iPod: Should I join the bandwagon?

[Pete]

Podcasting (for which an iPod is not required) is basically RSS feeds for mp3 files.

[DJGM]

I've noticed there are similar discounts on the Apple Store for Business as well . . .

[Nick Harvey]

Anyone care to explain what one of these I Pod things is, exactly?

[James H]

Anyone care to explain what one of these I Pod things is, exactly?

Bit like I CLAVDIVS but worse.

[DJGM]

Anyone care to explain what one of these I Pod things is, exactly?

Assuming you weren't being a little sarcastic there, I'll explain . . . an iPod is a modern personal stereo device made
by the computer comapny Apple. It contains a hard drive similar to the ones found inside your average computer,
but physically much smaller. iPods are about as popular now, as Sony Walkmans were, back in the 1980's.


The iPod in question we've referring to looks like this . . .


It comes in two capacities - 60GB, which can store upto 15000 songs, and 20GB, which can carry 5000 songs


There's also a smaller range of iPods, known as iPod mini. As the name suggests, these are smaller, cheaper, and
have lower capacities. There's the 6GB version, which can store upto 1500 songs, and the 4GB version, which
is capable of carrying upto 1000 songs. While all the regular iPods come in a white acrylic housing, with a shiny
mirror like metal (seriously easily to abrase) backing the iPod mini are available in a range of four snazzy colours,
garish green, sleek silver, bold blue, and . . . errr . . . pink . . . ! The casing on these smaller mid-range iPods
is of a brushed metal style that Apple like to refer to as "anodized aluminum" . . .





Finally, there's the iPod Shuffle, the smallest, cheapest, and easiest to lose of all the iPods put together!
These comes in pure white, like the regular iPod, but are about the height of a packet of chewing gum,
with two capacities . . . 1GB for carrying upto 240 songs, and 512MB for carrying upto 120 songs.

Unlike regular iPods, and the iPod mini, these tiny iPod shuffle come with no display, and play your songs
at random, using "Shuffle Mode", hence the name. The iPod Shuffle looks something very much like this . . .





Prices (inc. VAT) for the entire iPod range are . . .

iPod - 60GB - £299
iPod - 20GB - £209
iPod mini - 6GB - £169
iPod mini - 4GB - £139
iPod Shuffle - 1GB - £89
iPod Shuffle - 512MB - £69

[Chris]

Then, there's the iPod photo ...



In the picture you'll see two white earphones - these are often referred to as "mugger beacons" because you can usually tell from looking at them that the person wearing them has an iPod music player.

You can also get a whole load of accessories for your iPod such as the iTrip and software iTunes. Oh, and some iSocks.

It comes in two capacities - 60GB, which can store upto 15000 songs, and 20GB, which can carry 5000 songs

Note: the amount of songs that can be stored on the player is dependent on their length and amount of compression you use with them. The 5000 and 20000 songs is a load of marketing bollocks to get people to think that they can store their entire music collection on them.

[Fireboy]

Then, there's the iPod photo ...



In the picture you'll see two white earphones - these are often referred to as "mugger beacons" because you can usually tell from looking at them that the person wearing them has an iPod music player.

You can also get a whole load of accessories for your iPod such as the iTrip and software iTunes. Oh, and some iSocks.

It comes in two capacities - 60GB, which can store upto 15000 songs, and 20GB, which can carry 5000 songs

Note: the amount of songs that can be stored on the player is dependent on their length and amount of compression you use with them. The 5000 and 20000 songs is a load of marketing bollocks to get people to think that they can store their entire music collection on them.

No... the iPod photo is just 'iPod' now. Only the iPod mini is greyscale. Oh, and who cares about the marketing, I'd be worried if I had enough CDs to fill 60GB. I only use half the capacity of the iPod mini (6GB) at the moment! And I have those iPod Socks. If you're into pointless novelty items, buy them.

[Pete]

I store mine all at 320k AAC. I do enjoy the iPod however I find the charger to be ugly. You'd expect a company as design conscious as apple to try a bit harder than simply clagging an ufly UK adapter onto their american charger.

I normally just charge it with Firewire now (I bought a card especially for it, dear me).

[Fireboy]

I store mine all at 320k AAC. I do enjoy the iPod however I find the charger to be ugly. You'd expect a company as design conscious as apple to try a bit harder than simply clagging an ufly UK adapter onto their american charger.

I normally just charge it with Firewire now (I bought a card especially for it, dear me).

I don't like the charger either. Seems a bit like a second thought to be honest, but the AirPort Express also uses that adaptor. I charge my iPod up mainly through the dock on my OnStage (see top of image). The standard charger is on the lower shelf.

[DJGM]

The one version of the iPod I forgot to mention in my earlier post . . .



The iPod U2 Special Editiion - basically the same physical shape and size as the regular white iPod, but with
a black + red colour scheme instead. On the back are laser engraved autographs of all the members of U2.

Now here's an idea that someone, somewhere has probably already come up with . . . Apple coukl replace
the autographed back of the iPod U2 Special Edition, with one from a regular iPod, paint it glossy jet black,
and mod it with a row of 8 small leds, that swish back and forth . . . Et voila, the iPod Knight Rider Edition!

Eitherway . . . The iPod U2 Special Editiion - 20GB capacity - £229 (inc. VAT) . . .

[Fireboy]

Article from Macworld

-----------------------------------------

Expert warns of iPod hallucination hazard

By Macworld staff
IT Forum 2005

According to a Welsh psychiatrist "Using your iPod a lot could make you hallucinate".

The basis of Dr Victor Aziz of Whitchurch hospital in Cardiff's claim is that when people listen to music a lot it can cause musical hallucination. This is when a song "plays" constantly in the head.

Aziz claims that these musical hallucinations are causing sleeping problems in some of his patients. "People find they can't sleep and can’t think properly," he told London's Evening Standard newspaper.

Apparently this phenomenon is different to having a song stuck in your head because the sound is continuous and appears real.

Aziz said: "Having a song in your head every now and then is quite normal but musical hallucinations can be quite distressing."

The iPod is taking some of the blame for an increase in people suffering from this phenomenon because of its popularity, and no doubt because it is a headline grabber. Aziz suggests that the condition will become more common as people are inundated with music.