Help me buy the I-Pod

[idgiehkt]

I've been sitting on the money for this I-Pod for three weeks. I am having a really hard time justifying this purchase, just because it's almost impossible for me to spend this amount of money on something 'frivolous', even though it is mostly for work because it would really help me pound out the hours. What kind of I-Pods or MP-3 players do you folks have? Which is the best? Talk them up, I need encouragement. I told myself I would finally break down and do it today but my feet feel like they have lead weights attached to them. I like that red one, or I like the idea of the contribution to AIDS charities but I really don't like the color red too much...I don't suppose it comes in another color? Does anyone here have a video one?

[taterguy]

1. I have a 20 gig Rio Karma

My incredibly smart and tech savvy wife bought it for me so I'm sure she did good research. It's user friendly and I can't imagine living without it. I take it to work every day and it's great to go out of town and not have to leave my music collection behind.

We also have a Zen something or other that we won that I haven't used much.

[idgiehkt]

4. cool

This is actually one of the first jobs I've had where I can actually use one. Thanks. :hi:

Lol, I wish I was 'tech-savvy'.

[Bassic]

2. The iPod is the be all end all of mp3 players.

Kick ass sound quality, kick as video quality, it just doesen't get any better :D

[LynneSin]

3. Here's some questions to ask yourself

It really gets down to these questions:

How many songs do you want to upload. For the standard 1gig player - you can upload about 250 four minute songs. I actually have a 1gig player which I use for the gym because it's very small in size, but for my collection of 5000+ songs I have my Sony 20g

Do you need video? Video seems to be a costly function for these MP3 players. Sure, it's neat going around saying "My player has video" but really - what are you going to do with it.

Will you be downloading pod-casts - if you are, you'll definately be needing more space than a 1gig.

Personally I think IPods are very overpriced. Sure, it's good quality stuff but you're paying a premium to say you have an Ipod. I've only had Sonys and I have had no problems with my players. I've also heard go things about Sansa and a few of the other brands.

[idgiehkt]

5. What I care about is the quality of the sound

I don't really need video or to download podcasts. Does the Sony sound as good as the I-pod? I just don't want a really tinny sound.

[LynneSin]

6. I had to buy new headsets but yeah, the sound quality is great

And RIO was the other name I couldn't think of with quality players.

Oh, the old headsets weren't that bad, I just preferred the quality with the newer set

And you'd be suprised at how quickly the space goes.

I really thought that I'd be ok with just 695 songs on my 1 gig Sony (Sony has Altrac3 compression which allows you to fit more on the player provided that you crunch everything to the right size.) but ultimately I found that I like the idea of having my entire CD collection (and then some) on one player

[REP]

41. I Have a Shure Noise-Cancelling In-Ear Headset

I can't use the Apple headset so I have no idea if it sounds good or not (my ears are too small), but I LOVE my Shures. Not cheap, but excellent sound reproduction.

[Omphaloskepsis]

38. Sony is so bad. They use Adaptive TRansform Acoustic Coding.

Avoid this. Sony has kinda bailed on ATRAC.. But you still might get fuckered into using a player that uses it.

[huskerlaw]

7. I bought a 30 GB black video iPod yesterday

at Costco.

I'm completely in love with it. It's replacing a 3 year old 20 GB non-video iPod, which I also loved until it met an untimely death on Thursday.

Since you're talking colors, I assume you're looking at a Nano. Honestly, I don't understand the point of those. You pay either $200 for 4 GB or $249 for 8 GB. Meanwhile, if you get the video iPod, you have more options and $249 gets you 30GB. So apart from the size, why pay the same and get less features and far less GB? Seems rather stupid. Especially since the 30GB iPod isn't exactly huge.

As for colors, the Nanos come in silver, green, blue, pink, black and red. The red is the only one that would also donate money to AIDS research. The video iPods come in white and black. I had white, changed to black...both are fine, it's just a color preference.

Good luck!

Edit: oy, grammar

[NYCGirl]

23. I prefer the Nano to the regular iPods at the gym because the Nanos use flash

memory instead of a hard drive, which means they can take a lot more punishment (just in case you're prone to drop it).

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

8. If you get an Ipod please get a covering and PROTECT YOUR LCD Screen.

The screen on my 30 GB video Ipod cracked on the inside. I went here to get it fixed.

http://www.fastmac.com

[Patiod]

9. My S.O. loves his iPod Shuffle

The tiny little one that clips to your gym clothes. He has filled it with "workout music" and uses it almost every day. Loves it, and it's not even full.

He got one of the video ones for Christmas, and he hasn't put a thing on it yet. I think he's intimidated by it.

Good call asking for advice here --- posters who pointed out Apple's ease of use and reasonable repair policies convinced me to get him the Shuffle (that and finding out his sister was getting him the video one)

[AlCzervik]

10. Ipod

but i'm biased as my husband works for apple. The nano comes in about 5 or 6 colors but whatever you end up getting you should also by a case or and iskin which you can get at lots of places, bestbuy, Fryes and Claire's.

[Strawman]

11. Ipod is kind of like the AOL of MP3 players

That's sort of an odd way to begin an argument for buying one, since AOL is a ripoff, but I think it's true.

There are probably other mp3 players where you get more bang for your buck, but the Ipod is easy and ubiquitous and I think that matters more to me in buying music than the online services AOL offers.

Itunes is missing some cool music, but it does have alot of stuff and it is easy to use with the Ipod.

If you want something that is easy to use, where you can easily play .mp3's or Itunes music files without any conversion, go with the Ipod.

If you're mostly gonna just rip your old cd's onto a portable player, maybe another brand mp3 player will be a better value.

I have an Ipod and I like it. I have one that just plays music and holds 20GB. The red is nice, my wife has one, but you get alot less storage space for the "slimness" of it. Too much for the lightness, IMO. It's almost too thin. I don't like the way it fits in our Ipod dock.

From my sense of your music appreciation based on your lounge posts, I think you could probably fill something larger than a 4GB Ipod Red with music pretty quickly.

[Atman]

27. That is the most ridiculous comparison I've ever heard.

I know you're in support of buying an iPod, but iPods are ubiquitous because they work. Nothing comes close in form or function. AOL became ubiquitous through sheer marketing muscle. No one saw AOL and drooled and said "I just gotta have it." They either didn't know any better, or finally broke down after the 10,000th cd arrived in the mail. Then they were stuck with 'em. The iPod allows you to put any kind of music on it you want, from any source, as you know. I don't get all the people who think iPods somehow tether you to Apple.

.

[idgiehkt]

12. thanks for all the info so far

it's given me an excuse to put off the purchase for another day, lol. Lots to take in. :crazy:

[crispini]

13. Put your purchase off for another four months, save up,

and buy the iPhone with iPod included, hahaha! Have you seen this thing? Omg Sexxxxxy out the max. I am just drooling to have it. Go check Apple's website. I totally don't need it, since I have a Nano and a Razr, but I am completely consumed by gadget lust just at the videos of this thing.

[misanthrope]

18. iPhone looks incredible however...

...if it's anything like the iPod, you would be best served to wait for a second or third generation to buy.

[crispini]

25. That's what I've heard about the iPods.

But I don't think I'm going to be able to resist this one. I am very rarely an early adopter -- for the reason you mention, and a very good one it is too -- but if it's half as good as the demo, I will be buying this phone. Maybe my longing to play with it will diminish when I've seen the real thing, but right now I'm simply drooling in anticipation. The gadget, if real, looks cool beyond belief! :bounce: :D

[misanthrope]

26. True enough about the appeal...

...I thought it was incredible from the moment Steve Jobs unveiled it. It's hard to resist.

However, this voice cropped up in my head that reminded me of the difference in iPod after a couple of generations. Within a matter of years, it became more powerful many times over whille retaining its facile interface and streamlined efficiency.

Also, the price plummeted as the product improved.

I suspect the same will happen with iPhone.

[Shakespeare]

14. I'm not an Apple person, but I'd have my iPod surgically implanted if possible.

Another DUer recently said he'd stomp on puppies to keep his, and now that I have one, I kinda know how he feels.

I have a 2GB Nano, and I'm about to spring for a bigger one (it holds a lot of music, but not as much as I want to put on it). I'll probably keep the 2GB for just classical music.

It's an elegant device with very simple interface. And if iTunes doesn't have music you're looking for, there are other (very, very easy) ways to download what you want and move it over to your iTunes playlist.

Go for it; I don't think you'll regret it.

[grace0418]

15. I bought the 80 gig video iPod just after Thanksgiving. LOVE it.

I didn't think I was going to love it as much as I do but it's fantastic. I just finished converting my entire cd collection to mp3 and started making a bunch of playlists. It makes my workday go by so much faster. I started downloading some free podcasts for learning Italian so I hope to use my iPod in a number of ways. I'm going to store some photos on there too.

[TommyO]

16. I have a 20Gb 3rd-generation iPod and love it

Having over 4500 songs available at any time truly did change the way I listen to music and allowed me to rediscover a lot of music that I've forgotten about. Of course, now my iTunes library is larger than even the current 30Gb iPod will store, so I'm considering an 80Gb one soon.

[misanthrope]

17. One of the best technology buys I've ever made...

...Don't know if music has always been as big a part of your life as it is for me, but I think the iPod is one of the most impactful innovations of the last 30 years.

Very user-friendly interface, compact, good quality.

If you love music, you won't ever regret the purchase.

[bif]

19. 40 gig iPod--JUST DO IT! YOU'LL LOVE IT!

It's usually plugged into my stereo. Way easier to find a recording than dig through my collection of several thousand CDs.

[Rob H.]

20. I bought an 80GB iPod last month and love it

I also have a 1GB shuffle (the original, larger one that's about the size of a pack of chewing gum) and a 1st-gen, 4GB nano.

If I were just starting out and wanted a nano, I'd go for the 8GB because even though it might seem like more than you need at first, if you have a decent-sized music collection you'll wind up filling it pretty quickly. That said, the 30GB iPod with video is the same price as the 8GB nano so it's more bang for the same bucks.

Whichever one you get, I'd recommend getting a case for it that protects the screen. Good luck and have fun! :)


Edit: 30GB, not 20GB

[Pied Piper]

28. I bought the 80G video iPod (black) last fall

I'm an Apple fanboy, so it was only a matter of time. In addition to my entire CD collection, I also have my complete contact lists (sync with Address Book), calendar (sync with iCal), a copy of my complete digital photo collection, several music videos, a few podcasts, and all of the iPod games (some are better than others, but they're only $5 apiece). I also have the complete series of "Arrested Development" - each episode is about 22 minutes, perfect for my daily commute.

I'm an IT guy, and my entire IT reference library is in the Notes section, so I can refer to it if I am called to a user's workstation. I also have hot-linked copies of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. I don't remember where I found them online, but find out if you're interested.

A very wise and fun investment!

[Phillycat]

21. 80 gb black video iPod

My advice is: buy the biggest one you can afford, because you are always going to want more space. Mine is full. Dammit. :D

[derby378]

22. If video isn't that important to you, consider a gently-used 6 gig iPod Mini

That way, you can spend the rest of the cash on cool accessories for it. Plus, iPod Minis are fairly durable.

[REP]

40. Good Luck Finding Mini Accessories

I have a Mini which I adore, and it's getting harder and harder to find the accessories for it. I'm trying to find a Griffin Tune Juice to replace the one I ripped the lead off the battery connector, and it looks like I'm just going to have to solder it back instead of buying a new one. Fortunately, I was just given an 8G Nano for Valentine's Day, so my waning Mini battery issue isn't so much an issue anymore!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

24. I have two of these things

because of christmas collisions.

The ipod holds tons of stuff, iTunes is a breeze. I've got all my CD's on it, and a few books-on-CD from the library, and maybe twenty converted vinyl albums (slow job importing those).

The iRiver is small, only holds 1/2 gig, so I have to selectively load that one. But, it's solid-state, so it can take a jolt or two at the gym, and it has FM stereo.

Protection:

I wrap a rubber band around the iRiver, just for the friction, to keep it from slipping out of my shirt pocket. There are more secure ways to carry it, but this is simple and I'm lazy.

For the ipod - major bump protection and shirt-pocket friction: http://ilounge.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=14679399/search=ipod+cases


If I could only keep one of these things, I'd keep the ipod.

[idgiehkt]

29. What about moving music from real player to I-Pod

Has anyone done that? Because I have about 200 songs on there that will be the first things to go on the I-Pod, and those are just my favorite songs. It looks like it shouldn't be a problem from what I have seen, but does anyone have direct experience with this?

[Atman]

35. Shouldn't be a problem

I also have an old Rio 500, which I loved...until I got an iPod. Anyway, the Rio just mounts on the desktop like a hard drive. Drag and drop music onto it. Which mean, you can drag music OFF it, too. I don't know if others work the same way, but you should be okay.

.

[Arugula Latte]

30. I was given an iPod nano as a gift.

Man, my life changed. Seriously. As other posters have said, "I didn't think I'd love it so much."

[LibraLiz1973]

31. iPod. All the way.

I'm not an apple person- I am actually a total sony freak. Vaios, Cameras, Stereos, TV's. I had 2 Sony MP3 players that were really nice, sound quality was great. But neither was an iPod.

To put it simply, I love my iPod as if it was a member of the family.

The thing is BEAUTIFUL. I absolutely adore it. I have the 80gig video. The sound quality is amazing. The video quality is amazing. I've watched entire movies on mine & I've been blown away by the screen and the color. I love that you can also put pictures on it. Playlists are tons of fun too!

The one thing that you must must must have with an iPod is a case. Protect that screen like it is a newborn infants head.
I have a hard clear plastic case that goes over it & has a clip on the back to be clipped onto my work out pants.

I also spent $100 and bought the iHome alarm clock. I love being able to wake up to my iPod. I just shuffle the songs every night and wake up to a mystery song in the morning.


The iPod is the best. The iPhone I am not so much interested in- I prefer a flip phone. The iPhone looks like something that would get scratched immediately and that would drive me nuts.

[Scout1071]

32. I just got my first one for Xmas. 8GB Nano.....I LOVE IT.

Don't hesitate. I got the 8GB red Nano you are talking about and I love the red. I use it all the time. I've noticed that I work out longer too. The music just pumps you up.

Go for it. You won't regret it.

Edited to note two things:

1) I did not read all of the comments before posting a reply to the OP. I now look back and laugh at how many people said they lterally "love it" in their title line. I couldn't agree more. I do, actually, love it.

2) My experience has been so good that I am now considering investing in a larger video iPod. I certainly want to keep my Nano for music - it holds more than 2,000 songs. I have downloaded a ton of cd's and still have 4.5GB's left. It's just that I kind of want a larger iPod for video, books, photos, etc. The folks at the Apple Store told me the Nano was better for working out, etc, because the iPod has an actual hard drive that can be jarred easier.

[achtung_circus]

33. I love my Nano and the best accessory is

this little item

[conscious evolution]

34. You will never worry about getting new batteries for Ipod

It has built in rechargable battery that charges whenever you place it in the docking port.

That,if for no other reason,makes Ipod the greatest in my opinion.I always hated having to get new batteries every other day with walkmans and other old school portable music players.With Ipod battery replacement is a thing of the past.
It even lasts longer on a full charge than conventional battery powered players.I get around 18 hours of play time as opposed to maybe 8,if I'm lucky,with the old type.
That and the fact that you can cram so much music on Ipods makes them a worthwhile purchase.
The only dislike I have is,having an old computer,Itunes can be a bit of a pain in the ass to use.But that is my computers fault,not Itunes.

[Lyric]

36. I got ThinkBlue1966 a 2GB Silver Nano

Only cost about $140, and holds hundreds of songs--more than enough for her to keep herself occupied during her breaks between classes at the university. I got it at Amazon.com.

[Omphaloskepsis]

37. A pick of my shuffle and pocket change.

Not bad for 79$.

[REP]

39. I Have 3 iPods and 1 Shuffle

I have a red 8G Nano (Valentine's Day Gift '07), a pink 5th gen 6G Mini (Valentine's Gift '05) and a 1st gen Original iPod. I also have a 2nd gen Shuffle. They all work great, although the 1st gen iPod really could use a new battery.


The (product) that are attached to AIDS charities are red, so if you want to donate that way, you're stuck with red. If you want to send a donation and get another color, the other colors are really excellent, too (I'm partial to the blue and pink). If you want to avoid the whole color thing, go with the video models, which come in black or white and have ginormous drives on them.

Whichever iPod you pick, you will be very happy. My Mom finally got one ... can't pry it off her!