A sampling from some of the things I'm currently listening to on my iPod.
Audiobooks:
I've had my Sony Clie TH-55 for about 3-1/2 years and it has served me well, but what will it's replacement be? I was considering the Apple iPod Touch, but there are some things that I can do on the Clie that can't be done (at least not yet) on the iPod Touch.
I use the Clie as my primary calendar entry device, so far the iPod Touch is read only and it will remain to be seen if I can sync it with our company calendar system. Also, I have a lot of applications and utilities, plus voice and movie recording capability, with the Clie. So how do the two devices compare? I found a forum with this very discussion at; http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133392
On the horizon (available for pre-order) there's also the Palm Centro, which would finally integrate my PDA and cellphone service. It looks interesting, and the price seems to be more reasonable than the iPhone.
While my daughter was home over the Thanksgiving weekend, she mentioned that her iPod was on the fritz, the Play/Pause button had stopped working. So being the gadget geek and tinkerer that I am I offered to take a look at it. This would actually be the second time that I worked on her iPod mini, I had changed out the battery last summer. So, I used the instructions that came with the battery to get the main components out of the way. The instructions are available online from batteryship.com (which has very good prices on the replacement batteries). Once all the "guts" are pulled out, the scroll wheel can be removed by applying slight downward pressure and sliding it out of the aluminum body. Once the scroll wheel was removed, I disassembled it further by removing the four phillips screws at each corner.
I couldn't see anything obvious, but the small encapsulated micro switches probably have a limited life expectancy. I was able to make it work by pressing the switch directly. As a workaround I placed a small piece of metal tape directly under the switch contact on the metal plate beneath the switch and put everything back together. It's now working, but I think it's just a stop gap, I have a feeling that a new iPod will be on my daughters wish list for Christmas.
My next iPod project is to replace the battery in my wifes old 3rd Gen iPod, it should make a handy 15Gb portable storage device.
This will be the first CEC that I've missed, I had attended all of them (while I was at Sun) since 1994. I either attended them as a participant, presenter or assisted at the last few Installfests. Oh, wait there was that year that they didn't have it, but even then I contributed a presentation / audio cast that was used as part of a Virtual CEC. I would always bring back something of value, to help customers; troubleshooting tips, new product info and contacts. People from all over the world attend the CEC, and it might be the only chance you would get to meet someone, who helped you with a problem, in person.
I just celebrated my 1 year anniversary at Laurus Technologies. It's taken a little getting used to, moving from the service side of things to sales, but so far, so good. Plus we have 7 Ex-Sun people at Laurus now (counting two that were added in just the past week or so), so it seems like old home week sometimes.
Thursday Ride: I opt'ed out tonight, it looked like rain and I took the family out for pizza. The weekend club rides should be fun, if the weather clears up.
I was even "dugg" a few weeks ago with my posting about the concept for a 6th Gen iPod.
Here's my guess on a 6th gen iPod (note this is only a Photoshoped image - and not that great). It has the scroll wheel from the nano on the back of the unit. As the scroll wheel is used an opaque 'virtual' version appears on the screen showing the action that's occurring. I know, having the scroll wheel on the back screws up a bunch of existing accessories, but the wide screen will do that too. As for a touch screen, well maybe, but look at how many people complained about scratches on the screen and case of previous models, making it a touch screen would only make that situation worse. Just my 2 cents worth.
