batteries
For those who already have a device of some kind, does yours have a removable battery? Mine does not, the battery is wired in. This means (a) I can’t carry a backup battery and (b) when the battery dies, I have to replace the whole device. Battery life is pretty good at 14-16 hours, but still I wish it was removable.
batteries
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 4:24 PM EST –
You can get external battery packs that plug into the charging socket on ipods. Not sure about other brands, but guess there are similar units.
Apple will replace ipod batteries for a fee. Battery replacement kits are available from other sources but void the warranty.
Here's one:
http://www.ipodjuice.com/apple-iphone-3g-charger-and-ipod-charger.htm
thanks for …
clarifying that NJ. I’m new to the game with iPod. Appreciate the input…
another reason to use ITunes
Streaming your music around your house with Airport Express. Unbelievably easy- just plug the little thing in, attach a cable from it to your stereo (or better yet multiple stereos) and you can stream all your songs perfectly and easily all over your house. And, when your wife and kids go away, you can stream them to ALL of the stereos simultaneously at absurd volumes.
I’ve used other music management software, and ITunes blows them away. I’ve got 2 Nanos and an Iphone, and they are all great players. You can get excellent deals on Ipods if you go to the Apple Store website and look for “refurbished”. Even better, you can get previous generations of the players at steep discounts. Stick with the flash players (Nano, Shuffle, Touch, Iphone) though- the older harddrive versions have a tendency to skip and die if you abuse them too much.
You can play pretty much any type of music file on the Ipod. I seldom if ever buy music from the Itunes store, since much of their stuff is still 128mps/DRM protected. Amazon is a far better place to buy digital music (256mps, no DRM). Better yet- go to your favorite band’s website and see what they are selling direct- they often have great shows in high quality and fantastic sound, and all the money goes to the artist.
Andrew
Yup, Zen is nice
I have the Vplus with FM radio option. Being too busy or lazy to load more tunes and keep rotating stuff out I use the radio quite a bit. Nice reception. Nice little equalizer in the unit, too. Pared with the same manufacturer’s portable speakers it’s not too bad to listen to w/o headset. Try the Grado SR80 headphones for unbeliveable sound!
Any generic MP3 player
All the music is compressed, which means it sounds okay through little earphones, but sounds like crap compared to vinyl or a good CD on a hi-fi. You buy an IPOD, it sounds no better than el cheapo brand MP3, it just costs you twice as much (or more.) If you are just looking for something to play tunes on while you mow the lawn or are out and about–and if there’s any chance you might be using it near water–a pricey IPOD is an expensive risk. Plus, when the internal battery in an Ipod runs down, it goes in the trash, as battery replacement cost is high.
If you are a Mac person, Ipod makes sense. Or if you are looking for a single device that does everything, an IPhone makes sense. But there’s no sense otherwise in spending the extra money on an IPOD just to bring lo-fi but convenient tunes with you. Unless you’ve got money to burn.
good
Oh, good, I thought they were being tricky. My bad. As I said, I’ve never handled an ipod but once I saw one connected to external speakers via the big plug. Wonder why it connects that way instead of via the headphone jack?
Emusic; Also DRM issues with Itunes
Apple is stubbornly sticking to its Digital Rights Management (DRM) coding on its music files. Which means copying songs for your own use is a PITA, and it is even a hassle to get it to play on other devices in your own wifi home (like Roku soundbridge and internet radios, networked computers, etc.) Nothing more annoying than paying for music and then having your own LEGAL use of it restricted by DRM encoding Buy your music from Emusic–it is all DRM free, songs are MUCH cheaper than Itunes, and you can play it hassle free in a million different ways.
There are a few big labels that refuse to license their stuff to Emusic, but 95% of their catalog is Britney Spears and New Kids on the Block. If it is good music you prefer, Emusic is definitely the way to go.
The charger/transfer plug is proprietary
on the Ipod, and outrageously expensive, if you lose one, or want another to leave at a convenient outlet or another computer. Cheap generic MP3 players can run on standard rechargeable batteries, and plug into your USB port with no special cable. So your son is essentially correct.
Buy your music at Emusic or Amazon
You can import them into Itunes, but also keep copies on your computer outside of Itunes, that Apple can monkey with.
No sound quality difference
The only thing that makes a difference is the earphones/speakers. Ipods come with earphones that are slightly better than some of the cheapest MP3 players. Upgrade your earphones on either a generic MP3 or an Ipod, and you’ll get improved sound. There’s only so much improvement you can get, however. In recent decades, we’ve swapped convenience for sound quality, and MP3, WMA and AAC files are so compressed, they are pathetic when played on good stereo equipment and compared to vinyl or even CDs.
You can buy devices that let you play
MP3 players or Ipods through your radio. All of them are problematic. Out on the prairies you can keep a good signal coming for long periods of time. In the city, fuzz, interference, and having to change to a new frequency are frequent issues. If your car is old enough to have a cassette player, you can get a hassle free device that allows you to connect your player and play through that. Otherwise, next time you buy a new car, make sure it is portable music player compatible.
Better sound
Better sound, apparently.
Use mp3s then
Using an iPod is not the same thing as buying music through iTunes. iPods play mp3 files just fine.
It depends
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 6:56 PM EST –
"All the music is compressed, which means it sounds okay through little earphones, but sounds like crap compared to vinyl or a good CD on a hi-fi. You buy an IPOD, it sounds no better than el cheapo brand MP3, it just costs you twice as much (or more.)"
But not all music is compressed to the same degree. The quality mostly depends on the degree compression but the quality of the D/A conversion matters also.
The iPod sounds much better than FM radio (and it certainly does not sound like "crap"). I also have access to about 200 (or some other really large number) of "CDs" in my car and I really have no way to play vinyl records there.
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"If you are just looking for something to play tunes on while you mow the lawn or are out and about--and if there's any chance you might be using it near water--a pricey IPOD is an expensive risk."
A pricey anything might be expensive risk near water (it might make sense to go cheap if this is how you plan to use it).
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"Plus, when the internal battery in an Ipod runs down, it goes in the trash, as battery replacement cost is high."
Replacing a battery in a hard-disk iPod costs about $40 to do it yourself (being very careful!).
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"spending the extra money on an IPOD"
In some cases, the iPod is cheaper than a comparable player. Often, they are not much more expensive (when they are more expensive).
More BS
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 7:13 PM EST –
"on the Ipod, and outrageously expensive"
$19 (from Apple) isn't "outrageously" expensive.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA591G/A?fnode=MTY1NDA0OQ&mco=MjE0NTAzNg
Here's another one for $3.
http://www.amazon.com/Dock-Connector-Cable-iPhone-White/dp/B0007RV3IE
It doesn't look like the Zune connector is any less proprietary.
http://www.amazon.com/Zune-USB-Sync-Connector-Cable/dp/B000OP8BVG
Here's an explanation why the connectors are proprietary.
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2008/04/proprietary-cable-vs-standard-usb.php
"Some actually are alike, like the iPod connector and the Sansa connector which are alike except for a tiny dent in the Sansa connector to make sure iPod connectors won't fit."
So, it's Apple that is the evil one?
FM transmitters may not be so hot
It seems that the FM transmitters don’t always work so well. If you choose to go that way, consider getting one with lots of choices for the FM frequency it transmits on.
I have had people say that the FM transmitter works for them.
The cassette adapter will probably work better than the FM transmitter.
Most new cars have (will have) an audio jack that lets you connect the headphone output from your player. This should work pretty well (and will work with any player). It’s very silly that this is a new thing (the jack should have been standard for years).
Some car radios allow you to plug into the iPod dock port. This works really well with my car (a VW).
afolpe,it’s good to hear that I’m not
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 10:56 PM EST –
the only one who blows the doors off when the family is gone.Are you sorry you left Atlanta?
Just for the record
– Last Updated: Dec-30-08 11:54 PM EST –
the device is on iPod and the software is iTunes, The all caps stuff drives me a little crazy for some reason.
Like others have said, the iTunes program is free and works on both Mac and PC machines. It is a pretty decent app for the price and you can set the quality of the encoding for the songs you rip from CDs, so you can essentially pick the quality you want. The default seems to be 160kbps and you can go up to 320kbps if you think it makes a difference. If that isn't good enough you can actually use AIFF which is the same as the CD encoding. Of course you aren't going to get as many songs if you demand the CD quality settings.
Apple sells 128kbps with DRM and 256kbps without DRM from the iTunes store. And any songs (even with DRM) can be burned to CD in the AIFF format which means you can subsequently rip that CD to another machine or another platform. Not convenient if you have downloaded lots of music, but you can keep the songs you buy on standard CDs and take them with you if you end up abandoning the iPod and/or iTunes.
The wife and I have a 3rd gen iPod classic (still kicking), a 2nd gen Shuffle ($30 refurb), and an iPod Touch (flat awesome if you have wifi). The classic is a brick, but stores 30GB -- about 3 times the size of our entire music library. The shuffle is great for working outside and anywhere you want something durable. I bet it would survive a serious amount of abuse -- no moving parts and very little weight. Great battery life too. The Touch is incredible -- surfing the web is practical with it and it has the capacity and battery life to be a great iPod, a good video plauer, and a decent gaming platform. Lots of fun little apps too -- many are free.
The new nano's are pretty sweet too.
If you don't mind refurbs and have some patience, you can find good deals at the Apple Store, at dealmac.com or just googling.
There is a reason that Apple owns the market. They have done a lot right, even if some of the other guys have an extra bell here and whistle there.
The FM transmitters are pretty unpredictable. We have tried a few of them and only use them as a last resort. I think some BMWs are considered iPod accessories now, heh heh.
Buy some good earbuds. The $50 Sennheisers that go in your ear are very nice and I can listen on a riding mower without having to crank the volume way up.
jim
eMusic works with iTunes
I agree that eMusic is a cheaper alternative to buying music from the iTunes Store … but I still load all of my eMusic purchases into iTunes and my iPod.