Buying my first I-Pod :unsure:

[twiley]

Although I despise Apple in general and Steve Jobs in particular, I can't help but agree with this. iTunes as a music program / organizer / repository is simply excellent.

+1

 

I was anti-Ipod for years and probably owned 6 different Mp3 players from various manufacturers. Some would become obsolete while others are still going. It's ridiculous how streamlined and versatile the ipod is compared to most everything else. It's all about UE and the Ipod/itunes IMO has performed better in this category.

[Cameltosis]

I own a 2nd Gen Zune, a newer iPod, and I've had a few Sansa/generic name MP3 players that show up as flash drives. To act like an iPod doesn't become "obsolete" is pretty far from reality. An iPod isn't expected to live for any longer than a regular MP3 player. In fact, apple typically waits until later generations to update it's products so the sheep will buy the 1st and 3rd generation iwhatever. So if you think your brand new nano will be the exact same in a few years, I'm sure they'll add a gyroscope to the new one in a few business cycles. Making your product obsolete. An MP3 player that installs as a flash drive really cannot become obsolete unless the whole USB interface goes away (which is unlikely). If you owned a Zune and then M$ comes out with a newer softare, you can upgrade it... for free (Apple doing that for free is a sign of the Apocalypse).

 

For someone that doesn't want to convert 100% of their music to an iTunes interface they've probably never used before, a Sansa/generic MP3 player is much easier to use. At the end of the day all it does is play music. You guys yammering about how truly great an iPod is have fell in love with the marketing more than anything. Although I thought I remember reading that Tim was a corvette guy, so he might be into that whole "my toy is shiny = I'm cool" thing.

 

Bottom line: Ease of use for a rookie, non computer savvy user = Sansa/Sony/any type of generic MP3 player that plays several formats and installs like a flash drive.

 

I have upgraded the software on my iPod several times without charge. I also dont get everyone saying that it is difficult to convert all of your music to iTunes. You just drag and drop. As long as they are MP3's it should not be a problem.

 

Get an iTouch. It will play music, surf the internet, and you can download your porn to it. case closed.

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Didn't you have a copy on your internal HD and back that up to your external?

 

Speaking of which, i need to finally pick up one of these external backup drives to backup a bunch of files on my PC which is getting older (mostly pictures) before it crashes. Any recommendations on brands or specific models. Sizewise I'd assume a 500GB or even 1TB model would be best? Not that I have THAT much data but would be nice to have lots of storage space. How reliable are these things? To be even safer, do I need 2, as redundant backup, or is that overkill?

[rajncajn]

OK, lets make it simple. What does the iPod do that any other mp3 player doesn't do to make it worth the extra money?

 

ETA: BTW, I just use the mp3 player on my Blackberry. Not sure what I'm missing out on...

Edited June 24, 2010 by rajncajn

[Ursa Majoris]

Speaking of which, i need to finally pick up one of these external backup drives to backup a bunch of files on my PC which is getting older (mostly pictures) before it crashes. Any recommendations on brands or specific models. Sizewise I'd assume a 500GB or even 1TB model would be best? Not that I have THAT much data but would be nice to have lots of storage space. How reliable are these things? To be even safer, do I need 2, as redundant backup, or is that overkill?

Seagate 1 TB external USB should work fine. I use Syncback, a free backup software, to nightly copy changed and new files from my Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders on my internal HD to the external device. Works great and means backups don't rely on me doing it manually. If you really want a third copy, just get another external drive and use the same methodology to back up to that too.

[twiley]

OK, lets make it simple. What does the iPod do that any other mp3 player doesn't do to make it worth the extra money?

 

ETA: BTW, I just use the mp3 player on my Blackberry. Not sure what I'm missing out on...

Can your blackberry hold over 15,000 songs, thousands of pictures, and currently 10 full feature movies? That's just my ipod classic.

 

As for my iphone, I can hold most of that except the movies due to battery drain and control my home audio entertainment system wirelessly from outside or anywhere in the house with wifi speakers. It also works in conjunction with many other apps I use as well.

 

Not bragging, just listing some capabilities.

[rajncajn]

Can your blackberry hold over 15,000 songs, thousands of pictures, and currently 10 full feature movies? That's just my ipod classic.

 

As for my iphone, I can hold most of that except the movies due to battery drain and control my home audio entertainment system wirelessly from outside or anywhere in the house with wifi speakers. It also works in conjunction with many other apps I use as well.

 

Not bragging, just listing some capabilities.

Ok, that's the iPod vs the Blackberry or the iPod vs any other player? I understand the storage space etc. Just don't get why it's so much greater to warrant the extra cost vs another player.

[Cameltosis]

Can your blackberry hold over 15,000 songs, thousands of pictures, and currently 10 full feature movies? That's just my ipod classic.

 

As for my iphone, I can hold most of that except the movies due to battery drain and control my home audio entertainment system wirelessly from outside or anywhere in the house with wifi speakers. It also works in conjunction with many other apps I use as well.

 

Not bragging, just listing some capabilities.

 

end game. I have the airport express conected to my home audio receiver and the remote ap, i am assuming that is what you are referring to. like twiley says, you have your whole library at your fingertips and it wirelessly controls what is playing on you stereo from anywhere in your local hot spot. simply awesome.

[twiley]

end game. I have the airport express conected to my home audio receiver and the remote ap, i am assuming that is what you are referring to. like twiley says, you have your whole library at your fingertips and it wirelessly controls what is playing on you stereo from anywhere in your local hot spot. simply awesome.

Yup, that's the app.

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Seagate 1 TB external USB should work fine. I use Syncback, a free backup software, to nightly copy changed and new files from my Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders on my internal HD to the external device. Works great and means backups don't rely on me doing it manually. If you really want a third copy, just get another external drive and use the same methodology to back up to that too.

 

Thanks

[loaf]

don't do seagate. Get the Western Digital 1 TB. It's raid and mirrored.http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=465

And Ursa, the laptop crashed from a virus so I had to wipe it clean and reinstall the OS. Lost it all because of that damn seagate

[Square]

I have upgraded the software on my iPod several times without charge. I also dont get everyone saying that it is difficult to convert all of your music to iTunes. You just drag and drop. As long as they are MP3's it should not be a problem.

Did a little googling because I know a few years back they always charged when they came out with a new OS upgrade on an iPod (at the minimum, it was typically poorly advertised and they just tried to get people to buy the new version). I've seen a few sites talk about upgrading firmware for free. Typically because a new version of iTunes needs to tweak your iPod so they play nice. But I can find ones a year or two old that talk about paying a fee just to upgrade the software on a device you already paid them for. I also remember if you bought an original zune and then wanted the newer version of interface when they came out with the 2nd Gen, they would let you upgrade the OS for free. At the time Apple never allowed you to do that sort of thing for free. I know Apple wants to stay on top so they've probably adopted some things from their competitors (like the FM transmitter is now standard but wasn't for a long time).

 

I'm not saying iTunes is terrible but you are locked into iTunes once you go iPod. I know some of you are all for learning new stuff but (call me weird) I just didn't get that vibe from TimC's post that he wanted to learn a new interface and convert his music to a different format. Of course I could be going about this the wrong way. Apple/iPod/iTunes is kind of aimed at the people that don't want the options. They just want something that works. If you don't care about how it works, and just want an all in one solution for keeping your music library organized, syncing it with your ipod, and being able to purchase and download (if you don't mind iTunes prices) than an iPod would work probably be a slick option for you.

 

I really don't know that many people that (ok, I don't know anybody) that are toting around wifi speakers and buying an air express so they can change music in any room. It'd be neat to do, but I really don't see myself using it like that. So while it's a cool app, I'd say the vast majority of people are just using it to play mp3s. My zune and sansa, do that as well as my iPod and cost less (or have much more memory for the same $$).

[Square]

Speaking of which, i need to finally pick up one of these external backup drives to backup a bunch of files on my PC which is getting older (mostly pictures) before it crashes. Any recommendations on brands or specific models. Sizewise I'd assume a 500GB or even 1TB model would be best? Not that I have THAT much data but would be nice to have lots of storage space. How reliable are these things? To be even safer, do I need 2, as redundant backup, or is that overkill?

If you are real paranoid about backing up your stuff, I use an online backup place like Carbonite. For $50 a year they backup every folder I tell them to in the background. It's encrypted, safe, off site so I'm about as safe as I can get. HD crash nor fire will make me lose all my chit again. For all my digital pics of the kid, I think it's worth it.

[Cameltosis]

Did a little googling because I know a few years back they always charged when they came out with a new OS upgrade on an iPod (at the minimum, it was typically poorly advertised and they just tried to get people to buy the new version). I've seen a few sites talk about upgrading firmware for free. Typically because a new version of iTunes needs to tweak your iPod so they play nice. But I can find ones a year or two old that talk about paying a fee just to upgrade the software on a device you already paid them for. I also remember if you bought an original zune and then wanted the newer version of interface when they came out with the 2nd Gen, they would let you upgrade the OS for free. At the time Apple never allowed you to do that sort of thing for free. I know Apple wants to stay on top so they've probably adopted some things from their competitors (like the FM transmitter is now standard but wasn't for a long time).

 

I'm not saying iTunes is terrible but you are locked into iTunes once you go iPod. I know some of you are all for learning new stuff but (call me weird) I just didn't get that vibe from TimC's post that he wanted to learn a new interface and convert his music to a different format. Of course I could be going about this the wrong way. Apple/iPod/iTunes is kind of aimed at the people that don't want the options. They just want something that works. If you don't care about how it works, and just want an all in one solution for keeping your music library organized, syncing it with your ipod, and being able to purchase and download (if you don't mind iTunes prices) than an iPod would work probably be a slick option for you.

 

I really don't know that many people that (ok, I don't know anybody) that are toting around wifi speakers and buying an air express so they can change music in any room. It'd be neat to do, but I really don't see myself using it like that. So while it's a cool app, I'd say the vast majority of people are just using it to play mp3s. My zune and sansa, do that as well as my iPod and cost less (or have much more memory for the same $$).

 

Fair enough. I get what your saying and have nothing against MS and other MP3 players. I just think people have a chip on their shoulders when it comes to Apple and call anyone who goes that route sheep because they dont like the two Steves. I could care less really I can only say what I know and that is that I like iTunes for what it is and I have had several iPods and have not had 1 issue.

 

By the way, I really feel the need to clear this up because it changed my life. You dont need wifi speakers to do what Twiley and I are speaking of. You need an airport express or Apple TV to connect to your home audio system. Thats it. You can then control your iTunes llibrary through your existing stero wirelessly. You dont need the remote ap for your iPhone or Touch, you can also control your library from your computer or laptop. It just plays wirelessly through your stereo. You can also just connect a cable to your receiver and hook up your MP3 player or computer to your stero. But this way is much cooler.

Edited June 25, 2010 by Cameltosis

[billay]

I HIGHLY recommend getting one with an FM tuner. As of now, the only model that has it is the new NANO, but that also comes with a digital camera which, in my opinion is overkill and merely serves to jack up the price. I would imagine, in another couple of months, they will intorduce a more basic nano/shuffle that has the FM tuner capacity without the digital camera. When they do, that's what I'll be replacing my old one with.

[twiley]

By the way, I really feel the need to clear this up because it changed my life. You dont need wifi speakers to do what Twiley and I are speaking of. You need an airport express or Apple TV to connect to your home audio system. Thats it. You can then control your iTunes llibrary through your existing stero wirelessly. You dont need the remote ap for your iPhone or Touch, you can also control your library from your computer or laptop. It just plays wirelessly through your stereo. You can also just connect a cable to your receiver and hook up your MP3 player or computer to your stero. But this way is much cooler.

It's all about the cool factor.