iPod: My Buddy and Me

Okay, so you're wondering where I've been for the past several days. I know... I'm sorry. But at least I see that my absence has given a lot of you motivation to go back through the ol' archives. Thanks for padding my stats.

So why have I been gone? Did you not read the post title? This is the reason why:Yes, I've become an iPod owner. I finally got that digital music player I've always wanted. And ripping my 800+ CDs to it has consumed the entirety of my leisure time on whatever computer I'm on. (I'm still not finished ripping in case you're wondering.) Just thought I'd give you a quick update while I'm waiting for a few albums to take a spin through the drive...

I picked up a 40GB iPod photo for a grand total of $324.87, which is really good considering that it would have cost me $499 just a few months ago. You can typically find it for $330-360 at most places. The 40GB photo is the model that was discontinued to make way for the cheaper 30GB photo ($349) released some weeks back. But the new model has made no improvements whatsoever; the old and new models are actually the same in every conceivable way except for the obvious 10GB discrepancy and a slight millimeter difference in thickness. The irony in this move is that Apple removed the 40GB photo simply to make way for a cheaper, stripped model and yet the discontinued status now drops the older model to a comparable price to its replacement.

You'll also realize that the discontinued 40GB photo is a significantly better deal than the new iPod photo lineup when you consider that the new models have removed almost all the accessories that were once standard across the line. If you were to add those accessories back into the equation, the 30GB photo would cost another $106, bringing it to $455! That bit of math did the trick for me, so I pulled the trigger on the purchase. (Even more ridiculous is the fact that the drab monochrome 20GB iPod still sells for $299!)

The funny thing about all this iPod shopping is that I really wasn't going to buy an Apple device. It seems way too trendy to own an iPod and its audio quality doesn't quite stand up to competitors' offerings (I say this as a demanding audiophile). But the clickwheel always stood out to me as an intuitive control interface so far ahead of the game that it made the iPod feel more like a natural extension than an electronic device. Still, with Apple's astronomical prices, I was ready to buy an iRiver or Creative player which feature more bang for the buck. Or perhaps I'd wait it out for the 5th generation player from Apple. But along came an offer I couldn't refuse and here I find myself an iPod owner.

I'm not going to pretend to be a proud Apple convert -- I plan on trashing those white earphones as soon as possible. However, a digital music player is exactly what I need in my life and the iPod just so happens to be one. I should also say that extended personal use with it has actually exceeded my expectations. I'm starting to like this li'l' guy more and more. Further thoughts on this later...