RE: Over-The-Rhine Digest V5 #402

["dcjones@cinci.rr.com" <dcjones@cinci.rr.com>]

> 
>"The iPod and other high-capacity MP3 players use hard drives to store 
>music. In order to extend battery life and avoid skipping, the hard drives 
>turn on only every once in a while to fill up a flash-memory buffer, which 
>itself has no potentially skipping, moving parts. The flash buffer, in 
>turn, plays the music. 

This is correct, there is never any skipping with the iPod.



>precise moment when the hard drive is spinning to load the flash buffer, 
>the player could skip. Some experts say that it's impossible to damage the 
>drive in this way, but I'm not buying that--hard drives spin thousands of 
>times per minute, and they have tiny, fragile parts. 

I'm going with the experts on this - I've had my iPod (original model at
that!) since they came out and have, literally, jogged HUNDREDS of miles
with it.  I've never had any skipping, or issues with the hard drive.



>Instead, use a small 
>flash player, such as something from the iRiver iFP-3xx line. They won't 
>skip, the batteries last longer, and they're much lighter than the iPod." 
> 

No way - what you didn't mention is that the capacity on these is still
VERY SMALL in comparison to HD-based players.  Why should I always worry
about switching the songs I want to hear, at any given moment, onto a
small-capacity player when I can keep my ENTIRE music collection on the
iPod, and always at hand?  Easy choice...  ;)

After 2 years of constant use, with everything from walking, to jogging, to
sprinting even!  Then again to airplane rides and various jaunts around
town (and the world), I can recommend the iPod without reservation.  It's
been GREAT!  I even tell my wife that it has helped keep me in shape
because I'm more motivated to get out and excercise knowing that I can
listen to anything I feeling like with a touch of a button...

I would never even consider replacing it with a little flash player, or one
of these new knockoff brands...the interaction with iTunes is another big
plus for me as well.

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