“The world’s most popular line of portable music and video players has some chinks in its armor. Or, more to the point, some scratches on its screen and some pretty deadly dents on its cover,” Chris Seper writes for The Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Apple’s elegant iPods, lauded for their simplicity, come with a pretty specific list of glitches and annoyances. There’s an entrenched battery in some models that’s difficult to replace. Owners often fret about dents and scratches that can do in their device and violate the warranty. Thousands of holiday shoppers have already scooped up iPods. But gift-givers may want to include directions to a ‘Genius Bar,’ the technical-support station in all Apple retail stores.”
“Most shoppers haven’t even heard of iPod’s competitors but are drawn in by a vibrant ad campaign or hundreds of rave reviews,” Seper writes. “Some iPod owners complain of having to regularly reset their device because it freezes. Owners of early models of the iPod Nano griped that it scratched too easily, although Apple says the device is made of the same substances as its larger cousin, the iPod. There is one killer problem: A handful of customers who brought dented iPods into Legacy Village’s Genius Bar learned that the damage rendered it unusable and, sometimes, violated their warranty.”
Seper writes, ‘Pod supporters say naiveté may be the device’s biggest enemy. Many new iPod users are unfamiliar with digital music, said Marv Leventhal, president of the Northeast Ohio Apple Corps, a Strongsville Apple club. ‘If there is a learning curve, it’s from learning to transfer music from CDs and get them on an iPod or use the iTunes software,’ Leventhal said. He has two iPods – a 30-gigabyte model and an iPod Nano – and hasn’t had any trouble. ‘Apple basically takes technology and makes it both cool and easier to use,’ he said.”
Full article here.
A handful of “dented” iPods in Cleveland. Okay, Apple should fix that minor glitch, of course. Who dropped that box during shipping?! The “screen scratching” issue is a canard. Rub a few brain cells together, get a nice iPod case, and protect your valuable electronics. Should Apple somehow make iPods indestructible? Some say they already pretty much have done so. Ars Technica couldn’t stop an iPod nano from playing by driving a car over it… twice. The battery issue is another canard. Learn how to maximize the lifespan and battery life of your iPod, iPod nano or iPod shuffle here.
Naiveté certainly is one of iPod’s biggest enemy, as are “writers” with certain agendas, but it definitely hasn’t hurt sales. And what’s the point of Seper’s piece, exactly? To doom the good people of Cleveland (Cleveland rocks!) to also-ran devices that work with also-ran online music outifts that may or may not be operating by next Christmas? To fill some space in Cleveland’s local paper? Is Serpent’s email inbox a little too empty lately? We can fix that one for him. Take this article for what it is: a made-up collection of myths, a handful of issues overblown by hyperbole, and outright FUD (Fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) is a sales or marketing strategy of disseminating negative, but vague or inaccurate information about a competitor’s product). There’s a reason that “hundreds of rave reviews” have been penned about Apple’s iPod+iTunes+iTunes Music Store.
To reach Chris Seper, Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter:
cseper@plaind.com
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Related articles:
Thurrott: Apple’s ‘stunning’ iPod lineup fits every need and budget – December 07, 2005
Apple’s new video-capable iPod’s resplendent screen bright, sharp, and colors really pop – December 05, 2005
TV Critic: Apple iPod video strikingly bright, crisp, very fluid; TV will have to reorient itself – October 27, 2005
Thurrott: Apple iPod ‘the new standard by which all are measured – highly recommended’ – October 26, 2005
Chicago Tribune: Apple’s new iPod is a showstopper – October 26, 2005
PC Magazine review gives Apple’s new video-capable iPod 5 out of 5 stars – October 21, 2005
CBS News: New iPod shows ‘Apple will continue to dominate portable digital media player market’ – October 21, 2005
USA Today: Apple’s new iPod + video: world’s foremost portable music players have gotten only better – October 20, 2005
Comprehensive review of Apple’s iPod 5G with Video – October 20, 2005
Ars Technica reviews Apple’s new video-capable iPod – October 20, 2005
NY Times Pogue: ‘watching video on new iPod’s 2.5-inch screen is completely immersive’ – October 19, 2005
Watching episode of ABC’s ‘Lost’ on 2.5-inch iPod screen surprisingly compelling – October 13, 2005
Using QuickTime Pro to create videos for playback in new Apple iPods – October 13, 2005
Apple unveils new 5th generation iPod, now plays music, photos, and video – October 12, 2005
What’s with these Ohio people? First you’ve got the uber-uptight right-wing retards in Cincinnati erroneously reporting that iPods are infested with porn, and now this.
And yeah, damamge to an iPod is not covered under warranty, acidental or because of neglect. Then again why doesn’t this moron drive his car into a wall and try to return it to the dealer or have the dealer fix it for free. Let’s see how that goes over.
Warranties are in place to cover the consumer in the event of a design flaw, workmanship flaw or manufacturing flaw. It’s not in place to cover people’s carelessness or stupidity.
This writer is an idiot! You bring in a dented iPod and expect that this kind of damage will be covered under warrantee? Geez! It’s a freakin’ electronic device, meaning that you should TAKE CARE OF IT! If I bought a computer and took it home and dropped it on the floor and dented/broke the case, do you think any manufacturer is going to cover that under warrantee?!?!?!
I love it: A “killer problem”.
Yaah, it’s a killer problem alright. “Killer” for all iPod competitors.
As someone once said, “They don’t try and tackle you if you haven’t got the ball.”
The other mp3 players are currently the Philadelphia Eagles of portable music.
Meanwhile, Apple’s scoring touchdowns.
Oops. In my haste, I used warrantee instead of warranty. Please, spelling & grammar police, do not arrest me.
damn, the exact samn thing happened to my new car when i ran off the road and hit a rock. scratches all down one side and a big dent in the front wing. i never even thought that maybe i should sue the manufacturer. i’ll get on to my lawyer on monday.
I did a couple of gigs in Cleveland once. Most boring city in de country. Yeh-heh-hehessssss. I kid you not. I mean, when I was there playing in de park before my shows I used to see squirrels hanging themselves in the trees, de boredom was so bad. Hey, I keed.
No seriously, everything about the city is bland. Look at de name of it’s paper: The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Yeh-he-hehesssssss. Plain. As in, “boring”. Even de hookers were a boring bunch. I swear to you, I had more than one fall asleep on me and . . . well, that’s another story.
Drew Carey is full of shit. Cleveland doesn’t “rock”. Cleveland sucks.
I poop on Cleveland.
Triumph the Insult Dog is an idoit. Born and rasied Cleveland my man, don’t knock it. It’s come a long way from the “burning river” episode. There is plenty to see and do here. Weather can suck, but overall is a friendly midwestern city.
About iPod damages, what do you want? All electronics scratch and dent and break. Just buy a cover, problem solved. Same as you cover your cell phone. Plus the % is so small considering the masive amount of iPods sold out there.
BTW, love Drew Carey, Cleveland does rock! Now bring his show out on DVD! Or better yet, the iTunes video store!
Im from Ohio, and Im too ashamed to post my name 🙁
Our state has been taken over by a bunch of rednecks and their mullets.
So sad.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer is one of the most biased and agenda oriented papers in the country. I dare you to visit their message forums and try to criticizes the president or policies in a political thread – your comments will be deleted in a day or two – I know thats not directly related to this issue, but its just another example of how the Plain Dealer runs things, and more importantly how Ohio on the whole is run.
Its a joke of a state.
Hey, dreamingPHX . . . what de hell’s an “idoit”?
Ohhh, yeh-heh-hehehesssssss . . . somebody who comes from Cleveland.
No, really, I keed. I keed because I care. Seriously, I love de midwest. When my plane flies between New York and L.A., midwest cities like Cleveland are where we make sure to dump de toilet waste. I mean, really — if leaving a part of me behind in your fine city isn’t affection, what is?
Take note here: some people are iGno.
As in filled with superstition, ignorance, and prejudice.
The primary marker for the iGno is excessive pride but, generally, an iGno cannot help himself, doesn’t have a prayer of a chance.
Observing the actions of an iGno over time can produce a sensation of extreme thankfulness.
Did you know that Cleveland is the only major city in the US with only ONE paper?
Did you know that in Ohio, they distributed voting machines predominantly to right-wing counties? In the actual city of cleveland, there was like 1 machine for every 1000 residents last election, compared to 1 to 100 in the right wing counties.
And often, the red-counties submitted more votes for bush, than actual residents in the counties (according to census) they of course chalked this up to “machine glitches” when they were caught. Dont believe me? Look it up.
The rest of the states should vote ohio out of the union. Its an embarrassment to democracy and our country. The comic dogs shite can only improve it.
Woz is right, Apple doesn’t make computers and technology nearly as simple as it should be.
For instance I got a iMac G5 I’m setting up and want to share my internet connection through Airpot.
1: Got Airport card in PowerMac
2: Antenna is plugged in
3: Sharing internet connection from Ethernet to Airport.
4: Firewall “Personal web sharing” is enabled.
5: Airport is turned on on the iMac G5, there is a active connection between the two machines.
6: Network on the iMac G5 is setup to accept Airport internet connections, I ran the setup three times already.
IT STILL FSCKING DOESN”T WORK!!
Ok finally got it, turned off my advanced Firewall setting and allowed a certain “process” to access the network through Little Snitch.
See, complaining gets you everywhere
There seems to be confusion over the dented iPod issue. MDN’s take assumes that they were dented when sold, so Apple should replace them. The feedback posts assume the customers damaged them and want free but undeserved replacements. The article is ambiguous.
Anybody know the real story?
How’d this article even get here? It’s Cleveland for Chistsakes.
Slow news day.
Triumph- “Seriously, I love de midwest. When my plane flies between New York and L.A., midwest cities like Cleveland are where we make sure to dump de toilet waste.”
I’m having some problems though……. My 20 Gb iPod won’t load my purchased music any more. I’m running the most recent system and iPod software on my iMac G5. The most recent Update Software can’t even tell the iPod is plugged into the computer, even though iTunes can sync all but the purchased songs.
Looking at the Apple Discussion Forums, this seems to be a common problem, but there seem to be no solutions.
Any ideas? Are you listening Apple?
I chipped my 29″ TV when putting it in a new cabinet.
Will Samsung cover me?
“Most boring city in de country.”
I though it was St. Paul MN (old Henny Youngman line).
“Its a joke of a state.”
Worse than California? Good grief now even Meathead (from “All in the Family”) is in the political fray. Wonder if he’ll bring in Gloria too.
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“…the damage…violated their warranty…”
Yeah, I did some editing, but he really says that.
“…that the damage rendered it unusable and, sometimes, violated their warranty.”
“That” starts a clause which is basically just a sentence within a sentence.
“Damage” That’s the subject of the clause.
“Rendered” a verb of the clause.
“it” direct object referring to iPod.
“unusable” modifying “it”.
“and” this is conjunction, making a compound predicate. It’s like saying, “I hit the ball and ran.”
“sometimes” modifying “violated”
“violated” another verb in the clause
“their” possessive pronoun referring to the customers
“warranty” direct object what was violated.
So, removing everything but the subject of the clause and the second verb and its object you get:
“…the damage…violated their warranty…”
How does damage violate anything? It may not be covered, but certainly can’t violate it!
Okay all you buttholes who like to bash cleveland, go ahead, I bet you like windows also. Yes the Plain Dealer sucks, but to throw stink literally on an entire region just goes to show how ignorant some people can actually be. I thought the mac community was better than that.
I have lived in New York LA, Chicago and a few other countries, and now I live in Cleveland BY CHOICE, so to say this region is filled with redrecks, and mullets, I find not only offensive, but innane as well.
Guess what I am also a Democrat, like Starbucks, drive a Saturn, use a MAC and have a masters in Nuclear Science from MIT and undergrad from Berkley, so piss off.
Wow, Apple was beleagured a few years ago. Short memories.
Cleveland is now home to a massive wave of unskilled immigrants, much like it was decades ago, just before it was one of the most successful cities in the country.
God help you if you fall on hard times and the armchair judges begin to pick at your carcass.
woo hoo midwest
I live in Chicago. The anti-midwest sentiments were hurtful to me as well.
I hate to say it but the guy that wrote the article might have a point. While I don’t agree with everything, iPods are pretty damn delicate. I have a 4G 20GB, and one day the thing just wouldn’t load onto my mac. I have a case and the whole 9 yards so when I brought it into the Genius Bar they couldn’t figure it out either. I do have apple care and got a new one right then and there, kudos to Apple’s STELLAR customer care, but there remains something to be said about the lifespan of an iPod during normal wear and tear use.
If you people offended by comments on the midwest (ohio particularly) were referring to my comment, well let it be known that i LIVE HERE so it’s not like I’m throwing stones from afar. If you were honest with yourselves you’d admit it can really suck at times.
Especially when you run into the rednecks and mulletheads.
I live in the Cleveland area. The Plain Dealer isn’t fit to wrap fish with and hasn’t been for decades, ever since they paid their only competition to shut down.