iPod Columbia SC

Posted by : Garth Gillespie

I had been planning to buy some type of MP3 player for the past year but couldn't quite settle on any particular model. Last October, Apple debuted the iPod and I knew I wanted one. The interface was vintage Mac, and the sound quality and design are brilliant. I had just one problem: I don't own a Mac, so ostensibly I couldn't use an iPod.

I don't have anything against Macs per se; I just don't need one. I am a PC person. I perform all my work on Linux or MS Windows. I have supported Macs for years as part of my IT duties and, like most people who are not emotionally invested in the platform wars, I see the various computer platforms as toolboxes. Macs do have a place in my business, but not in my personal life.

At first this lack of Mac was a hindrance to iPod acquisition. I considered the Archos 6000 and the Rio Riot but they just weren't enough. The iPod has a lot going for it, not the least of which is the choice of Firewire as its method of both battery charging and data transfer. Firewire is fast, much faster than USB 1.1; the transfer method employed on all current Windows-based MP3 players. Filling the iPod's 5GB or 10GB via Firewire takes about 5 to 15 minutes, while filling 10GB via USB will take at least an hour, probably longer. I leave the math to you for 10GB and 20GB USB-based MP3 players.

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