getting a 20gb ipod

[99shassan]

I can't wait!!!!!! It should be arriving tomorrow from amazon, should of arrived from the 21 to the 23. If it doesnt come tomorrow I will be extremely dissappointed with them. I can't wait to get my hands on it. :banana:

[Daedalus]

hmm, not bad, but if your planning on using it as a backup device for your MP3's you'll be sorely disapointed. I have a friend who's got one who recently told me that it keeps in sync with whatevers on your PC. So if you delete something off your PC it deletes it off your iPod the second you connect it, and I think vice versa too.
So, if your system crashes and needs to be re-built (i.e. hard drive wiped and starting fresh) and your thinking 'its ok, i've got them all on my iPod', then nope, wrong, the second you re-connect it it'll wipe the iPod clean, hows that for a usefull tool eh? (sarcasm by the way...)

Other than that its quite nice (if a bit too much of an accessory rather than a music player), but persoanlly I'd never spend such a daft amount of money on something like that, I would'nt feel safe carrying it, and the ammount of music I listen to in any one go would easily fit on a 256MB MP3/WMA stick that Dixons have for £79.99 right now.

[bunny]

OOOOOOOO you lucky so and so, i been on about them for ages, especially the mini ipods in pink lol.

Only three things put me off, the battery, the sound issues they have been having and the cost.

Let us know how you get on with yours.

[99shassan]

The battery is also one of the put offs for me too. What sound issues?

[bunny]

I read it in a magazine (got it here somewhere) that people are having trouble with the sound quality.
Will trawl through my collection of pc mags in a bit and find it for you and post it here.

Think it has been resolved now so dont worry just enjoy it. BTW what colour you having?

[99shassan]

the normal white cover, hopefully I'll be able to get a skin for it. Btw do you know about the erasing of the songs if it is deleted of the PC? If thats so then I don't really want it anymore.

[bunny]

Am still trying to find the magazine.....it is here somewhere, dont know about the deleting of the tracks will have a hunt around for you tho, would it be a problem then?

And D which stick is 256mb from Dixons???? do tell please? my MP3 player is a cd thingy which defys the point of having one really lol.

[Daedalus]

All I know is that the ITunes software (regardless of the version) uses it as like some security feature. Also, you have to actually tell the iPod which PC's its allowed to connect to, so if you took it to your friends and you had'nt set it up on your home PC, it would'nt let you hook it up to his/her computer.
The file thing is, as far as I know, what I've said, if its not on your PC it deletes it from the iPod. The idea being that your PC is the central media 'hub' and your iPod is just meant as a portable player for those songs, so it syncs up with the PC and keeps itself up-to-date with the contents of the PC. And you can't just drag and drop, apparently iTunes is like the only software it'll work with properlly.

Best read up on it on a few websites first, because I don't 100% know myself (seeing as I don't own one), I just got the info from a friend.

[Daedalus]

bunny, I know what you mean about the MP3 CD Players, I've got one and apart from being huge and having to write to CD everytime you get a new track, it skips if you walk with it in your pocket :bo:
I can't remember what make it is, but its a special 'half price' offer and after looking on the 'net I can't find any that are much cheaper (inc P&P) that have the same ammount of features, so it seems like the best deal out there.

My friend bought one yesterday, and it seems nice. Its the same size and shape as a USB Pen Drive that you just store data on, and connects to your PC in the same way (just remove the cap and plug it it directly), comes with a mini CD-ROM but I don't know if its got converting software. But, the player itself has plenty of great features like back-lit LCD screen, built in battery, ID3 tag support (so it'll display the artist name and track name rather than the file's own name, so it'd appear like 'Evanescence - Everybody's Fool' rather than 'Evanescence-EverybodysFool.mp3').
Plus it supports WMA's as well as MP3's, meaning you can rip CD's using Windows Media Player 8 and above and just copy the files it rips onto the stick. Its also drag and drop so you can just drag files onto it in Windows Explorer, and you can use it for normal data like a normal data stick AND its got a built in microphone and voice recorder! *stops and takes a breath of air*

So all in all its well worth it for the money, might end up getting on in a couple of months if the offer's still on.

Just found it here on Dixons website for £69.99! http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0974806711.1090579256@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciadcllgjdjhjcflgceggdhhmdfho.0&page=Product&sku=934361&category_oid=-9139&fm=8&sm=7&tm=undefined

I'd still get one from the store tho, I get staff discount meaning I'd get it for £71 anyway, like I did for my friend yesterday :)

[bunny]

Thanks for all that D will deffo have a look in cardiff tomorrow.........

Hassan cant find the book but found this on another forum (will pm you the site)................

Many forum members have been reporting that their iPod mini is creating audio distortion when used. One such member claims to have discovered a major 'design flaw' in the iPod mini, which results in sound distortion when placing pressure anywhere on its surface or headphone port. The source of the noise may be a weak connection between the headphone port and the main circuit board.

"My iPod mini after two weeks of gentle use started to make horrible static noises; sometimes sound will disappear completely. Then the sound will return to normal, but any pressure as small as thumb pressure anywhere on iPod mini will make sounds to come back. Resetting iPod did not help. Guided by the detailed 'iPod mini Autopsy' posted here on iPodLounge, I disassembled by iPod rather easily. To check the reason of these noises, I started to play the iPod and disconnected the wheel, then the hard drive, but iPod was still playing (out of 25 min flash memory) and still making noises. Eventually, I narrowed the problem to a small little part that contains headphone and remote jack and metallic part in the shape of the white plastic top."

"This small part attaches to main iPod board ONLY via small black connector that sits on on the main board. WHAT AN OVERSIGHT on Apple’s ENGINEER"S PART!!!
Their mistake is OBVIOUS. The small part with the headphone jack attaches via screews to the aluminium case, but does NOT screw to the MAIN board. Because of this any pressure on iPod case, dock connector, or simply plugging in and out headphones, creates TENSION between the small part and the MAIN board.

Since only the black connector sits between these two parts, it quickly wears out.
What is even worse is that the black connector is attached to the main board via ten very fragile copper pins that stick out of the main board (sorry for not using proper electronics terminology). With regular use, contacts get loose and slightest pressure on iPod creates nasty squeaky static type noises killing all the joy iPod brings.

I am sure this problem will surge in time. Future iPod minis need to have the part with headphone jack screwed to the main board (not just to the case like it is on current MINIs) OR to use FLEXIBLE cable. To rely on ten tiny fragile pins is just plain irresponsible.

If you have the same problem, I do NOT advise you to take apart iPod. The copper needles that stick out of the main board are very very brittle and once broken will require replacing the entire board.


Hope this helps but i really wouldnt worry about it as surely you will have a guarantee?

[bunny]

D as you burn your tracks to CD like me what software do you use for this? i used musicmatch for a while and managed to get 150 odd tracks on a disc compressed to 128mb per track, but since it started playing up i removed it so i was wondering what you used?

[Daedalus]

I just use the built-in burner in Windows XP, but other than that (because you've got ME) I used to use Nero 5.5 I think (got 6 now tho), which works a treat.
And 128MB per track? I'm hopeing that's a mis-type lol :)
I dont use mine at all any more, its a decent Rio Volt model, but its just too bulky for day to day use and I use my SPV most of the time now anyway as an MP3 player (although, when the battery gets too low, it simply wont let me open the files, I can use it as a phone for calls and texts for about an hour or more of standby, but it just wont let me play my MP3's if its that low :bo:

[bunny]

128 mb dopey me lol no i meant it was compressed to 128kbs per sec or whatever lol.

Of course why didnt i think of it either i have a MP3 player in my phone, which i have never used.......i only have 20 mb of storage but it can be upgraded, only thing is i would have to buy a cable and at £30 it seems a lot. Unless i try emailing them to myself? any ideas?

[99shassan]

another problem with me. My pc has win98, building a pc and recieving the parts on monday so I hope we will build it then with win2000. Ipod does work with windows 2000 right??? Thanks for the link bunny, I hope the sound problem isnt the same with my normal Ipod, it appears that the only people that have this problem are peeps with ipod mini. I'm guessing they are a minority though guessing how popular they are in the states it isn't even on the news. My suggestion to you is to preorder a mini ipod. It'll be off the shelves as soon as they hit the UK

[bunny]

Argos are already doing the mini ipod for £199.95...in pink too. I so want one but says you need usb 2.00 or firewire?

[99shassan]

havn't you got at least USB 2.0? I think they are pretty cheap nowadays? What operating system do you have?

[bunny]

I am on windows ME and have usb 1.1.

I believe usb 2.0 is backwards compatible with usb 1.1 but i havent really got any excuse to upgrade.

Did your ipod arrive today after all?

[99shassan]

My ipod has yet to arrive, all good though because to make it work on windows 98 second edition (what I have), I will need a firewire card, which I don't have. My brother will be building a new PC to replace this one on monday with Windows 2000. I don't have to wait a weekend to be able to use my Ipod.

[Daedalus]

why does'nt he just re-build it with XP? :bo:

[99shassan]

I asked him what OS he was gonna make it, he said 2000 because it was faster. I think he was comparing that to windows 98 I can't see that being faster than XP, I don't really mind. As long as it is fast and works with most of the things I might get.

[Daedalus]

the OS often has bugger all to do with making the PC fast, its the components that will make it noticably faster, the OS will maybe make it about 2% faster but nothing noticable. If your going to use it for games and multimedia stuff then Windows 2000 is going to cripple its chances of being used for that, as 2000 is more of a business OS than a home OS. Even I don't use it.

[99shassan]

I might ask him for windows XP then. Why would win2000 not be good for games and multimedia? I know its more of a business computer, but what makes it any less of an OS than XP?

[nick]

Its much easier to use.....

For example, if you plug something into your USB ports it is much easier to set them up, its easier to update, and its generally better than 2000.

[Daedalus]

like Nick said, plus Windows XP Home Edition contains loads of drivers for games, DVD players and all kinds of add on you might put on your PC. 2000 most likely contains no drivers for games and very few for multimedia applications and hardware. XP Home is designed just for that, while 2000 is for businesses. Now while all versions of XP are actually built on 2000, 2000 still does'nt come with many of the nessecary drivers.
Chances are he's prolly just got a copy lying around and is trying to cut costs by giving it to you :)

[nick]

Slightly off topic Hassan, but here's something you can use with your new toy....

London-based iPod users, sensitive souls that they are, can now avoid the horror of unkempt public toilets, thanks to pPod (yes, pPod), a directory of reviewed public conveniences designed especially for the trendy music player.

Developed by digital media firm Nykris for reasons probably best known to themselves, pPod is a multimedia toilet guide that combines written reviews and hilariously appropriate sound tracks (Handel's Water Music, for instance) to help people find the "loveliest" facility in their vicinity.

Just what the world was waiting for.

The company sent its fearless staff to 114 central London toilets to collect their data. You will be delighted to know that the nicest loo in central London is in Hyde Park. At the other end of the loveliness spectrum were the bogs in Piccadilly Circus tube station which, when the reviewer visited, were not even open. (That bad, eh? - Ed)

David Read, Nykris' MD, told The BBC that the pPod was designed to make use of underexploited features of the iPod, such as text. And pPod is just a start. Read went on to say that other applications are in the pipeline:

"We're currently exploring other iPod-based services that could be developed, including an interactive audio guide to gigs and clubs - something that we think could be particularly attractive to iPod fans," he told the Beeb.

We humbly suggest that before he begins work on any other projects, he should with all haste, create a blacklist of killer cyberloos. The world will be a safer place.

If you have a pPod shaped hole in your life, and a third generation or higher iPod, point your browser here and get downloading. Once it is on your PC or Mac, bung it on your iPod and start looking through the listings.

:idea:

[99shassan]

LOL
well, I'm off to the loo...

[99shassan]

referring to all those missing drivers. Can't they just be installed when the game is installed?

[nick]

I guess you could but isnt that gonna be a pain to have to do that all the time?

[Daedalus]

plus some games will just refuse to run on 2000 as they were never designed to be run on it.

[99shassan]

meh. I didn't really want to play a lot of games. the only ones will be the sims with all expansions (other than hot date, that doesn't work on 2000), unreal tournament, and flight simulator. Other than that I'm not really interested in any else. I mostly wll play a lot of video files.

[Daedalus]

well good luck but i seriously still would'nt recommend it

[99shassan]

FFS :mad: :mad: :mad: :pissed: :pissed: :pissed:

It hasn't arrived yet!!!!! I emailed amazon, they said they deffo dispatched it, then I contacted parcel force. They put out a search for it. Hopefully I'll be able to get the item eventually. Very pissed off at the moment.

According to parcelforce. I should have recieved the item a day after dispatch because it was on a 24 hour service.

[99shassan]

btw recieved the parts for the PC. Bro will be building it on saturday.

[bunny]

it is horrible when you are waiting for something to turn up and it doesnt.

Everything i have ordered from Amazon has arrived really quick tho.

[99shassan]

Hopefuly some geezer hasn't nicked my ipod.

[bunny]

cant see how if its signed for? did they not give you a tracking number?

[99shassan]

I tracked it. It's in a depot somewhere (can't remember where), they are doing a search for it.

[bunny]

hmmmmm not very good service then?

[99shassan]

awww love the avatar

They contacted me and told me that amazon are searching for the item, which meant I had to contact amazon again.

I emailed them and they told me that they have set up another order for me free of charge and with a first class delivery.

[bunny]

So any ideas of when you can expect delivery this time then? I want you to get it so you can tell us lot the pros and cons etc. ;)

[99shassan]

I think it said it should arrive at around the 2 or 3rd august

[bunny]

I bought myself a small MP3 player from Dixons today......dont know if its the same one as D posted but its got 128MB and it was only £49.99 but most of all its got a thumping bass on it so i can listen to Phil Lynott with loads of bass so im well happy.

Pic was the best i could find soz.....

[99shassan]

heh. my ipod still hasn't arrived :mad:

[bunny]

you are joking? its the fourth now........i would be gutted.

[99shassan]

I'm not, I have a feeling this one won't get here either, gonna leave it till tomorrow, if nothing arrives, gonna contact amazon,

[99shassan]

guess what guys. my ipod hasn't arrived yet, this is ridiculous.

[bunny]

you have to be joking???? have you contacted Amazon yet?? two of them couldnt have gone astray, i would think about cancelling my order if i was you and having a refund.

[99shassan]

I've contacted them about it today. Lets see what they say

[99shassan]

maybe someone stole it, waited for another one of the packages to come a long(knowing they wikll send another one) and stole that too. Hope not though

[bunny]

maybe someone stole it, waited for another one of the packages to come a long(knowing they wikll send another one) and stole that too. Hope not though


sounds a bit iffy that (not you btw)

wouldnt you have to sign for it or something?

[99shassan]

yeah, so, if someone stole it, it will say kit is still at the depot.

[krug3r]

Have you received your Ipod yet ?

[99shassan]

nope, i emailed them a while ago and they refunded me for the order, it got lost twice!

[Daedalus]

heh, when its as much of a 'fad' as the ipod, everyone, including postmen, will try and get their hands on it.
If I ever get one, I'll go for the Creative 1.5GB one, can't remember what its called, but its only £129.99 and with 1.5GB capacity its pretty damm good, and its no bigger than about two matchboxes (ish). Very nice :)

[krug3r]

I looked at getting the new 40Gb gen 4 but every single shop is out of stock same on the 20's and Mini's

The good thing about the new gen is that you can use this as a hard disk for transfers, like movies etc...getting my hands on one though is very very difficult....