Which would make a terrible meal combo, but I've had beef with Apple for awhile. Most of you know this, but for those that don't I'll explain in short:
To me, apple makes the same product everyone else does, or even crappier - but slaps a cute design on, lets their great marketing team work their magic, and overcharges like crazy for the product.

The ipod is the perfect example of this. Now, every time I used the ipod as an example, the rebuttal I hear most is "well - it's easier to use". Of course it is. Because dragging and dropping files is a difficult process on any other mp3 player, right?

Anyway: This weekend, my wife brings home a cute little Apple Ipod Shuffle. A co-worker of hers wants me to add some songs for her daughter. Cool, no big deal. So I get the songs, drag and drop...easy! So I want to hear how the quality is on the songs I added to this player, right?
I turn it on. The green light flashes. I push play...orange light flashes... and...

nothing.

So, I figure I must have pushed the play button twice, pausing it. I push it again to resume...orange light flashes...and...

nothing.

At this point, I'm a bit irritated. This is the mp3 player that everyone told me is so easy to use, yet I've never had an issue with the other 3 mp3 players I've had. Congrats to apple for being my first! Go figure.

So I do a search on google, and it turns out that this problem is common. What's the fix? I must reformat the mp3 player and update the software. Seriously? I have to update software on an mp3 player to hear songs?? Since i didn't have the software, my wife returned it to the lady and I'm not sure if her daughter got it working or not, but I thought I should share my experience with apple, so now I at least have a bit of substance to back my 'not worth it' claims.

Did you know? Apple's logo is an apple with a bite taken out of it. Apple is pure evil. There are only 2 famous apples that I can recall, and both involve evil. Eve took a bite of an apple - and this became the most suitable logo for this company that obviously sold their souls to satan in order to completely rob consumers without them even caring.

Oh! New iphone out soon! Get it before the next one releases a week after!

Two apples? What about William Tell haven't you heard that one?

btw that opening cracked me up.

Don't know what is more pathetic. The fact you are whining over a $60 mp3 player by typing a long rant or the fact that you did it at 4:30 in the morning.

I think it's more pathetic that he (apparently) tried doing it without installing Apple's software specifically designed to sync with the ipod and so somehow it's Apple's fault... :ha:

Or sharing mp3s... :suspect:

iPod ---------------------- Everyone Else ---------------------- Zune

For the most flexibility, always go to the middle :)

Music player on my phone ftw

Just don't buy the products if you're disgusted...:ha:

I'm sure Apple is intentionally pissing him off exclusively

RTFM !

Don't know what is more pathetic. The fact you are whining over a $60 mp3 player by typing a long rant or the fact that you did it at 4:30 in the morning.

Because the time really means something...Sorry I don't go to bed at 8pm with the rest of Tennessee.
I think it's more pathetic that he (apparently) tried doing it without installing Apple's software specifically designed to sync with the ipod and so somehow it's Apple's fault...

Let's see...apple requires me to install software for their mp3 player...yet you're saying it's NOT their fault? lmao Like I said - I've owned 3 mp3 players, plenty of storage devices - and not one of them required software before it worked properly.

But you're an apple fan, so what's the use here? Lube up, and keep taking it.

Is installing a simple software program really THAT inconvenient to have a program operate properly? I mean, really? :ha:

Let's see...apple requires me to install software for their mp3 player...yet you're saying it's NOT their fault?
That's exactly what I'm saying. Every one else seems capable of doing it themselves even if you can't...

Yeah. iTunes is SOOOO difficult to deal with. How dare they make it easier for folks to use.

what are people using nowadays if they're not using iTunes ?
even when my wife was still crippling along with a Dell Inspiron, she had enough sense about her to use iTunes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyKe8iJ9-Jo&eurl=http://gizmodo.com/

Why would anyone use iTunes? Yeah! She's got enough sense to live in the year 2008 and...still pay for music!
You guys seem to be missing the point:

Apple = requires software = retarded.

other storage devices = plug-n-play.

Apple's so called "easiest to use" nonsense =
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A.


The point is - My 1 experience with them and they proved to be as crappy as I imagined. I could add that today I used a friend's macbook, and it was a piece of junk as well. Buuuuuut...it wont matter. Preaching to the choir.

iSheep. :ha:

Because the time really means something...Sorry I don't go to bed at 8pm with the rest of Tennessee.


Let's see...apple requires me to install software for their mp3 player...yet you're saying it's NOT their fault? lmao Like I said - I've owned 3 mp3 players, plenty of storage devices - and not one of them required software before it worked properly.

But you're an apple fan, so what's the use here? Lube up, and keep taking it.
Im not for or against apple, but I had to lol at that one

Bah!

OS X is Linux with training wheels and a price tag.

SUCKERS!

MP3 players should be as simple to add songs to as putting any random file on a USB drive.

There are many good reasons for not installing iTunes or other Apple crapware, like, for instance, having a clue.

PMRC warning: Explicit, full contact language.
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant

it really is a flawed program in the sense that it makes you specifically go through itunes just to add songs to your player. i don't know how everyone says it's easier when the easiest thing to do would be to just drag and drop... or is that too hard for most people? i have one of the new gen 4gb nanos and the only reason i have it was because of a credit card promotion in which i got it free after spending a certain amount. it's good for working out with, but never would i actually pay money for one of their mp3 players.

Exactly.
It should be as simple (and platform independent) as digital cameras.

The USB bus should treat the player as a virtual drive, and no nonsense about installing a program to do what a file manager in the OS should do.

You can make any ipod a virtual drive.

I mean, this whole topic is much ado about nothing.

Glad to see at least a couple people see what I'm saying. It's not a HUGE deal, but it's inconvenient. In this instance, I was adding the files for someone else, so of course I don't have the software. Why should I need it in the first place?

I just got a Creative Zen Plus from ebay for 20 bucks, brand new. FM Radio, Voice Recorder, 2GB, a screen display, and the same size as the shuffle, stop-watch, annnd all that I needed was a USB cable to begin adding tracks.

What's this lunacy about "as simple as dragging music"? I don't even have to do that. I plug my iPod into my computer and that's it. There's no dragging at all. iTunes just puts on any new audio/video file I have that isn't on the iPod.

Automatically? I hope it atleast gives warning before just copying random new files.
You don't drag+drop because you use apple, huh? lol Is dragging and dropping allowed in mac?

Automatically? I hope it atleast gives warning before just copying random new files.
You don't drag+drop because you use apple, huh? lol Is dragging and dropping allowed in mac?

Yeah, drag and drop is allowed on Macs. I was recently working on a Powerpoint on my mac and wanted to insert a picture. All I had to do was drag and drop. So easy.
I have a off brand mp3 player. I hate it. The overall functionality is awful

Automatically? I hope it atleast gives warning before just copying random new files.

Why would I need a warning? It just syncs with what I have in my iTunes.

It isn't brain surgery...

ha

just bought my wife a macbook recently... (long time Windows user)

I have to say I've been real impressed with how easy, convenient and fun these Macintosh products are. They streamline everything to make it easier and less frustrating to use. They're greeeeeeaaaaaat!

I no longer have an iPod, but iirc when connected the iPod showed as an external drive - then iirc, just drag and drop ... no ?

Why would anyone use iTunes? Yeah! She's got enough sense to live in the year 2008 and...still pay for music!


who, what, where , how ?
wtf are you talking about ?

I think you may have many misconceptions about many things

I no longer have an iPod, but iirc when connected the iPod showed as an external drive - then iirc, just drag and drop ... no ?

Yeah. I dragged/dropped the files. They just didnt work once I did. It was like the player itself was mentally handicapped.

who, what, where , how ?
wtf are you talking about ?

I think you may have many misconceptions about many things

Uh. iTunes = people paying for music? How are you not following? If you aren't DLing music from it, it's even more of a pointless program to have.

Why would I need a warning? It just syncs with what I have in my iTunes.

It isn't brain surgery...
Why would you need a warning? You're saying that everything you download, you automatically want thrown on to your ipod?
lol Maybe you're far more selective with downloads. But...i guess if I were paying 99 cents per, I would be too.

I would say most of my music on my ipod is the music I own already on CD. iTunes works great for that.

Yeah. I dragged/dropped the files. They just didnt work once I did. It was like the player itself was mentally handicapped.
Perhaps it's not the player that's the problem...

Why would you need a warning? You're saying that everything you download, you automatically want thrown on to your ipod?
lol Maybe you're far more selective with downloads. But...i guess if I were paying 99 cents per, I would be too.
You get a warning the first time with that iPod because it will overwrite whatever is on the iPod with your iTunes library. I don't ever see a warning normally.

Very few of my daily downloads from the iTunes store cost me anything at all, but I download a few every day and I need it to update my iPod. It does it seamlessly...

And most of my music also came from CD rather than paying to download it and iTunes is great for that as well.

Uh. iTunes = people paying for music? How are you not following? If you aren't DLing music from it, it's even more of a pointless program to have.

iTunes is a media player, and a damn fine one at that

there's nothing that says that having iTunes means you have to download music from the iTunes Store

what are you using ? WinAmp? Windows Media Player ?

out of a thousand or so tunes, I think I actually paid/downloaded a dozen or so. my iTunes library is mainly comprised of CD rips

Very few of my daily downloads from the iTunes store cost me anything at all, but I download a few every day and I need it to update my iPod. It does it seamlessly...


how's that work ?

mp3 Monday ?
Free tunes Friday?

how's that work ?

mp3 Monday ?
Free tunes Friday?

No, I just listen to a lot of podcasts. Some are daily.

Perhaps it's not the player that's the problem...

why wouldn't it be? The files were on the player and it still wouldn't play. Seriously, that's like having a DUMB piece of hardware.

And I use torrents mostly for downloading. Quicktime always tries to install iTunes and gives me problems before even installing the junk.

I download torrents as well and they work swimmingly with my iphone/ipod.

why wouldn't it be? The files were on the player and it still wouldn't play. Seriously, that's like having a DUMB piece of hardware.

And I use torrents mostly for downloading. Quicktime always tries to install iTunes and gives me problems before even installing the junk.

The problem isn't the software, it's the user...

I've owned two ipods and the first one busted some six months after it took quite a tumble so I was playing with house money on that one. The second one was the Classic and their software update totally bricked it and I had to send it back. Other than that I've enjoyed the experience.

why wouldn't it be? The files were on the player and it still wouldn't play. Seriously, that's like having a DUMB piece of hardware.


Yep, that sounds like a problem in the chair-to-keyboard interface. Try using alcohol.


:))

Bah!

OS X is Linux with training wheels and a price tag.

SUCKERS!


And windows is just a bad copy of Mac's OS. BTW, Macs do "just work". I've owned three Macs, the oldest being 16yrs, and they are still in full use.

Windows is much worse than OS X.

Don't mistake me for a Windows partisan.
I just find Cuppertino as objectionable as Redmond.

Slapping a brand name on the same hardware as a Windows box, and making trivial changes to open source software should not command a premium price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JixbzFjv_cU

My biggest problem with iTunes is the fact that if you download a song from the store, they tend to come in that really weird .m4p format that only works with iTunes and iPods. I personally believe that if I'm willing to pay for a music file, it should come in a universal format that works with anything (.mp3) and I should be able to burn or sync the file as many times as I want. That's not too much to ask.

Btw, I'm glad Windows finally did some commercials of their own. The Mac commercials get on my nerves. I've used Macs at school and PCs at home, and I like the PCs a heck of a lot better.

[Edit] For whoever said something about Windows Media Player, I've used it for years and I absolutely love it. There are a few small things that get on my nerves, but no program is perfect.

I hate windows media player. I've gone through 2 PC's in 4 years.
Both gave me BSOD. I don't like Windows

Slapping a brand name on the same hardware as a Windows box, and making trivial changes to open source software should not command a premium price.


What price would you put on never having to worry about viruses, or system crashes? What about the included premium software (i.e. imovie & iphoto) or updates that don't lead to dead programs? Macs are premium computer systems. Just because they have become popular with rich, fad-following, college freshmen, doesn't mean Apple compromises its quality.

What price would you put on never having to worry about viruses, or system crashes?

Apple is no longer immune to viruses.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12537279/

My biggest problem with iTunes is the fact that if you download a song from the store, they tend to come in that really weird .m4p format that only works with iTunes and iPods. I personally believe that if I'm willing to pay for a music file, it should come in a universal format that works with anything (.mp3) and I should be able to burn or sync the file as many times as I want. That's not too much to ask.


Um, go to Preferences and click on Import Settings. You can choose from multiple formats, including .mp3. Try using iTunes before being critical of it.

Apple is no longer immune to viruses.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12537279/


They've never been "immune to viruses". It's just they've never been the focused target like PCs have.

They've never been "immune to viruses". It's just they've never been the focused target like PCs have.

I know. But try telling that to an Apple-head without evidence.

Apple is no longer immune to viruses.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12537279/

Wow, two cases of a virus hitting an apple computer. Guess I should start to worry. :rolleyes:

They've never been "immune to viruses". It's just they've never been the focused target like PCs have.

You're 100% right Kami. Now that the Mac has grown in popularity as a target it is more worthy. People that wrote malicious code and viruses, worms and the like did so for the largest possible impact. When 19 of 20 machines out are PC's why bother with the minority? I have no idea what MAC's market share is these days but it 's pretty obvious that it has grown thus making it a more desirable target. Cyber terrorism is not much different than real life terrorism in that respect. I mean, no one in Chattanooga was fearful of a terrorist attack here after 9/11. We just said odds are it would be Los Angeles or some other MAJOR population area if it did indeed happen. Plus Apple is daring the hacker mentality to strike by boasting to be impervious to attack.

I haven't really had problems with my pc's. Updated definitions for mckafee antivirus and frequent updates make Windows pretty darn secure. That goes for xp and vista as I have one of each amongst two machines. One area of concern for Mac owners should be that if the Mac is fair game the Apple people don't really have the experience combating this stuff. Microsoft has been dealing with it for years. I don't know what it all means but I'd be really cautious before laying down the big bucks for a Mac. I think people are far better off buying MB's, cpu's, hd's, ect, and building towers anyways. It's a far better way to get high end performance for a value.

Macs do "just work". I've owned three Macs, the oldest being 16yrs, and they are still in full use.
Makes you wonder why there are so many SUPPORT forums for mac then.

Wow, two cases of a virus hitting an apple computer. Guess I should start to worry. :rolleyes:

Live in ignorance if you want. Facts are facts whether you want to believe them or not.

Makes you wonder why there are so many SUPPORT forums for mac then.

Probably because there are so many new users that grew up using PCs. I'm not saying Macs are perfect, but they are worthy of the high price-tag.

Live in ignorance if you want. Facts are facts whether you want to believe them or not.

I have no doubt that with the increasing popularity of Macs they will become a higher priority for viruses. However, I have full confidence that Apple execs have been preparing for the day when viruses might become a threat to Macs (especially since Macs can now run Windows). I'd expect that in the near future Apple will come out with their own virus protection program that will be included with purchase of a Mac. Apple is usually ahead of the curve.

How can Apple possibly be ahead of the curve when it isn't mainstream?

Until it becomes mainstream there is no way of knowing whether Apple are doing it right or just getting away with it because focus is on Microsoft.

Um, go to Preferences and click on Import Settings. You can choose from multiple formats, including .mp3. Try using iTunes before being critical of it.

I've used it just enough to know I don't like it as much as Windows Media Player.

So if you download a song from iTunes store, does it come in .mp3?

I've used it just enough to know I don't like it as much as Windows Media Player.

So if you download a song from iTunes store, does it come in .mp3?

If you set it to download in .mp3 it will.

Gunny,

Do you happen to play a lot of video games on your PC? It seems that gamers are the most vocal critics of Macs, since Mac OS doesn't support most games.

Have both mac and PC. For me, Mac works better. Still have a ibook that is over 5 years old and is going strong and is faster than the desktop PC my wife uses that is only a couple of years old. In fact just sent it with my neighbor's kid to use when she is studying overseas. She was having problems getting in a battery for her dell.

Gunny,

Do you happen to play a lot of video games on your PC? It seems that gamers are the most vocal critics of Macs, since Mac OS doesn't support most games.

I don't play PC games, but I don't see your point?

I've had PCs my whole life, and recently bought a MacBook. I was really happy with my PC laptop (ABS), but hated every PC desktop I've ever had (Dell/E-Machines).

I'm not a Mac fan-boy, but I've only had 1 problem, a small one, in 3 months with it (same problem but has happened 3 times). Since I spend most of my time on campus, I love how it never has to be turned off, saves me a lot of time.

The problem I have had is sometimes when I put it to sleep it won't wake back up when I open it. It's still on, but the screen is blank and it won't respond to anything. I just have to restart it with the power button. Anyone (Tuckfro/Puck) know why this happens? Again, it's only happened 3 times in 3 months, so it's not a very common problem, just a little annoying.

Have you done a software update? I know there was some kind of sleep update, but can't remember if it was on the laptop or desktop. Otherwise, do you live in an area where there is a apple store? Just make an appointment with the genius bar and they can check it out. It's still under warranty and if it is a problem it will be covered.

Don't want to concern you, but my macbook started doing the same thing (but more frequently) until the screen quit completely. I knew it wasn't a problem with the sleep because I could hook up an external monitor and work. Sent it into Apple, 5 days later I had my macbook back with a brand new screen. Hasn't done anything like that since (over a year).

Edit: Are you actually putting it to sleep, or closing it?

I just close it.

Have you done a software update?

Yeah, I got the newest OS X update about a week ago. It hasn't happened since, so maybe it's fixed.

The problem I have had is sometimes when I put it to sleep it won't wake back up when I open it. It's still on, but the screen is blank and it won't respond to anything. I just have to restart it with the power button. Anyone (Tuckfro/Puck) know why this happens? Again, it's only happened 3 times in 3 months, so it's not a very common problem, just a little annoying.

an older iBook G$ does that sometimes ... as in it doesn't awake when the lid is opened ..... I just have to beat on the keyboard a few times and it kicks in

I've used both quite a bit. Mostly I get bothered by the exclusivity of mac and i-whatevers. I may not want to use everything that they provide, but it's a lot harder for me to just use a part of their products.

I don't have strong feelings either way, but I find it amazing how many people do.

Ubiq...

Do yourself a favor and make a genius bar appointment. If there is a problem, they will cover it.

As already addressed, the biggest problem that I had when I owned a Mac was the lack of games that it would play (although Marathon was good back in the day).

I bet I'm the record holder for threads that hit at least 5 pages.:evil: It's an art.

I bet I'm the record holder for threads that hit at least 5 pages.:evil: It's an art.

probably because all your threads are wack yo'

I mean come on, who is there right mind would take beef with Apple!