The iPod: A Love Story Between Man, Machine

If a song represents a memory in your head, then you listen to your life's memories -- faster than a mixed CD, definitely faster than a mixed tape -- as you listen to your iPod," says the affable, fast-talking Berkowitz, a project manager for a software company, as he sits in his downtown Washington office.

"It becomes an extension of you," he says. "It's like a window to your soul."

Everywhere, at all times, it's with you, this personal narrative of who you are and what you've been. While shopping for Cocoa Puffs at Harris Teeter. While dozing off on the MARC train. While doing leg extensions at Gold's Gym. It takes you back to that first dance ("When Will I Be Loved" by Linda Ronstadt) and last dance ("I'm in You" by Peter Frampton) at your senior prom; that birthday party where you sang like Rick James so loudly ("Superfreak! Superfreak!") that the neighbors almost called the cops; that Whitney Houston breakup anthem that reminds you of you-know-who over and over again. It's an obsession, an addiction, a love affair, really, between a man and a machine.

To the iPodders around the world, the irresistible, indispensable, irreplaceable iPod is a personal memory bank.

"The iPod is a very powerful identity technology," says Sherry Turkle, director of the Initiative on Technology and the Self at MIT, where she teaches the psychology of the relationship between people and machines. The iPod, to be sure, isn't the only digital music player around, but it's without a doubt the most popular. With nearly 22 million sold, three-quarters of the U.S. market, "the iPod is just one more technology that uses the computer as the second self -- a reflection of who we are as people, a way of seeing ourselves in the mirror of the machine," she says.

Fatima Ayub, wearing a white chiffon hijab that matches her iPod's white earphones, is walking briskly on R Street in Northwest Washington on her way to work. You'd hardly ever see her, she says, without her 15-gigabyte iPod, which has more than 1,300 songs on it.

"Your taste in music is something very personal, very emotional. So when you have an iPod and you've got all your music on it, you're trying to say something about yourself," says Ayub, 22, an associate for the Asia division of Human Rights Watch and a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University. She's listening to "A Perfect Sonnet" by the indie rock group Bright Eyes as she sits on a curb near 18th and R streets. Her boyfriend, Imran, learned to play that song on his guitar for her, she says, cracking a shy smile. "You're making a little collection of emotions and memories for yourself and you stick them all in this little machine and you carry it around with you wherever."

In the upcoming book "iPod, Therefore I Am," part memoir, part valentine, the English journalist Dylan Jones writes: "The big thing about the iPod, I thought, was the way in which it forces you to listen to your life in a different way."

"When I started just monotonously, relentlessly downloading and uploading my record collection onto this machine, it was only after awhile that I began to realize why it was taking me so long. It wasn't supposed to take you that long. But I started going off on these weird tangents, going backwards, to my youth, when I was 15 or 20 or 30," Jones, a 45-year-old father of two girls, says in a phone interview from his London home.

His iPod has more than 6,000 songs. "That's when I began thinking there was something bigger to this whole iPod thing. Every time I download a song to it, and every time I listened to that song, it forced me to go back somewhere where I haven't been to for a while."

Everyone who loves music -- and who doesn't? -- has hundreds, if not thousands, of records, Jones says. When was the last time you played everything in your music collection? he asks. Then Jones, in a pitch-perfect tenor, sings a few lines from "Wichita Lineman" ( "I know I need a small vacation, but it don't look like rain. . . . I am a lineman for the county, and I drive the main road, searching . . . ). It's a song he first heard when he was 12, "one of those songs that remains a secret," he says, "because it was never trendy enough."

In the middle of her typical 7:30 p.m. workout at Washington Sports Club in Clarendon, with her iPod clipped to her hot pink shorts, Kate Danser is listening to "Times Like These" by Jack Johnson, a surfer-cum-songwriter with a distinctive folksy, reggae-rock sound. Not exactly the upbeat, fast-paced, high adrenaline rush that is "Bootylicious," by the R&B group Destiny's Child. That song, in very high volume, can be heard from the iPod of a woman dressed in a matching gray halter-top and very short shorts who's doing sit-ups a few feet away. But "Times Like These," the 24-year-old Danser says, reminds her of her friend Casey, her student-teacher partner whom she met at the College of New Jersey. Casey introduced her to Jack Johnson a few years back.

"It kinda soothes me, relaxes me, calms me down," says Danser, putting her iPod back on, sitting on the leg extension station, about to do her third rep, with the Jack Johnson song and the memory of her friend Casey in the background.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/16/AR2005081601887.html

Apple iPod just stopped working

Pod just stopped working

Last year we bought my stepson an Apple iPod nano 4 gig for his 15th. birthday. Beautifully designed and super slim in black. Of course he didn't need an iPod, he already had a perfectly fine, unbranded 1 Gig MP3 player, but this thing was what he wanted.....

So last September in good time for his birthday we duly ordered one from Amazon.co.uk for around about £134, plus a couple of accessories to go with it. I'm a huge fan of Amazon and the kit arrived within the promised couple of days.

Move on to this August, off he goes on holiday, but he has to borrow an MP3 player from a friend. Not having my brain in gear at the time it didn't register that he wasn't taking his own lovely iPod. But on his return and with his impending birthday coming around again and the threat of having to provide the latest iPod, I asked what was wrong with his iPod.

"Oh, my iPod just stopped working." "How do you mean just stopped, did you drop it, did you leave it out in the rain did you go swimming with it on?" "No, I just charged it up one day and it was working and the next time I came to use it - a few weeks later - it wasn't working. Wouldn't even work when connected to the PC. Nothing"

Now, I'm as much of a technophobe as the next 50+ year old, but I was an early Apple Macintosh user, back in 1985/86 and am a huge fan of Apple and all things Apple. Surely they don't make stuff that just stops working - I mean I know times have moved on and everything, but the ethos of the company hasn't changed that much has it?

To my mind with my limited technical knowledge and my even more limited knowledge of batteries and rechargeable batteries at that, I was convinced this was a battery issue. He hadn't misused the thing at all. I assumed he'd also tried everything in his iPod manual to sort the thing out, although I do have a bit of a belief that if you need a manual to use a thing it needs to be better designed - but that's another whole subject!

Thank goodness the iPod came from Amazon. I located my order online (phew, within a year ago) and phoned them. No good. I emailed and got an immediate response - "to better serve Apple customers, Apple wants iPod customers to phone them direct."

Uh-oh I thought, here we go. But no, Apple customer service was brilliant, I needed the iPod with me when I phoned so they could get me to try a couple of things before they sent a replacement.

I duly took the iPod with me to the office the next day and called Apple. I had a reference number so got straight through to someone who had all the details in front of them in an instant.

So, within seconds, and I mean seconds, the chap at the other end of the phone, a Frenchman I think, had the iPod working again.

So, why am I writing this piece?

Well it occurred to me that there are a whole lot of people out there like me who have bought iPods, for their loved ones, not really understanding what they are all about, other than maybe realising, or being told that they are sooooo COOL. But worse than that the MSN chat loving, glued to the PC screen, use the computer everyday, supposed technical whizz kids for whom the thing was bought, have never even opened the manual. (And with this well designed piece of kit - why would they?)

In case it goes wrong of course. The troubleshooting guide. So, don't assume your teenager has read his or her Apple iPod manual. He or she probably hasn't even downloaded, or installed it or whatever. Wouldn't recognise a troubleshooting guide if it slapped him or her in the face.

And why do I think I am entitled to pass on what could prove to be a pure gold nugget? Something that could save the hassle of a return, or the expense of a replacement iPod? Well just today, completely unprompted, my own daughter handed me her very fancy 30 gig iPod with the words - could you have a look at this dad, it just stopped working - even when I recharge it, or connect it to the PC - nothing.

I did exactly what the man at Apple customer service had told me to do and even though my daughter is something of a gadget whizz kid, I became her instant hero - fixed, one 30 gig iPod in white. What a COOL feeling that was!

OK, so what was it that I was able to do that saved me having to buy my stepson a new (and obviously the latest, more expensive) iPod? Or at least having the hassle of arranging a swap? What was it that turned me from a doddery old man to a technical hero in my daughter's eyes?

It was this - and it's not original, it's not my own idea, it's not that clever even, it was the first thing the Apple man said to try, it probably appears in the iPod user manual, but I am prepared to bet more than 50% of teenage iPod owners have never heard of it - it's how to reset the iPod.

Press and hold the menu button and at the same time press and hold the circular central control button. Hold both for about 6 seconds. It seems like an age, but in that short time you could 1. Save yourself upwards of £200 - the cost of a replacement, 2. Surprise a know it all teenager into thinking you are hip and cool and switched on after all, or 3. Be your 20+ year old daughter's hero all over again, 20 years on!

Author:


http://www.ipodtopic.com/articles/apple-ipod-just-stopped-working.php

iPod Mods

Ever since the iPod first came out, enterprising souls have been looking for and experimenting with ways to modify both its hardware and its software. This is done for a variety of reasons - to introduce new functionality, to test the iPod under various conditions, and simply for the novelty and uniqueness that such an “iPod mod” would bring.

Coming up with new mods, either software or hardware types, is not easy for the typical user. But software mods, once discovered and tried out, often become available for download. And it’s much easier to customize the iPod’s software rather than its hardware, especially for users who are not handy with tools and tinkering.

In this light, one of the essential iPod mods is called iPod Linux. As its name would imply, this hack allows the running of the Linux operating system on any iPod - but of course it would be pointless on the Shuffle variants, as they have no screens. Linux on the iPod would allow the playback of OGG sound and music files, which are unsupported by the unmodified iPod.

But more importantly, once iPod Linux is up and running on your iPod, it becomes easy to find and download modules and applications that would work with iPod Linux to transform your iPod into something else. Linux is a full-featured operating system that has been around for some time now. It has already gained a dedicated user base. This means that the development of software for use with Linux is an active field which a modded iPod could very well take advantage of.

A wide variety of applications have been developed for use with iPod Linux. The most popular of these include, of course, games! Doom, a popular first person shooter, has already been ported for running on the iPod Linux system. Other popular games available for the iPod include arcade games such as Space Invaders and even Pac-man. Installing these games makes the iPod suddenly a versatile entertainment device and not just a digital music player any more.

More utilitarian software is also available. Support for digital encyclopedias such as Wikipedia, the user-created encyclopedia, is available for the iPod already. It is also now possible to convert DVD movies and footage into the format that an iPod would recognize and be able to play. This entails downloading software called a converter, and processing your DVDs using this software to produce files that can then be transferred to the iPod and played. And a myriad of other applications can be found - timers, a utility for turning the iPod into a universal remote control, and even simple text file editors!

Modding your iPod can be as simple as installing easily downloadable software on it, and virtually unlocking new features and capabilities. Be aware, however, that third party modifications such as this may void the warranty contract with Apple. A lot of people consider this a fair enough bargain for being able to customize their beloved iPods even further.

http://www.frozenipod.com/2007/ipod-mods/#more-8

iPod Prices

Having a portable music player is now becoming a commodity rather than being a luxury item. Many people are now buying their own Ipod players without considering much of the price values. This somehow reflects the drastic changes in prices of the brand. The differences in market costs are inflicting a new trend in commercial spending.

The early prices of the Ipod music players are high because of the of market introduction. Seemingly, the newer the item is in the market the higher price values it gets. However, because of longer time frames affect price values, the regular units of Ipods are now more consumer-friendly. Prices are dropping because of some causes coming from different aspects of marketing.

Initially, the price of the Ipod player does not have any comparable reference. This is understandable because there were no other music player brands available in the market. The high cost employed in the sale of the first ipod generations base purely on the economic factors of manufacturing them. However, because of the release of other models that comprise the whole Ipod family, the high cost values of Ipods are reduced at certain points in time. This explains the trends in business that gives good competition among brand items.

The introduction of Ipod Nano, Ipod shuffle and Ipod video has changed the price ranges of Ipods. Each of these models is using specific price ranges based on the technical features of the product. Apparently, the more features it has, the higher the street price. For example, the current market price of Ipod is at $249. The price may be steep but it compensates the 20,000 songs it is capable to store. On the other hand the Ipod Nano and Shuffle reached its price $149 and $79 respectively. There is no exact pricing pattern between the Ipod families because of the difference in specifications. The price of one model cannot justify the cost of another because of technical differences. Some distributors and resellers may apply varying price ranges depending on the availability of the item in their stores. For example, an Ipod may range from $199-$255 depending on the capacity of the unit and location of the shop.

On the other hand, the lowering prices that envelop the retail sale of Ipods applies to market shares. Since the introduction of the Ipod player, many big electronic manufacturers have followed suit to rival the success of the Ipod. This may bring great market competition that will eventually lead to lower player prices and wider brand choices. The public will always have a definite edge in choosing the best according to their preferences.

The rising and lowering prices of the ipod player have many factors. In the aspect of good marketing strategies, the manufacturer will always take the step in remodeling their products. This will help the public to take their pick among the various offerings Ipod has given to the commercial market.

http://www.frozenipod.com/2007/ipod-prices/#more-9

Used iPods

Is there any advantage to buying and owning used iPod’s? The answer to this question is a matter of opinion and can be a cause for a debate. Practicality is one simple trait modern consumers are currently aiming to have amid all these financial and economic troubles worldwide. And buying and using used iPods can very well help in saving some amounts of money.

If you are planning to invest in an iPod, you can choose to buy of course, a brand new unit. Now, you can also opt to acquire a used iPod, and you would definitely be surprised that there are many such goods offered and sold in the market today. All you need to do is to get in touch with shops selling both new and used iPods, and for sure, you could make a wise and practical purchase transaction.

Of course, buying a new iPod would reflect many advantages. For one, the quality is assured to be superb. Expect that the unit would be free from any minor or major damages. You can make sure that your iPod would be of the highest possible standard and state, like it is free form scratches, the music is good and the overall performance is A-ok.

However, one distinct disadvantage would be the significant cost of buying a new iPod. And this is how buying used iPods can be of great advantage. For sure, these used gadgets are sold at heavy discounted prices in the market today. The savings you could generate in buying old iPods instead of the brand new ones would very much offset any other issues in the purchase of the old gadgets.

As a disadvantage, of course, expect that old iPods would never be free of scratches. There are also minor defects that are limited to problems regarding the case or housing of the gadget. Another problem would be that the used iPods would possibly not be covered by warranty anymore. In that case, you would have to shed out money in case you would have the gadget repaired.

Used iPods can also be swapped for other units. If you are aiming to buy new iPod models and units, you could opt to trade in your used iPod so you could secure significant discounts on your purchase. This practice is very popular nowadays.

You can buy used iPods at cheap prices. That is one unique and apparent advantage to buying such second hand gadgets. Who says you have to spend so much to own the iPod you’ve been eyeing for?



http://www.frozenipod.com/2007/used-ipods/

Whats Inside Your iPod?

The iPod has become a part of the global culture, since its first introduction in October 2001. The portable music player and others of its kind have left their mark on society and social behavior. Many have gotten curious and wondered, what exactly is inside an iPod?

For an iPod video, here are the main hardware components contained inside the case.

There is a hard drive, of course, for storage. This hard drive is a 1.8 inch Toshiba one with 30, 60, or 80 GB capacity. It features a USB interface, and runs at 4200 rpm. It weighs only 1.7 ounces or 48 grams and manages to fit 30 GB (or more) onto a single platter. This comes to about 93.5 gigabits per square inch. This high density is made possible by the use of smaller, lighter sliders, as well as improved thin-film technology with higher sensitivity for the read/write heads and the platter.

Then there is a rechargeable lithium-ion 700 mAh, 3.7 V batteries, a typical battery using the latest technology to make it fit the iPod’s form factor with maximum performance.

Then of course a 2.5 inch TFT LCD. This display is 16-bit and has a resolution of 320×240 pixels. It is also extremely thin, measuring only 0.125 inches or 3.175 mm in depth.

The chips and other processors such as the Broadcom BCM2722 video chip and the Wolfson Microelectronics WM8758 codec are found on a single motherboard. Because of the iPod’s smaller size, these chips use thin-film technology to connect to one another instead of the plastic connectors that larger devices usually use.

Perhaps the most interesting hardware in the iPod is the click wheel mechanism. Incorporated into this mechanism are five mechanical buttons corresponding to play/pause, forward, backward, menu, and the middle select button. These work much the same as other electronic buttons: by pressing them, metal contacts are made which complete the appropriate circuits on the motherboard.

The touch-sensitive wheel itself works much like a laptop’s touchpad does. In fact, Synaptics, a company widely known for its production of laptop touchpads, provided the touch wheels for the 4G iPod. (But Apple came up with its own proprietary design for the 5G iPod’s clickwheel.) The main concept behind this touch-sensitive hardware is that the touch of a human finger (or anything else that might conduct electricity) induces a change in the capacitance of the mechanism, which can be tracked via a built-in grid.

What software is then used with this hardware, to complete the iPod unit? The iPod 5G reportedly runs on the Pixo OS 2.1 operating system. Along with this comes PortalPlayer’s Digital Media Platform, which includes support for audio decoders, firmware customizations, as well as other software development tools. And of course software for the corresponding video and audio chips come installed on every iPod.

http://www.frozenipod.com/2007/whats-inside-your-ipod/#more-11

iPod Games

The trend of iPods being music only is long gone. With the release of the 5th generation iPod last year, it has changed the way we think about iPods. Not only do they play music, but they also allow us to watch movies. The iPod community was shocked when Apple announced the release of several games for the iPod.

In the second half of last year, apple released a number of games to be purchased from iTunes music store. The games include Sudoku, Ms Pac Man, iQuiz, Vortex, Tetris, Texas Holdem, Cubis 2, Zuma, Pac Man, Mini Golf, Mahjong, Bejeweled and Royal Solitaire. The games can be purchased at iTunes music store for $4.99 each.

The games currently only work on 5th generation iPods (iPod Video). There is a huge range of different games to choose from. Just about everyone will find something that they like and is enjoyable for them to play.

The release of these few games was a highly successful release for Apple. Within a few weeks there was a huge amount of users across the globe that purchased one or more of the games. There is a rumor that there will be another set of new iPod games released very soon for the 6 month anniversary since the first games were released.

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http://www.frozenipod.com/2007/ipod-games/#more-13