It
looks like all the complaining that some people have been doing
about their defective iPod nano screens have gotten Apple to do
something. They're getting the units replaced (or at least the
screens) if they call Apple.
The problem that a few people have been having is basically that
they put the nano into a pocket, take it out, and find the screen
to be either nonfunctioning or cracked and broken altogether.
Others have found that the front of the unit scratches very
easily, although Apple won't admit fault for that.
It's fantastic that Apple is honoring the complaints, but when
this kind of publicity hits news sites such as BBC News, what
choice does Apple have? Saying no to a few very vocal customers
could cause a loss in sales as people examine other brands for MP3
player options.
Apple's already got a good reputation on the MP3 player front -
I haven't met anyone who's been unhappy with their iPod.
My guess is that there won't be any sales losses for the iPod
nano right now. It's an interesting device in the fact that it's
one of the smallest MP3 players with a color screen. It's also
Apple, and they're "cool" right now. Many people see them as the
only real option for MP3 players, partly due to their extensive and
memorable marketing (the shadow ads on TV), and the installed user
base (walking around Montreal, roughly 85% of the headphones I see
are white Apple earbuds).
Some people dislike how trendy the iPod has become - but what
are the alternatives, and why would you not want to buy an
iPod?
Firstly, Rio has a new Carbon 6 GB player available - and it's
supposedly almost the size of the iPod nano. Plus it's got a built
in voice recorder, something the iPod lacks (and it's rather useful
for lectures, too). Unlike the Nano, it's got a hard drive inside,
and it's priced at less than the low-end iPod nano (about $170).
Their website is unclear whether it works with a Mac or not,
although Amazon.com seems to suggest that it does.
The other big name in MP3 players is Creative. They've got the
Zen micro, which is roughly equivalent to the iPod mini, featuring
4 GB, 5 GB, or 6 GB of storage - but it doesn't work
with a Mac.
What does a Google search for Mac-compatible MP3 players bring
up? Lots and lots of hits for the iPod, several for 5- or
6-year-old flash-based MP3 players, and, interestingly, a 5 GB
MP3 player by Audiovox that seems to be nonexistent on their
website.
So what works with the Mac ? The only clear answer I got using
Google was the iPod.
I guess the question is why wouldn't you buy an iPod? If you're
a Mac user and want assured compatibility, it unfortunately seems
that you have few options to pick from. Plus, the integration
between iTunes and the iPod is so good, why would you buy anything
else anyway?
It's almost Apple's way of pushing you into the purchase -
you're already using iTunes, so why not just buy an iPod that'll
work with it? (Of course, there are a few portable media centers
that the iPod isn't meant to match in terms of features. That's
another thing altogether.)
Personally, I like the iPod. I like my 5 GB one very much - it
was a groundbreaking device when it came out in 2001, and it's
still fairly up-to-date today. My 40 GB one is even more amazing -
40 GB of music in a package the size of the one that holds
5 GB.
I think the interface on the iPod is very easy to access, and
I've never really had any problems with either of them other than
issues from basic wear-and-tear (for example, scratchy headphone
jack, which is easy to fix. Spray it with contact cleaner, and
it'll work great again).
If you like the product but don't like how popular it's become -
my favorite solution is to use it anyway - but use third-party
headphones. Not only do they usually sound better, but they also
don't immediately single you out as another "iPod freak". 
