# Convince me not to buy an iPod **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000 "2005-10-06T03:59:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/21 "2005-10-06T11:56:39Z")
Apple has a media event next Wednesday (Oct 12). It is possible it is some sort of video device. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/22 "2005-10-06T12:58:36Z")
You don’t want to buy a 60G iPod, you want to buy 2 black iPod Nano’s. One for you and one for me. 😃 You could get your’s in white if you wanted to. Remember, your mother always told you to share, **and** it’s karmicly delicious. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/23 "2005-10-06T15:22:20Z")
Well I’ve heard iPods can do [this](http://www.ellenfeiss.net/movie.php?movie=movies/ellen_feiss.mov) to you. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/24 "2005-10-06T15:25:58Z")
I am happy with my shuffle. It’s a different mindset. You don’t plan to have all your files on the iPod all the time, just the ones you will be using in the near term. It may not be ideal for everything, but if you can avoid buying on credit by getting a shuffle, I say go for it. It’s just not in my values to buy a luxury on credit, YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![leandroc76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@leandroc76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leandroc76)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/25 "2005-10-06T15:39:15Z")
Wait til after Oct 12th, _Video iPod’s_ maybe announced at the **"One More Thing…** Event. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/26 "2005-10-06T15:53:11Z")
I’ve had a 60 GB for a month and a half now. I don’t remember how I lived without it, but it really is much more space than I need. I’ll more than fill 20 gigs eventually, though. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/27 "2005-10-06T16:09:26Z")
I’m having similar trouble talking myself out of buying an iPod Nano. Try thinking about all the new cellphones that are just around the corner, which will have GBs of space and will be decent MP3 players, like the new (pricy) Nokia N91. Not as nice as an iPod but since I carry a phone around all the time anyway, it’s one less thing to carry. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/28 "2005-10-06T19:09:50Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > I’m having similar trouble talking myself out of buying an iPod Nano. Try thinking about all the new cellphones that are just around the corner, which will have GBs of space and will be decent MP3 players, like the new (pricy) Nokia N91. Not as nice as an iPod but since I carry a phone around all the time anyway, it’s one less thing to carry. I just can’t see spending $200 on a 4GB Nano when for $100 more I could have 20GB. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/29 "2005-10-06T19:28:37Z")
I can’t see spending $200 on an iPod when for only $20 more you can get a [40GB Creative Nomad](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002AZNKA/qid=1128626806/sr=8-7/ref=pd_bbs_7/103-2444880-3592612?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846). Sure, it’s a lot bigger, but I find it fits in my backpack, on my belt, or in my jacket pocket without a problem. And whoever said that 40GB is too much room has no idea what they’re talking about. I’ve got 35GB filled already and at the rate I buy new CDs I’ll need to start being selective about what goes on it pretty soon. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/30 "2005-10-06T19:49:42Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > I just can’t see spending $200 on a 4GB Nano when for $100 more I could have 20GB. 1. Size. The nano is small, and fits much more easily in a pocket. 2. (the biggie) the nano is flash based, not a ahrd drive. You can toss itm, throw it, shake it, whatever, and there is no chance of it getting ruined, save for dropping it on hard surfaces and whatnot. A hard drive will fail sooner than flash memory, especially ones that get used as much as the ones on an iPod. Oh, and **even sven** , about the cracked screen…I would say to but an iPod protector/case thigny. They make hard plastic ones that only increase the dimensions by about 1/4" in it’s width and depth. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/31 "2005-10-06T19:54:33Z")
Don’t buy an iPod. They are like crack. You fill up a twenty, then you want a forty. Fill a forty, now you want a sixty… just a little more room. That’s all I need. Just a tiny bit more. Please? ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/32 "2005-10-06T19:54:33Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Please convince me that buying one is a bad idea. You’re a masochist who dislike ease-of-use, stylish design, and/or well-integrated functionality. 😃 At the very least, wait until after Apple’s big shinding next Wednesday, just to see what’s up. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/33 "2005-10-06T20:08:24Z")
> [@even sven](#): > > Also, the screen will crack. Sooner or later, and most likely for no reason, it will crack. And when it does, you’ll essentially be left with one big iPod Shuffle. > If you want to pit me, go ahead. I’m not going to drag this old thing in to someone else’s thread. Yep. Those iPods are just [tremendously fragile.](http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/nano.ars/3) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/34 "2005-10-06T20:10:46Z")
You may want it, but you don’t need it. You know you’re going to feel guilty about getting one so you want to be persuaded to do something contrary to your desires. If not getting one is going to turn you into a pouty baby, then you should probably just indulge yourself. But not getting one may be one small step in accepting that you don’t always need to get what you want and that you’ll live if you don’t indulge every desire and that your overall level of happiness shouldn’t change over one small, rather insignificant item. So show a little backbone and Just Say No. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/35 "2005-10-06T20:12:12Z")
Oh, almost forgot. Buying one will also make you impotent. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/36 "2005-10-06T20:24:20Z")
Buying an iPod will not make you happy. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/37 "2005-10-06T21:14:00Z")
> [@Harmonix](#): > > If you have to buy it on credit… don’t. I agree strongly with this. Don’t buy depreciating assets on credit. Don’t buy depreciating assets on credit. Don’t buy depreciating assets on credit. Unless you _need_ something (like transportation to work, or a capital investment in a business), don’t buy it on credit. An iPod doesn’t even come close. Just keep repeating that to yourself. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/38 "2005-10-06T22:56:25Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > I agree strongly with this. > Don’t buy depreciating assets on credit. > Don’t buy depreciating assets on credit. > Don’t buy depreciating assets on credit. > > Unless you _need_ something (like transportation to work, or a capital investment in a business), don’t buy it on credit. An iPod doesn’t even come close. > > Just keep repeating that to yourself. Is that a foreign accent I detect? You sound distinctly un-American. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/39 "2005-10-06T23:09:46Z")
> [@VCO3](#): > > I thought you were supposed to be poor? You’re acting like a jerk, **VC03**. You hijacked a thread to make a gratuitous slam at another poster. Personal attacks aren’t tolerated in IMHO and hijacking is very poor form anywhere. Consider this a warning: do not do this again. TVeblen ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000/40 "2005-10-06T23:40:23Z")
Just the issue that you are considering buying it on time makes me question it. (unlesss this is something that could make you money) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convince-me-not-to-buy-an-ipod/325000.md?page=3)