Replies

I have had my iPod (40gig) for a year now. It is without a doubt the most revolutionary consumer product I have ever owned. My 1100-CD record library is in the attic, awaiting a future E-Bay sale while 8821 tracks from those CDs (along with a few hundred tracks I bought on iTunes and a bunch of podcasts and audiobooks) resides on a device about the size of a deck of cards that I carry everywhere I go.

My entire music library goes with me on my morning walks where I listen through earphones. In my car, where I listen with a $29 FM transponder. And it plugs into my home stereo where the sound quality is just incredible.

I have about 140 custom playlists that I am always refining and when I'm in the mood, I just hit SHUFFLE ALL and any of some 8800+ tracks start playing in any conceivable order. From Bach to Bessie Smith to Hank Williams to Led Zeppelin. My playlist is easily over ten times the size of a typical radio station playlist. And growing every day. No commericals and only the music I like.

Overpriced? I don't think so. I spent $400 for my iPod a year ago and I have listened to it for over 2000 hours since. That comes out to about 20 cents an hour. Not a bad deal.

Yes, OK, I'm jealous. (I hope you know I was pokin' fun at the troglodytes who generally show up at the mention of anything Apple related.) I'm building a library on my home system and the most elegant way to listen away from home looks like a Nano. (Now I just gotta convince me woife.)