Simply Digital

Episode 4: Apple iPods

After the visit from a family friend, the question was posed “What is an iPod?”. To answer that question, the Simply Digital guys cover all the basics of the current mobile media players that Apple has to offer. From explaining what makes an iPod so great, to covering all the types of media you can download and where you can enjoy your digital music - Michael Ashby and Analog Dave give you everything you need to know about Apple’s award winning mobile media players.

Show Notes

1. What Is An iPod?
   • An iPod is a mobile media player.
   • It primarily plays music, but some iPods can play video as well.
   • Analog Dave refers to the iPod as the “Jello” of mobile media players, because although iPod is a brand name for Apple, many people use the term “iPod” for all mobile media players. Much like people refer to all gelatin as “Jello”, or all photocopies as “Xeroxes”.
   • For the purpose of this podcast, we’re only going to cover the Apple iPod series of players
2. How Do You Put Music On The iPod
   • The iPod synchronizes with free software provided by Apple called iTunes
   • iTunes is available for both Windows and Mac.
   • iTunes is the software that manages the music on your iPod and you can get music/entertainment a number of ways:
     • You can take any of your current CDs and import (sometimes called ripping) them into iTunes. This is legal to do.
     • You can purchase music through the iTunes Music Store.
     • Each week, Apple offers free music for you to download.
     • You can use it to subscribe to podcasts.
   • The iTunes music store is estimated to be the #2 music retailer in the US.
   • Even if you think you’ll never purchase music online, iTunes is still a great digital music manager and worth the install.
   • You do NOT need to own an iPod to use iTunes. It’s free for anyone on Windows or Mac to download and use.
3. The iPod Makes Your Music Mobile
   • Once your music is digital, it can be a bit more “fluid” and more than likely, you’re going to want to make it mobile.
   • Depending on the model that you purchase, you can often make your entire music collection mobile and take it with you.
   • Instead of being limited to just the CDs that you happen to have with you in the car, you could listen to a world of music
   • You can listen by artist, album, genre, or create your own custom playlists. For example, you could choose to listen to just music from the 70’s.
   • Since more data is included in a digital file, that information is indexed by iTunes and your iPod, so it gives you a great deal of flexibility.
4. The Current iPod Product Line
   • The iPod Shuffle ($70 - $100)
     • 512MB Model, which holds approximately 120 songs.
     • 1GB Model, which holds approximately 240 songs.
     • The Shuffle is the smallest model, about the size of a pack of gum, but has no display.
     • There is a switch on the back that allows you to play your music randomly, so you can “shuffle” your music instead of having to listen to it in order.
   • The iPod Nano ($150 - $250)
     • 1GB Model, which holds approximately 240 songs.
     • 2GB Model, which holds approximately 500 songs.
     • 4GB Model, which holds approximately 1000 songs.
     • This model is almost as small as the Shuffle, but features a color display
     • The Nano comes in either Black or White
     • The Nano can also hold photos
   • The iPod
     • 30GB Model, which holds 7,500 songs.
     • 60GB Model, which holds 15,000 songs.
     • Comes in Black or White
     • Can hold photos as well as video
     • You can download television shows, such as “Lost” and play them on your iPod
     • With a video cable, you can connect the iPod to your television and watch the videos full screen!
5. Is Video Really Worth Considering?
   • If you’re new to digital media, then you may find video a bit “out there.”
   • However, you can listen to a video just as easily as you can watch it. So if you’re a big fan of an artist, then paying an extra $1 to get the video may make sense
   • Downloading television is a GREAT way to catch a show you’ve missed.
   • Since you can connect the iPod to a television with a video cable, you can watch it full screen, anywhere, so what’s not to like?
   • Griffin Technology is coming out with the TuneCenter makes connecting your iPod to your TV very easy.
6. There Are Many Ways To Enjoy Your Music
   • With the included earbuds, of course.
   • Many new model automobiles come with an “mp3 input” that allows me to
   • Use any radio, including your car stereo, to broadcast your music using the Griffin Technology iTrip.
7. Can’t I Use Other Devices To Make My Music Mobile?
   • If you have a PDA, mobile phone, or SmartPhone you CAN use those devices to listen to your music.
   • You don’t have to purchase an iPod to make your music mobile
   • In our experience, however, the iPod offers a superior listening experience because of it’s integration into iTunes.
8. The iPod Only Works Purchased Music From iTunes
   • If you end up purchasing music, the iPod is only going to be able to play music from the iTunes Music Store.
   • If you use music services, such as Napster, the iPod won’t be able to play purchased music. So, you’ll want to look at something like the Creative Zen.
   • This caveat only applies to purchased music. If you import your music from CDs, then you don’t have to worry about it.
9. Protect Your Investment
   • Not only is a case a good idea, but actual screen protectors are highly recommended.
   • The latest edition of iPods have a tendency to scratch. Especially if you just throw them in your pocket.

A Final Note:
After getting an iPod a few years ago, Michael found that it completely changed his life and his relationship with his music/entertainment. Even though newer models have come out, his 3rd generation iPod is still going strong.

That being said, if you’re new to digital music, try just playing with iTunes first. There’s plenty of free things that you can download and it’s a great way to see if you like the idea of digital music. Once you have enough music, or TV shows, you’ll inevitably want to make your entertainment mobile and then you’ll have a better idea of which iPod is right for you.

Just remember to focus on the number of songs that the iPod can hold, not the memory size. 240 songs is a lot easier to understand than 1GB. Also, the prices for iPods tend to be pretty consistent, so wether you purchase one at the Apple Store, Target, or Amazon.com, the prices will probably be about the same.

Entry Filed under: Podcasts

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