Does anybody buying an iPod in 2008 expect to get more than a few years of use out of the thing? My five year old iPod still plays, but I can't get it to work in newer iPod docks or iPod speakers. My iPod is too old.
Linn's turntable has been around since 1972.
(Credit: Linn Products)A good friend of mine plays his 30-year-old Linn LP-12 turntable almost every day. It was an expensive turntable in 1978 when it sold for around $1,200. But he's gotten 30 years of use out of the thing, and even now listens to a lot more vinyl than CD. So his $1,200 investment works out to around $40 a year to own the thing. Can you imagine anybody buying an iPod today still using it in 2038? 2028? OK, how about 2018? Hmm, I don't think so.
Linn still makes the LP-12 turntable, the model has been in continuous production since 1972, and most parts are readily available. How's that for customer service? My Linn LP-12 is almost brand new, it's just 13 years old.
OK, iPods aren't high-end devices, they're disposable technology. Fair enough, how much do you imagine you'll spend on iPods or their equivalents over the next 30 years? There was one guy who responded to my "How many iPods have you owned?" poll who has already bought 26. So he's already made Steve Jobs richer by many thousands of dollars. Over the next three decades he'll spend a lot more, and still wind up with a closet full of useless junk.
I get it. Convenience trumps quality in most things. Fast food vs. slow food; fresh ingredients vs processed, which is pretty much the same deal with music. CDs, once the height of convenience and advanced tech are now viewed as archaic. CDs are too big, too easily damaged, and cost too much--so lower-fi MP3s and iTunes have put the CD on the road to oblivion. But to vinyl loving audiophiles LPs still sound better than any digital format. Everyone else couldn't care less about the sound quality their music, it's just not all that important to them.
Or is it that people are so busy now they simply don't have time for quality. Strange, our affluence makes us go for the quickest, lower quality option every time. Back in the day writers would use the same typewriter for decades, but now we have to toss out our computers every three or four years. We're living in a disposable culture, so we need to keep buying new, ever cheaper stuff, but if you have to keep rebuying it, is it really cheaper? High-end audio can be expensive to buy, but not to own.
I'd like to hear from you guys about your turntables, have long have you had yours? Is yours even older than my friend's 30 year old Linn?
(Credit:
Steve Guttenberg)
Not that I ever doubted your commitment, but you guys really love your iPods. Thanks to all who responded to last week's poll, here's what I learned.
First, Apple must be doing something right, more than three-quarters of the folks who responded own more than one iPod. Families seem to accumulate little armies of iPods--they pass from spouse to spouse to the kids--and from adult children back to their parents. So the average number was probably three 'Pods per family. Some people have actually lost count and don't know for sure how many they've owned. One guy proudly announced he has 26 iPods. And sure, I heard from more than few souls happy to remain iPod-less. Zune owners are the most vocal about their avoidance of all things Apple.
I was surprised just how few people mentioned video--only a handful cited ever watching movies or TV shows. So despite the technology advances, iPods are still mostly music players. Sure, my poll is a small survey. But if it turns out to be true that almost nobody watches video on their Pods, I'd be happy about that.
I gather most iPods don't last very long--two or three years is about it. Battery-related problems are the most common ailment, followed by screen and hard drive issues. I'm part of the small group still happily using their first and only iPod. A lot of you buy refurbished iPods to save some bucks.
KSC75, cheap but great-sounding headphones from Koss
(Credit: Koss)Amazingly enough, barely anyone mentioned headphones. I wonder if I should take that to mean that most of you guys are still using the earbuds that came with your iPods. Say it ain't so!
Quick, check out Koss' awesome KSC75 headphones that go for $14 on Amazon. It's amazingly good for the money. But if you're any sort of audiophile wait for my high-end Klipsch headphone review coming next week--it may be the best ever in-ear headphone I've used with my iPod. By the way, iPod speakers were a more popular upgrade than headphones.
Repairs are common, but most of you seem perfectly happy with Apple's service, though I wondered about the guy who burned through nine(!!!) iPods in a row--all suffered hard drive failures. Hmmm!?!
Small as they are, it's no wonder people's iPods get lost or stolen. Maybe Steve Jobs should come up with a GPS for his next-generation models. Many just get old and die. You all take these mishaps in stride and happily trade up to the latest and greatest Pods. And so it goes.
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