To iPod or Not to iPod... [Archive] - Comic Book Resources Forums

Jeff Brady

12-08-2005, 02:44 AM

I don't own one, but I know many who do. My problem with them lies with copy protection encoding, and multiple file format support.

I recommend getting either of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007U0INM/sr=1-2/qid=1134034843/ref=sr_1_2/102-6382324-8420944?%5Fencoding=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006VYGRG/sr=1-8/qid=1134034843/ref=sr_1_8/102-6382324-8420944?%5Fencoding=UTF8

the4thpip

12-08-2005, 02:50 AM

I just don't like the sound of MP3s.

Jeff Brady

12-08-2005, 03:08 AM

I just don't like the sound of MP3s.

Well, they sound particularly crappy on professional sound systems and to the well-trained ear. But if you're on the subway, the clatter of the train covers up the distortion. Most people don't notice the difference and are quite happy to have their music library be portable.

Super Sonic

12-08-2005, 03:11 AM

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006VYGRG/sr=1-8/qid=1134034843/ref=sr_1_8/102-6382324-8420944?%5Fencoding=UTF8

Seconded, I own a Creative Zen Touch and must say, I find it much better, and easier to use.
Plus a 40GB Zen holds more than a 40GB iPod.

roguespirit

12-08-2005, 03:16 AM

I've had a nano for a couple of months and I gotta say I'm loving it. Its so handy to carry around.

My car only has a tape cassette so I bought an adaptor for my ipod and its now my in car music system. Its much more hangy than a cd player and easier to carry around than a cd fascia.

I also use it to listen to audio books and podcasts.

It is really simple to use I mean really simple I was a bit wary of it but its not a problem.

I don't buy a lot of music so I usually burn my friends cd's to it or other methods that I wont mention here.

However I have to say there are players out there that do more for less. With the ipod you are paying for style over substance but it does hhave the best user friendly controls than all the other players I think.

El Santo

12-08-2005, 03:18 AM

I have a 15GB iPod. I haven't had any trouble with it regarding file formats and such. The battery is a bit wonky, though I suspect this has something to do with the many times it has been dropped. The copy protection is more a function of the AAC file format than the iPod itself. An iPod is basically a portable hard drive that plays music. Technically, iTunes will not allow you to copy music from an iPod to your computer's "library", but this is extremely easy to get around. And as long as you're dealing with MP3s only, you'll never run into copy protection issues, since the MP3 format doesn't *have* any copy protection.

My main gripe with the Creative MP3 players is that they seem to be so much more expensive than the iPods, at least when I see them on sale at Fry's.

matterconsumer

12-08-2005, 04:05 AM

The iPod is choking the competition. Marketshare is in the 80-90% range and has been on the rise.

At one time the Rio brand was popular. No longer in business.

Dell and Sony have had difficulty selling their models.

Archos and Creative are losing money. While their price may beat the iPod the profits are not.

However this holiday season one may find any of a number of brands on the shelves. That would be because they aren't selling. Apple has and continues to have supply issues for various iPod models. In other words they can't manufacture enough to meet demand. Which means if you want an iPod you may want to get it now because depending on the retailer it may sell out...

The Xenos

12-08-2005, 06:41 AM

Well, my roomate got that new video one and it looks damn nice.

One big problem is, like mattconsumer just said, is that iPod dominates the market. When they control 80-90% of the amrket, it hadly sounds like competition has a chance. Yeah, the iPod is rather the best deal, but maybe they can afford it while others can't even compete. That's just unAmerican. Or maybe that's getting ot be the norm in this country.

Hell, I used to commute through South Station in Boston for a while. The entire damn subway and train station was plastered in ads. They had giant two to three story banneres with all those siloette iPod people. Back in the eyar 1984, Apple advertized that they were a rebel again Big Brother companies like IBM. Now in 2005 they ARE Big Brother. And it seems America loves Big Brother.

Speaking of Big Brother. I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate iTunes. It's too Big Brother for me. Give me a mp3 player where I can drag and drop like I'm copying to a portable hard drive. Having this online program contolling my mp3 purchases and uploads to my player just disturbs me. Remember when Americans valuved pricacy and being left alone by big companies? Disgusting. Give me a freeware player like Winamp and let me freely put mp3s onto my player without any online program monitoring me.

Plus, what the hell quality mp3s are they selling you on iTunes? 128 kbps? I myself like to get at least 160kbps off my mp3s.

iPods are nice, but overrrated and control too much of the market. I just think iTunes is just plain wrong.

-Xenos

Tadhg

12-08-2005, 06:53 AM

Speaking of Big Brother. I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate iTunes. It's too Big Brother for me. Give me a mp3 player where I can drag and drop like I'm copying to a portable hard drive. Having this online program contolling my mp3 purchases and uploads to my player just disturbs me. Remember when Americans valuved pricacy and being left alone by big companies? Disgusting. Give me a freeware player like Winamp and let me freely put mp3s onto my player without any online program monitoring me.

Plus, what the hell quality mp3s are they selling you on iTunes? 128 kbps? I myself like to get at least 160kbps off my mp3s.

iPods are nice, but overrrated and control too much of the market. I just think iTunes is just plain wrong.

-Xenos

I think you're a little too paranoid. iTunes doesn't monitor you and report back to Apple.

The Mirrorball Man

12-08-2005, 06:58 AM

I have a fourth generation 20Gb iPod, and it's worth every cent. It's really easy to use, and it's exactly the way I should have been listening to music since the way I was born.

EdContradictory

12-08-2005, 07:47 AM

I love my iPod. One of the the three best tech purchases I ever made.

Just get one. You won't regret it.

EdContradictory

12-08-2005, 07:51 AM

The iPod is choking the competition. Marketshare is in the 80-90% range and has been on the rise.

The iPod's a better product. It's not like they're engaged in predatory market practices.

They aren't dumping product at a loss ot maintain market share.

I've never even seen an iPod on sale.

They're selling better because they are better.

Indigo Al

12-08-2005, 08:00 AM

Anyone here use or have used a Dell DJ?

Corrina

12-08-2005, 08:09 AM

They're hard to find right now. I struck out on the internet and three stores before I found one at Best Buy. And even there, they were getting very small shipments each week and they only had ten left. All they had was the iPod nano, 2G. Which was fine, because that's what I wanted.

My daughter wanted one for Christmas, hence the rush. I did my research, hoping to spend less money, but I discovered that iTunes seems to have the easiest interface and the most songs and sometimes the software of the other MP3 players isn't compatible with it. (Not all, but some.) Plus, my daughter can use it very easily on her Apple computers at school. She's in a morning news program and sometimes needs to put together videos with a musical soundtrack. Using the iPod is faster and easier than bringing in CDs.

But that's pretty much all she gets for Christmas. I've got four kids to buy for, after all.

heystacy

12-08-2005, 08:30 AM

I bought an iPod last year I use it on my breaks at work, and when I need to tune out everyday surroundings. I have to say its been a great investment.

west3man

12-08-2005, 08:48 AM

Search results for "iPod" in thread titles here. (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/search.php?searchid=1077788)
Search results for "player" (as in mp3* player) in thread titles here. (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/search.php?searchid=1077795)

Hope that helps.

* "mp3" is too short for searching, apparently.

TCJohnson

12-08-2005, 08:53 AM

I just have trouble justifying paying that much for something that just plays music.

The Mirrorball Man

12-08-2005, 08:55 AM

I just have trouble justifying paying that much for something that just plays music.
A symphonic orchestra "just plays music" too, and it is much more expensive than an iPod.

west3man

12-08-2005, 08:57 AM

A symphonic orchestra "just plays music" too, and it is much more expensive than an iPod.
I wouldn't buy one of those, either.

Somebody had to say it.

roguespirit

12-08-2005, 09:20 AM

I just have trouble justifying paying that much for something that just plays music.
worked out a little cheaper than buya cd player for my car.

angryrican

12-08-2005, 09:51 AM

I'm listening to my Ipod now at my desk at work. It hasn't given me any problems whatsoever.

There may be one thing that might bug you (it bugs me)...

I listen to a lot of dance music and mixed cd's. With the Ipod there is a brief pause between tracks. I read on an Apple forum that it has something to do with coding of the mp3s. So that pause can be irritating sometimes when you are trying to listen to a continuous mix. It can also be a drag when you are trying to listen to a "live" album. They are usually mixed continually. However, I have gotten used to it. It just took a while. This "pause" issue is common with most mp3 players although I heard that there is a Creative player that has no pause between tracks.

The operating system on the Ipod is excellent. I have had no crashes and have not lost any music. I don't think you will regret purchasing one.

taintedlunch

12-08-2005, 09:52 AM

Hey guys,
Im thinking of getting an iPod.. Are there any iPod owner here that can tell me , if they are worth the money and how difficult they are to use i.e transferring music and such..

You don't know how vital an iPod is until you own one. That, and TiVo. On your heirarchy of needs, this needs to be right under oxygen, water, and food.

When you buy songs off of iTunes, they are encrypted so the mp3s that you purchase can only play on your iPod and no one else's. To get past this, just burn a CD with the songs, then rip them back to mp3.

Hopefully Santa (aka my wife) will get me the video iPod this year. She says she hasn't, but she got an envelope from Apple Inc. in the mail yesterday. Busted!

BlackCanaryGuy

12-08-2005, 09:56 AM

As it turns out, I love having an iPod. Even moreso since I didn't have to pay for it.

I used www.freeipods.com to help out a friend, and suddenly, many months later, I realized I had enough offers completed and got one myself. It took forever, though, so it won't satisfy your need for instant gratification.

That said, it took so long for 5 people to actually complete offers that I cleared right after the new video iPod premiered so they sent me that.

west3man

12-08-2005, 10:23 AM

You don't know how vital an iPod is until you own one. That, and TiVo. On your heirarchy of needs, this needs to be right under oxygen, water, and food.

When you buy songs off of iTunes, they are encrypted so the mp3s that you purchase can only play on your iPod and no one else's. To get past this, just burn a CD with the songs, then rip them back to mp3.

Hopefully Santa (aka my wife) will get me the video iPod this year. She says she hasn't, but she got an envelope from Apple Inc. in the mail yesterday. Busted!
Sounds like any mp3 player could be substituted in that post... except for the complications.

west3man

12-08-2005, 10:23 AM

K'Nort

12-08-2005, 10:32 AM

Are there any iPod owner here that can tell me , if they are worth the money and how difficult they are to use i.e transferring music and such..

I feel I got my money's worth with my 20GB and it is insanely simple to use.

I've never used any other brand so I can't say anything about relative value.

taintedlunch

12-08-2005, 10:32 AM

Sounds like any mp3 player could be substituted in that post... except for the complications.

I did a lot of research before I got mine. There seemed to be a lot of tech problems with the other brands. There isn't a big price difference between iPod and its competitors, so if you're going to shell out that much money, you might as well get the best.

EdContradictory

12-08-2005, 10:39 AM

You don't know how vital an iPod is until you own one. That, and TiVo. On your heirarchy of needs, this needs to be right under oxygen, water, and food.

Oxygen, water, food, iPod, TiVo, satellite radio.

west3man

12-08-2005, 10:51 AM

There isn't a big price difference between iPod and its competitors,
Say, huh?

http://froogle.google.com/froogle?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&tab=if&q=mp3+players+40gb&btnG=Search+Froogle

I checked out 20gb models and then the 40gb's in the link above. Just a scan, really.

While I agree that the prices are closer than I remembered (it HAS been a while since I priced them), the 40gb models have quite a range of prices. The iPod's at the top of the price heap.

heystacy

12-08-2005, 10:52 AM

Oxygen, water, food, iPod, TiVo, satellite radio.

TiVo is next on my list

TheLyle

12-08-2005, 11:25 AM

I did a lot of research before I got mine. There seemed to be a lot of tech problems with the other brands. There isn't a big price difference between iPod and its competitors, so if you're going to shell out that much money, you might as well get the best.

Agreed, I did some reasearch and tried to avoid iPod. I ended up with a machine that tended to get corrupted and couldn't be fixed. After that, I decided to follow everybody else. I can see plenty of room for improving on the iPod but everything I looked at didn't even come close to matching it.

Sigh.

Turd_Ferguson

12-08-2005, 12:41 PM

My 60GB iPod is my pride and joy. It has over 10,000 songs on it, and still has space left. The only problem I've encountered with it was that I had to reformat it a couple of times, and had to reload all the songs, which takes a couple hours when you have that many. I haven't had that problem in a few months though.

Another advantage that people aren't mentioning about the iPod is that because of its market share, there are so many freaking accessories that you can get for it. It's beautiful.

Another point I want to make is that iPods do NOT use mp3s. They use AAC (Apple Audio Compression) files. iTunes is free, and will transfer any and all CDs into AAC files, as well as your existing mp3 library, but the iPod does not play mp3s. One is able to chose the bitrate that they are recording their files at if one wants increased sound quality, but remember that the higher the quality, the more memory you're going to use and the quicker your iPod will fill up. The furthest I ever get away from my iPod is when I can't park anywhere close to where I'm going and I leave it in the car.

Tadhg

12-08-2005, 12:43 PM

iPods DO play mp3s. As well as AAC, WAV, Audible, AIFF, and Apple Lossless.

Also, AAC stands for Advanced Audio Coding. It was designed by the MPEG group.

Typo Lad

12-08-2005, 12:47 PM

I just have trouble justifying paying that much for something that just plays music.

Well, if that's your issue it can also do a ton of other stuff, thanks to third party programers.

That said, I use my Treo as an MP3 playerr with PocketTunes, but my wife has an iPod. The iPod earns a lot of points with me for ease of use, but the lack of an easily removable battery means I myself will never have one.

Typo Lad

12-08-2005, 12:49 PM

Another point I want to make is that iPods do NOT use mp3s. They use AAC (Apple Audio Compression) files. iTunes is free, and will transfer any and all CDs into AAC files, as well as your existing mp3 library, but the iPod does not play mp3s.

This is 100% incorrect, sir. The iPod can, in fact, play mp3s and will rip CDs to mp3s, assuming you go into your preference panel and change it.

west3man

12-08-2005, 01:36 PM

Thanks for correcting that mp3 thing. That "rumor's" been making the rounds a lot and us ig'nant folks dunno any better.

matterconsumer

12-08-2005, 06:37 PM

Xenos, the iPod does have a disk mode for those who like to drag and drop things...

matterconsumer

12-08-2005, 06:41 PM

The iPod's a better product. It's not like they're engaged in predatory market practices.

They aren't dumping product at a loss ot maintain market share.

I've never even seen an iPod on sale.

They're selling better because they are better.

Creative has been the one closest to dumping product. Cutting prices because they aren't selling.

Apple essentially fixes their prices so in general they won't be on sale.

west3man

12-08-2005, 06:48 PM

Well, if that's your issue it can also do a ton of other stuff, thanks to third party programers.

That said, I use my Treo as an MP3 playerr with PocketTunes, but my wife has an iPod. The iPod earns a lot of points with me for ease of use, but the lack of an easily removable battery means I myself will never have one.
I've got the same issues with the iPod as Morts and I have the same general model phone that he does... and I use it for the same purposes (except I plan to watch movies on mine some time soon).

PocketTunes will allow me to sort by genre, artist, song title, and I'm not sure what else. Shuffle, repeat, and other options make it all I really need. Plus, it's all in the same device I use to take pictures, talk to people, watch video, play games, blah blah blah...

More bang/buck, imho... especially since there are relatively inexpensive 1GB sd cards out there. Yes, it takes sd cards.