Buying an Ipod

wakkoman · 08-13-2004, 04:30 PM

Ok guys I think im ready to buy an Ipod with my UT discount.

But before i do so, has anyone run into any problems with ipods yet? I've heard a lot about the battery problem but is that solved now?

Plus, anyone here have the 4th gen Ipods, and if so, what are your opinions?

synergy · 08-13-2004, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by wakkoman
Ok guys I think im ready to buy an Ipod with my UT discount.

But before i do so, has anyone run into any problems with ipods yet? I've heard a lot about the battery problem but is that solved now?

Plus, anyone here have the 4th gen Ipods, and if so, what are your opinions?

how much discount do you get with your UT id?

wakkoman · 08-13-2004, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by synergy
how much discount do you get with your UT id?

Im getting the new 20gig for $269....Not much but it's still a saving

Here's the Apple education link: http://store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Im...utingpage.html

Find your school and you should get discounts on certain items. They're probably the same discounts througout the U.S. as they are for UT

edc · 08-13-2004, 04:35 PM

Quote:

I've heard a lot about the battery problem but is that solved now?

"Solved" is a relative term. All LiIon batteries start losing their ability to hold charge after a couple hundred cycles.

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm

Apple has gotten more generous about their policies. Replacement of the battery by Apple is now less than $100, or less than $40 (http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Pa...le=1Template=1) if you are the DIY type.

Nashvegas · 08-13-2004, 04:36 PM

I got a 20 gig Dell DJ...works for me, only $250 right now.

wakkoman · 08-13-2004, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nashvegas
I got a 20 gig Dell DJ...works for me, only $250 right now.

Yea but i can get a cooler looking Ipod for $20 more

Nashvegas · 08-13-2004, 04:47 PM

that's a good deal on the Ipod...i think it's better looking too, and although i don't have one, i hear the software is better than what i have with the Dell.

movement · 08-13-2004, 05:33 PM

My co-worker got a 4th gen Ipod and he's exchanging it for a 3rd gen because the buttons for the select, menu, pause, etc were too "clicky". It sounded like a mechanical pencil. Showed him mine and he like the touch sensitive buttons better. Also I don't like the gray wheel color. I love my 3rd gen Ipod, use it everyday. Best purchase I've made in a while.

KaiSeR SoZe · 08-13-2004, 05:36 PM

But the 4th gen has a HUGE increase in battery life! I think thats more important than "click" buttons

but thats just me :D

AGBee · 08-13-2004, 05:38 PM

I had a 2nd gen iPod that I sold for pretty good money on eBay, and bought a 40 gig 4th gen from Amazon (not too bad at $399 plus a $50 Amazon GC).

I hated the 3rd gen's touch sensitive buttons (too easy to brush by accident, no tactile feedback) that weren't around the wheel like every other iPod.

Vengeance · 08-13-2004, 06:02 PM

I love my Rio Karma

SirCharlesFan · 08-13-2004, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by movement
My co-worker got a 4th gen Ipod and he's exchanging it for a 3rd gen because the buttons for the select, menu, pause, etc were too "clicky". It sounded like a mechanical pencil. Showed him mine and he like the touch sensitive buttons better.

Um, you know, you can turn off the sound of the little touchpad wheel where you don't get that 'clicky' sound, right? BTW, I'm PISSED! I just bought an iPod at Best Buy a couple of weeks ago and now you're telling me I can get one for $269 instead of $299 plus tax?

lpbman · 08-13-2004, 07:05 PM

30gb ver: $208 shipped to your front door

http://www.gameve.com/

The Zen sounds great as well--once you ditch the chintzy earbud headphones included with the package. Creative's EAX audio processing lets you apply a number of effects to your music, including custom and preset equalizer settings.

Creative made a couple changes to the side-mounted controls found on the original Nomad Zen. On the positive side, it added a helpful back button; unfortunately, Creative also replaced the original Zen's scroll wheel with a jog dial that's a lot harder to use. Pushing the jog dial in to select something is particularly unreliable, to the point where you almost always need to consult the Xtra's bright, seven-line LCD display to figure out what you're doing.

Though the included carrying case leaves the side-mounted controls accessible, it covers the LCD display. That would be fine if the jog dial control were easier to use. To see what you're doing as you scroll through tracks on a playlist, you have to flip the case open as if you were flashing an FBI badge. A clear, plastic window on the case would have been a nice addition.

If you don't mind its above-average size, the Zen Xtra offers an outstanding playlist interface

AroundTheWorld · 08-13-2004, 07:14 PM

My iPod got stolen in Rome last weekend with thousands of songs on it

.

HotRocket · 07:48 PM

I've triend the Zen, the Iriver, and the IPod.

The Zen NX's had one of the better nav menus (IPods was easier, but didn't pack as much features). It let you create your own playlists and move songs around very easily. The problems were that it was very wide/heavy and the jog wheel sucked.
I've heard some interesting things about the Zen touch, but I found out they dumbed down the menu system; trying to make it more like an Ipod. If they use a firmware upgrade to bring back the old menu system it may be the better choice (even though it's a little thicker/heavier).

The Iriver h120 is pretty good. It has more features than all of them combined (mic, inline recording, plays several formats, awesome remote, and great potential with firmware). The big draw back is the menu system, it just plan sucks. Also I would have kept my Iriver if they actually kept their promises with firmware upgrades, but they fail in that part as well.

Ipod... the best. It doesn't have as many features as the rest, but I just want something that plays music and is small. It acomplishes both. Also the best menu/scroll design out there. I bought my 40gig Ipod (refurbished) from the IPod store for 320 (no shipping).

Here's a site I found a while back.
http://www.playerblog.com/ (new Rio Chroma (color) sounds cool too)

movement · 08-13-2004, 07:49 PM

Yep I know about the sound option, but when you actually pressed the buttons (menu, pause, etc, not the wheel) on his ipod, it felt like cheap plastic.

Quote:

Originally posted by SirCharlesFan
Um, you know, you can turn off the sound of the little touchpad wheel where you don't get that 'clicky' sound, right? BTW, I'm PISSED! I just bought an iPod at Best Buy a couple of weeks ago and now you're telling me I can get one for $269 instead of $299 plus tax?

drapg · 08-13-2004, 08:07 PM

Great.

Thanks guys... No really.

After reading this thread, I decided I wanted an MP3 player to replace the crappy 128MB Rio player I bought for $300 over 4 years ago.

I'm about to buy a 30GB MP3 Player with FM Tuner ( Juke Jam - PDP 601 ). Anyone got a review on this? I'm finding a great deal online for it and I want to buy it. But nary a review on the web.

I've got my credit card number typed in, just waiting to hit submit. Any comments before I make the purchase?

wakkoman · 08-13-2004, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lpbman
30gb ver: $208 shipped to your front door

http://www.gameve.com/

did you buy from them?

drapg · 08-13-2004, 08:41 PM

Well, I went ahead and bought the mp3 player I discussed in my earlier post.

Here are the specs:

FEATURES- Polaroid Portable MP3/WMA/FM Radio Juke Box Player- 30GB Juke Jam is a new digital combination of MP3/WMA, FM radio player with direct MP3 encoding, eliminating the need for additional conversion software! Juke Jam features an easy to use file navigation system, with the ability to define your own music library and play list. Music Match Jukebox software provides easy
album management. With a large hard drive to store thousands of songs, and then stick it in your pocket and go jam! Includes MP3 Player, High fidelity stereo earphones, Instruction and

operating manual, Carrying case, USB Cable, AC Adapter and Installation/MusicMatch disk.

MP3, WMA (supporting DRM) decoding format
MP3 encoding (64, 128 bps) format
Jukebox capacity stores thousands of songs
ID3 tags display song title, artist name, album, elapsed time
Direct MP3 encoding - voice, music, radio!
FM tuner with 10 preset channels
FM live record
Highly sensitive external voice recording including line-in
Five preset EQ options
Date, time and sleep timer functions
Large backlit LCD display 42 x 61 mm
Easy to use file navigation
User-defined music library and play list playback
16MB anti-shock buffer
Rechargeable via AC adapter
Passive line control
Bundled Music Management software (upload/download data, album management) and MusicMatch.
Simulated stereo sound effects
RTC embedded
Rapid download speed via USB 2.0
Firmware upgradeable via USB port
English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese playability

-- SPECIFICATIONs --------------------------

Memory : 30GB

Signal-to-noise-ratio: 90 dB

Frequency Response : 20Hz ~ 20kHz

REQUIRES- Pentium 233 MHz or better

1 GB Hard Disc or higher (4 GB recommended)

64 MB DRAM or better

USB Port

Monitor Resolution: 1024 x 768, 16 Bit Color or Better

CD-ROM drive to install software

Windows 98/98 SE/ME/2000 Pro or MacOS (ver. 9.04 or later)

POWER- (1) rechargeable 1400 mA-hr Li battery

SIZE - 117 x 75 x 29 mm WT.- 250 grams w/o battery