Should I Get An I-Pod?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Other people have them. I have seen them. In different colours, even! Do I want one? I don't know. Would I know how to use it? Even if I did, would I use it effectively? I am unsure.

But also - do I have the technology to use it? That's what I want to find out. Can anyone tell me what computer stuff I need to have, to use the i-Pod?

I have also been thinking, for a long time, about getting a DVD / VHS machine. Should I do that, and if so, how or what would you advise?

I have also wondered sometimes about getting a mobile telephone. I don't know, is that a good idea? Or just a waste of money?

I think that is all the gadgets I have had in mind, except the new chopping board that I might get, some time.

― the pinefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:09 (twenty years ago)

Maybe I mean 'i-Pod'? Is that the correct spelling, in fact? I would not be surprised. See, these are the things I need to find out, if I want to get one.

― the bellefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

As has been said to me many, many times over: welcome to the late twentieth century.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

"iPod". still not sure I want one, yet

DVD players are pretty cheap, today. depends whether you want to be able to record or not

mobile phones are rather handy but not in a fun way, usually. you seem to get by without

chopping boards are v. necessary--get a couple

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:17 (twenty years ago)

http://www.czabe.com/backup/2003/Volume%206/a_crean_caveman.jpg

― dabnis coleman's ghost (dubplatestyle), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

I love my iPod; it has changed the more boring parts of my days into something much less so. You will need a computer with a USB or Firewire port. Were you ever able to use that computer memory stick? If so (it was USB), your computer should be okay for an iPod.

I personally despise mobile phones, for many reasons. But they are nice to have in an emergency.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

Thanks, Dick! That was useful.

So it is iPod - I was wrong, twice! Maybe someone can change the thread title, accordingly.

I do have a couple of boards, but I feel that they need reinforcements, not to say replacements. I agree, they are necessary, not to say, v. necessary.

― the bellefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

Jaq: yes, I did use that 'stick'! That is interesting to know, that they are similar things. I had not thought of that. But, do you think that my computer would be big enough, fast enough, or whatever, for the task?

Also, can one use an iPod (!) along with a stereo (?), somehow, rather than just as a Walkman?

― the bellefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Don't get one. An iPod that is. A chopping board though, you should get that.

― tokyo nursery school: afternoon session (rosemary), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

That's interesting; maybe I won't, then.

I think we are all forming a consensus about the chopping boards.

― the bellefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

iPods are versatile and readily accessorized. You can outfit them with an FM radio transmitter that can then play through your stereo receiver. We have one of these for the car.

How old is your computer? Someone who has met it in person would be better qualified to advise you.

Paul Eater advised on chopping boards over on ILCooking's knives thread. I haven't found any made of the stuff he recommended, but I agree with him on the poly boards - too slippery.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

I think it must be... originally, c.4 years old, but it has been reprogrammed, reset, or whatever, since then, goodness knows, ie. whenever it has broken down.

― the bellefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:34 (twenty years ago)

I-Pods/MP3 players are a lot of bother, for not much difference really. It is so tedious transferring CDs to MP3 format and etc. I guess they are only any use if you are downloading lots of stuff from the internet.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

I much prefer carrying 1000 songs in a tiny iPod mini than an equivalent case of CDs. It is a bit of a bother to upload CDs, but it's an unchallenging activity, perfect for a hungover Sunday morning.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

If your computer is only 4, it should have enough horsepower.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

It makes about as much noise as a horse, sometimes.

That'll be the power, I suppose.

― the bellefox, Monday, 12 December 2005 17:42 (twenty years ago)

But, you see, I've never felt the need to have 1000 songs on tap. Five or six CD's is fine, and I enjoy selecting said CD's to take to work with me in the morning. I have an MP3 player, and it just wasn't the same. It all depends on who you are and what you want.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

you can buy a cable that plugs into the top of the ipod and into your stereo, which means that you can play it through the stereo. this isn't hard to set up at all. it's even less work (but perhaps more expensive) to buy a small set of speakers that plug directly into the ipod.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 12 December 2005 17:48 (twenty years ago)

It all depends on who you are and what you want.

This is true.

I resisted getting an iPod, because I couldn't see the point. I couldn't be bothered to carry around a CD player. At home, the stereo is in the basement, and there are too many obscure button-pushing sequences involved. Not interested in playing music at work, everyone else seems to and that is plenty of background noise. So, basically, no music under my control in my daily life. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed it.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 18:02 (twenty years ago)

I don't have one and don't want one.

I don't really listen to music 'on the go' much, preferring the ambient sounds of civil society. However, if I do bring music, I have a small CD player and a case with a few CD's. I don't really see the need for 1,000 songs when like sixty will usually do fine.

Get one if you think you need it and currently listen to music outdoors alot. Don't get one because you see them everywhere, that's just blind consumerism.

― andy --, Monday, 12 December 2005 18:22 (twenty years ago)

I bought mine when I started a job where I had to ride a train for at least an hour a day.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 12 December 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

I'm gadget-stupid, pretty much the last of my acquaintances to have any useful tech, but I'm very fond of my ipod. Sure, you could carry a discman + CDs but it's a lot bigger & heavier and I can slip an ipod mini into the pockets of even my most tailored jacket or smallest clutch.

But then I don't have a place in my apt devoted to music storage or listening, and I don't drive a car where I could play music of my choice: I listen to choons off my computer & I take the subway -- so the mini is perfect.

― Laurel (Laurel), Monday, 12 December 2005 18:29 (twenty years ago)

-- lauren (warmleatherett...), December 12th, 2005.

otm, that's what i do

― latebloomer: Deutsch Bag (latebloomer), Monday, 12 December 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

My iPod is a godsend for the gym and when walking to work. Also, for long long car trips, which we were doing earlier this year.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 18:33 (twenty years ago)

This thread makes me want to hug the pinefox and tell him everything's gonna be alright. Then go out with his credit card and get him what he needs. (My maternal instincts come out whenever technology is involved, it seems, haha.) I, for reasons, would get a 20G IRiver. Or 20G Zen Sleek Photo, which is not as ugly. (Yes yes, iPods are still the winners aesthetically.) But really I would like it to be 50G and slim. And have that thing where you think into it and it records your thoughts and transfers them into .doc format.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

do you have many MP3s on your computer, PF?

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 12 December 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

Do you like music?

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

rrrobyn, why are you against iPods?

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 12 December 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

hm, well, part of it is because the iriver/creative players come with colour screens and voice recorders, fm tuner and line-out already, whereas with ipod you have to get these as extras - and that just annoys me! But that's me - I think these extras are necessities, but understand that some people don't have a need for them. I also kind of like the more clunky Bladerunner future vision of the pc players. There is something about the smoothness of ipods that makes me distrust them. (and I've heard many breakdown stories - but this may just be a ratio thing, more people having ipods, hence number of breakdown stories is higher, obv.)

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 19:16 (twenty years ago)

iPods are absurd. You people are mad. You are hypnotised by the illusory seduction of choice!

― moley, Monday, 12 December 2005 20:35 (twenty years ago)

mmm, this:
http://ca.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=14331

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

for heaven's sake it's not just the extra bonus features that iPod makes you buy separate. iPod makes you buy the charger separate. And the cord that connects the iPod to the charger is another purchase. WTF? They used to come with these things, it's like Apple has become a cell phone manufacturer.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 12 December 2005 20:39 (twenty years ago)

I am happy with my Creative Muvo. The built-in microphone is ace!

― kephm (kephm), Monday, 12 December 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

Here is a question - if I have a digital camera and its card gets full, can I transfer photos to an ipod/zen/etc directly?

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 20:47 (twenty years ago)

no, you have to go thru a computer.
a certain lack of feature meant to curb piracy.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:00 (twenty years ago)

that is dumb and annoys me. "piracy"...

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:08 (twenty years ago)

is it dumb?

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:17 (twenty years ago)

you heard the woman.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:28 (twenty years ago)

We have to think of effects beyond the individual.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:31 (twenty years ago)

I'm not going to go into a treatise on piracy and property, but it seems that the entire concept of intellectual property (among other concepts) is changing as these technologies develop - but it's about more than the technologies themselves, it's about what tech can do for us. I'm frustrated b/c I can see the practical possibilities and how far the tech could actually go on a sociocultural-change level even, but the possibilities aren't actualized b/c of this clinging to (what I see as) outdated concepts of privacy/property/creativity. But this broader social change obviously moves slower than technological change. And therein lies our problem, I mean, "issue."

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

what kind of sociocultural change will result from putting your photos directly on to your ipod?

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

haha, EVERYTHING WILL CHANGE.
I was just referring to how I can't do that because, as we are all clearly potential criminals/pirates, the tech isn't enabled. I am hoping things will change.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:44 (twenty years ago)

iPod makes you buy the charger separate

??? Mine came with the cable, and it charges from the computer.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:49 (twenty years ago)

mine came with a cable and dock, but this was 3yrs ago. that's absolutely bonkers if you now have to buy them separately.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:51 (twenty years ago)

I just got mine a few months ago. You can buy a separate wall charger, but if you have a computer, you wouldn't need one.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

The actual charger, that you can use when you are, say, travelling or on a train or a plane or something to that effect, that doesn't require you to lug around your iMac or PowerBook everywhere you go. The actual dock that can plug into the wall! They still come with the computer connector but nothing else! They're screwing over people who travel without their computers (which is, like, a lot of people???) and households with multiple iPods. Mine came with the dock and everything too and that was only a year and a half ago. Now you only get the thing that sticks into the computer directly. Kinda ruins like going away for a week and bringing your iPod with ya though.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

though seriously the fact that you need to purchase the cord that connects the wall charger into the iPod separate from ALL of it makes the least amount of sense. We're talking like an extra $50 for a product that came with the thing a year and a half ago. I really hate Apple and wish I could stop giving them money, they've gone insane!

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 12 December 2005 21:54 (twenty years ago)

I see now where the lack of wall charger could be an issue. It is crazyness if the wall charger doesn't come with the correct cable!

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:03 (twenty years ago)

I know :(

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:04 (twenty years ago)

how much does the charger cost?
and how does this affect society?

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:11 (twenty years ago)

yeah lauren & ally otm - that's fukt!

― cozen (Cozen), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

charger: $30
cord: $20
impact on society: priceless

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

I am slowly falling in love with my iPod after ditching iTunes, but I think the Pinefox would be far better served by a Rio or an Archos or another 'drag and drop' player.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:31 (twenty years ago)

If you are crafty, you can build your own charger. Or, hack your bike! You don't have to give $ to Apple.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

I'll add that people who buy an iPod now get 20 extra Gigs for nothing, so maybe an extra 50 for a cord isn't such a big deal.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

that's asinine when you consider every other product on the market comes with simple BASIC expected "features" like that (among other things). I mean extra gigs compared to what, old iPods? Great! But it's not like people actually go out and buy iPod's competitors so what does Apple care?

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

These "old iPods" were available six months ago.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Monday, 12 December 2005 22:50 (twenty years ago)

you're not actually addressing my point wrt competitors but whatevs.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 00:14 (twenty years ago)

I mean, am I supposed to be stunned that developing & improving technologies go DOWN in price over time? Please, call Barbara Walters! This is a news alert! I'm not exactly sure how that excuses a company removing a pretty vital function and then charging people extra for it.

― Allyzay must fight Zolton herself. (allyzay), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 00:16 (twenty years ago)

Yes, if you have a record player.

― youn, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 02:06 (twenty years ago)

Ally, why don't you go buy a Rio?

― GET EQUIPPED WITH O RLY (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 05:38 (twenty years ago)

I'm increasingly bored with mine after about a year. Got a great sounding stereo and I'm liking playing CDs again. The whole iTunes/iPod thing was forcing me to compromise on sound quality, which in turn (I didn't realize at the time) was actually making me want to listen to music less and keeping me from enjoying some albums. Oh yeah, albums. Another thing I rarely have patience for when using the 'pod, but enjoy greatly on CD/record.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 05:43 (twenty years ago)

Pinefox, do you listen to mp3 files? If so, I think you should get an iPod, or a competitor. If not, not.

I don't know anything about DVD/VHS machines.

If you feel you are sometimes not being invited to things because you don't have one, you should get a phone. If not, that's up to you. It is like a phone, that you carry, and then are expected to carry - whether you want that is something to work out for yourself.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to answer your cell phone when you don't want one.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 05:54 (twenty years ago)

My 60GB on random is the most glorious thing evah evah evah, but your mileage may vary

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 11:39 (twenty years ago)

I think the most useful thing on your list, after the chopping board, is the mobile phone. I remember, back in ye goode olden days, sitting in a pub for ages waiting for friends to turn up (or being the latecomer and not being able to let my friend know). I waited for half a day at the Gare du Nord before I found out my friend wasn't coming to Paris for the weekend after all!

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Actually, don't buy a Rio. The navigation wheel broke in my pocket, when I was sitting on a plane, and rendered it unuseable. Admittedly it was found/stolen so I wasn't hugely bothered, but I would have been if I'd spent money on it.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:54 (twenty years ago)

the lack of charger is not a big deal for me, though i have yet to take my iPod on a long journey/trip away (too scared as it's too new) - but the battery does seem to last really well. my problem has been getting it to work with my home PC but that is the stupid computer's fault only.

i don't think the pinefox should get one as i assume he does not really go in for storing lots of music on his computer though i could be wrong there.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

The whole iTunes/iPod thing was forcing me to compromise on sound quality

You must have golden ears.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

if you have a computer, you wouldn't need one.

OF course if your comp goes in slumbed right after you connected it, you're fukt cause it doesn't charge when the comp's sleeping.

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

PF - we talked about this about a year ago at a FAP and I think we concluded that you had Windows 98 or something equally elderly. You'd need to update to XP. Also, how big is yer hard drive? A new PC might be in order.

I think you should get an ipod if you can. Fuck mobile phones.

― Dr.C, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

Fuck mobile phones.

A bit difficult considering the small hole, no?

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

What is a Rio - is it another kind of iPod?

It is interesting how much diversity of opinion the thread holds.

For instance, on mobile phones.

I do have quite a lot of tracks on my computer, but they are not, I think, called mp3s. They are presumably called something else.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:55 (twenty years ago)

WMAs? you can find out by clicking the right mouse button (I don't mean "correct mouse button") on their icons and going to "properties". otherwise, if they are in a folder, change the "view" of the folder to "details" and make sure there's a column for the "type" of file

you would have to spend a little bit of time "ripping" some of your record collection, to make having an iPod worthwhile. so, yeah, your size of hard disc is important--not much point in having a 60GB iPod and a 30GB hard drive, etc

you could do a lot, on a lazy sunday, while you watch TV or read, I guess--make a pile of CDs, put one in, the internet tells your ripping prog what CD it is, you click "rip it" and watch the telly or read your book/newspaper, for 5 mins, swap the disc for another and repeat

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

Yea, ripping CDs isn't as bad as ripping vinyl. :(

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

The Rio is a competitor to the iPod, similar in that it will store and play back .mp3 and .wma files. One big difference is that you can "drag and drop" your music files onto the Rio - so once it is plugged in to the USB port on your computer, it looks like another drive and you can simply use Windows Explorer to select the music files and drag them over to the Rio drive to load them on. It will work with Windows98SE, where the iPod will want you to have XP.

The Rio also has a built-in voice recorder, if you need something like that. It's an accessory for the iPod, sold separately.

To load songs into the iPod, you don't drag and drop. Instead you generally use software called iTunes, which converts your music files into .mp4s, stores the files on your computer's hard drive and also puts them into the iPod.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:36 (twenty years ago)

you can make like a hard drive and drag and drop, with itunes, too, can't you?

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

This is kind of wrong! Are you a Rio astroturfer?

Also, using Windows Explorer as a song managment tool is kind of retarded especially when you have more songs than Rio disk space.

Also the Rio is fugly and nonintuitive.

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20030911/rio2_2.jpg

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

xpost, you can but files dropped in this manner are just like those on USB mass storage device -- that is, the iPod won't play them.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

pretty sure PF doesn't read japanese

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:43 (twenty years ago)

can't you drag and drop within itunes and it will play them?

like, you see the iPod in the list to the left as if it were a playlist or something and you can drag files onto it, no?

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

The Rio's ok in my book though.

xpost

RJG, yea there's one mode for that.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:45 (twenty years ago)

you can get the program "podworks" and drag files off the ipod, too.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:47 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, you can drag and drop within iTunes. But you can't just drag an .mp3 and drop it on the iPod in WinExplorer and have it play.

I adore my pink iPod mini, and I don't have any problem with iTunes or Apple in general, but there are a lot of differing opinions in here. If the Pinefox has a computer with Windows98, is it worth upgrading to XP, just to be able to use an iPod?

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:52 (twenty years ago)

But you can't just drag an .mp3 and drop it on the iPod in WinExplorer and have it play.

This is a good thing. Manually managing syncing between the computer and library is awful.

If the Pinefox has a computer with Windows98, is it worth living any longer?

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

If I had a computer with 98 (or ME), or had to support one, NO - shuffle me off this mortal coil! However, since it's the Pinefox's computer, and it's nowhere in my realm, I can continue my peaceful existence.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

is there any way to still get a (new, unused) mini? from a store and not a (possibly shady) person?

i think the nano is too small for my comfort.

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:04 (twenty years ago)

I use 98! It caters for my needs totally fine.

I want to know what vahid wants to know.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:09 (twenty years ago)

There's few new ones on Amazon, but I don't know if you'd count that as a store.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

the ones on amazon are $350?!?!?

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:16 (twenty years ago)

Wow, ridiculous - some are almost $600. I'd check with your local BestBuy or Circuit City to see if they have any stock left.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:18 (twenty years ago)

it's sickening to me how absolutely light my ipod shuffle is. and barely no moving parts. ==rules.

― msp (mspa), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

detoxyDancer, is podworks only for Mac OS?

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

There's this site called google that could tell you, but it only works for OS X.

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)

Well, you never know. Wikipedia told me Queen Mary died of trout, so now I have a hard time trusting these internets.

btw, people looking for minis should try the local RadioShack apparently.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 23:58 (twenty years ago)

WHERE IS THE PINEFOX ON THIS THREAD?

― youn, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 02:22 (twenty years ago)

Here?

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

The thread is interesting, and I appreciate the efforts of others to communicate their diverse thoughts; though naturally the technological terms can be difficult.

― the bellefox, Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

i bought a rio carbon at lunchtime, christmas present to myself. it is currently charging but i've already managed to drag all those peel box mp3s to it quite happily.

(all my mp3s are on an ext3 filesystem attached to a linux box and apple don't do linux software (plus they are as evil as microsoft, they just get away with it by disguising it with sexy design) so this is a much better solution.)(well, we'll see)

and it looks nothing like the pic posted above. is really very ooidal (egg shaped) and silvery. http://www.digitalnetworksna.com/images/rio/report/Carbon_main_prod.jpg

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

plus they are as evil as microsoft

Dude, way less evil even just considering product activation!

Koogs, you should use RSYNC to sync the mp3s :D

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

Dr J - would you like to MARRY Apple and have its babies?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:55 (twenty years ago)

Koogs - thats the player whose scroll wheel broke in my pocket while I was doing some strenuous sitting down. A quick Google query confirmed loads of other people had that problem - check you've got a decent warranty.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 16:56 (twenty years ago)

yes, i saw that matt. i just figured you were a klutz and i'll be more careful 8) (appreciate the warning, thanks). standard warranty is a year. didn't go for extended warranty (ironically dixon's mastercare centre is on the same industrial estate in HH as the huuuuge fire so...)

not only will i use rsync but i'll also use it for backing up my CVS repository 8)

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

L@@K :D

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 18:46 (twenty years ago)

so, podworks... is it good?

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:01 (twenty years ago)

L@@K

― GET EQUIPPED WITH BUBBLE LEAD (ex machina), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

meh.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

If you have to ask on an internet message board whether you "should" get anything, than the answer is a definite no.

Bottom line: if you NEEDED a mobile phone or iPod by now, you would own one. Judging by your ignorance on even how to spell iPod or what these crazy things called "mp3s" are, I would say this would be a completely frivolous purchase for you.

That being said, my belief is an iPod is a complete luxury and unecessary item in our modern life. But I love mine to death. A "mobile phone" on the other hand, facilitates human interaction - a necessity in this cold and lonely world. Do you own a phone at all? Ditch the land line and get the mobile phone. Turn it off if you don't want to talk to anybody.

― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:36 (twenty years ago)

Does anyone know anything about good iPod to car transmitters?

How about this one?

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/7200304/wo/s06H8daQr2Kn3iU6LKx1pLNVQpF/9.SLID?mco=7261A3F3&nplm=TA230LL%2FA

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 15 December 2005 06:00 (twenty years ago)

kickitcricket is feeling the spirit of xmas: being snotty, arrogant and condescending. i just want to pinch his/her cheeks. what a warm person!

A "mobile phone"

Are you like this in "real life" as well?

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Thursday, 15 December 2005 08:08 (twenty years ago)

Mary, I'm not sure where that link was supposed to go - the Apple store gave me a "Sorry" page. We have a Griffin one for the iPod and mini that also is a charger. Plugs into the cigarette lighter and works great.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 15 December 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

um, the rio carbon may have to go back, cute though it is - works fine on computer at work (win2k, usb2) but just isn't visible on the boxes at home (mandrake, gentoo, win98, usb1) (the ubuntu box at work stuns it so much that i have to use the magic paperclip on it). lots of pages saying it 'just works' but looking very closely at the box reveals it to be 'rio carbon-6p(uk)' and the '-6p' may be the killer (they've added a lot of 'playforsure' crap and 'audible' support that i won't ever use. but at what expense?).

now, where did i put my minidisc player?

― koogs (koogs), Thursday, 15 December 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

i never ended up getting a car adapter or transmitter or whatever for my ipod as i pretty much stopped driving, but when i went to check them out the salesman told me that if i only wanted in-car use to get the old school kind that runs via the cassette deck. the itrip, which works on fm signal, can be used anywhere you've got an fm band but he told me that getting a clean signal is often problematic depending on where you are.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

the iTrip should only be used as a last resort or parlour trick.

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

It was the Griffin Road Trip FM for $79. My car only has CD, no cassette. My mom couldn't follow the link either so she got me a gift certificate instead.

― Mary (Mary), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:22 (twenty years ago)

That's the one we have, the white one. It works well, charges the battery too. No trouble for us on the signal, either in the boondocks or big (west coast) cities. You just change the frequency if you get interference.

― Jaq (Jaq), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

Does anyone know anything about good iPod to car transmitters?

Yeah, I've got one of the i-trip ones. I bought one of the cassette-style things first of all, from the Apple shop in Regents St, but it didn't work at all. So then I ordered one of the i-trip transmitter things on the internet. I think it's technically illegal here (Britain) as by using it you become a very localized pirate radio station. I find it works fine if you can find a clear frequency - but in London that's a nightmare because there are so many radio stations. On long distance journeys, getting out of the big city, it's easy enough to find a clear frequency, but then after you drive 50 miles or so you often have to retune it to another frequency because some local radio station has kicked in.

To come back to the original questions:

- yes, you want an iPod (or some kind of mp3 player). It's fantastic. You can listen to anything you want at any time. Ignore all the mad people saying they prefer CDs - these are the same people who probably threw gramaphone players onto bonfires saying that they prefered a good, old sing-song round the piano.

- yes, you should get a DVD player. It will allow you to watch DVDs.

- yes, you should definitely get a mobile phone. I don't understand how you cope without one.

- yes, get a chopping board too.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:53 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, when I took a roadtrip to Chicago for the M-rr-ss-y concert, the girl had a converter in her car and we kept having to search out new bad signals; it was really annoying.

― Mary (Mary), Friday, 16 December 2005 05:09 (twenty years ago)

I've got a cassette adaptor for my car and it's a blessing on long car journeys because I hardly have any tapes these days. I swear I've listed to Now 12 more in the last 6 months than I did in the year it came out.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 16 December 2005 09:52 (twenty years ago)

hmm..I can't really get anything much out of music if I play it anywhere outside really, i mean I have a portable CD and a walkman but I don't even use them anymore unless I wanna play something through headphones. But I still wd only listen to music at home.

I guess this is the place to ask - I have a good mp3 collection now and actually and it wd be cool to play it through my stereo speakers -I don't want a device that can store a lot (100 megs worth is ok), I'm fine w/deleting mp3s from the MP3 player and storing/copying other mp3 from the computer so I can play through speakers and then listen on headphones. Or will I have to get the ones that store 10 million songs or whatever (and are therefore more expensive?)

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Saturday, 17 December 2005 22:27 (twenty years ago)

I have lived without a phone for 9 years. My mother just told me she is getting me one for christmas, which sort of scares me. I like making plans, living by my word, and generally not getting that stressed out in life. I fear having a cell phone will change that. I cringe at the sound of one. When riding on U.T.'s student bus to get to work, I look around and everyone is either talking on a phone or listening to an ipod. It is really unsettling, no one talks or listens to the world. Even the name ipod is unsettling if you think about it.
Just ask yourself if you really need these things, and if the changes they will bring are welcome in your life.

― Jacobs (LolVStein), Sunday, 18 December 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

can anyone recommend cheap alternatives to mini/nano ipods?

― terry lennox. (gareth), Sunday, 18 December 2005 15:02 (twenty years ago)

Not much cheaper than an iPod mini and doesn't really work with Macs, which you have, but at least it's not made by Apple, you can hang on to your fantasy of de-corporatization, also cute and pretty colors:

http://pics.computerbase.de/news/10596/1_m.jpg

― Mary (Mary), Monday, 19 December 2005 00:22 (twenty years ago)

(To follow from what I said above I guess there probably is a cable I could buy where I can connect my computer to my sound system (maybe)? That's a bit more of a hassle.)

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

If your computer has a headphone socket then it's the same (5 quid) cable (like this - you can get one in Maplin or even Dixons) that you'd get to connect your MP3 player to your stereo.

As for the MP3 player, there are plenty of cheapo ones with 256MB capacity around. I saw one in my local Sainsbury's for £20 the other day.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

thanks!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 19 December 2005 11:54 (twenty years ago)

sony mp3 walkman is looking good!

― piscesboy, Monday, 19 December 2005 12:18 (twenty years ago)

I think I might not be getting an iPod, yet.

1. I think I don't have the right computer program to handle it - though I don't really know what my computer's software is called.

2. I don't think I could plug it into my stereo.

3. I heard some bad reports of the iPod software, though that is not a clinching case.

4. I heard that good iPods had gone out and you could only get bad ones now! - that hold fewer songs but take pictures, or something.

5. I heard that the iPod did not give you the best sound quality, compared to eg. a CD.

6. I don't like the way that eg. the Observer Music Magazine assumes that if you like music, you have an iPod.

7. Paul Morley has apparently turned against them, though I am not entirely sure why.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:54 (twenty years ago)

That is a great list. Not just for its reasons, but for its existence.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

but paul morley likes u2 and that rotten cologne that smells like stockport. i'd say he's hardly a reliable consumer guide (also 4. is totally untrue).

― lauren (laurenp), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

I looked into the sony MP3 walkman and the product itself looks great but all of the reviews I read said that the software is horrible, freezes all the time, and Sony put a disclaimer up on their site about it.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:32 (twenty years ago)

Pinefox - the software comes with the ipod, you can still get good ipods, and you probably won't notice the difference in sound quality.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

In Point 1., I meant the software that is already on the computer. I think I was told that you need the right version of that, to run the iPod's software. I am not sure I have it, not sure what I have.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

It's your operating system that's the concern in point 1, Pinefox. Which is software, certainly.

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:09 (twenty years ago)

I just went to have a look at Flickr and one of the three random pictures at the bottom of my homepage was of the Pinefox listening to an iPod. Freaky!

― Mädchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:22 (twenty years ago)

I could only find one photo of The Pinefox, at Never Mind The Sugar.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

I'll try and find it again.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 21:10 (twenty years ago)

Look!

― Mädchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

do ipods play .wav files?

― tobo (tobo), Thursday, 22 December 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

yes

PF, most of your list is not true/not right

I don't think I'll be getting one yet, either, though

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 22 December 2005 00:33 (twenty years ago)

pinefox, I've got no stake in whether you get an ipod or not, but there are some serious inaccuracies in that list, and I do want to make sure you're getting accurate guidance.

1. I think I don't have the right computer program to handle it - though I don't really know what my computer's software is called.

I think you do need Windows XP.

~~2. I don't think I could plug it into my stereo.~~

As a number of posters have already noted, you can plug it into your stereo. There are a couple of inexpensive doohickeys that make this insanely easy. I like the pocketdock myself. rrobyn's notion that the ipod lacks a line-out is loony.

~~3. I heard some bad reports of the iPod software, though that is not a clinching case.~~

The only complaints you might hear would be coming from the DIY hack-a-day types. This does not strike me as a concern for you. It's simple and intuitive; you'll like that.

~~4. I heard that good iPods had gone out and you could only get bad ones now! - that hold fewer songs but take pictures, or something.~~

Patently false. A 60GB ipod remains the largest available, and holds just as much data as it ever did. Whether you choose to allocate that toward music, photos, or video is up to you.

~~5. I heard that the iPod did not give you the best sound quality, compared to eg. a CD.~~

But CD is not as warm as teh vinyl!!11!11 [/sarcasm]

The audio quality of your files will be a function of the quality at which you encode. CD quality encoding ("lossless") is an option, though it does take up more room. Very few human ears can tell the difference between a high-quality mp3 or mp4/aac file and a CD.

6. I don't like the way that eg. the Observer Music Magazine assumes that if you like music, you have an iPod.

7. Paul Morley has apparently turned against them, though I am not entirely sure why.

Can't argue with these!

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Thursday, 22 December 2005 01:08 (twenty years ago)

i just won an ipod shuffle last weekend and i can't use it because my outdated-ass computer has windows 98. oh well. 512 mb just isn't enough for me anyway, and i've been fine with just an mp3-cd player for the past few years.

― spastic heritage (spastic heritage), Thursday, 22 December 2005 02:37 (twenty years ago)

Remarkable photographs, thank you Madchen, The Accidental Stalker.

5. I heard that the iPod did not give you the best sound quality, compared to eg. a CD.

My ears can't tell the difference, and they wouldn't be bothered anyway, but I know the sound quality is inferior, so I feel I must sulk whenever listening to them. I am getting better though.

PF, I think a DVD player should be top of your list, assuming you have any time to watch them. Richer Sounds are advertising a cheap Sony, as of Boxing Day.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

dvd player is a must. they only cost oooh £30 these days.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:23 (twenty years ago)

> As a number of posters have already noted, you can plug it into your stereo.

but this also depends on your stereo - needs a spare line-in.

joe, the 'system' application in your 'control panel' (via 'settings' on win98 start menu iirc) will tell you which operating system you are using. i think we established during the memory key thread that it was windows 98.

(i replaced the non-win98, non-linux rio carbon pearl mentioned upthread with a COWON iaudio-m5 which works like a charm. linux, win98, mac support. plays wavs, oggs, flacs, txt files even (has a little built in txt viewer). 20 quid more than the carbon, 14G bigger)

― koogs (koogs), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:33 (twenty years ago)

that photo of the pinefox found by madchen is good. i wonder what he was listening to?

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:37 (twenty years ago)

and the 'soviet' joe is excellent as well.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

which one is the pinefox?

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:41 (twenty years ago)

Hat, no specs.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

bit like finding out about santa :-(

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:43 (twenty years ago)

That seems to be the Pinefox's foppish brother's flickr account.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:46 (twenty years ago)

Does that mean we can look at it without feeling like a bunch of weirdos?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:59 (twenty years ago)

I like Joe Wharf - "Just consider, if you will, the cultural implications of this extraordinary cityscape."

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:17 (twenty years ago)

i saw a logik mp3 player for £25. it is 256mb. does this seem a reasonable outlay?

― terry lennox. (gareth), Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:25 (twenty years ago)

PJM: No, it doesn't. People should not post pictures of me on the internet, without asking me, if you ask me.

Koogs' line i replaced the non-win98, non-linux rio carbon pearl mentioned upthread with a COWON iaudio-m5 which works like a charm. linux, win98, mac support. plays wavs, oggs, flacs, txt files even (has a little built in txt viewer). 20 quid more than the carbon, 14G bigger) is superhuman.

― the snowfox, Thursday, 22 December 2005 19:36 (twenty years ago)

i wondered what you'd make of that.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 22 December 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

should i get ab ipod?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 23 December 2005 04:01 (twenty years ago)

But we so enjoy looking at them, The Pinefox.

I think The Pinefox was listening to Roy "Chubby" Brown in that picture.

I want the one Koogybot has got.

And I want to be one of those Linux people one occasionally hears about.

Someone is called Spastic Heritage.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 23 December 2005 10:33 (twenty years ago)

i saw a logik mp3 player for £25. it is 256mb. does this seem a reasonable outlay?
-- terry lennox. (...), December 22nd, 2005.

how many songs is that?

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Friday, 23 December 2005 10:35 (twenty years ago)

Pinefox's technical knowledge seems to be little better than my own. I too was thinking of getting an iPod but I also want it to do the plugging into the stereo bit and the portable music bit. It occurs to me it might be more sensible to get a smaller mp3 player for portability and get something else (a mini computer? a hard drive?) that I can permanently connect up to the stereo. Preferably with a remote control function. What's the best way of doing that?

― frankiemachine, Friday, 23 December 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

I agree with the Madchen. A mobile is useful and could lead to a sequel to April Dreams England.

― youn, Friday, 23 December 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

i just won an ipod shuffle last weekend and i can't use it because my outdated-ass computer has windows 98.

I am currently happily running my iPod on a seven-year-old computer using Windows 98. I can't use iTunes though.

― Eyeball Kicks (Eyeball Kicks), Friday, 23 December 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

but... the picture clearly states what the pinefox was being made to listen to: the endz's 'r u really from the endz', a superlative grime 1 hit wonder of heady 2003 vintage!! quite astonishing.

― hold tight the private caller (mwah), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:29 (twenty years ago)

'are you reallyreally from the enzz / toomany boydem wanna preteeend'

if ever there was a song for a pink ipod!

― hold tight the private caller (mwah), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

r u really really from the endz...

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 24 December 2005 02:06 (twenty years ago)

x-post 5 hours late obv

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 24 December 2005 02:06 (twenty years ago)

I think I'm anboutr to order one of the new ones, with video etc, I got a pretty decent amazon voucher from work, question is, should I fork out the extra 80 quid for the extra 30 gig of memory? Also I feel slightly hypocritical after my anti-Ipod rants, but keeping track of my library rather than just synching seems like such a ball ache. We'll keep the i-river for the project of ripping the vinyl.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 26 December 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

i was amazed at how quickly my space went. if you've got the extra money to spend, i'd recommend doing so.

― lauren (laurenp), Monday, 26 December 2005 18:47 (twenty years ago)

After having received the 4GB Nano I am pretty excited at the prosepct of being forced to cull the unfit from the library. I filled it up all at once and will be shortly depleting tunes from it as chance provides, such as whatever shit that was that came on this morning from the second Cassius album. God.

I do feel inclined to point out that I despise the headphones utterly and they will not stand. They even look stupid, because I got the black one. I only used the headphones like 3 times when I had my old iPod, I pretty much only used it in my car and then sold it after I quit driving. I think I will resort to my old folding KOSS headphones which force everyone else to listen to my music with me and think that I must be deaf.

― TOMBOT, Tuesday, 27 December 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

such as whatever shit that was that came on this morning from the second Cassius album. God.

ha ha, was it 'Hi Water' or whatever it's called? you need to keep only half of that album really.

so do iPod-colour earphones make one look more of a target for robbers? would black earphones be better in this respect? you would think it wouldn't make a difference but i'm thinking it might. i use earphones other than the ones that came with the iPod but they are still (off)white.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 14:28 (twenty years ago)

We had a string of iPod muggings on the Red Line recently conducted by a bunch of teenage girls. I would think though since 50% of washington DC has them it really doesn't make much of a difference, though. I see about a dozen sets of white headphones every morning to and from work, and just as many or more in the afternoon.

― TOMBOT, Tuesday, 27 December 2005 14:39 (twenty years ago)

Yes, Porkpie, I think you should shell out the extra.

I think a good way to deter I-Pod muggers is to paint your earphones to make them look amateurish and unpleasant.

The white earphones things is part of the aspirational appeal, I suppose.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 10:19 (twenty years ago)

So anyway, what's the best iPod docking station/speaker system thing to get then? By 'best' I mean 'most affordable that doesn't sound shit'.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:22 (twenty years ago)

A proper stereo system

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:26 (twenty years ago)

Fair enough, I can do that. What cable do I need?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:30 (twenty years ago)

(ed is right but I got the JBL donut for xmas and for the size of it I'm quite impressed, I look forward to using it in a travel situation. I got the altec lansing inmotion speaker thingamabob for my Dad to use in his workshop and that seems to have also gone over quite well, though I wouldn't say my parents are exactly audiophiles.)

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:31 (twenty years ago)

http://www.discountcarstereo.com/images/pie/rca6mm_m.jpg

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

There's a doodad called a mini dock which gives you line out from the dock connector on a minijack from which you can use a minijack to phono cable. However for neatness, either the dock is appropriate or there are an number of docks with remote capabilities (knsington make one I believe).

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

is there an appreciable difference b/w the line out quality and the quality you get coming out of the headphone jack with the eq turned off and the volume up all the way?

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 22:38 (twenty years ago)

Should you get an ipod or an ipod nano, and should you get it in white or black?

― youn, Wednesday, 28 December 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

i just run a cable straight from the headphone out to my stereo, and it sounds fine to me. i believe this cost me £2 from maplin.

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 29 December 2005 00:27 (twenty years ago)

a doofus writes: what is the difference between mp3s and wmas, and can wmas be converted into mp3s?

― ignoramus, Thursday, 29 December 2005 01:06 (twenty years ago)

Thanks people - I might buy an iPod dock anyway, because I'm still currently charging mine through my USB and, well, I'd quite like to go to sleep some nights without hearing the hum of my PC. But yes, seeing as my stereo is located in my front room in exactly the place I want to listen to it, that makes sense.

WMA - annoying closed proprietary Microsoft format that works with Windows Media Player and not much else. There's loads of free software for converting one to the other, if you Google for it.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 29 December 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

itunes converts

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 29 December 2005 01:37 (twenty years ago)

nb: i did not mean one.

― youn, Thursday, 29 December 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

I got one for Christmas, by accident - pinefox I will try and make it work with Windows 98 (through a winamp plugin I found), and Report Back.

It is pretty amazing how quickly one anthromorphizes these.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 6 January 2006 13:24 (twenty years ago)

http://www.theistore.com/images/products/xtrememac/iconz_nano/spongebob_sm.jpg

― TOMBOT, Friday, 6 January 2006 13:45 (twenty years ago)

I got one the other day. The iTrip is a little disappointing, but my car doesn't have a tape deck or AUX in so it's my only choice there. I guess it's worth not having to dig through hundreds of CDs and constantly swap them in and out of the changer.

― sleep (sleep), Friday, 6 January 2006 15:20 (twenty years ago)

TOMBOT I have DOMO KUN!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 6 January 2006 16:14 (twenty years ago)

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2005/1257/320/iguy-turtle.jpg

― TOMBOT, Friday, 6 January 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Every time I see this thread title the hyphen in "I-Pod" totally kills me, and I get this image of Mr. Burns pondering whether or not to buy Iced-Cream.

― Laura H. (laurah), Friday, 6 January 2006 16:54 (twenty years ago)

The iTrip is a little disappointing

A little tip: don't forget to set the volume on your ipod to 70% whenever you use the ipod. I forgot this and was convinced it was broken for about two weeks. Too low and nothing happens, too high and it just distorts.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Friday, 6 January 2006 17:16 (twenty years ago)

another tip: never balance your iPod, with iTrip attached, on the edge of a kitchen worktop. the potential for overbalancing horror and broken iPod is vast.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Friday, 6 January 2006 17:25 (twenty years ago)

HoBB, a lot of people must have had that problem because they seem to have fixed it; my iTrip actually overrides the volume. I'm more unhappy with how weak and low quality the signal is. I have to throw it in the back seat to totally eliminate static, and FM doesn't sound that great to begin with. But it works I guess.

Oh, they're releasing an iPod interface for 05 Nissans... but only for the SUVs. asdjfkl257k;6; :(

― sleep (sleep), Friday, 6 January 2006 19:33 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone made an iTrip amplifier? :D

Looks fun, but I'm not sure I trust my soldering skills.

― sleep (sleep), Friday, 6 January 2006 20:10 (twenty years ago)

I've only been using my iPod at the gym really, because Certain People are inclined to sneak up behind me at work when I have headphones on and because it's too dark/cold/miserable to walk back and forth to work right now. But I was SO GLAD I had it with me yesterday - the train we were supposed to take was broken and they put us on a horrible bus for the 4 hour trip. Which turned into more like a 5 hour trip because the driver got lost, several times. Couldn't read, due to motion sickness and the stink of the bus. "Shuffle songs" saved the day.

― Jaq (Jaq), Monday, 16 January 2006 22:55 (twenty years ago)

I've been becoming dependent, too.

If I were the pinefox I'd get an mp3 player, though not an ipod - the windows 98 upload thing does work, but it's fiddly and unreliable.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:59 (twenty years ago)

a little birdie answered my question!

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:03 (twenty years ago)

LOL at SpongePod

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:03 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

I think I might have to get a Nano now, so I can get a black Nano Kitty!

― Jaq (Jaq), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 21:48 (twenty years ago)

Any progress, PF?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 12:55 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.