Graduation present
My parents are getting me some presents for graduation. My dad thought about giving me the U2 iPod that holds like 3000 songs or something with all the accessories and stuff like to plug it into my stereo at home and my computer and the AM/FM transmitter and everything. Even $50 worth of free iTunes. This would cost probably $400 for all of that.
Well, this would be pretty cool... but I've been wanting a new cd player and new speakers for my car for a long time. The cd player I have is the original factory one and it sucks. It skips a whole lot and it just doesn't have many options at all. I understand that with an iPod, I don't necessarily need a new cd player, but I don't anticipate always bringing my iPod with me in the car. Also, to use any new speakers to their full capacity, I would need the cd player to have enough power to do so and my current factory one sucks.
I told dad that I wanted a new cd player and speakers for my car and he said he would be willing to pay for an iPod Mini(which would be cheaper), the AM/FM transmitter, a new cd player and speakers for my car, but I'd probably have to use some of what my uncle gives me to help pay for a little of it (probably $50-$100). All of that would probably cost $500 total.
I guess my question for all of you is, what should I get along with my cd player and speakers for my car? A regular iPod with everything, an iPod Mini, or no iPod at all? I just don't know how much I want any kind of iPod. If I didn't get an iPod but just got the new cd player and speakers, my parents would probably get me something else too. In that case, I don't know what to do. It would be cool to have a better, faster computer, but that's way too expensive. A bigger tv for my room would be cool, but I don't really use my tv that much right now anyway. A laptop would also be cool, but I don't know how much I'd use it.
Any comments/suggestions are appreciated, especially from those of you who own iPods.
posted by Lesley @ 11:34 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
For you, an iPod would probably not be worth what it costs, you could probably find something for that price that you would use and appreciate a lot more.
Also, I've never really thought of you as a muser...perhaps you could come up with something else...like..."Les posts" or "Blog of Lesley" or "Lesley-Anne's Blog of Crap" or "Lesley's Blog to the nth power" or "The Blog, by lesley" or "Lesley's Journal of Mediocrity" or "Lesley's Journal of infrequent posting"...I dunno..
iPods are pretty overpriced, and that's because there's not really anything out there that competes with them, but someday there will be and prices will drop and we'll look back and say, "People used to pay $400 for these?" You can get a computer for $400, you can get a lot of things for $400. CD players used to be expensive too. You could get an iPod, but if you wait 5 years I'll bet you could get something a lot better for a lot cheaper.
i use my ipod all the damn time. it's so easy to take it with you in the car and use it, there's no reason not to unless you're just gonna drive for like two minutes. and i use it at work. and when at home. pretty much whenever.
but-
that doesn't mean that you should get one, as you may not make as much use of it as i do.
as for saying they're overpriced, well, that's a bit of a stretch, says i. they cost a lot because there is nothing that compares to the utility, quality, flexibility and ingenuity of an ipod. and there are companies that already try to compete, but fail, so that tells you something about the potential for real competition. and it's already been a few years sinec the first ipods came out, and they haven't depreciated at all.
so, to answer your question, well, i would say if you do get an ipod, don't bother with the cd player, you might not think it right now but i guarantee you will never use that cd player again if you have an ipod. if you don't get an ipod then get the cd player and speakers and, oh, i dunno, maybe just some extra cash? unless there's something else you specifically want, then i don't see why not.
the preceding was not meant to persuade you to get an ipod, that decision is ultimately yours, i was just refuting previous comments and explaining my personal experience with the ipod, but not in that order.
cme (on the ipod)
"i
will be with you again"
u2, new year's day
okay, here is my belated post:
I do not have an iPod.
but, I do have opinions, as usual.
I think an iPod is useful if you have a lot of music that you would like to put on it. I don't know how many CDs you have, but if it's over 100 or a 150 or so, that is the point at which I think an iPod becomes useful.
I would kind of like an iPod, but frankly I really enjoy listening to my CDs on my stereo. so, when next Christmas rolls around, I'll probably ask for an iPod, but I will probably only use it in my car and when not in my room. and I have well over 200 CDs, so it would undoubtedly be fun and useful in those environments.
if you're going to be moving out into a house or an apartment, I think a good stereo is really necessary, no matter what newfangled equipment comes along. so if your stereo is really not good enough in that kind of environment, a new stereo wouldn't be a bad idea. but if your stereo is sufficient, I see no reason to get a new one.
maybe just the cash would be a good gift. can't go wrong with that. even if you just spend it bit by bit on food and entertainment, that's about as useful and customizable as a gift can get.
oh, you were talking about car stereos, not room stereos. here's another post:
I don't have a CD player in my car, but I do have a Walkman and a tape adapter. it has its problems, but nothing that I can't live with. I guess I don't see much of a reason for a car stereo. if you really wanted that, you could just get the iPod with the FM transmitter and achieve the same effect with the added benefit of having a highly portable music databank. but, as to the iPod choice itself, see previous post.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I do have about 100 cds, so I suppose an iPod would be useful. It would be nice to carry that little thing instead of a cd wallet. I'm just not sure I wouldn't also want a new cd player. What about the amplifier power? Don't I want a cd player that is powerful enough to use my car speakers to their fullest? I dunno. Also, isn't the radio transmitter for the iPod somewhat unreliable? It seems like there is static sometimes and they aren't all that great sounding in a car.
If I do get an iPod, what size should I get? The iPod shuffle, iPod mini, or a regular iPod? It seems like 1,500 songs would be a lot for me.
An iPod would mean that you wouldn't need a CD player, but you wouldn't be able to get the high sound quality that you could get with a new CD player and speakers. I guess your choice should depend on whether you'd rather have good sound quality in your car or whether you'd rather make listening to music easier.
Also, I like your new blog name.
correct, les, the iTrip (fm transmitter) is sometimes unreliable (though largely it works great). but, there's more than one way to skin a cat, and more than one way to connect your ipod to your car or home stereo. you can get a tape player adapter, which is said to be reliable, and you can get a Monster cable to connect at ultra-high quality to home stereo systems (we have one here, and it's total awesomeness, hands down) and i'm sure Monster has other cables to suit your car needs. plus, there is a distinct possibility that you can find a car stereo that has an ipod port (for a direct, high quality, consistent connection), i think i have heard of such things.
all's i'm sayin' is don't discount the flexibility and ingenuity of the ipod so quickly. those of us who bought them ain't as foolish as some might have you think.
cm (in my head)
parliament, up for the downstroke
Post a Comment
<< Home