Posted on 12/19/2004 11:51:15 AM PST by SamAdams76
Imagine having every piece of music that ever meaned something to you on a device the size of a deck of playing cards! I have about 40 playlists setup already. For example, I can select the "Late 1970s" playlist and hear all the music from my high school days. Or I can play nothing but songs from the year I was married or, as I'm doing right now, I can play nothing but Christmas songs. Not the same old crap that you hear on the radio but MY Christmas songs. All 1300 of them, on shuffle (I'll remove them at the end of the holiday season).
Or I can just hit Shuffle ALL SONGS and hear my 7200 songs all mixed up. It would take me nearly a month playing my iPod 24/7 to hear them all. I could go from The Cars to Weezer and then to something from Johnny Cash and then it will plunge right into a Beethoven symphony. The iPod has a mysterious way of shuffling your songs so that it all makes perfect sense somehow.
And when you are in the mood to just hear a particular album from start to finish, well you can do that as well!
I have an iPod dock that plugs into my home stereo - awesome sound. I also have an FM modulator that plugs into the iPod that allows me to broadcast to any FM radio. I use it in the car or I use it to "take over" somebody's stereo when I don't like what station they are tuned into. I was at a family Christmas Party last week and one of my punk nephews decided to blast some rap music on his boombox. Well I saw what frequency he was tuned to and jammed it with my iPod. Poor kid didn't know what to do when his boombox suddenly started playing a Christmas song by Frank Sinatra!
I've also been buying legit music on iTunes for 99 cents a pop. But they have a long, long way to go. There is still so much music that is still unavailable at iTunes. Like the article states, they need to get to about 20-25 million songs before people start using it as an alternative to buying the CD.
BTW, I downloaded the new U2 album on iTunes and I got a PDF with the cover art and lyrics. Now there is even less reason to buy the CD. I paid $9.99 for the entire album online. Would have costed at least $13.99 at the store.
I just got a 20g iPod, and haven't loaded a lot on it yet. Just getting started. I bought a small set of speakers to use when I'm doing things where I don't want to use headphones. And I'm not exactly young! I just love new toys.
5 million users were logged onto unauthorized networksWhat the hell does that mean? Who, exactly, should be authorizing file share networks?
I dunno. The UN maybe? They'd like to be regulating the internet, wouldn't they?
I have a set of speakers for my office at work. Of course I can justify the existence of my iPod in the workplace...I have all my Outlook contacts loaded on it!
The stores have run out of iPods and I hear they are selling above retail price on Ebay.
It works with Windows as well as with Mac. Paypal is even getting in on the craze by offering its members the opportunity to download five free songs if they get an iTunes account with Apple.
I can play nothing but Christmas songs. Not the same old crap that you hear on the radio but MY Christmas songs. All 1300 of themYou have 1300 Christmas songs?!
Don't tell me... you must own that Terry Bradshaw Christmas album
P2P networks. Death To RIAA! ;-)
Before getting the iPod, I checked out the other MP3 devices. They aren't even in the same ballpark. Apple has an opportunity to atone for their mistakes with the PC. They are in Microsoft territory so far as market share goes. Let's see if they don't blow it this time.
I checked out the creative labs Zentouch MP3 player, and it's a nice unit, but much bulkier. The one I was interested in was not compatible with audio books, which also interests me, because when I'm out exercising, I don't always want to listen to music. I enjoy audio books, and the Zen Touch didn't support that format. I got my iPod from Amazon.com.
They are making big bucks on the thing, it can't cost more than $75 to produce.
But I don't have Terry Bradshaw's Christmas album, I must say. Maybe I'll check it out!
Right now I'm listening to a block of Mannheim Steamroller.
By all means, man, if you have $75 lying around, go for it.
Well SA thanks for the review.
For the life of me until I read your review, I couldn't see what the fuss was about.
My thing is that I don't want to have to wear earplugs all the time, but with this FM transmitter you mention, I could play it from any radio....
You can't look at product reviews and see how this device actually works in real life...
Aren't they still a little pricey and bound to fall to 40% of their current cost in 6 months?
Are all the things you mention (like the FM transmitter) extra?
How do you connect the thing to a CD player to 'rip' a song?
Also what digital music service do you recommend?
Could I get started on my 200 gig desktop and get an iPod this spring at a fraction of their current cost?
How are they on batteries?
Still, though, I might replace it with another one...I have too many iTMS songs purchased now to contemplate a WMV player, and more importantly, I have an iPod dock hard wired into my car & car stereo. (It is hidden in what used to be the ashtray...who smokes in their car anymore?)
I certainly will be buying the extended warranty to go with it, that's for sure....
I've got 1997 Christmas songs on my iPod!
I think my first purchase will be that new Michael Chrichton novel (State of Fear). 19 hours of unabridged reading...that will keep me occupied for a while!
They are selling for $300 and up, I'll wait until they are a commodity and come down to $75 before I purchase one.
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