some level for 30+ years as both a vocation and avocation. Apple's standard apps are not blemish free but more than good enough independent of the host platform.

Plus, if there is any doubt, check out the iRiver and iPod side-by-side and let your gut reaction be your guide.

Lets just say there was an Apple dealer with 2 of them, and a gadget freak that really really wanted an ipod in it's first week.

Add the 2 together and you've got a prime opputunity for a dealer to screw you :D

I love my iPod. The battery is lame, but if I figure if I have to keep it running for more than 6+ hours, then I need sedatives.

A Matter Of Personal Preference
 

I can't say that I've made a side-by-side comparison between the iPod and other MP3 players, nor have I even tried out another HD-based player to compare audio quality differences, but working on my second iPod in as many years, I have to say that I join the millions of converts to the cult, without reservations.

If you enjoy listening to music, then this is the toy for you. Being able to have every single CD in your collection with you at all times is really something extraordinary. Whenever I used to travel with my CD player and some subset of my music collection, I'd invariably wind up wishing that I had brought some other CDs. Now, no matter what I feel like listening to, I can switch very easily.

It's true that battery life is still a challenge, but I and many others believe that they've made a reasonable compromise, espeically with the latest models. Moreover, if you're using it mostly for travel, and you're going to be either on an airplane or in a car, there are simple accessories that you can buy that will enable you to run the iPod off an external power source, thereby eliminating battery life as an issue in those situations.

I also have downloaded a number of audiobooks from Audible.com and I've also got my contacts sychronized with my Outlook so that it acts as a backup to my Palm and cell, in case either one or the other dies on me.

As far as software, I do not use iTunes or MusicMatch. I use third-party programs and have not found them to cause me any problems. There are also a wealth of resources and add-ons available for the iPod, due to its popularity.

Go to iPodLounge or any one of dozens of iPod-dedicated sites (essentially, the iPod equivalent of FT) and read the posts from these users. Anything that elicits this level of passion and devotion from its owners can't be a hunk of junk.

:eek:

Arrrrgh!! The URL above opens up five different pop-up windows and ads and asks if you want to install GAIN/GATOR. :mad:

I believe the correct URL is http://www.misticriver.net/ :D

Oops... sorry about that...

I agree. I use iTunes for Windows, and have had no problems. I don't need all the wiz-kid features of other software packages.

The iPod is flawless in design and use. The battery has lasted for 5 hour flights. If you need longer, they do have power adapters and even an external battery pack you can get. Worth every penny. Why get something "almost right" for $50 less, etc.? Treat yourself. In sum, it's been one of three or four electronic items I can say that have lived up to the hype.