iPod

Thoughts On iCloud

Tonight I got into a rather heated debate with several of my buddies on a podcast we recorded (TechFan). The debate centered on iCloud and it's functionality, or more to the point lack of functionality or working functionality. Mark Greentree, Dennis Freitas, Jeffrey Bradbury basically took the point of view that Apple just didn't deliver on the promise of iCloud. My contention was that iCloud is a work in progress and what it does, it does well. What it doesn't do, it will probably do in the next 6 to 12 months.

Reshared post from Mark Greentree

Good article. I do though think that two automatic backups could be a bit much for most. I'm telling friends to use iCloud backup all the time and force a manual iTunes backup.

Excellent info.
Mark Greentree originally shared this post:

Everyday Mac Support - Warning: iCloud BackUp In iOS 5 - Tip Of The Day #488

CNN Tribute to Steve Jobs

Today Steve Jobs was buried. While the light of his life has been extinguished, the light of his spirit will live on for decades to come. He will be spoken of in much the same way as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. He was one of the truly great innovators of not just our time, but all time. Not only that he was one of the great showman too. P.T. Barnum would be proud of how Steve Jobs could captivate an audience; spinning his "reality distortion field" as he showed off "one more thing." He has died, but he has not left us. The video below was put together by CNN. It's a wonderful walk down the public life of Steve Jobs. Many great moments that iPod, iPhone and iPad owners might just remember with great fondness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY4VkkRhsgI

How To Spice Up Your Screen

Don't be bored with that old background every again. Why be stuck with that same stale Windows background. Does your iPhone's stock background bore you? Maybe the black lock-screen has you down? There is a website you must check out that can supply background for every screen in your house; even your 55" TV!

iPod Frankenstien - Letter to David Pogue

I recently wrote a letter to David Pogue, technology columnist for the New York Times, in which I asked in my own unique way to please look a little deeper at the new iPods from Apple. My cheif concern being that in order to watch video on your TV you apparently have to purchase a special cable from Apple. If you are a new iPod user that's not a horrible thing, but if you are a current user your current set-up has to be trashed and replaced with a new one.

Personally I think the MPAA is at the heart of this situation. I bet if we dig deep we will find this cable will inhibit copying or some such other nonsense.

Mr. Pogue,

I just read your article,

Making Over the iPod, Again;
 and while I enjoyed the article and agreed with your points, but  you glossed over the $50 cable debacle; not stopping to inform your readers that apparently deep in the labs of Castle Apple Corp scientists designed a way to teather the new iPods to Apple cables, only.

Typically you aren't hesitant to go "THREE STOOGES" on Apple when they do something boneheaded; what happened? Now it could be that you were as blind-sided as the rest of us and didn't realize it until after your story went to print. I mean you wouldn't take part in a conspiracy to chain the People's Video, would you?

I'm hoping that there is more to this decision than Apple Corp's misguided greed. Maybe it was part of the deal with the studios to get more TV and movies in the iTunes Store. Maybe it's a secret government operation to see what we watch on our iPods (I'm kidding, I think...). Maybe it's "to insure the viewing experience is to Apple's high standards."  That would, of course, infer they didn't have standards before the new iPods.

I must return to MPAA argument, as any other argument just makes my blood boil more. Not that I get a warm & fuzzy from the MPAA flexing the brains of their legal swat team in support of this unholy creation. In the end though, it doesn't matter.  The evil has been unleashed on an unsuspecting public and it isn't going to be pretty.

You Mr. Pogue may be the only one that can douse the flames of anger and mistrust. This is a delicate situation requiring your tact, your diplomacy, your unique ability to cut right to the heart of the story. Or, you could just go for broke and ask them "WHY?"

I always enjoy your commentary, but now my fellow iPod owners and I feel that Apple hasn't "Made Over" the iPod as much as created a monster. So, while we wait for you and other intrepid investigative reporters to unearth the truth;  we'll be heating the oil, sharpening the pitch forks and preparing the torches for the inevitable storming of Castle Apple Corp. Our holy mission,  to capture and kill Frankenstein's iPod. We know Dr. Frankenstein (a.k.a. Steve Jobs) only wants to make the world a better place for video, but I dare say, this just isn't the way.

Maybe I have missed something, maybe I've gone totally mad, or maybe something has gone horribly wrong in the labs of Cupertino. Think of it, somewhere a little girl is about to plug her beautiful new red iPod Nano into a TV only to have her innocence crushed by the deafeningly horrific static of incompatibility. Her life of video ended prematurely; killed by Frankenstein's iPod.

Cheap iPods - Get'em While They're HOT!

By now you have probably heard that Apple is releasing a 6th generation iPod called the "iPod Classic" and an iPod based on the iPhone design. That means that stores have to sell off the current stock of 5.5 generation iPods, as well as 2nd generation Nanos; as the Nano got a major redesign as well.

To that end I saw on

that Costco is in the process of liquidating their iPod stock at all of their stores. There are probably none left, but one never knows.
  • 2GB Nano: $49.97
  • 4GB Nano: $99.97
  • 8GB Nano: 149.97
  • 80GB iPod 5.5 Gen: 229.97 (normally $349)
Check out this
.

It's worth noting that other chains may be doing the same thing, although I was in Wal-Mart last night and their iPod were priced the same as they have been since released.