Technology for the dinosaurs - what does an IPOD do exactly and which one should I buy?

[handlemecarefully]

for running with....

I do realise that they are for playing music - but more detail please

(I am turning into my mother who doesn't like to use new fangled technology like cash points!)

Even dumber question.....how do you get the music on to it ?

I'm glad it's not just me!

They are just mp3 players - you can download music onto your computer from cds or mp3 sites (itunes).

They come with a CD which puts itunes (the software for organising the music) on the computer and a cable etc. Dead dead easy.

An iPod is just one of several brands of MP3 player.

It holds MP3 files, i.e. music files.

YOu can donwload MP3 files from various different websites, which you have to pay for (if you don;t pay, it's illegal).

If you have an iPod you have to download tracks from iTunes.

If you have a different sort of MP3 player, e.g. a Sony, you can download from otehr sites e.g. Napster.

That is my very basic understanding.

You just buy music online and store it on computer.
Then you stick yer mp3 player into cxomputer and transfer music to it.

IPod is dead easy.I use mine for running and gym and its great.Dead easy to do as I have no truck with faffing with hi tech shit either.

Ok, thanks I've got that Knayed and Smurf.....and it's really as easy as you say Smurfgirl?

Is IPOD considered better than most MP3 players? (I ask because the word IPOD seems to have become synonymous with MP3 players - have they got massive market share...).

Any creme de la creme ones you can recommend?

Which one have you got Moony?

I've got iPod nano.
Little one.Holds 100 songs.I make playlists that i put on and take off in wink of an eye.

I think it's the easiest to use (simpler than a walkman even)

Umm - sounds good to me.

HMC I will take the blushes on this one..

How much does it cost to download ?

I love it.
Play air drums on stairmaster and yowl along when running.

ITunes are 79p each.

That's not bad at all - 79p for a tune from a huge enormous library of music.

I bought DH an 8GB iPod nano for his birthday. So far he has loaded over 1500 songs from his huge CD collection and that is 5GB - so still 3GB of space left for new tunes. DH is a big technophobe and he coped admirably with putting CD onto computer then 'synching' it with the iPod (ie CD to Computer to iPod)
It can store photos too.
Nano good for gym as it is small.
standard iPod is bigger, but you can do videos and other fangled stuff.
The shuffle is tiny - but there is no screen and it 'shuffles' the songs you load on it - not as much memory, but only £50 or so.

You can dig out all sorts of stuff you once had on single and lost.The kind of stuff you'd never buy a whole album to hear.
I am loving Echo Beach Martha & the Muffins
Turning Japanese The Vapours

Ah no,tus shuffle I have.

I do wonder what kind of saddos watch videos on iPods though.

the advantage of the shuffle is that it has a clip to hook onto your lycra attire. (is that right moondog?)

lol @ saddos watching videos on iPods. The screen is teeny.

I have mine in an armband to go around my....arm funnily enough.
Yes,also a clip and a lanyard (love that word,lanyard.)

Right I am going to order an ipod nano.

Have just looked at accessory site and the armbands and befuddled by the choice there!

I love both those songs Moondog btw

You can do very exciting things with ipod nanos and nike running shoes, apparently.

That's just silly eh Scummy?
Inverse correlation between fancy gear and amount of exercise done I find.
HMC,great aren't they?

Shuffle and armband.
All you need girl.
I find it childishly amusing to run listening to something naff/cool/dirge like/inspiring as mood takes me.

I make dh hoot with laughter when he drops me off for a long run by pumping aRMS in foolish manner to satart of Eye of the Tiger.

I think you're pobably right, md. All a bit extra and unnecessary.

You can also add existing CDs to your ipod via the computer. It may not be entirely legal but if it's CDs from your own collection it's not generally going to be a problem. For some people who've recorded a few songs I liked, I've bought greatest hits compilations via ebay and just put those songs on, it's worth it for 5 or so, maybe less if you can get an ebay bargain.

Luci