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anyone have an iPod?


bluesForBartok

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With the iPod, a special software must be used to transfer music onto the player, and there are certain restrictions. Music cannot be copied from the player.

Actually the only software you need is iTunes which you can use to manage all of your mp3 or AAC files. Once you burn your files to your hard drive you just drag them to the iPod icon that is docked on the left side of the interface (similar to windows explorer) and the file transfer, which requires firewire is so fast and seamless it's amazing.

The iRiver sounds nice but the only thing I don't like about what I've read here is that it uses USB rather than firewire which is a much slower data transfer. Anyone here that has one know if it also takes firewire?

Edited by bluesForBartok
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The iRiver players work with USB 1 and USB 2, not Firewire.

USB 2 is actually very fast, there is no noticable performance difference to Firewire. I have never felt a speed problem when loading files onto the player. It takes about 10 seconds to copy an entire album.

The PC must have a USB 2 connection to be able to work at this speed. Transfer also works with USB 1, although *much* slower. The advantage of USB is that every PC has such a connection (at least USB 1), whereas Firewire comes only standard with Apple computers. Firewire or USB 2.0 PCI cards can added to a PC for $30-40. New PCs all come with USB 2.0 connections.

Edited by Claude
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he also bought a contraption that allows the ipod to play through a standard fm radio.

you pick the signal on the ipod and then tune the radio to those numbers.

presto.

Does anyone have a name for the device that hooks up these players to the FM transmission? Are there some that are better than others?

I've been looking to get an iPod (or some other type) but the ability to play it in my car was one of my biggest concerns.

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AFAIK that is not possible, because the transfer of the music to the iPod is managed by a special software, which does not allow this.

This is possible with other MP§ players (such as iRiver) where the player is simply treated like an external drive.

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Re: iPod price drop

ABOUT FREAKIN' TIME!!!!!!

The iPod is good but it was never worth the previous price tag that was demanded compared to the rest of the market. I suspect someone at Apple finally got their marketing degree at their local community college and realized what was required to totally obliterate the market.... a great product at a reasonable price.

I wish I had an organization to manage with as much talent and resources as Apple. Erase a few bone-headed decisions and maybe everyone is throwing stones at Jobs instead of Gates.

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The cool factor finally wore off.  Apple now actually has to compete with the rest of the market on equal footing.

Er...the cool factor is still going strong. Jobs still commands the front cover of national news weeklies:

newsweeksmall.jpg

Can purple, green, and red iPods be far behind?

The iPod mini comes in several colors. Also, you can send your regular iPod to ColorWare and for 50 bucks, they'll paint it for you. :wacko:

5.jpg

Also, you can get songs from an iPod to your hard drive. There are several hacks out there for Mac and PC that allow one to do this.

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The cool factor finally wore off.  Apple now actually has to compete with the rest of the market on equal footing.

Er...the cool factor is still going strong. Jobs still commands the front cover of national news weeklies:

newsweeksmall.jpg

Can purple, green, and red iPods be far behind?

The iPod mini comes in several colors. Also, you can send your regular iPod to ColorWare and for 50 bucks, they'll paint it for you. :wacko:

5.jpg

Also, you can get songs from an iPod to your hard drive. There are several hacks out there for Mac and PC that allow one to do this.

Obviously I'm not a big iPod fan. But, don't believe everything you read! It's mostly marketing hyperbole. If they were really so "cool" entry level iPods would still be comanding $399. I was not aware of the different color schemes. Make mine "Burnt Sienna" B)

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When Apple lowers its price it has nothing to do with the product being "cool" or not. Apple traditionally lowers the price of a product when a new version is introduced--it is a way of clearing inventory, and coolness is not affected.

The fact remains, that iPod is a huge success and no company has come up with a product to fully match it.

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The fact remains, that iPod is a huge success...

No doubt about that. I'm of the opinion that the price was lowered because there are many alternatives that more or less perform equally well and cost much less. I'm also of the opinion that Apple's addition of new models in the marketplace always coincides with old products losing market share (coolness). Apple now only innovates when there is a business need to do so. They lost their cutting edge status many years ago as far as I'm concerned.

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I waited years to finally buy an iPod. Got the 20GB. Five months later, price drop.

I will tell you this. I wouldn't have considered any other MP3 player. I've never even heard of half the manufacturers out there. As far as I'm concerned, there still isn't much competition out there for the iPod. It is a thing of beauty.

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The fact remains, that iPod is a huge success...

No doubt about that. I'm of the opinion that the price was lowered because there are many alternatives that more or less perform equally well and cost much less.

I think this is more or less right. In two years, you'll be able to get a 20GB MP3 player for $100 or less. Apple can claim some sort of "coolness" price premium, but as the competition gets fiercer...

Guy

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Has anyone had experiences with connecting their iPod to their home stereo? I am familiar with the connectors that make this possible, what I want to know is how the issue of volume is handled.

As I understand it, the connector goes into the standard headphone jack rather than a line-out jack. So how does one adjust the volume on the iPod and then adjust the volume on their stereo. Is there a baseline volume setting on the iPod, or is there something in the menu system that allows you to...for lack of a better term...convert the headphone jack to a line-out jack?

<rant>

I've looked on the Apple site, but they put more effort into marketing than they do product information. I was looking for pictures of the iPod from various angles and clicked on the iPod gallery link and this is the kind of crap they think we are interested in seeing. Now this is the standard by which all other product spec pages should be measured!

</rant>

Anyway... any information about the home stereo connectivity issue would be appreciated!

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  • Mgraham, you are not being fair to Apple with the two links you provide. The following is the Apple site link you ought to have given us.

    Try
this.

Well slap my ass and call me Judy!

I never scrolled down beyond the spec table on that page. You are correct, Christiern. That's what I wanted.

I still stand by my slam of the gallery link though. Those images with the colored backgrounds and silhouettes are pointless.

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I dug around some more and think I answered my own question.

iPod Dock (new Click Wheel models)

Just plug, unplug, and go. The iPod Dock makes charging and syncing easier than ever. A convenient and elegant home base for iPod on a desk or connected to a home stereo system, the dock provides charging and syncing via FireWire or USB 2.0*, and a stereo line out for simple connection to power speakers or a stereo system.

Supports new iPod with Click Wheel (20GB or 40GB) only. For an iPod Dock accessory kit for prior generation iPod with Dock Connector, use M9130G/A iPod Dock kit.

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This was also on tonights ABC News--iPod is indeed successful.--CA

nytlogoleft_article.gif

July 21, 2004

Duke to Provide Freshmen With iPods
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 9:01 a.m. ET

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Freshmen showing up at Duke University this year will get their own Apple iPod, part of an experiment by the school to see if the popular portable music player can double as a learning tool.

In a first-of-its-kind deal for Apple Computer Inc., the university will distribute 1,650 iPods for the pilot program. Duke would not say how much it will pay for each 20-gigabyte iPod, but said it will receive a discount from the retail price of $299.

The program fits into university plans to use more technology in teaching, said Tracy Futhey, Duke's vice president for information technology.

Since its introduction in 2001, the iPod has taken off as the trendiest gadget for storing and playing digital music. IPods can store other kinds of data as well, and Duke students will receive models stocked with school-related information, including freshman orientation details, the academic calendar, campus tours and even the school's fight song.

The university also will create a Web site modeled on the Apple iTunes online music site from which students can download songs and course content from faculty, including language lessons, lectures and audio books.

Lisa Merschel's Spanish class will use the iPods to listen to textbook exercises and Spanish songs. Sally Schauman plans to have students record field interviews on the ethics and science of urban water conservation.

The university will spend $500,000 on the project, which also includes hiring an extra technology specialist, giving grants to faculty, and studying the outcome. The program is a one-year experiment, but could be renewed.

While it might sound like an extravagant gift for incoming students, Duke students pay a premium -- about $39,240 a year for tuition, fees, room and board.

Schauman isn't worried that students will start listening to music in class.

"If you're in a class so boring you need to do that, then I encourage you to do so,'' Schauman said. ``Or if your need to learn is so low, you shouldn't be here in the first place.''

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