iPod people...

[sagesaria]

I have been hearing more and more interesting things about the iPod these days, and until now I've been dubious, because Mom has something similar that I really liked. But now I've been hearing some cool things about it, and at After Prom, they're giving doorprizes such as iPods (at least I think that was plural.), and I have a few questions to iPod owners, to determine how excited I should be if I happen to win a free iPod. If I like what I hear, I may even put it on my wishlist or something, if I don't win one. Anyway...

1. I know that you can upload your own CDs, and I also heard that you can upload MP3s from the computer that don't come in CD form. Does this mean I could also upload individual MP3s from my music archives? In other words: Can I only put songs from my CDs that I like on it, or do I have to put the whole CD on?

2. How does uploading work? Do they give you a USB cable or something?

3. I'm not a big fan of their headphones. Can I use my own?

4. Can I make playlists and/or upload playlists from my computer's media player?

5. I asked somebody once how many songs can fit on it, and the answer was hundreds upon thousands. Can I possibly get a better estimate? Or easier question: How much space have you taken up with yours?

6. I have heard a *few* complaints about them, like freezing and difficulty uploading. How often are there such problems and how extreme do they get?

7. I know it costs money to (legally) download stuff online. How much does it cost?

8. Rechargable battery, I assume? How long does its battery usually last? If the battery is chargable, does it charge while on if you plug it in, or will it just acknowlege the charger as a life support unit and not charge? In other words: If I plug it in and listen to it while sleeping, will it be fully charged and ready for school the next day?

9. What exactly are Podcasts? Are they a subscription or something?

Ummm...I feel like there was something else I wanted to ask, but I can't think of it. These will do for now, though.

Comments

[astronomia]

1. You can upload whatever songs from cds and music archives that you want, yes ^^

2. Thank god, yes ^^

3. And yes, I use my own headphones too

4. Yes, you can make playlists as long as the songs you use are in the same folder, area, whatever, they were in at the time you uploaded them. If you upload a song from my documents, then later move it to my pictures, for example, then go back to put it on your playlist, you won't be able to.

5. I have a 20 gb iPod with 3400 songs on it and various comedy cds. Ithas about 6 gbs left.

6. Okay, my iPod does this thing a lot where it won't turn on. However, I simply press two of the buttons and hold them and it works again. So, that's my problems experience.

7. iTunes costs 99 cents per song (although it doesn't notice that all my songs are either cd or illegal >_> ) and some songs are free or cheaper

8. Yes, it should charge up just fine as long as it's connected to the charger. My battery lasts a good 6 hours, I believe. Although, don't follow the little battery charge symbol. Mine lies, a lot (it says it's running low when it's not)

9. Podcasts are rather neat. they are interviews, TV shows, anything really. I have X-Play podcasts and I watch different reviews and segaments and stuff

[scruffycritter.livejournal.com]

1) You can put whatever you want on it.
2) USB Cable & firewire
3) Hell Yes.
4) You'd likely use iTunes for this, possibly MusicMatch.
5) 10 GB Ipod = 2500 Songs. 40GB Ipod = 10000 songs
6) Not bad at all. Easy to recover from.
7) $.99 per song
8) Yes. It should be ready to go.

not_the_pope says call or send her email. She'd be happy to help. Loves her iPod.

[scarlettj9.livejournal.com]

They are very fragil...do not drop ever. Since they have an actual hard drive in them just like a real computer. The i-pod nano has a chip so is much more stable and less fragil. I personaly have been thru 3 i-pods and won't be buying another. I was extreamly careful and still they broke. And at $200 each on ebay not too cheep to replace. Just saying. Everything else aside they are great. Oh, my last one never left my purce unless it was in a cradle charging or playing...and it still broke while in my purse.

[spazmaqueen.livejournal.com]

1. Yuppers
2. USB but it comes with it. All the needed equitment does.
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. It depends on the size of the ipod. But the smallest fits at least 2000
6. There aren't that many recurring problems. And mine really isn't horribly fragile. I'm a clumsy girl and have been known to accidentily drop it and it really wasn't a problem.
7. $.99
8. About 5-6 hours.

A couple small clarifications...

[not-the-pope.livejournal.com]

Format: the big "dispute" seems to be between *.wma files (Windows Media files, which your mom's Widget can play) and *.aac files (Apple's proprietary format, which songs downloaded from iTunes come in). There is some ability to convert between the two with appropriate software, but most legally downloaded music is protected against that. However, *.mp3 files seem to be universal and can be played on either an iPod or Widget-like players. The workaround to share between the two involves burning to CD and then ripping the same CD. It's easy enough. *shrug*

My 40Gb iPod has 7200+ songs on it and about 8Gb of room left. Make of that what you will.

I have had it since Christmas 2003 and have never had undue problems with it. I use it every day at work (plugged in to keep it from wandering off with someone else) and it has survived several software upgrades and much use. I've been through lots of headphones with it, finally settling on the current Bang & Olufson pair of earbuds. YMMV.

Free iPods are vastly cool. I've met Widget and I think he's pretty cool too. Which one is better for you just depends on how you're going to use it and how evil you think the whole "format war" is.

[rinichan.livejournal.com]

Not only the hard drive, but some of the microtech in the clickwheel is also pretty fragile. I've heard stories of them not lasting a year under decent use, which is part of why I probably won't get one; I can't help comparing it to my black-and-white Gameboy from 1996, which survived all sorts of ill use (including me prying the screen cover off of it) and is still playable, or the graphing calculator from school which can't be less than three or four years old -- I know my school is too cheap to buy them more often. Admittedly those aren't fair comparisons, because the Ipod *is* a computer and it is microtech, and I don't know how similar my examples are to computers in terms of hardware, but the least they could do is not make an Ipod look like I could snap it by poking it too hard.

For the same reason, by the way, I am/was somewhat antsy about the Gameboy Color and the wafer-thin PS2. They look like I could break them in half over my knee. Just so you know this isn't an Ipod thing.

Re: Podcasts, they are like radio shows put up for download, and they are pretty cool. They can be all sorts of things. You also don't need an Ipod to listen to them, by the way, as they are only sound files. Mom listens to them on Itunes. :) I don't really know much beyond that. It wouldn't surprise me if there was a "click here to get this podcast series sent to your comp/Ipod every time a new one is uploaded," but it also wouldn't surprise me if there wasn't, and that's something you can figure out as you go along.

[homoroto.livejournal.com]

Everyone's already answered your questions for the most part, but a couple of other things:
It costs less to buy a CD than to buy all the songs individually...a CD on itunes is usually $9.99.

Also, I have one of the video 30GB ipods, and I dropped mine out of a van (about a 4-5 ft drop onto pavement) accidentally, and it's still fine. ^^;

I don't know which ipod you might be getting, but if it's one like mine, I highly suggest getting one of these cases for it: http://cgi.ebay.com/iSkin-eVo3-for-iPod-Video-5G-30GB-Sonic-Blue-Size-A_W0QQitemZ9723202552QQcategoryZ56171QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They = ♥

[sagesaria.livejournal.com]

wait...it costs money to upload your own cds?

[homoroto.livejournal.com]

No, I mean if you buy/download a CD from i-tunes (the software the comes with the ipod). ^^;; It's .99 for a song, but 9.99 for a whole CD. You can upload as many cds as you want without charge.

[sagesaria.livejournal.com]

ah, ok. *phew* you almost completely deterred me, there :P

[scruffycritter.livejournal.com]

I thought CD's with > 10 songs were priced upward by (you guessed it) $.99 a song.

[nosebeepbear.livejournal.com]

Having looked into this a bit after you asked, it appears the newer versions have a longer battery life (12 hours-ish). Most of the complaints I'm hearing would apply to Widget too, actually - carrying around a hard drive is something you just naturally have to be careful with. I mean, don't smash your computer into the wall either.

What kind of iPod are they giving away? How big a hard drive?

[sagesaria.livejournal.com]

Well, Widget has lasted a long time, hasn't he?

I don't know what kind of iPods they've got.

[nosebeepbear.livejournal.com]

Yes, Widget has lasted, and Podrick (the Pope's iPod) is even older. Neither of us has dropped them.