The i-pod is extraordinarily propriatary. The battery can't be changed without sending it back to the factory. The firmware is designed to block music from Rhapsody, Napster, Wal-Mart, Buy.com and just about every other online music store except i-tunes. The latest scheme is to sell the ipod without accessories. You have to buy the adapter separetly etc. "Think Different" seems to signify apple thinking up new ways to screw the i-pod owner.
Creative, Rio and I-River players don't have the same conflicts of interest as Apple as they don't have their own music store. They are cheaper and more flexible.
Not true.
That's simply not true. Did you believe somebody who told you that, or is that lie original with you?
For anyone who might doubt what I'm saying, just go to http://www.apple.com/ipod/ and click on the button to go to the Apple Store and click through to the iPod. You'll see that the adapter and several other "accessories" are included.
"The firmware is designed to block music from Rhapsody, Napster, Wal-Mart, Buy.com and just about every other online music store except i-tunes. The latest scheme is to sell the ipod without accessories. You have to buy the adapter separetly etc. "Think Different" seems to signify apple thinking up new ways to screw the i-pod owner. "
Where is the DOJ with the anti-trust suit (a la MSFT)?
That's everything Apple does in a nutshell.
Creative, Rio and I-River players don't have the same conflicts of interest as Apple as they don't have their own music store. They are cheaper and more flexible.
The reverse is true as well, I spent a lot of money downloading music from i-tunes before realizing they would not play on my Sandisk...(i-tunes is in a proprietary M4P format.)
BTW...I went with the Sandisk because it is smaller than an I-Pod shuffle and sports an FM Radio and Voice Recorder. It only holds 1Meg though.
Oh, and the SanDisk uses a single AAA battery that seems to last forever. I will probably buy some rechargeable AAA batteries and see how long they last...but I am in no hurry. I own a hardware store and have plenty of AAA batteries.
I've put stuff from LimeWire onto the iPod and I am very far from being a computer scientist. You just click on "add a file" on iTunes and go to the folder you have the files stored in. It automatically converts WMAs to AAC, but it leaves the mp3 files as they are.
The ipods inflexibility will be its downfall
CC
I-Tunes is a computer program, not an online music store. It is the software you use to load music onto your iPod. The music residing in your iTunes library can come from virtually anywhere, ripped CDs, Napster, Limewire, etc.
I have over 4000 songs on my iPod, and NOT ONE of them came from the Apple On-Line Music Store, which is what I think you have confused with iTunes.
Your remark, then, is nothing but ignorant, un-informed boohaahaa.
Baloney. Your post is full of errors.