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In article <1krevfa.1pvo9gs119ot8sN%>, (David Empson) wrote:
>Enkidu <> wrote:
>> On 03/10/12 17:55, victor wrote:
>> > On 3/10/2012 1:37 p.m., Bruce Sinclair wrote:
>> >
>> >>
>> >> What advantages would an ipod have for me as a user ? (as the
>> >> advantages for
>> >> Apple are clear ).
>> >>
>> >> Thanks
>> >>
>> > They work very well for podcasts and audiobooks if you like that sort of
>> > thing. You can keep your place and bookmarks.
>> > There are plenty of third party accessories for them. Tools and
>> > replacement batteries are easy to come by.
>> >
>> iPods? Aren't the batteries soldered in? Don't you invalidate any
>> warranty if you crack the case open.
>
>Depends on the model. The original/classic iPod and iPod Mini have a
>readily removable battery and no soldering is required (the only
>complication is having the right tools to get the case open).
>
>All other models (Touch, Shuffle, Nano) require soldering and/or are
>difficult to open without breaking the device.

So ... the early models were well designed then (apart from needing special
tools ) ?


>I would be surprised if anyone needed to replace the battery in the
>first year, or even the second year, so warranty shouldn't be a
>consideration.

What would be a fair time for them to last do you think ? At a few hundred
$$$ for some of them, I would want a minimum of 5 years. That makes the
whole soldering thing a real design flaw. Not, I hasten to add, a marketing
flaw at all ... but the colour will be well passe after 5 years so you'll
need a new one before then anyway ?

In article <->, Allistar <> wrote:
>Bruce Sinclair wrote:
(snip)
>> .. all of which leaves the elephant in the room question ...
>> Why would anyone use one of these things when other players are cheaper
>> easier and apparently more logical ?
>>
>> Why then is it apparently so popular ??
>>
>> Perhaps a better question might be ...
>>
>> What advantages would an ipod have for me as a user ? (as the advantages
>> for Apple are clear ).
>
>An iPod Touch is much more than a media player. It's like an iPhone without
>the ability to connect to the cellular network. It's an email client, a
>eBook reader, a Google Earth interface, a web browser and a fun gaming
>machine.

That's all very well, but ... how is the apple product better for me as a
consumer than competing products ?

I am reminded of the "I want an iphone" video, where the customer wants an
iphone despite it not actually meeting her specifications.

The isuite still seems like a triumph of marketing over reality to me in
much the same way as mcdonalds "food".

In article <> , Peter Huebner <> wrote:
>In article <k4g1cb$qqg$>,
> nz says...
>>
>> .. all of which leaves the elephant in the room question ...
>> Why would anyone use one of these things when other players are cheaper
>> easier and apparently more logical ?
>>
>> Why then is it apparently so popular ??
>>
>> Perhaps a better question might be ...
>>
>> What advantages would an ipod have for me as a user ? (as the advantages for
>> Apple are clear ).
>>
>> Thanks

>pre-empted my own rethorical question
>
>I guess it's in the eye of the beholder.
>1) gadget addiction
>2) "cool accessory" factor and status symbol
>
>or
>
>3) "how gauche" (that's me thinking)
>
>After the class-action suit in the US against the ipod makers over the
>batteries issue, and the way restitution was handled (not, or very
>badly, in may cases) I would not go near an ipod_4_sale myself.



"Marketing" seems to be a popular theme in the helpful replies so far.

Bruce Sinclair < >
wrote:

> In article <1krevfa.1pvo9gs119ot8sN%>,
> (David Empson) wrote:
> >Enkidu <> wrote:
> >> On 03/10/12 17:55, victor wrote:
> >> > On 3/10/2012 1:37 p.m., Bruce Sinclair wrote:
> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >> What advantages would an ipod have for me as a user ? (as the
> >> >> advantages for
> >> >> Apple are clear ).
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks
> >> >>
> >> > They work very well for podcasts and audiobooks if you like that sort of
> >> > thing. You can keep your place and bookmarks.
> >> > There are plenty of third party accessories for them. Tools and
> >> > replacement batteries are easy to come by.
> >> >
> >> iPods? Aren't the batteries soldered in? Don't you invalidate any
> >> warranty if you crack the case open.
> >
> >Depends on the model. The original/classic iPod and iPod Mini have a
> >readily removable battery and no soldering is required (the only
> >complication is having the right tools to get the case open).
> >
> >All other models (Touch, Shuffle, Nano) require soldering and/or are
> >difficult to open without breaking the device.
>
> So ... the early models were well designed then (apart from needing special
> tools ) ?

The iPod Classic is a current model (depending on how you count them,
about the seventh generation of the original model).

The more miniaturised/compact the device, the harder it is to replace
the battery. People buying them seem to like small devices and don't
seem to care about being unable to replace the battery themselves.

I'm sure Apple service agents can replace the battery, but it is likely
to cost enough for the lower end models that it is not worth it. I doubt
they even bother for the iPod Shuffle.

> >I would be surprised if anyone needed to replace the battery in the
> >first year, or even the second year, so warranty shouldn't be a
> >consideration.
>
> What would be a fair time for them to last do you think ?

I have a three and a bit year old iPhone which still works fine on its
original battery (it is starting to feel like it is a little shorter
than when it was new), and an eight year old iPod which doesn't last
long on its original battery (but these days I only use it plugged into
the car so I haven't bothered to replace the battery).

> At a few hundred $$$ for some of them, I would want a minimum of 5 years.

According to their web site, Apple is currently rating iPod and iPhone
batteries at 400 charge cycles before they drop to 80% of their original
capacity (don't know offhand if that was true historically or just for
recent models).

If you used the iPod or iPhone's full battery capacity and recharged it
every day, the battery life would be somewhat reduced in the second
year, but if you only used part of the battery capacity each day it
would last longer before reaching that point.

They don't specify what happens after that, but I expect the operating
time would continue to decline. Five years of heavy use on the original
battery isn't likely, but five years of light use (or mixed
powered/battery use) is quite possible.

The iPad and integrated batteries in recent Mac notebooks are rated for
1000 charge cycles before reaching the 80% point, so they should last
three years even with a full daily discharge/recharge cycle, and longer
than five years with moderate use on battery.

Lithium-ion batteries have aging effects as well, so even with light use
they would be showing signs of reduced life after five years.
--
David Empson

On 4/10/2012 11:33 a.m., Bruce Sinclair wrote:
> In article <k4ggg3$ku6$>, victor <> wrote:
>> On 3/10/2012 1:37 p.m., Bruce Sinclair wrote:
>
>>> What advantages would an ipod have for me as a user ? (as the advantages for
>>> Apple are clear ).
>>>
>>> Thanks
>
>> They work very well for podcasts and audiobooks if you like that sort of
>> thing. You can keep your place and bookmarks.
>
> Do other products not do this ? The "how is the apple product better"
> question remains.

They might. There might even be some that are cheaper.
Apple's advantage is their network effect, the audiobooks and podcasts
are designed for ipods, the other products have to follow them.

>
>
>> There are plenty of third party accessories for them. Tools and
>> replacement batteries are easy to come by.
>
> Yet ... IIRC, the ipad 5 won't fit any of those accesories as apple have
> changed the connector. Again, how does this benefit me as the consumer ?
>

I expect there will be an adapter

[freshair]

Originally Posted by Ummmmmmm.......

A friend is sending me her iPod so that I can copy MP3s of meditation
tapes onto it, so she can play them in the car while commuting.

The filenames start with 3 or 4 characters, so that when sorted in name
order on a PC they play in chronological order. [ eg. file #1 is
aaa_Boston_Nov1_2010, file #2 is aab_Boston_Nov5_2010 etc.]

I'd like to keep this order on the iPod if possible, but I'm told (and
Googling seems to confirm) that iPods have their own weird file system,
and change filenames apparently at random.

What's the best way to load these files onto her device from my PC? I
don't want to stuff up her system. Is there any way I can be sure the
files play in the same order that they appear in my directory?

you could try the free taghycardia utility. it is a special tagger for the cases like this.