I've joined the iPoders (iPodians?)

[Brad]

So I've finalled got an iPod. Just about a decade behind everybody else yay!

Melissa gave me the 8gb iPod Nano as an early Christmas present. I was looking for something to use as an audio book player. The iPod has actually far exceeded my expectations on usefulness. First off, the thing is tiny, like really really small, but it feels pretty sturdy and the case is metal. The screen on the thing is huge it takes up most of the device. And the controls are the standard easy to use iPod controls.

It's got plenty of features as well. First thing I noticed is that Audio books are separate from music. No more accidentally getting a chapter of a mystery novel while rocking out. You can also resume at the spot you stopped playing even if you turn off the iPod or decide to go listen to something else for awhile. I also like the m4b iPod audio book format. It conglomerates the entire book into one file (or two if it's a giant book). It stores chapters (with titles) as well as the cover art for the book. There are free converters available to turn regular mp3 audio books into m4b (no chapters though).

The thing has also got a radio and a video camera. The radio gets fairly good reception (uses the headphones as antennas) and the video camera while not HD takes decent video (about what you'd expect from a digital camera taking video).

The only bad thing is being stuck with 8gb. No expansion slot. However since I can store about 12-16 audio books with 8gb I doubt I'll have a problem with it.

[Nick]

Cool. Welcome to the annoying world of digital music players. The ipod might be one of the less annoying out there. But they all have little quirks that just kinda get to you. (like no sd card slot.) But I am glad to hear that the audio books are mostly treated correctly

[zourtney]

Eve and I got a blue 8gb iPod Nano for my mom and gave it to her Thursday. She appears to like it a lot (sometimes she won't accept expensive, superfluous presents). And I think she'll actually use it. I had forgotten that those will play FM radio. She cleans houses, so she can use it while she works.

[Nick]

Nice. I like my Isploder. I hope she likes hers. Mine keeps my ears full of talk shows and news. I hardly ever seem to use it for music.

[zourtney]

In other news, it looks like I'll either be buying a new iPhone (or not*). Not for myself, though. No, Eve dropped hers in the kitchen this evening. As many unscathed falls as that thing has endured, it apparently fails miserably when it falls flat on the glass surface. The unit is still usable, but it sure is ugly.

See?


* As fun and consistently usable as the things are, the iPhone/iPod Touch units are so overpriced that it makes me queezy...Actually, that might just be the week old pizza I ate. But still! No one can argue the fact that Apple's pricing scheme puts them in a league of their own. No wonder their "followers" are stereotyped as the yuppy (aka "I have too much money") type. And while it looks very sleek, I often question the build quality (the silent switch on mine is awfully wobbly). And please, don't get me started on their wonderful "protection" plan which has very limited use to the purchaser. But I knew better, didn't I? Well, yes, yes I did.

[Nick]

That sucks. I have dropped mine allot. (sometimes rather hard) I don't know if its luck, the annoyingly think rubber skin I put on it (yay dollar store) or a combination of both but mine has survived so far. Even when the dog yanked it to the floor by the headphone wire.
Would that protection plan have covered a dropped phone?

Going to give her yours and then get an android?

[zourtney]

I don't know. Does that Nexus One run on At&t's network yet? I really don't want to buy another phone, and I really, really don't want to sign another stupid contract.

Everything in the smartphone market is still disgustingly overpriced.

[Nick]

Sadly true. I would never get one if not for the 'discounts' you get when starting a new contract. Even after all that mine was still $100. Though last time I saw mine advertised it looked like you could buy one get for for around $50 (with a new two year contract.)

That still sucks.

[Brad]

Have you taken your iPhone to the iDoctor yet? Can they perform some sort of iSurgery? It probably wouldn't be covered under your insurance plan though.

[zourtney]

No...I haven't. And the "solution" sucks. Apple kindly scams you out of $200 to replace it. Which was the cost of the unit, if you sign a new contract. But they do it with this strange air; something like this:

Apple Guy: Woah! Bummer, man. Yeah, you should go ahead and get that replaced.

Customer: Well, I paid like eighty dollars for that extended warranty. Doesn't it cover stuff like that?

Apple Guy: Ahh, sorry [he says disingenuously, but with surprising ethos]. No, it's not covered under the manufacturer's warranty or the extended Apple Care plan. We can only cover device defects.

Customer: [grumbles and wishes for that time machine to go back and tell past-self that, yes, extended warranties are, without exception, a waste of money.]

Apple Guy: Well, we can replace it now. It'll only take a few minutes. It's only $199 [he says, scriptedly]. It's a pretty good deal, when you think about it.

Customer: [Alarm goes off in customer's head -- Heh, no it's NOT. And, dude, that's what I paid for it new.]

Apple Guy: ...Or, if you want, we have the [he quotes the models names and prices without skipping a beat, then gives the customer a moment of reflection before continuing.].
We have them right here [as he takes pulls out a nice little 4"x8"x3" box from under the counter. Hoping this seals the deal of some sweet (ka-ching) commission (drinks for everyone!)]

Customer: [Customer honestly tries not to laugh, as the salesman suggests, so effortlessly, spending a household's week's wage on the contents of that little box.]

Ok, so I wasn't there, but I've witnessed other Apple store transactions, and I'm meshing that with the AT&T store dude we talked to last week.

Anyway, $200 to replace a generation-old device? Well, that doesn't make sense. So, somewhat stupidly, I said she should get the newer model. The Apple Rumor Mill seems to think a shiny new model will hit the floor* any day, but whatever. There's no sense in trying to keep up; there's no sense waiting for the the "next big thing."

Ultimately, that leaves me with a handsome looking aluminum and (shattered) glass paperweight. It isn't worth paying Apple to fix it and it has very little resale value**. However, there are ways to do it yourself -- or have someone else do it. Not surprisingly, it's a significantly cheaper. I'm still looking into it, but I do know that the LCD still seems to be perfectly fine. The touch sensitivity still works perfectly, so it should just be a matter of finding replacement glass. Well, that and finding a way to disassemble and reassemble it properly. I'll update this thread (or perhaps start another one, if it's worth it) with my progress.

I think I'll try to repair it and use it myself, since it has twice the storage capacity of my current phone. But that still leaves us with an "extra" one. Anyone want an iPhone...my loss, your gain?

A few links, for my own reference, if nothing else:
Amazon: Apple iPhone 3g Glass Screen + Digitizer
http://3gcrackedglass.com/


* Oh, the irony.

** There seems to be a theme amongst the owners of Apple products -- selling 3 year old technology on craigslist for 75% of the purchase price....Oh wow. I take that back. After a quick search (see links), my phone, for which I paid $99.99 one year ago, the day before the new model came out, is being sold for ~$220, used, one year old.

[Nick]

Craigslisters have no clue as to what to sell things for. And will make a deal to sell you something, only to call you back to tell you "no, I got a better offer. Pay me $25 more and we will see"

You can fix the glass on those. Ebay is your friend here. You can get the replacement parts and the tools to open the case for cheapish. I have opened mine more then once to fiddle with the headphone jack. The prongs that make contact with the headphone plug are easily bent flat if the plug gets ripped out by the dog's overly excited head

[zourtney]

Have you taken the glass off of yours? It sounds like it's mostly just glued on. These things are old enough now that the internet seems to be full of information on it (that's a compelling reason to like older technology).