Really hard not to hate Apple right now...

[JVides]

I can't speak to the iPod touch, as I still carry around my 4 (at least) year old iPod 32 gig player, and I have to say I almost wish it would kick the bucket already so I can move up to an iPod touch.  My wife's had the (last generation) iPhone for almost a year now, and she still looks at it like it's a brand-new toy.  Sorry, Brian, but when I look at her iPhone, and then at my lame-ass (firm-provided) Blackberry Curve, there's just no comparison.  The Apple products have just been superior for us, both as MP3 players and as smart phones.

[StL FinFan]

Have you ever had a different mp3 player for comparison?

[Buddhagirl]

I can't speak to the iPod touch, as I still carry around my 4 (at least) year old iPod 32 gig player, and I have to say I almost wish it would kick the bucket already so I can move up to an iPod touch.  My wife's had the (last generation) iPhone for almost a year now, and she still looks at it like it's a brand-new toy.  Sorry, Brian, but when I look at her iPhone, and then at my lame-ass (firm-provided) Blackberry Curve, there's just no comparison.  The Apple products have just been superior for us, both as MP3 players and as smart phones.

I have a 5 year old 60G iPod classic and I want that sucker to die so I can get a new thinner one.  I should just sale it. Is there still a market for them.

(I love my iPhone though it's time for an upgrade.)

[JVides]

Have you ever had a different mp3 player for comparison?

No, because my iPod won't die!  My sis had the Zune and thought it was OK, but now she has an iPod, so...

[Brian Fein]

Sorry, Brian, but when I look at her iPhone, and then at my lame-ass (firm-provided) Blackberry Curve, there's just no comparison.  The Apple products have just been superior for us, both as MP3 players and as smart phones.

To be fair, let's compare tiers.  The Curve is a low-tier entry level model that costs $49.  You can't fairly compare it to the iPhone, a high-tier device that costs at least 3x more. 

How is it that I have the only iPod in the world with problems?  Wow, I feel special...

[JVides]

To be fair, let's compare tiers.  The Curve is a low-tier entry level model that costs $49.  You can't fairly compare it to the iPhone, a high-tier device that costs at least 3x more. 

How is it that I have the only iPod in the world with problems?  Wow, I feel special...

You were destined to get the crappy one, given your long-standing hatred of their products.  It was...kismet. 

I also realize there are tiers, which is why if the Torch ever goes to lame-ass T-Mobile, I will try to get that phone.

[Brian Fein]

^^ I got a Torch last week.  It is an amazing device.  I love it.

[StL FinFan]

No, because my iPod won't die!  My sis had the Zune and thought it was OK, but now she has an iPod, so...

I asked because you said ipod was superior.  I have a Sansa 8G that I've had for 5 years.  It does everything an ipod does at a fraction of the cost.  By that standard, I don't feel ipod is superior.

[JVides]

I asked because you said ipod was superior.  I have a Sansa 8G that I've had for 5 years.  It does everything an ipod does at a fraction of the cost.  By that standard, I don't feel ipod is superior.

I understood what you meant.  Like I said, I've had no occasion to own another MP3 player, given that my iPod is still kicking.  My experience has been such that I probably will spend the extra money to get a product I know and am comfortable with.  I don't deny that competitors have good product, it's just that my (phone) experiences and my family's (MP3) experiences all trend towards a superior Apple product.  It's a tiny sample size, mind you, but I'm not conducting a research project, either.  In my very limited experience, the Apple products are exemplary.

[Spider-Dan]

I've never owned an iPod; I've always used my cellphone to play MP3s (since before iPod was released).

I'm not a fan of Apple products.  I think they are worse than Microsoft when it comes to anti-consumer practices, and the only reason it isn't more obvious is because of their smaller marker share.

[fyo]

I'm not a fan of Apple products.  I think they are worse than Microsoft when it comes to anti-consumer practices, and the only reason it isn't more obvious is because of their smaller marker share.

One could argue that their very presence in spaces that Microsoft occupies creates a pro-consumer, pro-competitive, pro-"open" pressure.

Of course, one could also argue that the above is not entirely unlike pissing your pants.

[JVides]

I'm not a fan of Apple products.  I think they are worse than Microsoft when it comes to anti-consumer practices, and the only reason it isn't more obvious is because of their smaller marker share.

I agree with all of the above, but I enjoy their product enough to put up with my complaints.

[StL FinFan]

FYI on the news today they said that Android is selling better than Blackberry and iphone.  I don't have a smart phone so I have no opinion on the matter.  I just thought it was an interesting bit of news.  As someone on the outside looking in, I pay attention to the "smart phone wars".

I found a link:
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/05/android-passes-blackberry-and-iphone-among-recent-smartphone-purchases/

[Dave Gray]

FYI on the news today they said that Android is selling better than Blackberry and iphone.  I don't have a smart phone so I have no opinion on the matter.  I just thought it was an interesting bit of news.  As someone on the outside looking in, I pay attention to the "smart phone wars".

I found a link:
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/10/05/android-passes-blackberry-and-iphone-among-recent-smartphone-purchases/

That's kind of misleading, though.  Android is an Operating System, not a phone.  Many phones use Android.  Only the iPhone uses Apple's OS.

Apple has proprietary software, but they're in the hardware game.  Other phones don't use Apple's software, because Apple doesn't allow it.  Android is primarily in the software game.

In short, you're comparing one phone (iPhone) to another operating system (Android).  It's kind of apples and oranges.

[StL FinFan]

^ If the iphone OS was superior to Android, wouldn't you expect iphone to be selling better regardless?  That had been the case until recently.