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54 Comments
- moisie, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Why don't we just give apple a license to print money and be done with it.
- Vector713, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2i can't believe those sick bastards destroyed a nano like that. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT HAVE TO PUT UP WITH CREATIVE ZENS, and these people destroy a nano like they're in surplus...
such a shame :D - Stopher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2the reason there's a shortage is because there's one guy in China that makes all the nano's and X-Box 360's by hand.
- tastypastry, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I know this is unrelated but I have a question that I hope someone can answer.
My ipod mini headphone jack is broken and my warranty is no more. Are there any reliable trusted sites where I can send it in to be fixed? Thanks for the help. - trex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1automagically, your post demonstrates why Apple succeeds - simplicity.
- rtfx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I have a Nano 2gb and an iAudio G3 512mb.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/rtf/90189.html
Long story short, I like the iAudio better. It has features I've actually used and has better overall playback capabilities. - gumpy5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's a shame Apple will most likely roll out a new product to render the nano obsolete within a few months.
- t3hX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1>Why not get something that plays Ogg and WMA?
Why?
Ogg, despite being another format, simply isn't as good as AAC. iPod Linux should probably play it soon though. WMA just plain sucks. - AdamWeeden, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1"It's a shame Apple will most likely roll out a new product to render the nano obsolete within a few months."
I'd like to see how they'd o that. Would it suddenly not be able to play music anymore? They may come out with something that has more features/more space, but that hardly makes their current product "obsolete." See the current rush for the Mini and tell me that just because Apple has discontinued it and come out with new iPods that it's obsolete. - bitmugger, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1For those of you who suggest that ipods are not as feature filled/cheap/durable as brand X.
Would someone actually show me another MP3 player with all the features of the ipod? IE:
Ability to remember where you last were in every Mp3 file (needed for audio books)
Keep track of how many times you've played each song
Allow a rating of each song
Support playlists
Support organization by artist, track, etc
Support photos
Support a dock
Have proper podcast support (remembers where you were and what you've listened to)
Allow you to fastforward to 1:43 min into a 2 hour track in seconds
Support hyperlinked note files
Have some games built in
Support sync'ing with Outlook calendar/contacts
Support album art
And accomplish all this at a equal or better price point then the 4gb ipod?
The one thing my Nano is missing that I wish apple would include is an FM radio, other then that the iPod is perfection. - keksovkeks, on 01/22/2008, -0/+1About use proxy and anonymous surfing http://vprivatenetwork.com/index.php?action=config
- aaarg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1if these numbers are correct apple is cutting its own throat. anyone familiar with production practices would never produce that many, at least not for very long...flood the market and you lose...everytime. what happens when they drop "the next big thing", but they still have tons of the old and everyone can get the old one for really cheap (read: liquidating old stocks)
this has to be a temporary production boost, otherwise there would be a ridiculous ratio of nanos/customers in the world....no digg not newsworthy - FunHeadlines, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If there's one thing an iPod is NOT, it's fragile. My nano is not protected by anything, and I just stick it in my pocket. No problems, hardly any scratching, just works. Heck, my 1G original iPod is still running after almost four years of use. The thing won't die!
- stealthboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"There are so many good alternatives to iPods. You can get an mp3 player with built in memory and a slot to add an SD card, for less than 40 bucks at walmart. "
I think someone is just jealous that they didn't get an iPod... - dareiff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The more comments i read on digg, the more I wonder about the ability of som diggers to write english (hopefully as well as they speak it)...
- JasonPrini, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1OK Kiltak, I know you're trolling for attention... but how is the nano fragile? ... try this with your hard drive player : http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nano.ars/3
As far as expensive, 4 x 1GB SD cards are more expensive than a 4GB nano... So you're not making any sense. - erguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I don't know why they did not start with the 1GB Nano and take it up from there or, offer all three options at the time of release.
- runhard, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I tried to buy one online and they're now saying they won't ship until January 3rd. Guess I'll have to try my luck at the Apple store here in Seattle.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1These thing are too fragile and expensive for the price you pay.
- combatcupcake, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Whatever, dude
Right after I wrote that, my bosses just gave me an Ipod Video for Xmas.. so I am now on my 4th Ipod - Amplix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I just ordered one at the online apple store last night for my sister.. Wonder if it'll be here by xmas?
Or by the end of the year? :- - battybattybatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0iRiver does exactly what, again?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0My 3g is scratched to hell and still works great.
I'll buy a new iPod when they bring back FireWire. The new iPods feel like cheap toys. - Anth, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I'm thinking apple's post-macworld iPod line will have a bigger shuffle. 1.5GB or 2GB for $150, 1GB for $99 and whatever is left of the 512MB at $79 (if they continue to make it at all).
- MrMysterious, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"The more comments i read on digg, the more I wonder about the ability of som diggers to write english (hopefully as well as they speak it)..."
LOL, I love a comment on English with a misspelling in it! - Amplix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0themeparkphoto,
it seems as though the trend here lately is to make a 'best of' list totally disregarding wether one like it has been made. So why not make a list of iPod alternatives and submit it to digg.. There seems to be a crapload of 'best of' lists lately.
I actually hope you don't do this. I just wanted to get that out of my system. - tech70a, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Amazing statistics here. A hundred-thousand ipods every DAY? That's huge, man... Lets assume for a minute that they keep this pace up for a month (Black Friday through Xmas). 30 x 100,000 = 3,000,000 ipod Nanos in only a month's time.
The ipod Mini was in production for what...2...3 years? And it is estimated that about 13.8 million of them were sold in that time frame. The Nano can surpass that total in under a year - even if the rate of sales drops to half the current rate.
To make it even more remarkable is the fact that the Shuffles and the Video ipods are pretty much soldout, too. Plus the older generations of ipods (like my little green Mini) are still working... Add all of the operational ipods up and I'm sure you are well over 30 million total. There are 295 million people living in the US today (according to Google). Subtract about 25% of the total for being either under 10 or older than 70. There are enough operational ipods right now for approximately 1 out of every 8 US citizens to have one in their possession.
That's HUGE. - cvh™, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0But they proved to us common lay people that the iPod nano can take a real beating! (but you (Vector713) have a point there).
- Loucipher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I ordered a black Nano through Apple's website on 12/16/05, received it today (12/19/05). It was shipped regular UPS ground all the way from SHENZHEN, China to Louisville, KY. LOL!
- MrMysterious, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I don't care if they make a million a day....all that matter is that I get the one I ordered for my fiancee by Christmas morning. If not...she'll get the order confirmation ;)
- silentex, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0To be honest, there is nothing that compares to the iPod. They have more accessories, more options ... pretty much everything that the consumer is looking for, it has. However, they are trash. We started to exchange them when customers were having problems and we ran out of them just by exchanging them. We have at least 10 a day sent of to service and probably 20 more returned. I don't know if we got a bad batch or what, but whatever it is needs to be fixed.
I own a 4GB mini and haven't had a problem with it ... but the new ones, they're breaking like crazy. - Amplix, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Update on my previous post, I ordered a black nano last night as a gift, i just recieved email telling me it has shipped and due here tomorrow.
I'm good.. I'm good - BlueStarr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0^^^^ dareiff lol
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Why not get something that plays Ogg and WMA?
--
http://www.robert.to/ - moisie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"flood the market and you lose"
They're not flooding the market, they're making this many and selling them. How many shops have you seen with piles of iPod's lying around unsold? I mean, the shuffle is sold out and arguably it's the weakest of the iPod line.
If sales drop off then Apple will certainly stop making so many, of course they'll likely be releasing the next version by then so will have probably stopped making them already anyway. - dareiff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
I could've sworn I reread my comment.. - MonkeyFit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I want an iAudio X5L. 30+ hours of battery life, FLAC support, FM radio, and can be read as a portable hard drive. The only thing missing is ID3 tag support, but that's ok. I have my own way of doing things and my friend is taking some programming classes. Maybe we can hack the OS and add the features we want. The X5L is the perfect player for ME.
- MattR, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0After reading this article it sounds like there going to replace the 1Gig shuffle with a even smaller capacity Nano, Will see in a couple of weeks.
- j_bellone, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0My 4G iPod got scratched the first day purchased, after that, I bought a case and its been fine every since. The same iPod died (HDD crash) after only 5 months of normal use. Apple is purposely making these things easily able to break, scratch, and generally not work in order to drive sales of cases and new iPods.
- AdamWeeden, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0"It's a shame Apple will most likely roll out a new product to render the nano obsolete within a few months."
I'd like to see how they'd do that. Would it suddenly not be able to play music anymore? They may come out with something that has more features/more space, but that hardly makes their current product "obsolete." See the current rush for the Mini and tell me that just because Apple has discontinued it and come out with new iPods that it's obsolete. - CorpT, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0100k nanos a day and people are still trying to say that they suck. Did you guys ever stop to think that you might be wrong?
- DullesGuy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0If only Microsoft would learn from its enemies...
- SuperFarStucker, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Yeah, the nano survived all that stuff, but I wouldn't exactly call it usable. I've had *three* nano's now, because the screen went to ***** on the first two. I never abused it, the only duty it ever got was in my pocket. From my anecdotal perspective, they aren't very durable. At least apple customer support is decent enough to replace them... Apple dick-riders can say what they want but in spite of what arsTechnica leads you to believe, it doesn't take much to render one of them unusable. The first one I had was SITTING ON MY DESK when it broke, charging. I turned it on and half the scan-lines were blank. I took it to the Apple support store and the guy gives me the rap about being 'too rough' on it. I explain "The thing is < 15 days old and was sitting on my DESK when it broke, which I think is a perfectly acceptable thing to do with a portable music player", he replaces it begrudgingly. Now the 'official' guarantee on my apple product is expired because of a manufacturing fault (That's right, they guarantee one replacement within 90 days, that's it). Fast forward 45 days, I put it into my pocket before lecture, an hour later, I take it out of my pocket and the display is cracked! Needless to say, I was pissed, I called up Apple this time and the support 'technician' is pretty nice about the whole thing but says "Since we already replaced it once I have no authority to issue another replacement, but you can speak with my supervisor if you would like", I ask to speak with his supervisor, after about 45 minutes of being on the phone (not hyperbole) I am connected to the supervisor. She is also very polite and asks me some questions to ascertain whether I've abused it. She doesn't believe me, so I explain that the damn thing has no signs of damage (aside from the cracked display) and I make a reference to the CNN article in which they say Apple admits manufacturing fault to the cracking of (some) of the displays. Whole tune changes there, woman says "we normally don't do this" but we'll replace it again, you just need to send it in first (presumably to check for abuse?). I'll see how this third device holds up but I'm skeptical, apple has reasonable people on their support hot-lines but their policies are terrible (one replacement!?!?) and my experience with the manufacturing quality of their products is less than stellar. They can also be rather unhelpful about supporting their products past their 'obligation'. When I went in to the store to get the first one replaced, there was a lady who wanted her battery replaced in her iPod. They wanted to charge 60.00 or something crazy like that, not a very good policy for a battery that costs maybe 20.00.
The software which it comes with is also less than stellar and even the mp3 decoder has bugs in it. The nano will skip on large deviation VBR files because it adaptively scales CPU and is simply too aggressive for such files. No fix in site, apple doesn't even recognize the problem.
iTunes, while better than the competitors solutions, seems rather shoddily designed around the 'DRM' paradigm. You can't copy track files off of the iPod (easily) because it scrambles the directory structure and file names and reads the meta-data. While not a make or break problem, it seems a bit silly. Meta-data support seems hit/miss, often, the album art will be on the track but not be displayed on the nano because the database doesn't realize the song has been 'updated'. iTunes behaves as if it is the only music software on your computer, that is, you rip, download, organize, play back all your files from iTunes. It is so bad it doesn't even have a 're-scan' option to weed out dead files. Also, you find yourself with crazy directory structures because you don't want to flush all the iTunes database meta-data out. The iPod also cannot be synced to multiple different machines, which is stupid. Also, changing from auto > manual > auto often causes the entire db to copied back to the ipod, which takes awhile over USB2. Smart playlists, while functional, have flaws. For example, live updating often doesn't work right and the random selection algorithm still puts the tracks in alphabetically sorted order! Shuffle on the iPod doesn't work like one would expect (shuffles whole iPod, or at least I can't figure out how to do an individual playlist shuffle). The equalizer presets are weak and almost all of them distort the music, no custom EQ. The battery life is also rather poor in my experience, though my tracks are much higher bit rate than is 'recommended', so that may play into it. I frequently use the iPod for two - three hours and it's on half charge!!! Another annoying 'feature' is the lack of a reliable way to turn thing off. Sleep doesn't always go into 'deep sleep' mode, and often you'll think you've turned it off, to come back in a couple of days (if you haven't had it plugged in) and the bloody thing is dead! The built in amplifier is insufficient for all but the most efficient of headphones, open cup designs are simply out of the question without an external amplifier, which considerably increases the bulk (usually bigger than the player itself). Also, the player itself will hard lock from occasion to occasion for no explainable reason or just refuse to sleep, forcing a reset. Needless to say, the lack of support for formats other than mp3 & AAC is a huge disappointment, but not an inconvenience unless you're unfortunate enough to have ripped your entire collection to a different format (teach you to use flac next time).
Overall, it is a good device, but as a whole there - Mexrocker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0yup... the apple store in SoHo is sold out of iPods pretty much. Too bad, my sister really wanted one...
- Luftwaffle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0I ordered a black 4GB one from Apple's website in early December, and it shipped in 2-3 days just like the website said.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1There are so many good alternatives to iPods. You can get an mp3 player with built in memory and a slot to add an SD card, for less than 40 bucks at walmart. You can get a 1 Gig SD card for about 70 bucks. Smaller, cheaper, dropable, and expandable sounds good to me. For those bent on a hard drive based, make sure you can add files to it without having to install bloated software, like the zen I had a few years ago. Popping up as a drive letter is important for true mobility.
- msaleem, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Since he got cleared of cancer, I don't think anyone would mind being Steve!
- Pooavenger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0no ***** way. that's nuts.
- asif786, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Wow, those numbers are astonishing. I wouldn't mind being Steve Jobs right now!
- combatcupcake, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Would someone actually show me another MP3 player with all the features of the ipod? IE:
Ability to remember where you last were in every Mp3 file (needed for audio books)
Keep track of how many times you've played each song
Allow a rating of each song
Support playlists
Support organization by artist, track, etc
Support photos
Support a dock
Have proper podcast support (remembers where you were and what you've listened to)
Allow you to fastforward to 1:43 min into a 2 hour track in seconds
Support hyperlinked note files
Have some games built in
Support sync'ing with Outlook calendar/contacts
Support album art
I've owned 3 Ipods, hate to say it, but a lot of those features arent that useful.
Who cares about rating a song. I have not once ever needed or wanted to use that feature. I have no interest in viewing photos on a tiny little screen, thats what my 19" monitor at home and 24" Dell at work is for.
The dock is pretty useless too, especially when its ***** $30 EXTRA! Just plug the cable in and let it sit on your desk like a big boy. Album art is also pointless, most of the time the ipod is in your pocket, who the ***** cares enough to have a picture of the albums cover?
***** mac zealots need to grow the ***** up and learn to use an item for what it DOES not what it looks like! I would NEVER buy something thats smaller just because its "cuter" it has to have a little thing called PURPOSE & FUNCTION.
Buy an ipod cause it plays music and its easy to use, dont buy it just to turn it into a god damn necklace! -
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