iPods

piersk

Does anyone have one? (more specifically a mini iPod)

Does anyone know if they will run off a USB 1.1 port, or does it have to be USB 2?

vaaaska

USB 2.0.

http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html

devinemke

in theory, any USB 2.0 device can connect to a USB 1.x port (and vice versa) but will operate at the slower speed (11Mbps).

piersk

Originally posted by devinemke
in theory, any USB 2.0 device can connect to a USB 1.x port (and vice versa) but will operate at the slower speed (11Mbps).

Thats what I thought, so I was wondering if an iPod could connect to a USB 1.x port. Transfer speed doesn't matter to me

Sxooter

I've got a Creative Nomad (the big one that looks like a portable cassette player). While It's bulky and the padded carrying caddy that comes with it is a cheap piece of crap, it plays MP3s quite well, and is 30 gigs.

I like the 5 gig Rio myself for the minis.

And yes, a 2.0 USB device should just slow down when plugged into a 1.1 port.

Note that on Linux you have to load some stupid *hci kernel lib to make it work faster if you've got 2.0, but I couldn't do that because my danged mouse was a 1.1 and switching to high speed killed my mouse. argggg.

weekender

apparently you can download drivers that allow ipods to run off usb 1, although devinemke is right - usb should be backward compatible without extra drivers

Sxooter

Oh, if you get the creative, look for software called Gnomad2. It is VERY easy to use, and available in RPM format for Fedora.

adavis

Just order a blue ipod mini for my 15yos for Christmas from apple. Should be here early next week. At least that's what they promise. Everyone in town was sold out. Plus apple engraves them and for a 15 year old who can't even keep track of his learner's permit, I figure name and phone# can't hurt for a $250 toy. Oh well, that's all he's getting this year so he'd better keep up with it. 😉

I'd rather have the rio myself, but all his friends have the ipod so that's all that will do I guess. I told him last week that all the stores were sold out so he was probably just getting a lump of coal. 😃

vaaaska

I have an old, old Rio whatever number it is. Holds 64mb and it's still just right for me. Works with iTunes. I forgot it was USB 1.1 - but it's pretty slow with the new stuff.

I tell myself I'm holding out for the iPod that has video - so I can walk around with music, images and video and plug in to whatever device I may need. Actually, it would likely get used with the digital camera to offload pics (if it's possible).

LordShryku

An interesting article about iPods caught my attention today...

I also have a Nomad, which I can put mp3's from any source on 😃

AstroTeg

The features of the iPod versus the price didn't agree with me.

I've had 2 Archos MP3 players (first one was stolen). The 2nd one I had I just wished it was better built. But the OS on it could be swapped out with Rockbox's open source OS. It REALLY impoved the usability of the player and made it a ton of fun. Sadly, the hardware adventually failed...

I went shopping again and decided it was either Rio or Creative's Nomad series. The Rio was so tempting. But I saw a few reviews on its 20gb FM/Recorder series saying there is OS problems/flaws and they had been really slow to get new firmware released. So Nomad it was. I gotta say I'm impressed. Its USB v2 friendly, but I too only have USB v1 at home and it syncs up just fine (slow, but I know its because of USB v1 and nothing else). So, don't be worried if its USB v2 and you just have v1 at home. You should be fine.

vaaaska

Originally posted by LordShryku
An interesting article about iPods caught my attention today...

I also have a Nomad, which I can put mp3's from any source on 😃

Well, the number one music player with the number one online store - I don't see why an iTune song has to work on everything.

Even today, you can't put GM parts into a Chevy (perhaps that's a bad analogy, but you get the idea). 😉

Plus, they are trying to keep the DRM intact...it's only a matter of time before all of this gets shuffled around again. Hello, music industry, why have you been fighting all of this from the beginning? Why not truly deal with all the issues so that these things aren't complicated beyond belief?

LordShryku

Originally posted by vaaaska
Even today, you can't put GM parts into a Chevy (perhaps that's a bad analogy, but you get the idea). 😉

Quite a bad analogy considering you really could if you wanted to. That's the matter of choice. Creative made my mp3 player, but if I was locked down to only being able to play music I bought from them, I wouldn't have bought it. Like if my IBM laptop only supported IBM software, and purposely blocked all other software, I wouldn't use it. Apparently, lots of people are unaffected by this, and don't care about being locked into it, but I do, regardless of it being number 1 or number 1,000,000.

piersk

Found this plugin for winamp.

So am I right in thinking that you can't play bog standard mp3s, just ones that you've bought through iTunes?

vaaaska

Originally posted by LordShryku
Quite a bad analogy considering you really could if you wanted to.

I know. Too lazy to really get fully into this debate again. Everybody knows that eventually the iPod will open up more, but nobody knows when.

Personally, I see the weight of this matter on the industry itself - and since I have worked on its periphery and was a plane ride away from joining it, I know a few things about it. Bunch of sleezy scum.

Sxooter

I think the market pressure from rio, iriver, and creative will force apple to loosen up about the Ipod.

I really like some of the small format players in the 5 gig range, and will wait for that size format to grow into the 20 to 60 gig range, and drop in price before I buy another player.

For me, the larger physical format of the nomad I have is no problem, as I use it mostly in the car and riding the train.

Also, when the really small format ones that have 256 megs or so right now mature to a 3 or 4 gig range or so, but on solid state so I can run with it without worry I'll look at getting one of those, for me or the kids or something.

Right now the price points are just too high on all of them for them to be a real consumer market, but as that changes, expect Apple to either change its tune (haha, teh funnay) or disappear into being a niche player.

Sgarissta

Originally posted by piersk
Found this plugin for winamp.

So am I right in thinking that you can't play bog standard mp3s, just ones that you've bought through iTunes?

The ipod i'm listening to at my desk right now, has not a single song from iTunes on it. They are all either ripped from my CD's, or otherwise acquired. When the ipod first came out, i made fun of people paying as much as they do for them. But when a deal came up that if I bought a laptop, i got 200 bucks off an ipod, i jumped on it.

Is the ipod worth nearly 300 bucks? I would say no. But I will say it is one of the slickest designed devices i've ever own. Aesthetically it's great, and the onboard software is simple, but powerful. All in all, if you just want an MP3 player it's great, but if you have other needs (FLAC, OGG, encoding of choice here) it is definitely not the device for you.

vaaaska

Rumors are that an iPod with flash memory will be out in early 2005 - less than $150. I think it's an indication that Apple is just playing this by the numbers and waiting for everybody else to catch up with them.

The other interesting thing is that of iPod purchasers - 12% (I think it was) claim they are going to buy an Apple computer within the next two years.

vaaaska

I realize I'm so biased on these subjects but I just can't help my Apple based turrets syndrome.

Apple, it seems, is working with Motorola on a cellphone that works with iTunes. What we don't know yet, is whether this will be an Apple product cellphone that is an iPod in disguise as well.

http://engadget.com/entry/1234000997023998/

goldbug

Originally posted by Sgarissta
All in all, if you just want an MP3 player it's great, but if you have other needs (FLAC, OGG, encoding of choice here) it is definitely not the device for you.

mmmmm FLAC

/me hugs his Rio Karma