Comments on: The iPod: I Was Wrong http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-i-was-wrong/ Sat, 14 May 2011 00:59:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: James http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-i-was-wrong/comment-page-1/#comment-1244 James Mon, 18 Sep 2006 00:19:57 +0000 http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-my-personal-jukebox/#comment-1244 Hey Zack, I was just checking out your site again... I was like you regarding the iPod. I thought it was over-hyped and over-priced. My wife likes to listen to music when she works out, and she was bugging me to buy her a portable player, so I did some research. I quickly dismissed the iPods, mainly because of the cost, but also because it wouldn't play wma format. I decided on the Creative Labs Rio CALI. It got good reviews, it was small and durable, it has an expansion slot for adding an SD card, and it was reasonably priced. The on-board memory was only 128MB (hey, this was 2 years ago), but that's enough for over 60 songs in wma format, and the memory was easily expandable. Perfect for the wife? Right? Wrong? She never liked the controls, and she never learned how to use the software. (Personally, I didn't think it was that bad, but who am I?) As a result, she had the same songs on it for months, which I had ripped for her, and that drove her crazy. Not long ago, a coworker of hers offered to sell her a new iPod Nano for a good price (supposedly, he didn't like). Now, I'm a convert. The unit is great, and I love the iTunes software. In just a couple of weeks, I have ripped about 400 songs, and I have created many playlists. I'm going to have to buy one for myself because most of the music I ripped is mine (we usually don't listen to the same stuff). DVR vs. iPod? My DVR won't fit in my pocket. Just thought I'd chime in. Nice talking to you Zack. Hey Zack,

I was just checking out your site again…

I was like you regarding the iPod. I thought it was over-hyped and over-priced.

My wife likes to listen to music when she works out, and she was bugging me to buy her a portable player, so I did some research. I quickly dismissed the iPods, mainly because of the cost, but also because it wouldn’t play wma format. I decided on the Creative Labs Rio CALI. It got good reviews, it was small and durable, it has an expansion slot for adding an SD card, and it was reasonably priced. The on-board memory was only 128MB (hey, this was 2 years ago), but that’s enough for over 60 songs in wma format, and the memory was easily expandable.

Perfect for the wife? Right? Wrong?

She never liked the controls, and she never learned how to use the software. (Personally, I didn’t think it was that bad, but who am I?) As a result, she had the same songs on it for months, which I had ripped for her, and that drove her crazy.

Not long ago, a coworker of hers offered to sell her a new iPod Nano for a good price (supposedly, he didn’t like). Now, I’m a convert. The unit is great, and I love the iTunes software. In just a couple of weeks, I have ripped about 400 songs, and I have created many playlists. I’m going to have to buy one for myself because most of the music I ripped is mine (we usually don’t listen to the same stuff).

DVR vs. iPod? My DVR won’t fit in my pocket.

Just thought I’d chime in. Nice talking to you Zack.

]]> By: Wencke http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-i-was-wrong/comment-page-1/#comment-261 Wencke Tue, 30 May 2006 19:53:17 +0000 http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-my-personal-jukebox/#comment-261 My Ipod is the best present Preston ever bought for me ! I actually just have the older 20GB that he bought right before the new video ones came out so we got a good deal on it! I travel a lot with my job, so I love having it in the car with me, and I have also hooked it up to some speakers in my office. I have not listened to the radio since I got it! It is a great piece of technology. My Ipod is the best present Preston ever bought for me ! I actually just have the older 20GB that he bought right before the new video ones came out so we got a good deal on it! I travel a lot with my job, so I love having it in the car with me, and I have also hooked it up to some speakers in my office. I have not listened to the radio since I got it! It is a great piece of technology.

]]> By: shaun http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-i-was-wrong/comment-page-1/#comment-184 shaun Tue, 23 May 2006 15:24:35 +0000 http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-my-personal-jukebox/#comment-184 i want an ipod so bad. they are truly the greatest thing since sliced bread! i once had the Charter DVR as well, and it was awesome. i've switched to itunes, it's just cleaner looking and easier to use...WMP has so much junk on it. i want an ipod so bad. they are truly the greatest thing since sliced bread! i once had the Charter DVR as well, and it was awesome. i’ve switched to itunes, it’s just cleaner looking and easier to use…WMP has so much junk on it.

]]> By: Zack http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-i-was-wrong/comment-page-1/#comment-179 Zack Tue, 23 May 2006 02:43:28 +0000 http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-my-personal-jukebox/#comment-179 True, I don't have a TiVo, but I do have Charter's DVR and love it. However, as much as I enjoy never worrying about missing an episode of House, if I had to choose between the two, I would keep my iPod. I really have never had any issue with the click wheel myself, although I could see how some kind of "sensitivity" setting could be useful. I've also haven't had a problem with rating tracks. I don't have it update completely automatically. I have several playlists that do auto-sync and I manage what goes on my iPod via those playlists. But whenever I rate something on the iPod, the rating gets synced to iTunes as well. I also hate Apple DRM, but like I said, I don't really buy music through iTunes (at least not yet) so it doesn't really affect me. I have tried a couple programs (Hymn/iOpener comes to mind) that allow you to strip DRM from files. It requires the key from your system, so it only works on tracks you have legally purchased. Worked great when I tried it. I'm with you though on DRM - can't stand it. True, I don’t have a TiVo, but I do have Charter’s DVR and love it. However, as much as I enjoy never worrying about missing an episode of House, if I had to choose between the two, I would keep my iPod.

I really have never had any issue with the click wheel myself, although I could see how some kind of “sensitivity” setting could be useful.

I’ve also haven’t had a problem with rating tracks. I don’t have it update completely automatically. I have several playlists that do auto-sync and I manage what goes on my iPod via those playlists. But whenever I rate something on the iPod, the rating gets synced to iTunes as well.

I also hate Apple DRM, but like I said, I don’t really buy music through iTunes (at least not yet) so it doesn’t really affect me. I have tried a couple programs (Hymn/iOpener comes to mind) that allow you to strip DRM from files. It requires the key from your system, so it only works on tracks you have legally purchased. Worked great when I tried it. I’m with you though on DRM – can’t stand it.

]]> By: Drew http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-i-was-wrong/comment-page-1/#comment-177 Drew Mon, 22 May 2006 20:26:42 +0000 http://www.zackrippy.com/2006/05/22/the-ipod-my-personal-jukebox/#comment-177 The best personal electronic device you've ever purchased? Clearly you've not yet purchased that TiVo I nagged you about. :-) Seriously though, I'm mostly on board with everything you've stated about the iPod. I've got the Nano, and absolutely love it. There are a couple of things I'd change though. First, I'm not a fan of the click wheel. I know it's probably blasphemy to say so, but I find the thing too sensitive. I'm forever going past where I intend to and have to back up. I think I'd prefer a plus-shaped controller (like the Toshiba GigaBeat) that you could increment through the menus a click at a time. Another thing you mentioned that I don't care for is the way you can rate tracks. I don't understand why when I rate a track on my iPod it won't synchronize that rating back up to iTunes. Maybe this is because I don't synchronize my entire collection? Regardless, if I do a manual update it should send those ratings back up to the PC side. My final gripe is the Apple DRM. What's to say that hasn't already been said before? Nada. The best personal electronic device you’ve ever purchased? Clearly you’ve not yet purchased that TiVo I nagged you about. :-) Seriously though, I’m mostly on board with everything you’ve stated about the iPod. I’ve got the Nano, and absolutely love it. There are a couple of things I’d change though.

First, I’m not a fan of the click wheel. I know it’s probably blasphemy to say so, but I find the thing too sensitive. I’m forever going past where I intend to and have to back up. I think I’d prefer a plus-shaped controller (like the Toshiba GigaBeat) that you could increment through the menus a click at a time.

Another thing you mentioned that I don’t care for is the way you can rate tracks. I don’t understand why when I rate a track on my iPod it won’t synchronize that rating back up to iTunes. Maybe this is because I don’t synchronize my entire collection? Regardless, if I do a manual update it should send those ratings back up to the PC side.

My final gripe is the Apple DRM. What’s to say that hasn’t already been said before? Nada.

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