# iPods, What Pieces of Junk **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 26, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946 "2006-10-26T05:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/21 "2006-10-26T13:43:09Z")
Regarding locking: I had the same thing happen, with the controls locked. It wouldn’t accept even a hard reboot, because the buttons were ‘off’. I let the battery completely drain, and then recharged while in ‘Unlock’ status, and it cleared right up. Next stop would have been The Apple Store. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/22 "2006-10-26T13:52:14Z")
If you’re willing to void your warranty (like I was, although mine was well out of warranty anyway) you can pop an iPod open. Unplugging the battery and waiting a few minutes normally does the trick, then plug the battery back in and reassemble. As my iPod has started to throw more errors over the last year, I’ve found that this is the best way to fix most problems. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/23 "2006-10-26T13:54:49Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] This is why when I get an MP3 player I’m going to avoid anything by Apple or Sony. Makers like iRiver have enough experience and market share that I can be sure of getting support if I need it, but they aren’t so big that they feel they can dick with me just because I’m locked into their product line. (Proprietary batteries? What kind of shit is that? My wife’s uses an AA.) [/QUOTE] Remember that MP3 is also a patented and proprietary technology. If vendor lock-in concerns you, then make sure the media player you buy also supports free, non-proprietary formats such as Ogg Vorbis. (Ogg Vorbis also compresses better than MP3 for the same quality level, allowing you to fit more tunes on your device.) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/24 "2006-10-26T15:32:25Z")
I lied. The reboot did not work. Let me let it run down overnight and then see what we got. What a piece of junk. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/25 "2006-10-26T16:11:33Z")
I’ve had good luck so far with the two Zen models I’ve bought from Creative. I’ve got the Vision:M and my husband has the nano. I can’t swear as to their long-term durability, but I’ve dropped the Vision more than once and it keeps working, and Himself is hell on electronics and other small things. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/26 "2006-10-26T16:17:10Z")
I was talking to my ex-wife last night and she told me that hers is making strange noises and she thinks it’s on its last legs. I asked her if she was going to see about getting it fixed and she said, “Nah. I’ll just get a new one. They have bigger hard drives now.” Fucking typical of her. Thankfully shit like that no longer comes out of the joint account. ---
**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/27 "2006-10-26T16:22:05Z")
I wish I’d seen threads like this before I bought one. Am I the only one who didn’t get an instruction manual? I held the box upside down, hoping one would fall out, but no joy. All I got was a sheet of paper with four Quick-Start steps. From memory (I didn’t bother to keep it) they were: 1: Turn your iPod ‘on.’ 2: Connect it to your computer. 3. Import songs. 4. Listen and enjoy! Duh. So that’s what an MP3 player does? My Rio Riot (may it rest in peace) came with a bona fide manual! It was thick! It kicked ass! I didn’t read half of it, but it was there if I needed it! My iPod came with… a sheet of paper. A quick tutorial on iTunes would have been helpful, I didn’t find the application very intuitive. It’s either buggy as hell or I still don’t understand it. And when I connected my iPod and got the “Do Not Disconnect” message, I had to Google it to figure out what it meant. Anyone know offhand the warranty on these things? Mine’s been acting kinda flakey. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/28 "2006-10-26T16:25:31Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] I was talking to my ex-wife last night and she told me that hers is making strange noises and she thinks it’s on its last legs. I asked her if she was going to see about getting it fixed and she said, “Nah. I’ll just get a new one. They have bigger hard drives now.” Fucking typical of her. Thankfully shit like that no longer comes out of the joint account. [/QUOTE] Well, if it can’t be returned, getting it fixed is barely worth it, if at all. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/29 "2006-10-26T16:28:55Z")
[QUOTE=padabe] Anyone know offhand the warranty on these things? Mine’s been acting kinda flakey. [/QUOTE] This sort of thing is why all technology is doomed to fail. No meatware upgrades are possible. Anyway, my radical suggestion is to try the [company web site](http://www.apple.com/support/). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/30 "2006-10-26T16:31:49Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut] Remember that MP3 is also a patented and proprietary technology. [/quote] [I don’t think so:](http://www.mp3machine.com/news/853/) > [@](#): > > You have MP3 (MPEG) audio which is based on _open standards_ and then you have proprietary formats which are generally attempts by software companies to generate their own audio format. (Italics mine) ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/31 "2006-10-26T16:41:27Z")
I’ve got a Sandisk m250 and I love it. It’s got 2GB of flash memory, which is enough for my needs, and it means that I don’t have to worry about any hard drive crahses. Plus, it runs on an ordinary AAA battery. If the battery runs down, I just pop in another and I’m good to go. A few months ago, I bought a package of rechargable batteries and a charger, so I don’t have to keep buying batteries for it. I also have a silicone rubber case which does an excellent job of keeping my player scratch-free. Oh yeah, and it comes with an FM tuner and a voice recorder built in. (Not as an overpriced accessory.) ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/32 "2006-10-26T16:56:57Z")
[QUOTE=psychonaut] Remember that MP3 is also a patented and proprietary technology. If vendor lock-in concerns you, then make sure the media player you buy also supports free, non-proprietary formats such as Ogg Vorbis. (Ogg Vorbis also compresses better than MP3 for the same quality level, allowing you to fit more tunes on your device.) [/QUOTE] It is patented but hardly proprietary. It is supported by every thing even Sony finally came around and fully supported it. Ogg is not proprietary but it is supported by hardly anybody in the mp3 player market. You can buy mp3 files from a wide variety of sources. You can download them from a wide variety of sources. Your friends have ripped there CDs to it. The next palyer you get in 5 years will support it. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/33 "2006-10-26T17:15:52Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] [I don’t think so:](http://www.mp3machine.com/news/853/)(Italics mine) [/QUOTE] ['Fraid not](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP3); the standard is indeed based on patented technology owned by Thomson Consumer Electronics, and it does enforce them for commercial applications, but not for free encoders and decoders. **gazpacho** is of course right to say that the vast weight of MP3 files, players and encoders already out there means that the prospect of it being restricted in any meaningful fashion is basically zero. While it’s all very well to opt for the patent-free ogg format on principle, the reality is that at present and well in to the future, MP3 will continue to be the most portable and widely-supported format, despite being “encumbered” by patents. Far too many people have their entire collections ripped to it for it to be otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/34 "2006-10-26T17:42:12Z")
[QUOTE=Loopydude] Well, if it can’t be returned, getting it fixed is barely worth it, if at all. [/QUOTE] Possibly but you can at least check, right? Before the days of the Ipod she had one of those Compaq flash players. She was ready to chuck that one out until I took a look at it. A battery had leaked in it. I spent five minutes cleaning out the area where the batteries go, put in new batteries and it was good as new. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/35 "2006-10-26T17:43:40Z")
Ah, I see what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Tamryne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tamryne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamryne)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/36 "2006-10-26T18:59:07Z")
[QUOTE=TroubleAgain] I’ve had good luck so far with the two Zen models I’ve bought from Creative. I’ve got the Vision:M and my husband has the nano. I can’t swear as to their long-term durability, but I’ve dropped the Vision more than once and it keeps working, and Himself is hell on electronics and other small things. [/QUOTE] Nothing much to add to the Op, as I only bought my new Ipod Nano two weeks ago (I caved when they came out in red), but I have had a Creative Zen Xtra 30GB for a year and a half and it keeps running. Ive dropped it on concrete three times, asphalt, and from a second story window into muddy grass, and nothing’s happened besides the front face being loose and a hell of a lot of scratches. Even the battery life is still good, although reduced. Now instead of lasting nigh-on forever it ‘only’ lasts 12 hours of consecutive use. The thing’s a brick, but it was inexpensive and is super durable. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/37 "2006-10-26T19:51:00Z")
The old, “I hate ipods so much I bought three of them!” pit. Nicely done. Ever hear of the Creative Zen? Personally, I prefer the ipod, but you DO have a choice. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/38 "2006-10-26T19:52:35Z")
[QUOTE=Tamryne] Nothing much to add to the Op, as I only bought my new Ipod Nano two weeks ago (I caved when they came out in red), but I have had a Creative Zen Xtra 30GB for a year and a half and it keeps running. Ive dropped it on concrete three times, asphalt, and from a second story window into muddy grass, and nothing’s happened besides the front face being loose and a hell of a lot of scratches. Even the battery life is still good, although reduced. Now instead of lasting nigh-on forever it ‘only’ lasts 12 hours of consecutive use. The thing’s a brick, but it was inexpensive and is super durable. [/QUOTE] I have used the exact same player (CZX 30gb) for two and a half years. It’s great. I love it. I’ve bumped it the hell around on long walks in my pocket, thrown it in my messenger bag with heavy books that rested on it. It’s not even cracked. I think I’ve only had to reset it once after it stopped playing for no reason but it started right back up. The battery is only starting to give after this long, it only keeps a charge of like five hours now. I don’t know anyone whose iPod battery has lasted this long. It is bulky, and I kind of want something smaller (probably a Nano), but it’s the dull yet durable counterpart to Apple’s flashy planned obsolescence. Apple apparently does not like to issue instruction manuals because their technology is so “organic” and easy to understand at first sight. I say that Apple is full of crap. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/39 "2006-10-26T19:57:07Z")
[QUOTE=padabe] My iPod came with… a sheet of paper. [/QUOTE] Who needs manuals when you have such a massive user community? If you go [here](http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/library/download/the-free-ipod-book-22/) you can download a 202 page book for free. Ignore all the sales crap in it, but it should answer the majority of iPod related questions. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946/40 "2006-10-26T20:10:18Z")
Another Creative fan: Works like a charm. I once had an incident, but I went to the Creative home page and downloaded an updated OS for it. A hard-boot, a synch, and a reload of the music from my music library and it was done. I think I made made a sandwich for myself while I waited. It has worked like a charm ever since. (The mp3 player; not the sandwich, which was a little dry…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ipods-what-pieces-of-junk/377946.md?page=3)