OK so I’m merely considering buying an IPod. I’ve looked at the apple website and I went to the store to introduce myself and stuff (both to the staff and the IPod). You know, I’m trying to ease into the idea, so my wallet doesn’t get scared.
I distinctly remembered that the iPod not only plays music, it also stores contacts, appointments, to do’s. It’s basically a PDA now.iPod features Since I was in the bastion of technical knowledge (Best Buy) I asked about these features. They said no, the IPod doesn’t have those features.
What’s the deal? Does it or doesn’t it hold contacts, appointments etc? Am I going to have to go to the Apple store to get the truth? I know the truth is out there…
Since I’m running a PC, is it better to get a HP iPod or a ‘plain’ iPod?
Yes, the iPod does hold contacts and appointments (it will also hold text notes), however its uses as a PDA are limited as that information is only held and although it can be accessed on the move it can only be edited on your computer (ie, you cannot add new contacts to your iPod when you meet someone). I’m not entirely sure of the process of getting this information on your iPod with a PC, but on a Mac it is excruciatingly easy, as it just syncs with your address book, iCal etc when it’s connected.
There is no difference between the HP and Apple iPods except for minor branding (the HP iPod has an additional logo on the back) and packaged software (the HP iPod comes only with Windows version of iTunes I believe, whereas the Apple iPod comes with both Windows and Mac). Of course, HP or Apple may also be offering some other deal when purchasing, but the actual iPod hardware is identical.
As an additional note, it should probably be mentioned that an iPod is NOT a PDA and does not promise to replace the functionality of a PDA. It is first and foremost a music player and purchasing it for any reason other than to listen to music (and to sometimes use as a portable storage device) may be foolish.
What oswald said. On a Pc it syncs with outlook. I haven’t bothered to set that all up yet.
It’s probably better to buy from HP. 1) it’s cheaper 2) Apple’s tech support is pretty crappy on windows. 3) Hp’s warrenty is just better. You can call unlimited times for free as opposed to apples 2x.
As far as the syncing goes, I’m not sure that on Windows computers the iTunes software will sync your Outlook to your iPod. At least I haven’t found any options for that. Instead I just got some freeware off of ipodlounge.com and use that instead. The one I got was called… crap, now I can’t remember. iPod Agent. I think that’s it. Anyway, it syncs Outlook (contacts, calendar, e-mail), downloads RSS feeds to it, and breaks up notes that I want to store on it to the right size so that I can read all of it on the iPod.
As others have said, though, you can’t really do anything to your stuff on the iPod once you’re on the move. Doing any kind of memory handling, i.e. inputting new contacts, deleting contacts, deleting e-mails, etc, requires the computer. You can read any of the above, but it’s definitely not a PDA.
Got it. Thanks for the info. Not being able to edit and add information away from the PC is definitely a feature that was not explained.
Now I have to go back to BestBuy and introduce myself to the PDA’s. DAMN! Do I cheat on my iPAQ or stick with her brand? She’s been a trooper but she knows she’s lagging…