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Should I buy an iPod now or wait?
DoopHQ
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've been recently thinking of buying a 30gb iPod. I would like to get one soon, but I'm not sure if I should wait until the next generation iPod will be released. I've read tons of speculations about the new iPod and how it'll be released this fall. So should I wait or just go ahead and buy the iPod now?
DoopHQ on
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If you want something to play music, and the current gen fits your needs, pick one up. It's not like they sell the old stock for $50 when the new ones come out. If the next gen is going to have a feature that you are willing to wait for (like I might wait in your situation if the added and FM tuner) then wait.
Abandon all hope, for no one is here to help you.
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You can walk into just about any retail electronics store and find a handful of products better than the I-pod for less than it costs, your just buying a status symbol there is better stuff out there. Check reviews online of MP3 players you see and compare. cnet.com is a great place to start.
Cheaper? Yes. Better? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the features you want. Personally, I find that between gapless playback, the UI, Podcasts, and the large number of accessories available for them, the iPods are the best MP3 players on the market.
But saying it's "just a status symbol" is untrue. iPods are top-tier DAPs no matter how you slice it.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
The Zune is similar but has a larger screen, which is ideal if you will actually watch video. I listen to my iPod at work, for instance, so the fact that I can watch video is moot -- I listen to music with the thing 99.99% of the time. I've used it for video when I happen to have a video or pictures of stuff around the house or a vacation, and I happen to show it to people at work. Of course, i could also put it up on my website, but since my iPod synchs with my iPhoto, it's usually already on there without me even thinking about it. So video is almost entirely useless to me -- if it's valuable to you, then a large screen player like the Zune would be more up your alley.
The crux of the question, though, is new versions. The last update was a "mid-step" upgrade, with a very slight change to the size of the HDD and slightly speedier chips. It didn't break functionality with the previous versions, as the previous iPod video can play the same games. That update was quite a while ago, as well. Is a new one around the corner? Likely; but not until after the summer, thanks to the iPhone.
If you can wait until after summer, wait. Buy the next one as soon as it comes out. If you've got a use for something now, buy now. If you're on the fence, wait. Figure out how you listen to your music, how you sort it on your computer, and make an educated decision based on your needs. I personally love the iPod because I'm on a Mac and iTunes is incredible.
Perhaps saying "just a status symbol" was going a bit far but not off target. The features you list as unique aren't deal makers if you look at them:
Gapless Playback : the ability to play songs without stopping. Not exactly a unique feature.
UI: Ipod's do have a nice interface and are pretty easy to navigate, and thats why alot of companies have copied that and made their mp3 players similar, even the wheel that was unique on Ipods is now a staple of many mp3 players. As for Itunes, I can say with certainty that Itunes runs terrible on windows machines. The only rival software for the amount of work I get in my tech shop is Symantec's Norton Anti-virus products.
Podcasts: Are available in mp3 format. Play on just about anything.
Large number of accessories: This one is a good point, Ipods have the most accessories of any mp3 player I have seen. Also the most proprietary. While you get your Ipod usb cable I will borrow my friends generic mini-usb to usb cable or just pull one off of one of my other devices that uses the same cable for other mp3 players.
Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to start an argument or a flame war. The point of my post isn't to sat Ipod's are crappy players, they are in fact : Very Nice ! However I don't consider an Ipod the best MP3 player for a number of reasons: price, cost of accessories, poor software design...
DoopHQ : I would advise you to get the 30gb Ipod now, as with anything product thats being speculated on, you may be waiting for a bad product, or if you feel inclined check out the other selections as I mentioned check the whole array of products out there and see if something else floats your boat. You can't make a mistake by comparing before buying.
He's a bit more information as to why I want an iPod.
- I currently have a 2gb iPod nano that I got for my birthday. It's nice but 2gb is small for me now since I listen to a ton (read: 15-20 podcast) and audiobooks while I commute to work.
- I like the iPod UI. Nice and clean.
- My music organization consist of a folder where I dump all my mp3s in (except albums where I put that in a folder inside the music folder).
- Playlists are nice but I only used them to organize my audiobooks
- I have a few podcast that are video (i.e. diggnation, dl.tv) that I would like to watch on my iPod, however, this isn't necessary...just a plus.
- I haven't researched another mp3 player since I assumed the iPod is the de facto standard.
With the recent release of the iPhone, I'm hoping to see an iPod verison of it (touch screen galore!) I'm not really in a rush to buy a new iPod (or Mp3 player). Unfortunately, my nano's battery life is coming to an end. I know about Apple's battery replacement program (for a fee) but I rather just save my money and buy a new mp3 player.
Thanks for the feedback so far.
Actually, it is. You go ahead and compile a list of MP3 players with that feature. Here's a hint: Prior to the 5.5G iPods that came out last year, no one had made one in about three years. Maybe longer. And even then, there was only the one. If you listen to music seriously, it's an absolutely vital feature. I wouldn't pay one cent for an MP3 player that couldn't play Dark Side of the Moon correctly.
No, you can't say that actually. It runs just fine on my PC, as well as it does on my iBook. And you won't find an imitation of the touch wheel on any MP3 player out there because it's patented.
iTunes handles syndication nicely.
Creative and Microsoft also use proprietary cables. In fact, iRiver is the only company that comes to mind that doesn't. And they have a miniscule market share.
Yeah, not buying it.
Your "facts" are all dodgy or flat out incorrect. And best of all:
YOU ARE NOT HELPING ANYONE BUT YOUR EGO.
Read the rules. This is a thread by someone interested in whether or not it's likely that a new iPod will be released shortly. This is not a general "which DAP should I buy" thread and you're starting an unnecessary argument. Don't do it again.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
The most likely new product from Apple this fall is an iPhone nano. The latest iPods were released last September, they haven't even been out for a year. Maybe something will launch near Christmas, but I'd suspect that you're more likely to see an update to the iPod line next year than any sooner.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH