This is sort of out of left field for me, but it should be noted. The iPod is a really cool device, and I especially love listening to podcasts and music on the train on the way to work (recommended: Open Source, Slate Podcasts, and Weekend America) but damned if there isn’t something wrong with the device. In 2005 I had to replace my iPod mini twice (luckily there are a few Apple Stores in Maryland, as well as D.C.). This means I am now on my third iPod in less than ten months. The screen clouded out on the first one, the second one’s hard drive died, and the third seems okay so far though it doesn’t tell me “all clear” when it’s done syncing with iTunes like it’s supposed to. When it works, it’s great, and lives up to all the deserved hype about ease of use and interface.
When it works. Right about now Apple is acting like a certain other company who thinks they can do no wrong while shipping bad product.
LOL, I knew even before I clicked on the link it was going to Microsoft’s site.
You are right about the iPod, it does indeed have problems. And Apple appears to be very arrogant about correcting there problems. I have had battery issues with my third-generation iPod since day one; I can recharge the little bastard all day long and it will go out on 20 minutes if I use the backlight when I walk 2 miles at night. That is EXTREMELY frustrating.
Well, supposedly Apple had a class-action lawsuit where we were supposed to get replacement batteries. Unfortunately, some people sued against the class and Apple reneged on the whole thing, so we are now stuck with the f’ing things. (I refuse to buy a battery replacement pack for a third-generation iPod that is already obsolete, thanks to their continuous revisions.)
I would dump the whole product line, except for the fact I have already invested almost $1,000 in their proprietary music format. I have also reviewed the alternative (MP3), and that looks no better (too many companies also have proprietary formats).
Apple is just a scaled-down Microsoft and/or Dell, proving once again that monopolies and oligopolies can sink to their expected levels in customer service.
I had an iPod mini and didn’t have any problems with it. Problem was, even 4GB was too much space for me as I was only utilizing a quarter of it. Therefore, I sold mine on Ebay practically what I paid for it. I only had mine several months, so maybe there wasn’t enough time for it to dump on me. However, a friend who bought a mini several months prior to me had the same problem Ron talks about with the battery.
I picked up one of these from EVIL Wal-Mart during their pre-Christmas sale for $99. 2GB, a built in FM tuner, a voice recorder, playlists etc. It came with 10 free Wal-Mart downloads, a protective case, ear-buds, and a charger. The battery life is much longer than Apple’s. I think the regular price is something like $125 and is well worth it.
All hard drives die sooner or later. It’s never a question of “if”, but “when”. Some hard drive manufactures have higher rates of success, but even the best manufactures will make some hard drives that fail early in their life.
Ron, you can convert Apple’s proprietary format to standard AAC files without quality loss with jhymn (hymn-project.org). A lot of other portable MP3 players support AAC.
I bought a 5GB edition 1 iPod when they first came out. My wife still uses it. Never had an issue. Now using a 4G 20GB with a Sonnet PodFreq. Again, zero problems.
For every person bitching about their iPod breaking, there are several thousand people using them without issues.
Ron: The appeal filed by individual objectors to the battery settlement was rejected on December 20. People who own third-generation iPods like you can file claims as long as it’s within two years of your purchase date. Apple will either (at its discretion) replace the battery or replace the iPod, or you can get $50 in Apple store credit if you want. I bought AppleCare on my 3G iPod for $60 back when I got it, and just last month, Apple replaced the entire unit because the battery was weak. They replaced it earlier due to another audio problem. If the iPod costs more than $300, I say get AppleCare on it to extend the full warranty by a year.
Oliver: other than the battery problems, there seems to be nothing systemic wrong with iPods. You can tell because people keep filing lawsuits that keep getting dismissed, except for the battery issue, and the iPod Nano screen-scratching thing that has yet to be resolved. I do this for a living and haven’t heard massive complaints about iPod Mini quality – in fact, it was Apple’s best-selling iPod until the Nano replaced it.
My question: what do you want Apple to do? They’ve replaced both of your defective iPods just as they should, right? Anecdotal reports of iPod trouble are no more reliable than anecdotal reports of Bill Clinton womanizing – do you expect Apple to start some massive advertising campaign saying that the devices don’t work? That doesn’t seem wise.
I’m not saying anyone’s “right” or “wrong” or attacking or defending. I’m saying that if you agree these are the facts, what do you think Apple should do that it’s not doing? (And if you don’t agree that these are the facts, what are the facts as you see them?)
My younger son had that battery problem with a 3rd gen IPod too– fixed when we bought an aftermarket battery.
The older boy has had 3 new 5th gen IPods in three months. The first one had a problem with the headphone jack. I took it back to the Apple store and waited two hours for a tech, who didn’t even look at it. He just pulled out a box with a new IPod and gave it to me.
That IPod never worked– the battery lasted about 4 minutes before shutting off. I took it right back to the Apple store. Again (after only an hour this time) the tech reached under the counter and pulled out a new IPod, and that one is working okay. Moral of the story is… it costs less to give a new one than to fix one. Makes you wonder what the markup is.
Anyway, I was telling my Apple-fan brother this, and he, like Concordian, averred that he never had any problems with his IPod, and what was I talking about. Four IPods in a few months, three of which didn’t work (and the other is only two weeks old), isn’t evidence of a problem, and neither is the many websites where IPod owners lament spending so much for so many glitches.
To me, the tech immediately replacing two IPods, without question, without examination, suggests that he’s real used to complaints.
I doubt it, Concordian.
The class was huge in the lawsuit. And you may recall what prompted Apple to come up with their replacement battery program in the first place: the two guys in New York with their billboard campaign that garnered national headlines.
Why?
Because there were SO MANY people suffering the same problems that came out of the woodwork after their campaign. Apple suffered a huge public relations setback with that campaign, and had to do something. Amazing it took such a campaign for them finally to get off of their collective asses.
Yeah, the techs at the Apple store were not surprised that I brought in my mini for repair. It wasn’t an isolated incident.
Thanks for the update mattd. I had just checked the site on December 15.
I had already filed my claim in the summertime. I will most certainly follow up to get my long overdue battery replacement.
I personally am holding out until I can afford one of these that plays ogg and flac. My music will be unencumbered by ridiculous and useless patents.
Thanks for the link, limulus. However unfair the whold proprietary format venue is, I am not going to break copyright law.
my ipod 3rd gen has a problem with the headphone jack. the right side doesnt work. I thought it was the headphones at first but, it turned out to be the ipod. IDK what to do about this situation because i cant find a good repair shop.