iPod Envy: Dealing With The idea That You Can’t Have It All
With the introduction of the new iPods last week, I�ve joined the group of people who are angry that they bought their iPods late last year. “If I had only waited,” I think to myself. “If I only held out for the new ones” I mutter under my breath every time I go to Apple.com to drool. In fact, I have lost so much sleep over the last week due to this iPod envy that it is starting to affect the way I look at my iPod. This iPod, a mere 20GB of my music, the trusty ancient thing that got me through the late 2002’s and rung in the new year by my side. My trusty musical companion, the one I lusted over last year at this time in much the same way I am lusting now. This is my Old Skool iPod, and I am being unfair to it.
Sure, it is part of human nature to always want the newest and greatest. After all, this new generation of iPod addresses every problem I had with the first ones. (See my article, “Wake Up Apple! The iPod isn’t Finished”) These new iPods have come with a dock for Palm Pilot’s sake! They have on-the-fly playlists! And for all that is holy in this world, they have red illuminated controls! I’m getting teary just thinking about it. They are slimmer, sleeker, and they cost the same for more hard drive space.
Apple has done it again�just when I feel that I am on the cutting edge, they come up with something better to make me feel inferior to the next guy with money to burn. Well, I have had it, Apple. I love the new one’s but I just can’t afford to be the Joneses anymore.
So, instead of feeling sorry for myself, I am going to embrace my iPod, the one that started it all for me: my Old Skool iPod. Yes, my iPod that stood by me through 7 hard months of commuting will continue to be by my side. Instead of seeing a clunkier, uglier iPod, I will see a powerful handheld that warms my hand with every spin of the hard drive. I will create playlists the old-fashioned way by setting them up on my computer. I will embrace the firewire cover that has provided months of protection from the elements. I will play Brick without giving a second thought to solitaire and parachute. I will use my watch as an alarm clock, and gosh darn it, I will keep my notes for my Palm Pilot.
I refuse to let my mind dream of “what ifs” and “maybe’s”. It felt like I was cheating on my iPod and I owe it more respect than I have been giving it. I think my mid-iLife crisis is over. I hereby pledge sole allegiance to the original, my Old Skool iPod.
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Comments
I understand that technology marches on, that this year’s model costs less than last year’s model (and cost less as well).
I’ve owned a 20GB iPods since last August, and I too am not planing on getting a new iPod, albeit for perhaps a different reason than you.
Since the day that I got my iPod I added my voice to those who came before me and asked Apple to please add the ability to create playlists on the iPod.
As a nerd, I can assure you that there is no technological limitation that prevented Apple from including this feature for the Old Skool iPods.
I can understand and accept that my iPod will never be able to record sounds, sync via USB 2.0 and have red backlit buttons (thank God!). I can accept that the Old Skool iPods may have too pokey a processor to decode some future audio file format, or even be able to handle playing Parachute. I accept that my Old Skool iPods is larger, heavier and more expensive that the new iPods.
What I have a hard time accepting however is that Apple is seemingly marooning 700,000 customers for no valid technological reason.
I also considered a new one. But there is one thing that makes me want to hang on to my orig 5 gig or maybe even try to upgrade the drive. The FW connector! Its gone from the new ones. You have to bring the supplied cable to be able to use it as a harddrive or tricklecharge it. Most places I take my iPod have a FW cable handy. With a new iPod I would be forced to take the cable everywhere.
I guess I’m one of the few lucky ones, who waited to buy an iPod… not even knowing the new ones were on their way!! For years I pondered getting an iPod, but thought it was too big to take to the gym. So, to my surprise, they release new, smaller ones. I had a new pod in my hands the next day! I’m the envy of every old iPodder I run into at th gym. It is so sweet, my PC buddies are seriously thinking of not only getting one, but switching over to Mac… just for the cool factor. Don’t hate me Greg, for I was one of the last people to buy the old iMac, 2 weeks before the launch of the flat-screen model. It goes around dude!