iPod funeral

Yesterday my iPod stopped functioning. I was listening to an old IT Conversations show with Chris Pirillo and paused the player just before going into a meeting. Afterwards, I tried to start it, but it did not respond. That happened to me before, but this time the device was really dead. It might sound stupid but I felt so sad about it.

I have it since October last year. Only 5 months later I need to send it back to Ireland for repair. There’s three things I don’t like about sending it back:

  • It needs to go in the original box. Well, that’s quit a big box for such a small device, and it’s gonna be more expensive then a small box.
  • You don’t get your own iPod back. They’ll send you “something” in return. Could be used, could be new. But I want mine!
  • The confirmation letter was in French. Good for me, like all Belgians I’m triple-lingual, but my Viking doesn’t understand a word of it. My language option was Dutch, so I want my confirmation in Dutch as well. Don’t give me the option if there isn’t one. As a side note: it took Apple a few weeks after release until they added Dutch to the Belgian Apple iTunes store as well.

The good thing is that nothing of my data will be lost. I didn’t have space on any hard disk for a backup, so I never wrote data on it that could I miss. But I did invest some time to add CDs to the iPod. Don’t really feel like doing that again before we buy our media center like planned. I’m not sure I will ever add those CDs again to the iPod. To be honest, on average I only listen to 10% of my music. Most of the time I’m totally into podcasting.

Not sure I would buy the device again or recommend it. If I pay €400 for such a device, I expect to get my own property back.

In the mean time, I don’t know what to do. I have three options, use my P900 mobile, use my Creative Nomad Jukebox3 device which I use for recording (too big), or live without it. I was definitely addicted to my poddie.

U zegt?
  1. ine says:

    sure you cannot reboot it? -not so many people know how to reboot an ipod-

  2. Smetty says:

    I know. We tried it at home and the service people from the shop had an attempt as well. Conclusion: dead 🙁

  3. VH says:

    The thing I hate most about technology is when it breaks down. It always happens at the most inconventient moment. Disks tend to crash 5 minutes before you intended to do a backup, scanners break down just before you need to do an important OCR. I had it all. Murphy rulez.

    If the device isn’t too expensive, I just put in the drawer with devices that don’t work any more. If it’s expensive, I try to sooth my conscience with postponing the repair.

    As for portable music, I’ll wait till portable DVD-mp3 players or multi-Giga memory sticks are affordable. You might lose the player, but the technology is open, and at least your DVD or your stick keeps working.
    I never fancied Apple, they are just too closed in everything, creating a de facto monopoly. Don’t get hooked on a monopolist, kicking off always hurts.

    Off topic: thanx for your travel wishes. I will spend some time in Palawan, and I took my snorkle equipment with me. I’m affraid I’m an old beach boy 😉

  4. wim says:

    I would request my own Ipod back, probbaly not possible. It’s all the same for the moment in the computerbusiness, all refurbished examples! I find, if you want a refurbished one you will buy something on ebay.
    It’s the same with digital cameras from HP, if your camera from 1 month and one day is broken, you will get something “similar”, what is in fact a repaired one from an other client. Can even be an example from 11 months old.

    If you pay 400 for an IPOD i would really get angry smetty!

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