[Sandwich]

Random thought of the moment:

Someone should come up with an iPod style commercial, showing people throwing these little white things off the top of the Empire State Building (or wherever). These things aren't recognizable until the camrea cuts to a close up, slow-motion (from like an inch above the sidewalk below) of an iPod falling and absolutely shattering, smashed to bits. Fade to black, then the text: "Podcasting. Have you cast your iPod today?"

[WMCoolmon]

iPods are pretty good.

iPod shuffles are cheaper than average, but their entire marketing campaign is based on their lack of features, so......

[Sandwich]

Originally posted by WMCoolmon
...their entire marketing campaign is based on their lack of features, so......

Leave it to Apple to make people think that a disadvantage is an advantage.

Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against Apple or iPods per se. I just don't understand those fanbois who think that the iPod is the schiznit, when pretty much any equivalently-priced player from iRiver or Creative is SO much more feature-packed.

Tell me, can you listen to simple FM radio on an iPod yet? No, not even the brand-spanking-new nano can do that. Can those nice color screens play video? Nope. And their sound algorithm is sub-par compared to other players.

It's all in the marketing. :yawn:

[Martinus]

[color=66ff00]But it's soooooo pretty. ^_^ o_0 ^^;;;;;;

*drools*
[/color]

[Mefustae]

Why spend money on a clunky iPod Nano...? For a small fee, you could get the do-it-yourself instructions on how to give yourself a music player implanted in your body. I call this revolutionary new product, the 'iMplant' (Patent Pending)...

...The process is actually very simple. All you need to give yourself an implanted 'iMplant' is;

- One (1) off the shelf Music Player
- One (1) off the shelf Hammer
- Copious amounts of alcohol reccommended, but not a prerequisite.
- (Advised) Bandaids

...Trust me, this'll play well with the iPod dickhea... err... I mean fans...

[mikhael]

Originally posted by Sandwich
Don't get me wrong - I have nothing against Apple or iPods per se. I just don't understand those fanbois who think that the iPod is the schiznit, when pretty much any equivalently-priced player from iRiver or Creative is SO much more feature-packed.

*blah blah blah*

It's all in the marketing. :yawn:

That's like asking why people buy Macs when you can get a PC that's so much more feature filled. Or why people play games on consoles when they could have a PC and play them at higher resolutions with better controllers...

The iPod is as much about style as it is about substance. Actually, I take that back. Its a bit more about style than it is about substance. If you're the sort of person that wants an MP3 player that plays music, and records voice notes and lets you listen to the radio*, then you are exactly the sort of person that will walk right past the iPod and pick up an iRiver iHP-340. On the other hand, if you're the sort of person that wants to listen to MP3s AND you want a cute, well designed package, you stop at the iPod, say "oooh shiny!" and run for the cash register.

THIS IS THE STORY OF APPLE SINCE THE IMAC CAME OUT.





* thought the FM radio and voice recording were capabilities that sold me on the iRiver iHP-120, I never ended up using them. Ever. In fact, in the end, I'd have been just as happy with an iPod (if you discount the iTunes thing and the DRM).

[Ford Prefect]

Consumer Reports liked the iPod, and that was good enough for me. Apple is certainly good at fluffy style, but they make their stuff very well. And since I never listen to radio and I have no reason to watch video files on my MP3 player, I saw no reason not to get an iPod. Plus I love iTunes.

[LtNarol]

Originally posted by mikhael
Its a bit more about style than it is about substance.

I think what you really mean is that Mac products are all about style; substance is just a bootnote.

[Grey Wolf]

I don't really have any need for an MP3 player. If I'm outside of my room, I'm usually off doing something. And if I want to listen to music, I tend to do it while relaxing.

[mikhael]

Originally posted by LtNarol

I think what you really mean is that Mac products are all about style; substance is just a bootnote.

You know, I used to think that. Until I was using Lightwave on a G4 workstation and it was screaming compared to the PCs that were available at the time.

[Unknown Target]

I hate iPods. After having one, the hard drive breaking, then repairing it (because to get it "repaired" I'd have to send 245 bucks away to get a brand new black and white) with a 150 dollar hard drive, it breaks again in a month...wtf....

[Ford Prefect]

I'm gonna venture and say that's because you tried to fix it yourself.

[Unknown Target]

So...I fixed it, and it worked for a month - but then suddenly the HD died? How is the HD dying a full month after I installed it make it not work?

And, might I add, I followed a tutorial AND it's not hard at all - you pry it open, you plug in the drive, you close it again. There's nothing fancy to it.

[Ford Prefect]

I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but if it broke, it was obviously on borrowed time after you fixed it. It's not like you're hemming a pair of pants.

I would also ask how the hard drive ended up breaking.

[Flipside]

IPods are getting a very bad name for the longevity of their batteries, apparently some 'pods are refusing to recharge properly after about 12 months of use, and will only supply 1-2 hours of music. In fact, despite the fact that Apple have been taken to court in the US and forced to replace batteries on out-of-warranty IPods because the quality of batteries are so poor, they are still refusing to do the same for UK customers because there is no court injunction forcing them to do so, even though it has been proved that they are just as bad as the American ones.
It seems it is going to take another court case in the UK to force Apple to accept that it doesn't matter which country you ship your product to, crap is crap.

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2005Jun/gee20050606030787.htm
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2005/06/02.11.shtml

It seems that Apple really, badly, want to pick up what Microsoft are trying so hard to drop :/

[Deepblue]

*Mikhael

Funnily enough I never thought I would use the voice recording feature on my H10 but I already have several times. Great for lectures and presentations. In addition, I use the .txt viewing for phone numbers. Add on to that the thing is durable as hell (I threw it at concrete after a bee landed on my finger... ) and the thing still works like new, albiet there are some (VERY SMALL) chips in the anodized alumnium body. Also the sound quality blows the iPod away. And best yet, the battery is removable and replaceable. I love this thing.

[Omniscaper]

I could care less about the radio feature, considering the FACT that radio (at least New York radio) plays bad progressive rock music lately. The whole point of getting an mp3 player like an ipod is to have my own collection handy instead of the SHIIT in the airwaves.

Has anyoen created a portable XM or Sirius player yet?

[mikhael]

Originally posted by Deepblue
*Mikhael

Funnily enough I never thought I would use the voice recording feature on my H10 but I already have several times. Great for lectures and presentations. In addition, I use the .txt viewing for phone numbers. Add on to that the thing is durable as hell (I threw it at concrete after a bee landed on my finger... ) and the thing still works like new, albiet there are some (VERY SMALL) chips in the anodized alumnium body. Also the sound quality blows the iPod away. And best yet, the battery is removable and replaceable. I love this thing.

*heh* No doubt: I loved my iHP-120. Best damn thing I ever bought, until I killed it through stupidity. Mine has not the first dent, chip, scratch or anything: it came with a damned good leather case that protects it marvelously.

As for battery life: don't get me started. Though the iHP-120 is permanently mounted, I got 14hrs continuous on a single nights' charge. That wasn't a one time thing, it was every single day.

Since I don't actually attend classes (i watch them on DVD, only go to school to take the exams), I don't need to tape lectures and my phone numbers are... well, in my phone.

In the end though, it ended up just being a damned fine MP3 player after all was said and done. Its a real shame I killed it.

I won't be buying an iPod to replace it though (no matter how sexy I think the Nano is). I'm seriously considering dropping the cash on some fat, fast CF and SD cards. I can carry 4gb on my PDA for about $100 less than the Nano, and I can just carry more if I want more capacity. In addition the PDA has a swappable battery, is currently armored in a magnesium and titanium sheath, and most importantly acts as an Ebook reader (three of them actually) and plays SNES and GBA games with aplomb. Oh yeah, the screen blows away pretty much everything on the market in a handheld device.

[mikhael]

Originally posted by Omniscaper
Has anyoen created a portable XM or Sirius player yet?

Yes. http://www.xmradio.com/get_xm/

[LtNarol]

Originally posted by mikhael
You know, I used to think that. Until I was using Lightwave on a G4 workstation and it was screaming compared to the PCs that were available at the time.

Really?  What were the rough specs on the PC you were comparing it with?  I honestly wasn't that impressed by the G4s; G5s are another story but then again, I could build one heck of a PC with 3 grand.