Topic: 10 Years Ago Today: Apple Introduces the iPod, Changes Everything

[Clive]

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/10/10-years-ago-today-apple-introduces-the-ipod-changes-everything/

[Simon]

I missed the first 9 years. 

[Clive]

I nearly missed the first ten!   

[GillE]

I missed the first eight years.  However, I wish I'd splashed out on one earlier because mine's always in use.

The iPod Touch looks interesting but I don't understand many of its features.

[Rik]

I missed the first five, but now use it more than my main hi fi. I have an iPod Classic which, coupled with a Bose portable dock (which, when not connected to the mains is powered by a rechargeable li-ion battery which also charges the iPod), means I can create playlists to last an evening when we have a dinner party, and just move the dock around from room to room. My second is a Nano, and Sue also has one, which is perfect for travel, I use either Bose earbuds or Bose noise-cancelling headphones with these, ideal for taking the boredom out of exercise, or easing myself to sleep. The latter function was particularly  useful in hospital where I also wanted to block extraneous noise. The iPod, like the Philips cassette player almost 50 years before, is a life changer.

[Simon]

From what I have seen, Gill, an iPod touch is virtually an iPhone without the phone. 

[Rik]

I'd agree. How useful the touch screen is compared to the 'dial' I don't know.

[GillE]

I've looked at the Apple website and I'm a bit confused about what an iPhone does.  I presume I would need a mobile phone account with an ISP account too, but could I use such an account to access the internet with my PC?  How much music and video would I have at my disposal with an iPhone - more than is on my iPod Classic?

Gosh, I'm sure more questions will occur to me, but I'm such a novice with mobile phones that I'm not sure what to ask  .

[Simon]

An iPhone will work in the normal way with a mobile contract, or pay as you go, but if you want to use the services such as Internet and email, you will either need to use a wireless network (home or otherwise), or get a data allowance from your mobile service provider, such as O2, Orange, etc.  You would then be able to use it to access the internet, and emails, as well as making calls. 

[GillE]

Thanks Simon.  It sounds expensive - I think I'll stick my old-fashioned land-line, PC and iPod Classic .

[Simon]

iPhones come with various storage capacities for music, etc, and the more capacity you have, the more expensive the phone.  Generally, although I haven't compared recently, I think you get more capacity for storage on an iPod than an iPhone,  but I could be wrong. 

[sam]

I have an HTC phone but I also have an iPod Nano - that's a touch screen and can do lots of things. The larger touch screen ipods can connection to your wifi network and do all what the iphone can do (basically) but not outside of a wifi area.

[daveeb]

On the topic of ipods i've just been rail roaded into getting the kids an ipod touch each for christmas. Not being a big fan of the apple way of doing things (eg the itunes experience) i'm not too happy that i believe i will have to create an account complete with credit card details to allow the kids to downloand apps...even the free ones. I remembered seeing some itunes prepay cards on sale at a supermarket recently, does anyone know if these can be used instead of a credit card when you initially create the account ?

[Rik]

Sorry, I don't, Dave.

[Simon]

Me neither, but my guess is those were gift cards, so I would think not, Dave.