[fredpb]

First, I won't buy something with a non-user-replacable battery. This type of device guarantees you a big battery replacement bill in two years. Even my PocketPC has a replaceable battery......I would have gotten a Palm unit, but they have fixed batteries too.

Second. Hype. So many people rave about the iPod. Almost cultish. I am jealous.

Third. The real pisser. I am a user of WIN98SE. When I built my computer I bought it instead of XP. I don't like XP, have it on my laptop. My older computer uses 98 too. My motherboards use USB1.0. iPod does NOT support WIN98SE or USB 1.0 . This really irritates me.

I just had to replace a NJB3. I would have tried the iPod (extended warranty replacement) no problem. I was curious.
But iPod's system requirements, well, could not do it.

All a manufacturer has to do to test on USB 1.0 and WIN98SE is just buy a system or build one for $400. The price of a good iPod.
Cheap turds! But I guess their marketing people made the decision they thought was most cost effective.

My rant. Welcome to my world.

 

[davei]

Doesn't matter if the unit has a replaceable battery - the battery can be a proprietary one which becomes obsolete once it dies. My MD recorder uses a replaceable (at the time) 3.6V LiON battery. Used to be available for $20, only Aiwa and JVC used it. 3 years later, out of production, nowhere to be found for a reasonable (under $50) price.

As for Apple's thinking, my take on it:

USB1.0 = too slow (max transfer: 1-1.5MB/sec)

Win98 = no built in CD burning capability as 2000/XP, so won't work with iTunes

Plus, if Microsoft won't support or update Win98 anymore, why should other companies write software for it?!

I hate XP as much as any anti-Microsoft zealot, but I will never go back to crash happy 98 (currently use 2000).

 

[blessingx]

For the thousandth time, the iPods battery is easily replaceable by anyone who visits this site. I've opened my iPod. Simple. See here. Under $50.

Hype can get irritating, but sometimes you just have to get over it. I'm still trying with The Beatles.

A lot of players don't support a variety of OSs (believe me I'm on OS X), but 98 is old enough that some lack of support should be expected (as also a minority OS).

 

[TheMuffinMan_01]

why not just get a good hdp?

 

[carlin]

you think that joystick'ed piece of plastic is better...

 

[austonia]

i used to care about replaceable batteries. I don't really worry about it anymore. I'll be lucky if any portable device survives me long enough for the battery to die. Nothng lasts forever anyway. If it dies, good reason to go buy a newer, cooler model.

 

[Sweet Spot]

I really, really, really don't understand this. And fredpb, this has nothing to do with the other post man, there's never anything personal about feedback and reply comments....But here's what I don't understand:

You don't own the iPod because of OS compatibility issues right ? But why are you complaining about something that you don't even own ? (unless I missed something here). I understand that you'd like to own it, and that you hate XP, but that's on you. I'm actually still trying to determine why you'd prefer 98 over XP in the first place ? 98 is definitely more stable than ME, but it's nowhere near as stable as XP. I've not had ONE issue with it in the years I've been running it. If that's the only thing holding you back, I'm curious to know what about XP you dont' like ?

And as Blessing has said, the battery IS replaceable. One can even do it themselves with $50 and a screwdriver. Besides that, stores such as Circuit City offer warranties which cover battery issues. As well as the Apple stores themselves..which granted cost a bit more, but no one can say that the options aren't there.

 

[MacDEF]

You're upset because a two-year-old (or less) computing device isn't compatible with 5-year-old (or more) operating system that doesn't support a connection type that's been around for a few years?

I don't understand, Fred

 

[ADS]

What's wrong with XP? It's the only Microsoft OS that I've ever used and been somewhat satisfied with. I still spend most of my time under Linux, but XP is okay too, and sure as hell a trillion times (conservatively) better than 98.

 

[drpatrik]

I just bought a 40GB IPOD and I love it! I also bought a 3 year extended warrenty ($60) so problem with the battery is a SEP (Someone Elses Problem).

The IPOD is great but I will still use my JB3 when travlling its dual battery gives me >20 hours of muisc!

 

[fredpb]

Quote:

Originally posted by MacDEF You're upset because a two-year-old (or less) computing device isn't compatible with 5-year-old (or more) operating system that doesn't support a connection type that's been around for a few years? I don't understand, Fred

Windows 98SE is still sold new by Microsoft. You can purchase upgrades to it or the complete version right now. It is an earlier OS, but still a viable one.

As far as stability goes, my WIN98SE systems are very stable. The only problems I occasionally have is with a program that says it works with WIN98SE, but when you call the provider, they say they have no WIN98SE systems to test things? Then why do they say they support WIN98SE? But I have found no new programs that are unusable because of this.

I use three RIO500's for audiobooks, alot. Win98SE supports these, XP does NOT.

A new XP system comes with NTFS for a file system ( I thinks thats the spelling), which does give you files greater than 4gb (nice for video), and NOT FAT32. I know many people who use XP and NTFS with games that have problems because of this file system. They are constantly rebooting their XP systems, or take a major effort to get them stable. WIN98SE is fine with these games. My new computer was made for gaming. I just started to use my new WIN98SE computer for other things, because it is FAST (custom built by me). Good for video capture, audio book devices, and gaming. That is why I stick with WIN98SE.

Sure MS does not put out updates for WIN98SE. I think it is stable enough. If you know the system, you can make it stable.
I use Norton System Utilities for WIN98SE and that fixes many problems that can occur. I have a registry editor that works fine.
WIN98SE is stable and great for me.

In MY case, WIN98SE is suitable for me.

But if it comes to the point were WIN98SE is not supported by other programs, I can use my XP laptop (where I discovered I don't like XP) or upgrade my gaming computer to XP (using FAT32 file system), and keep my old PIII with Win98se for older devices.

I can upgrade my hardware to a FASSSSSSTTTT system by just changing motherboard, memory, and CPU. For about $300. Upgrading to XP would be easy.

I am used to WIN98SE. I have spent those 5 years people mention learning the system in detail. XP would be new. I do think WIN98SE is more difficult to use for new users than XP.

Firewire or USB 2.0 are just an extra expense. My mb is only three slots, as I did not expect it to be my main computer. So for $100 I could just upgrade the mb and get these.

As far as CD burning I have great software to do that. I also use a DVD burner. I don't want to use built in MS stuff for CD burning. I like my CDEX ripper and Veritas burning software.

Just because a connection type is old, does not mean it is bad. The iPod SHOULD be USB 1.1 compatible, the Zen is. RS232 com ports are still used, Ethernet connections are still used. Video connections are still used. Printer ports are still here. PS/2 mouse and keyboard connectors are still used.

Just a rant to explain myself, as apparently some want some explanation.

I wonder how the numbers of USB 1.1 users with Windows 98SE or XP compare to the numbers of Mac users?????????????????

I think Apple just tried to make the iPod an Apple compatible device to capture some Mac users from PC users. It did not work. Now they are doing some backtracking to get the PC users, but don't have the ability to make it totally compatible to all PC users. Their mistake.

Back to "old" stuff. Why do people rave about LP's (some call an obsolete media) over CD's? They DO still make LP's. They do still make some interesting low to high priced turntables. How about CD's? Obsolete, and now we must all get DVD-A or SACD?

How about TUBES? Many people love the tube sound (and these are older than WIN98SE and USB 1.1), and they still make tubes and tube based devices.

One main thing in computers that DID go by the wayside was the ISA slot, replaced by the PCI slot.

All other manufactures provide USB support, and PC support, and even WIN98SE support, WHY NOT APPLE?

 

[fredpb]

Quote:

Originally posted by TheMuffinMan_01 why not just get a good hdp?

I had a great player, the NJB3. It died. I had to replace it with something from the store that I had with my ESP with. Otherwise, I would have gotten the BEST, a PBJ100.

Next best choice, to me, was the iPod or Zen xtra. We know why I did not get the iPod.

 

[fredpb]

Quote:

Originally posted by ADS What's wrong with XP? It's the only Microsoft OS that I've ever used and been somewhat satisfied with. I still spend most of my time under Linux, but XP is okay too, and sure as hell a trillion times (conservatively) better than 98.

If you have started with XP, and never used 98SE, and to paraphrase others commenting to me, how can you comment about something you have never used?

When gaming online, my XP buddies are constantly having to reboot or crash. My 98 system just chugs along happily.
And when 98 does give me a problem, I can figure it out for myself or go online for help ( a lot of it out there)

Trillion times? LOL

And back to my choice of the Nomad Zen. If the iPod was compatible with my computer, I would have gottne the iPod. Not the Zen. I keep an open mind, and I like to learn about things.
I have worked for a large computer company. I know about marketing types. Apple marketing did blow it. My last project was working on a test card for IBM (wrote the firmware) that was used for what is now "PCI".

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by fredpb Windows 98SE is still sold new by Microsoft. You can purchase upgrades to it or the complete version right now. It is an earlier OS, but still a viable one.

Lots of old versions of operating systems are still sold as new. And an operating system is "viable" as long as it does what you need it to do. I'm not questioning why you want to stick with Win98. (As you mentioned, I know a lot of people who still use it for gaming.)

My point is that it's unreasonable to expect new products to support operating systems released so many years ago, and that have been superseded by at least four newer major versions. You want to stick with a five-year-old OS, you have to deal with the fact that some things won't work with it. The iPod isn't the only peripheral that won't work with your computer. It's just the one you want right now

Quote:

Just because a connection type is old, does not mean it is bad. The iPod SHOULD be USB 1.1 compatible

One of the benefits of the iPod is that you can sync your music in seconds (minutes if you have a lot of things to sync). Apple offered USB2.0 functionality to get the Windows market, even though FireWire is faster. But USB1.1 has a number of technical and bandwidth limitations that make it extremely unattractive for this use.

 

[riodelin]

I hope I'm asking this in the right place, but I have a question about the downloading speed to my iPod. I have a 30 gig iPod, and a Win2k machine. I am using a Firewire card and the ephPod program. When I load songs onto my pod I'm only getting a 2.5 mb/s transfer rate. Isn't this a slow speed? Is there something I need to do to get the most out of my Firewire card. Thanx-in-advance.