I’ve been thinking for some time about buying an iPod, but it hasn’t happened yet, probably for a couple of reasons.
One certainly is the price. At $349 for the 30gb video iPod + taxes + the required accessories like a case, dock, FM transmitter etc. this couple be a $500+ purchase. Seems like a lot for portable music.
But, I like my music and I subscribe to a couple of podcasts and while riding the bike or walking it would be kind of nice. Plus I like the toys and this one certainly has the “cool-factor” going for it, perhaps too much, everybody has got one.
That lead to the next reason why I’m hesitating. Ever notices about how the web is big on building community as we sit in isolation looking at a little screen and interacting with people at a distance? I know I’m guilty. Next time you’re out and about, look at the people you pass. How many have those little white buds tucked in their ears? If it’s not that, how about the cell phone. Everybody seems to need to plug into something other that where they are and who they are with. Have you seen couples waling together where one or more of them are plugged into the little white device? I have, many times. The one that really gets me is the guy & girl walking together and he’s plugged in and she’s talking to him. Is he paying attention? I think not. That will cause trouble down the road buddy, trust me.
So, there is the appeal, perhaps the need to have the toys that all the others have. I can almost justify it for listening to work related podcasts and at IBM we’re really cranking them out. Everything recorded is being pushed out as a podcast. However when the voice says “as you can see on slide 23…” the podcast starts to fall apart and you know that some folks really don’t get the full podcast picture, but that’s another story.
Maybe I’ll just borrow my son’s Nano from time to time and get my iPod fix that way. Free is good.