While the iPod was a revolutionary gadget when it first hit the market in 2001, now the ability to play music files or stream them from the Internet on a portable device is something that we take for granted. Apple is continuing the slow, graceful retirement of the iPod by moving the devices to the “accessory” racks in its stores, freeing up display counter and table space for more current gadgets. [More]
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Apple Confirms It’s Not Getting Rid Of The iPod, Finally Updates The Device
Just a month ago, we flirted with the possibility that Apple’s recent removal of the iPod from the top of the company’s site – in favor of its new subscription music service – may have been the beginning of the end for the company’s music player. Alas, today, the tech giant revealed that, no, it’s not sending the iPod the way of the dodo bird, instead, it’s updated the device… for the first time in three years. [More]
Police Looking For Couple Who Stole 5-Year-Old’s iPod At Frozen Yogurt Store
In the updated-for-the-digital age version of taking candy from a baby, police in Colorado say an adult couple walked off with a five-year-old’s iPod, you know, just because it was there. Yes, we live in a world where there are people who will steal electronics from a kid. Yes, I meant iPod. Yes, people still have iPods. [More]
Theft Victim Catches Guy Returning Her Stuff To Macy's
Rachel thought she would never see her stuff again. Someone had stolen the Christmas gifts she left on the backseat of her car parked in front of her house overnight, along with her iPod. It was $460 out the window. But when she went back to Macy’s to replace some of the gifts, her Spidey-sense started tingling. [More]
Apple Debuts Overhauled Line Of iPods
As many predicted, Apple used its much-anticipated press event today to show off the latest development in their iPod devices. And though some had hoped Big Chief Fanboy Steve Jobs would be unveiling a new version of the iPod, it was really just updates — ranging from the blah to the significant — to the existing line. [More]
iPodmeister Takes Used CDs, DVDs, Gives You iPods
A New York-based company called iPodMeister swaps out new iPods and portable hard drives for used CDs and DVDs, covering shipping costs. The business has been around since 2004, but it’s new to me.
Apple Store Manager Gives iPod To Soldier Who Mangled His In Afghanistan
Remember Aaron, the Marine who wrecked his 120GB iPod Classic in Afghanistan by accidentally letting it get run over by a Humvee, then slamming it in a Humvee door?
Skullcandy Lifetime Warranty Means You'll Wait Your Lifetime For A Replacement
There is a guy at Skullcandy named Joe, and he is in charge of their warranty fulfillment program. He is overworked. Why, just on this one warranty replacement story, he’s had to deal with the same customer over and over and over, and the customer still hasn’t gotten a replacement earbud set for the one that broke last November. Wentao writes, “I am also moving out of the country in 10 days, so I will probably never see the headphones I paid for ever again.”
Need Your Apple Product Fixed? Try TechRestore Or iFixIt
I’ve always relied on TechRestore for cheap upgrades or repairs on any Apple products I’ve owned, but if you prefer DIY repairs, try the new iFixit website, which will sell you the parts and then provide detailed guides on what to do with them.
Sony Adding All Songs Over Two Years Old To EMusic; EMusic Raising Prices
Although eMusic is a great service—for a flat monthly fee, you get a set number of downloads per month of DRM-free music tracks—it’s about to get better. Or maybe worse, depending on the breadth of your musical tastes. Today eMusic will announce that Sony is adding its back catalog of songs to eMusic’s library. The bad news is that eMusic also plans to slightly raise prices and/or drop the number of downloads per month. Even if it works out to between 50-60 cents per track, though, that’s still far less than iTunes Music Store or Amazon, and probably the cheapest way to grab music from Sony artists without resorting to piracy.
iPod Mechanic Stole Over 9,000 iPods From Apple, Feds Say
An iPod repair shop, that we ripping Apple off for 9,000+ iPod shuffles. The feds charged Nicholas Woodman with jacking iPod shuffles from Apple by guessing shuffle serial numbers from a shuffle replacement site without actually ever buying the original shuffles himself.
Geek Squad Decides Your Clearly Broken iPod Is Fine, Dares You To Pay 3rd Party To Prove Them Wrong
Geek Squad told reader Dave that he didn’t have the “technical expertise” to diagnose his clearly-broken iPod. The 30 GB unit wouldn’t play when docked or connected by USB cord, something Dave though might be covered by Best Buy‘s Product Service Plan. Geek Squad first tried replacing the hard drive. This solved nothing. Dave brought the still-broken iPod back and asked the agent to write into the notes a request to call him if the problem was misunderstood. Without calling, Geek Squad again returned the iPod with a note saying that the agent “could not duplicate the problem.” With this firm diagnosis in hand, Geek Squad decided they were done and wouldn’t perform any additional work. When Dave objected, he was told that his ‘only option was to pay for a third-party to test the iPod and prove the Geek Squad technician wrong.’
Update: Woot Customer Demands Non-Existent Black iPod Headphones
Last week, Woot asked Consumerist readers what it should do about a customer who was irate that their black iPod came with white headphones, despite the fact that Apple does not make them. The post was notable for several reasons. One, I think it might have been the fist time we posted a complaint from a company. Two, with over 477 comments, I think we broke a new comment record on a single post. After carefully evaluating your responses, Woot has said they’ll offer Millard a full refund and send a box with a pre-paid shipping label to send the iPod back in. This is acceptable to me. As I’ve said in the past, it’s all about the money. Once you have your money back as a customer, there’s nothing to complain about.
Woot Customer Demands Non-Existent Black iPod Headphones
In what is probably the second-worst consumer complaint we’ve received, Millard is mad at deal-a-day site Woot because he bought a black iPod from them and it came with white headphones. He demands black headphones. Woot needs your help in solving this consumer crisis.
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Update: Here’s how you can exchange your PlaysForSure code for an iTunes redemption code. Movie fans over at forum.blu-ray.com say Warner Bros’ new release of “Speed Racer” promises a digital copy of the movie that will work on iPods, but there’s no such thing on the disc—only protected WMV files. [blu-ray.com] (Thanks to Sabler!)
Apple Agrees To Replace Exploding First-Gen iPods After Japan Demands Action
In what should have been a no-brainer, Apple today agreed to replace any iPod Nanos that unexpectedly explode. The announcement came as a response to the Japanese government, which yesterday asked the computer-maker to “take some measures” to warn consumers of the potential danger of their little pocket rockets. Apple blames a single bad battery supplier for the spontaneous fireworks.