I have been considering buying an iPod for some time now, but I have always been put off by the battery issue.

1 - A single charge lasts 12-15 hours, whereas other players can make it last 20-30 hours. What gives? Does Apple not have the expertise? That's not believable.

2 - The main issue is that the battery is not user-replaceable. WHY did they make the iPods like that? To make money? To lull you into buying a new one every 2 years? How is Sony able to make spare batteries for their 20 GB player, that YOU CAN CARRY with you, and swap back and forth on your own? Is it that hard to make a cover that a user can open and then change the battery? And how can their battery last 30+ hours on a single charge?

Furthermore, when the battery no longer holds a reasonable amount of charge, and you send it back to them, why do they replace the iPod? Whey can't I get mine back? The iPod hasn't been rendered unusable, it is the battery.

Anyway, I live outside the US, so I would be unable to enroll in their battery replacement program(highway robbery if you ask me) and send mine back. Should I still buy one? Or should I go with more customer-friendly (not in terms of features, but in terms of service and honesty) players, like the Sony's that I mentioned? BTW, if I don't get the iPod, the Sony player is the only one I would touch.

And what happens if I buy one and the battery turns out to be defective like some miniscule percentage of customers encounter? Am I stuck then, considering that to save money I am having someone from the US bring the iPod for me? (they are expensive here, so I am having someone bring it here from the US, which also means that I can't return it then)

And now look at this:

http://www.appleipodsettlement.com

Why all this from a company that touts its customer support? Please stay on topic here, but if you want to rip me apart for chastising Apple, consider that I have been a big fan of them since 1996. So no Apple vs. Non-Apple debates.

Talk about iPod battery issues.

Please hurry because if I want to order it online and have my relatives bring it here, it has to be within one week from now!

Thanks.

10/22/2005 7:12:41 PM

ipod blows and everyone with their faggoty white headphones can suck it

10/22/2005 7:15:02 PM

look, i like apple products and I am well aware of the battery issue if i'd even call it that. No ones putting a gun to anyones head to buy an ipod. You like it for what it is.

10/22/2005 7:15:11 PM

I WANT TO GET ONE BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE HAS THEM

10/22/2005 7:37:56 PM

I can't change the battery in my Dell either

but that said, iPods are for f00ls

10/22/2005 7:41:34 PM

All products have their caveats. For the iPod, battery life and possibly some screen scratches is a small tradeoff for overall quality in design, reliability, simplicity of interface, overall ease of use and such.

There is a reason why so many people have iPods.

10/22/2005 7:43:17 PM

Quote :

"There is a reason why so many people have iPods."

nope

10/22/2005 7:43:55 PM

Quote :

""You [esgargs], however, will clamp your mouth on Michael Dell's penis and you will never let go...for the life of you.""

-- Specter

10/22/2005 7:46:10 PM

ummmmm ok


Nice retort

10/22/2005 7:46:45 PM

Quote :

"So no Apple vs. Non-Apple debates. Talk about iPod battery issues."

Fucking humans.

There is a reason why there are so many wars... PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.

10/22/2005 7:58:59 PM

back to the topic...are you really going to use a music player for 12 hours before recharging it?

10/22/2005 7:59:56 PM

well i guess not.

1 - if i am outside and visiting friends, i can carry the ac adapter with me, but apple should include that in the iPod's price. they rip you off for another $40 for that. shocking!

2 - if i am travelling, i will have to fork out another $60-80 for a portable third party power pack (additional 6-10 hours). jesus apple sure does know how to milk people, doesn't it.

anyway, so let's say issue #1 is not an issue anymore.

that still leaves issue #2.

i would still have to buy another plater after 2 years. why should i have to?

QUESTION: the ac adapter by apple, can it be used to power up an iPod, or just to recharge it? apple's product description on their website just mentions the recharging. what if when i am home... can i use it to power the iPod so as to prolong battery life? (i listen to music while sleeping).

10/22/2005 8:17:10 PM

Quote :

"QUESTION: the ac adapter by apple, can it be used to power up an iPod, or just to recharge it? apple's product description on their website just mentions the recharging. what if when i am home... can i use it to power the iPod so as to prolong battery life? (i listen to music while sleeping)"

Both. The AC adapter will both power and recharge the unit - you can play music while it charges and it does not rely on the battery while plugged in and fully charged.

10/22/2005 8:34:12 PM

^ i think therein lies my solution.

i will use the iPod-to-be-bought more when i am inside the house than outside.

so i can use the ac adapter, and make the battery last several years hopefully.

by then (when my battery dies) i guess they will have credit card sized flash based 20+ GB players, and i would definitely want one of those!

10/22/2005 8:39:57 PM

I have had my iPod for 2 years, used it heavily and have not had any battery issues yet.

*knocks on wood*

10/22/2005 8:44:51 PM

^^ Batteries usually have a shelf life once you start using them.

Also, does the iPod really not come with a charger?

10/22/2005 9:17:31 PM

ipod has the most memory, it's nice having all your music with you everywhere you go

other mp3 players do not come close

10/22/2005 9:22:48 PM

as long as i can keep auto-syncing or drag-dropping i dont need more than 512mb-1gig

10/22/2005 9:23:48 PM

i use mine differently, lucky if i auto-sync once every 2/3 months, i just load everything i have and listen to whatever i'm in the mood for that day, bus ride, or whatever

10/22/2005 9:27:32 PM

ok first off.

1) if you buy the cheap ipods (mini, nano, 20gb etc) it doesn't come with an AC charger but does charge via USB/Firewire

2) if you buy the iPod video or iPod photo of any size it comes with the dock and the AC power and a USB and a Firewire cable.

and as far as real battery exp.

I flew from Egypt to RDU with an 8 hour stop over in Amsterdam and used my ipod pretty much the whole way and in the airport (minus take offs and landings) and when i got home i still had some battery life left. Thats probably the longest i've ever used it without a charge.

Quote :

"QUESTION: the ac adapter by apple, can it be used to power up an iPod, or just to recharge it? apple's product description on their website just mentions the recharging. what if when i am home... can i use it to power the iPod so as to prolong battery life? (i listen to music while sleeping)."

unless you need an AC adapter for traveling, don't buy one. Just buy a speaker dock. it charges and lets you listen to the ipod through very clear built in speakers.

I've owned 2 or 3 different speaker docks and this is by far the best and most practical, especially if you like listening to music when u sleep.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/71701/wo/j254z7RAQMOF21NY20h1XyPOMOk/2.SLID?mco=15B7B1DF&nplm=TE708LL%2FA

has a sleep and wake feature, AM/FM radio, alarm (using iPod, Radio, or BEEPing).

and sound quality is freakin awesome and loud.

speaking of which, i want to sell my 40gb iPod photo so i can get the 60gb video in black.

[Edited on October 22, 2005 at 10:19 PM. Reason : a]

10/22/2005 10:13:16 PM

According to the ars technica review, the video iPod doesn't come with the AC adapter or firewire cable.

10/22/2005 10:23:43 PM

wow

nice way to spend money on a 2inch video screen

10/22/2005 10:24:34 PM

The battery is not easily replaceable because that would involve making it a bit thicker. Part of the iPod's appeal is its very small size for what it does, and it's the smallest HD based music player out (and it also can play videos). I've had my iPod going on 3 years now, and I don't have any significant problems with battery life. The one I have was originally rated for a max of 8 hours, I get an average of maybe 4-5 hours.

The new iPods use different types of batteries, and have better battery management, so they should be a LOT better (they are rated as such), and should "age" better than mine as well.

If the battery fails under warranty, it's covered, and the price to replace the battery, if you so choose, it's also reasonable from third parties.

10/22/2005 11:56:01 PM

I used a 2G 20GB iPod (the largest at the time) daily for almost three years with no battery issues.

Then I dropped it on concrete from six feet because I was distracted.

10/23/2005 2:36:18 AM

Quote :

"2) if you buy the iPod video or iPod photo of any size it comes with the dock and the AC power and a USB and a Firewire cable."

Dock: NO ($40)

AC adapter: NO ($30)

Firewire cable: NO ($20)

USB cable: YES


Straight off the Apple Store:

Quote :

"In the Box • iPod • Earbud headphones • USB 2.0 cable • Dock adapter for use with Universal Dock • Case • Quick Start guide • CD with iTunes for Mac and Windows and features guide"

So you spend $300 or $400 to get an iPod, and then you have to spend an additional $100 for "accessories", which are not accessories but ESSENTIALS.

Way to rip off your customers, Apple.



Actually, if you go to Apple Store, and read the product reviews for the "accessories", you will find half the people complaining about the same thing.

10/23/2005 8:21:34 AM

How the hell can they sell a music player without a charger and all the cords?

I also read that the video iPod doesn't come with a video cable.

GG

10/23/2005 8:52:11 AM

^^

The only thing with that is, some don't need those accessories. I have never used the AC adapter on my ipod, nor a dock. And wouldn't USB 2.0 be just as good as firewire?

I only need an auto adapter and cable to link up to my computer.

10/23/2005 10:50:04 AM

Some people have money and instead of settling for something less than what they want, they use that money to buy it. I don't know why that is so hard to understand.

10/23/2005 11:37:39 AM

Quote :

"Dock: NO ($40) AC adapter: NO ($30) Firewire cable: NO ($20) USB cable: YES"

Dock: This is an accessory. If you want to pay the money to stand it up instead of laying it down on the desk, that's your choice.

AC adapter: This one IS lame. You can obviously still charge via the USB cable, but the convenience of being able to plug it in to an outlet as well is really nice.

Firewire cable: The new iPod uses USB. It does not support firewire connections. USB 2.0 is more than fast enough, though, and most people have way more usb ports than firewire ports. This does suck for some people, though, who might still only have USB 1.1 ports. Your computer would have to be pretty old, though.

10/23/2005 12:23:23 PM

thats funny. When i got my iPod 40gb Photo for christmas it had the Dock, USB cable, Firewire cable, AC adapter all in the box.

oh and thanks gargs for reminding me.

Mine also came with the audio video cable so i can hook it up to a TV and view a slide show.

and of course the white ear buds

[Edited on October 23, 2005 at 5:20 PM. Reason : fda]

10/23/2005 5:19:01 PM

where are these players that get 20-30 hours of playback? My iriver certainly didn't, neither did my muvo (since it didn't even come with a rechargeable battery, and I only got around 10 hours on the NiMh rechargeable I bought for it.) my ipod mini's gotten more playback per charge than anything else I've used, and it only cost me 30 bucks.

10/23/2005 6:00:11 PM

Quote :

"How the hell can they sell a music player without a charger and all the cords?"

the same way HP sells printers without a USB or parallel cable I'm guessing...

10/23/2005 6:17:09 PM

^ Except none of the iPod's functionality is compromised because it lacks a wall charger. It comes with the cable to sync and charge the iPod through the computer's USB2.

10/23/2005 6:19:48 PM

true, i wasn't arguing or agreeing with gargs on his anti-apple/ipod tangents...I have a Nano and love it. I've owned a couple of different mp3 players, including the one from Dell, and like the ipod best.

I was mainly just pissed I bought a new printer the other day and didn't get any sort of data cable with it

10/23/2005 6:22:13 PM

^ yeah it pisses me off that they do that, but for some reason the free printer I got from my visa rewards points crap (which retails for 49.95 to 69.95) actually came with a printer cable. Why the fuck didn't my $200 laser printer!?

10/23/2005 6:46:55 PM

Quote :

"where are these players that get 20-30 hours of playback"

The Sony NW-HD5 (20 GB) gets an advertised 42 hours when playing 32Kbps AAC.

Ars technica got 28 hours playing 128 Kbps MP3s.

AND IT COMES WITH A REMOVABLE BATTERY. SO YOU CAN BUY A SPARE AND CARRY IT WITH YOU FULLY CHARGED.

10/23/2005 6:49:31 PM

if you are seriously buying an mp3 player. I don't think you needed to make this thread. Sounds like you like ever other one out there except the iPod so why even bother trying to get one?

10/23/2005 6:57:24 PM

having that much batery power is useful for people who can't remember things, like recharging their mp3 players.

10/23/2005 7:23:45 PM

it's called "technology"

ipods wouldnt be able to hold so much if they didn't need special batteries and parts

the more advanced the unit is, the less user repairable they are... it's a trade off

10/23/2005 8:03:15 PM

but it wouldn't take that much to make the battery removeable... ibooks, powerbooks, etc. require "special" batteries but they're removeable so they're easy to replace.

besides, they don't have "special" batteries and "special" parts, they have "proprietary" parts. there's a difference.

[Edited on October 23, 2005 at 8:54 PM. Reason : ]

10/23/2005 8:53:27 PM

if the battery was removable. There goes the whole flush design out the window.

10/23/2005 9:14:35 PM

not nescessarily even

10/23/2005 9:35:16 PM