Beautiful,beautiful technology.

[cantdrv55]

Originally posted by Moses
The battery is reported to be excellent.

The iPod being sold now with the clickwheel has excellent battery life. However, under the warranty, I believe that Apple will replace the battery. After that, buy the extended warranty for a year for $50 and that should cover the battery for another year. My iPod is an older model and its battery needs replacing and the extended warranty I just bought will cover it.

[cantdrv55]

Originally posted by red-beard
Why would you get an I-pod when you can get a 20GB MPEG movie viewer/MP3 audio player for less money?

My brother has the Zen 20gb player. It was cheaper and came with a case plus you can use the other music programs available to import songs into it. However, it's cumbersome, flat bass even w/the equalizer and build quality can't match the iPod. You get what you pay for.

[GettinHeadStuds]

I got am ipod mini and I'm loving it. Went to Mammoth last week and for the first time I was able to listen to music while riding. It's amazing what three beers and Misfits can do to fire you up to ride. =)

[cegerer]

iPod has relegated the CD to the audio trash heap of 8-track tapes and cassettes.

[greglepore]

Totally disagree on the Zen comments above. Most folks feel Creative's audio quality is superior. I have a 60 gb unit (upgraded easily at home from a 20) and I'm into it for less than 200 bucks. The batteries are drop in, readily available, and you can buy spares on ebay for 20 bucks-the upshot is that you can carry a spare charged one along for long flights etc.

The newer Creative software is actually very good; many of the reviews that dis it are not talking about the current stuff (Media Source) but the cumbersome software that shipped with the original players.

[RickM]

Originally posted by Moses
This is just one of many;

http://www.copypod.net/

Check out www.iPodlounge.com You do not need to cut CDs or lose your iPod playlist. There are even great programs that will re-label all your songs correctly (Artist, title, album, etc) if the songs were labeled incorrectly when downloaded. These programs also link your iTunes library to Amazon.com and automatically download all the album cover art that matches your music library. While you listen with iTunes, the album cover will be displayed!

What timing! I was trying to upload files to my niece's PC on Saturday because she had accidentally deleted them. Thanks!

[techweenie]

The iPod has 92% market share among hard-drive based MP3 players. Pretty much anything you might want for it is available.

There is a utility that puts the iPod on your desktop so that you can store data on it. Apple has a calendar function for it, and other PDA functions can be added.

All rechargeable batteries eventually fail, usually after about 1,000 'cycles.' But most folks seem to get 3+ years out of theirs. Last I saw, replacement batteries are $47 for the older iPods.

[RickM]

Are these battery "packs" that contain standard size "'tabbed and soldered" batteries inside?

[techweenie]

I think the packs plug in.

You can find lots of data here:

http://www.ipodbatteryfaq.com

[techweenie]

Hot off the press:

Monster has introduced the iCruze, a new device for helping users connect their iPod to a compatible car stereo. The unique interface can directly connect an iPod to a stock car stereo using its CD changer port. Monster also says that certain Alpine brand aftermarket car stereos are also compatible. Users can control their iPod using the built-in CD player controls on the car stereo (as well as on the steering wheel, if present). The small device fits in the dash behind the stereo and has no wires to cut or splice; it charges the iPod, and also automatically turns the iPod on/off with the car stereo as well as remember the currently playing song when powered off. Monster also offers an iCruze LCD Display for an convenient larger view of the song title and artist information--similar to that of the iPod display. The Display, which puts the iPod into docking mode when connected (disabling the controls), plugs into the iCruze and includes 2 meter cable for flexible wiring options. It will ship early this year for $250.

http://www.monstercable.com/icruze/survey/moreinfo_icruze1.asp

[concentric]

If you really want to be IPod portable with your whole music library, buy a bus-powered firewire harddrive (they have really small ones that will hold 80-100 gig) and take that with you to each station. You can set each computer to look for the music library in a directory on a certain volume, so just plug the drive in and you're ready to go. This is what I use since I don't want to store music on my 17" Powerbook.

JCM

[chuckw951]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by techweenie
Hot off the press:

Monster has introduced the iCruze, a new device for helping users connect their iPod to a compatible car stereo. [QUOTE]

This is very interesting. I wonder if car stereo manufacturers saw this coming. Seems like the new car stereos will have to have some provision for the IPOD instead of/or in addition to CD changer controls.

Today on the way to work I used my XM radio input to listen to the IPOD. Clunky but effective. Of course it is not my IPOD so I'll need a better solution so my wife can use it in the rover.

Though I have this mental picture of her talking on her cell phone, "click-wheeling" through song titles and drinking a coffee while attempting to drive. Yikes.

[techweenie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chuckw951
[B]

Originally posted by techweenie
This is very interesting. I wonder if car stereo manufacturers saw this coming. Seems like the new car stereos will have to have some provision for the IPOD instead of/or in addition to CD changer controls.

For 3-4 years, it's not been uncommon for aftermarket head units to have 'aux' inputs. And that's all you need -- plus a $5 cable -- to plug the headphone jack output into the head unit input. Just mount the iPod in an accessible place on the dash, and you have the crontrols.

That's what I did in my Boxster. The factory Becker has a selectable aux input. The most I do while driving is 'skip' or 'repeat' within a single playlist. Anything more and I pull over or wait for a stoplight. I think there are some remote sterring wheel-mount gadgets out or coming out for iPod management while driving.

As you suggest, eventually, there may be head units with iPod controls built in, but I need my tunes NOW!

[Moses]

Originally posted by techweenie

As you suggest, eventually, there may be head units with iPod controls built in, but I need my tunes NOW!

Funny, if all systems required controlling the iPod through the head unit controls, I would be looking for a hack that allows me to use the ClickWheel.

My conclusion;

If your car has a front antenna, iTrip is fantastic. If not, $5 cord into the Aux input.