ipods

Some people ask me what type of MP3 player to get for themselves or for their kids. Usually, the question is, "should I get an iPod Nano or the iPod?" Most people are tempted to go with the full iPod because you just get more storage for the price.

My answer is: Depends on what you are going to do and how you are going to treat it. If you are getting the MP3 player for you kid or are going to use it while you are active, ie. the gym or jogging, you want to go with the Nano; but, if you are going to hoop it up to your car or use it while on a plane or home, go with the full blown iPod.

I have mentioned this sometime before but it is because the Nano uses flash memory and the full size iPods use a hard drive. MP3 players with flash memory have no moving parts and tend to take a beating much better than a music player with a hard drive. The full size iPod has a mechanical magnetic arm inside that can easily break when dropped hard enough or numerous times. Yes, when you think of price per GB or Gigabyte, the Nano is going to be much more money than the full size iPod but chances are it will last much longer when used by an active person or a child.

My Macworld Predictions

14 January 2008

With Steve Jobs’ Key note only a few hours away, here are my predictions for the 2008 for it. I have no knowledge of anything. These predictions are all guesses (or what I would like to see).

Macbook Pro gets:

  • Solid State Drive option,
  • Upgraded Core 2 Duo Processors
  • BlueRay Burner or reader (I really hope for this)
  • Bigger standard Hard Drives

Mac Book gets:

  • Bigger standard Hard Drives

iPhone gets:

  • Updated iPhone to get High speed AT&T High speed that is. (wont be ready for a while)
  • Update current iPhone memory to 16 GB standard
  • Some sort Starbucks iPhone relationship will be announced.
  • The new version 1.1.3 will be realeased.
  • There will be great focus on the iPhone.
  • The iPhone will be compatible with 64 bit Windows systems. (I demand this!!! I need this!!!)

Mac Mini:

  • The mini gets a redesign.
  • The hardware is upgraded.

Others Predictions:

  • Something regarding integrated wireless technology will be announced.
  • Possibly a new ultra mobile touch screen Macbook!
  • At least one new hardware product will be announced.
  • A new service for movies is announced.
  • iTunes adds a service, probably the one above.

I just read on the blog www.appletell.com that they have a really reliable source that the Mac Book Pros will have solid state hard drives in them. I am glad I did not buy a MackBook Pro for Christmas. I have been waiting for Macworld to buy one and all the bloggers are making me think I was smart to wait.

What are solid state drives? Why is this good?

Well simple, if the hard drive in a notebook were flash memory, which has no moving parts, (the memory is stored on computer chips instead of a tradition hard drive with mechanical parts), they should be able to take a beating. Laptops have an issue of dying because if you drop one (and they are more susceptible to being dropped) you chance damaging the hard drive with all of your precious data. Your odds are much better that the drive wont break as easy with solid state. This idea suggests that the drives will last much longer but I am not sure about this since flash memory usually has a limit of read and writes, that is they might wear out sooner than the tradition hard drive.

Well either way, I cant wait to get a new laptop. I will be getting one soon and I hope to be able to try out one with solid state drives.

It was unheard of about two years ago to get the prices we do on flash memory today. I just got an email from PNY for a 2 GB Micro SD card for only $30. I remember the day when I bought one of the very first 2 GB Mini SD cards for $170. Link

 | Posted by Chief Geek | Categories: Tech Deals | Tagged: , , , , |