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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | "Bryan" <munki100@pacbell.net> |
| Subject | Re: Why no iPod? (was Re: an iPod question (xposted)) |
| Date | Tue, 19 Sep 2006 21:18:32 -0700 |
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>I get the feeling alot of the Anti-iPod respondents here are under the
> impression its sole purpose is a portable listening device. Not for me.
Yeah, I use the iTunes library on my computer way more than my 60gb
iPod (which I take with me on vacations/trips, etc). I still prefer the CD
player in my car and I still play CDs while at the office (though my next
purchase is likely to be a portable mp3 system too, like the Apple
M9867LL/A iPod Hi-Fi Home Stereo, to replace the mini-system i
have at my desk), but like Jeff says above, I also use the iTunes library
as a way to sort through my own CD collection....
Unlike Jeff and maybe others on this list, I've never purchased an mp3
from iTunes -- I've merely burned 3361 full albums (by iTunes' count) into
the library...I use their technology to help me sort through my collection
of CDs, and I make a lot of mix CDs for friends. Speaking of mix CDs,
I love how the random "party shuffle" will surprise me by finding tracks
buried deep on CDs that I own and rarely play, but might otherwise
have missed hearing on a regular basis unless I popped that particular
CD into the player...I'm constantly discovering music I *already own*....
recently I was listening to a song by Randy Meisner of the Eagles on
their On The Border album "Is It True" which was a really nice little pop
song...not at all what you might expect to hear by the Eagles...
iTunes hasn't replaced my CD collection, it merely makes it convenient
to listen to my music at work or home when I don't mind listening on
smaller speakers (working at the computer, for instance)...but you can
always buy bass boosters or better speakers...yeah, the earbuds are
kind of annoying...you can always upgrade...
So those of you who (Bob Segarini, I'm looking at you right now) who
are resisting getting into iTunes, thinking that it's some kind of evil
system which could destroy the way you listen to your music....well, it
doesn't. It makes it easy to enjoy your own music collection...yeah, it
takes some time loading all those CDs into the library, but in the end,
you can REDISCOVER your own music collection.....all those CDs you've
got filed away....the ones you probably don't dig out and play all the time.
It's so easy to click on a file and GO.
And hey, you can d/l the iTunes library FOR FREE -- try it and see:
http://www.apple.com/ipod/start/) you can always uninstall it if you don't
like having the iTunes library on your computer).
My responses re the esteemed Mr. Segarini's comments:
1. It makes all the music in your computer unplayable except on an iPod or
the computer. (aac) -- *actually, I don't understand what you mean -- for
me the iTunes library of mp4s are easily burned to discs, playable on any
CD player....
2. There are no surprises. -- *actually, I am constantly suprised by tracks
coming up in shuffle that I forgot I owned...
3. It doesn't turn you on to new music. -- *well, that's what radio (I know, not
too often anymore) and blogs and podcasts are for...you can sample mp3's
just as easily wherever they're available the same way you can listen to
Window's Media or Real Player files...and you can save them...
4. The one you just bought will be obsolete in 6 months when the widescreen
movie/video one with more storage comes out. -- *well, this is true: Apple
are heavily competitive (even though they control 88% of the current digital
market) and are constantly revising and coming out with new models, offering
TV and film and soon "widescreen" iPods, etc. etc.
5. I can't imagine being in public unable to hear oncoming traffic, trains,
mudslides, etc. Same reason I never used a walkman or discman...just how do
all those people that walk on train tracks not hear a friggin' train? -- *this seems
to be a complaint about being plugged in and ignoring life going on all around
you...which is sorta my complaint about people and their cell phone use, so
I understand...
6. They are the number one cause of street robbery...the white earbuds are a
giveaway. -- * and so are Nike shoes, or whatever the latest thing is...criminals
want popular things....what are you going to do about it?
7. To watch or listen to something on a phone, PDA, or iPod is to exclude
yourself from your friends and your environment. -- *see #5
8. When it crashes, there goes your music. -- *I actually bought an external
hard drive (200gb for less than $200) to store the mp4 files on (I burn them
from CDs using 160kbps, so they're a bit larger than 128kbps mp3 files,
but they sound much better!), but yeah, the files will take up room on your
hard drive...you have to make adjustments for that...
9. Anybody that uses one in public that is over 30 years old looks silly. --*
Bob, that's a matter of personal opinion (I kinda agree but then again, I
think us older curmudgeon types are probably not happy with a lot of things
like this). Again, you think people over 30 with iPods look silly, I think most
people look silly anyway.
10. Your friends can talk about you while you're listeneng to the latest
Pink Eye track. -* Paranoid a little bit, Bob?:-)
Bryan
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