Buying a iPod?

[DreamKaZz]

I about to buy an iPod soon, probably the 20GB version with dock, remote and Belt Clip. How good is the extended warranty from apple? If I get the applecare plan it extend the warranty to from 1 to 3 years on the hardware?

 

[mikecel79]

I'm curious about this warranty also. Does it cover if the drive crashes? I've always been curious if anyone uses their iPod for jogging or rollerblading. I have a Rio S30 right now with 128MB of extra memory. I choose that one because it's flash memory based and I won't have to worry about the drive crashing. Do iPods hold up well against being bumped around even though they are hard drive based? Would Apple cover a crashed drive that was caused from being bumped around like while jogging?

 

[Eug]

Some people take their iPods jogging and it works fine. I don't though so I don't know. Hard drives and jogging aren't the best mix. Fortunately I hate jogging anyway.

As for the warranty, their extended warranties are quite good. It definitely covers the battery and it even covers the battery. (Talking about laptops. I don't have an extended warranty for the iPod, but it's the same idea.)

 

[BoomAM]

1) Good choice on the iPod. You wont be dissapointed with it.
2) Ignore any ppl that post links to the "battery problem" In 99% of cases, the battery will last for years and years.
3) iPod are fine for sport usage. But i`d reccommend a 3rd party case for it, such as the DLO Action Jacket.
4) The iPod doesnt skip. It loads 32mb of songs into some solid state ram that it has, and powers the HD down till it needs it again, which means no skipping. At all.
5) As for damage whilst running/jogging. Dont worry about it. I go running with mine, and its fine. If you need more than one opinion on the matter, then visitiPod Lounge Forums, and ask there, you`ll get the same answer off everyone there that ive given.

 

[Paulson]

Yeah, I've done jogging with mine and it doesn't hurt it.. since most of the time the data is stored in memory and the hard drive isn't even spinning... and when it does go to access the data, it's only accessing for about 5 seconds and then it parks the heads again.

 

[ed21x]

I guess I might as well add into the giant list of questions rather than starting a new thread.

1.) Is the USB interface for the Ipod compatible with the native Windows XP mass storage drive drivers?

2.) If the answer to #1 is yes, how is the Ipod's performance as a portable hard drive?

Yeah, I'm definitely considering getting the Ipod not only as an mp3 player, but also for the ability to bring a huge part of my Computer HD along with me for safekeeping and easy access.

thanks
~Ed

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: ed21x
I guess I might as well add into the giant list of questions rather than starting a new thread.

1.) Is the USB interface for the Ipod compatible with the native Windows XP mass storage drive drivers?

2.) If the answer to #1 is yes, how is the Ipod's performance as a portable hard drive?

Yeah, I'm definitely considering getting the Ipod not only as an mp3 player, but also for the ability to bring a huge part of my Computer HD along with me for safekeeping and easy access.

thanks
~Ed

It works fine as a USB hard drive (if you get the $20 USB 2.0 cable) with 2000/XP, but it uber painful to use it with USB 1.1. USB 1.1 is simply too slow.

If you have an extra slot it would definitely make sense to save the $20 on the USB 2.0 cable and get a cheap ($30) Firewire card. The speed with an iPod will be the same as with USB 2.0 (since the drive speed itself is the limiting factor), but with Firewire it will charge directly off the port.

 

[DreamKaZz]

It works fine as a USB hard drive (if you get the $20 USB 2.0 cable) with 2000/XP, but it uber painful to use it with USB 1.1. USB 1.1 is simply too slow.

If you have an extra slot it would definitely make sense to save the $20 on the USB 2.0 cable and get a cheap ($30) Firewire card. The speed with an iPod will be the same as with USB 2.0 (since the drive speed itself is the limiting factor), but with Firewire it will charge directly off the port.

If I get the 20GB version with the dock, does it use firewire and USB 2.0? Does it comes with a USB 2.0 Cable, is it a standar USB 2.0 cable?

What the difference between the two firewire and USB 2.0, is it plug and play for both, no reboot required? (in the Windows world of course )

 

[BoomAM]

The USB2 cable, will work as a USB2 device, and has a splitter, with one cable going to your PC, and the other connects to the "old" firewire cable, that connects to some other stuff to allow you to plug it into a mains socket. So it can still charge.

 

[Derango]

Just to repeat it, If you want to connect using USB 2.0, you have to buy the cable from apple. It's not a standard USB2 cable.

the only difference between the USB2 and the Firewire interfaces as far as the iPod is concerned is that with USB it can't chage from the port so you have to use the AC adapter to charge it. With firewire, it can get power through a firewire port (6 pin only...most laptops with firewire use the 4 pin version which doesn't include the power pins)

 

[mindmaniac]

I'd go guy the firewire port. I tried using the USB port but after putting 9 gb worth of music it was pretty much drained of power, I had to stop and recharge and continue importing music onto it. I boughtt the firewire card off of newegg for under $15 shipped.

 

[thraxes]

Just get a cheap firewire card... they don't cost all that much,

 

[BoomAM]

FYI.
For decent firewire cards that work well with iPods, that are fast, and have little to no compatibility problems, then the Adaptec ones are highy reccommended, as are any that have a Via baced firewire controller onboard.

 

[DreamKaZz]

I already have a firewire port on my motherboard, i was thinking of getting the USB cable for when I'm on the go and I need plug into a different computer.
I'm getting the 20Gb version because of all the accessories, I have maybe 3-5Gb of Mp3 rest will be encrypted data backup.

 

[onza]

waiting on mini ipods ^_^

still gana be expensive but i dont see myself having more then 4-10gigs of music on the thing per trip.

 

[DreamKaZz]

I would of gone for a mini iPod, but compared to the bigger version with all accessories theres not much of a differences and its only gonna be available in April in the great white north, Canada.

 

[BoomAM]

Ive seen some info on the mini iPod.
Holds 1000 tracks. (4gb i think)
About 30% smaller than normal iPod.
Available in various colours.
Look butt ugly.
Costs $250, $50 more will buy you 6 extra GB, better styling, and the option to add a large range of accessories to it.