ipod Touch questions...

[Glynda]

I mainly listen to audio books on my second generation Nano. (I had the first generation Nano before it.) I listen through the radio of my car via a gadget plugged into my cigarette lighter and also through a speaker system for iPod inside the house. While traveling on airplanes I listen through ear plugs.

My biggest complaint comes from trying to rewind and fast forward and turn off the Nano. Is the method for doing this different with the iTouch? Is it easier? Much of the time holding down to turn off the Nano is frustrating as nothing happens and I'm losing my place while I try and try and try.

Also will my current car and speaker devices for the second generation Nano work with the iTouch?

I think I'd like the iTouch for a couple of games and perhaps movies in addition to listening to audiobooks. How much does it cost to buy or rent a fairly current movie for iTouch and must one use iTunes to do so?

Thanks!

 

[Icarus]

ipod touch (there is no product named itouch.)

The rewind/ff/position is a little slider on the top of the screen after you touch the screen. I find it very difficult to do things like 30 second skip when watching recorded tv shows. It's really about the only thing I don't like about it. I wish they would add 30 second skip or rewind to it.

I don't download movies, tv shows, etc from the itunes store unless they are free. I download content from my tivo to the pc and then convert them to H.264 and drop them into my itunes libaray.

The cost is similar to any of the other places where you can 'rent' or 'buy' movies and tv shows. (with similar restrictions for rented movies.)

-David

 

[Glynda]

ipod touch (there is no product named itouch.)

The rewind/ff/position is a little slider on the top of the screen after you touch the screen. I find it very difficult to do things like 30 second skip when watching recorded tv shows. It's really about the only thing I don't like about it. I wish they would add 30 second skip or rewind to it.

I don't download movies, tv shows, etc from the itunes store unless they are free. I download content from my tivo to the pc and then convert them to H.264 and drop them into my itunes libaray.

The cost is similar to any of the other places where you can 'rent' or 'buy' movies and tv shows. (with similar restrictions for rented movies.)

-David

I keep getting these names wrong...the Blackberry and the Ipod. Sheesh. I hate this getting old.

How easily does it turn off?

 

[Icarus]

How easily does it turn off?

There's a power button on top. If you are just listening to audio, pressing the power button will turn off the screen, but audio will continue to play.

If you press and hold the power button, it will turn it off completely. I normally never turn it off completely, even on the airplane. (In theory, you should turn it completely off for take-off and landing.) I keep the wifi radio turned off, except for the very rare occasion when I'm using it.

-David

 

[Glynda]

More questions...

There's a power button on top. If you are just listening to audio, pressing the power button will turn off the screen, but audio will continue to play.

If you press and hold the power button, it will turn it off completely. I normally never turn it off completely, even on the airplane. (In theory, you should turn it completely off for take-off and landing.) I keep the wifi radio turned off, except for the very rare occasion when I'm using it.

-David

More questions....is there enough battery life to watch a couple of movies while traveling...airport/airplane...without having to recharge?

I saw a car audio accessory yesterday that plugs the iPod into the cigarette lighter and has a remote that wraps around the steering wheel for control of volume, fast forward and pause/stop, etc. Has anyone tried that? How well does it work?

I went to the Apple store yesterday (it was chaos) to ask these questions and get my hands on one. After waiting my turn to get to one and then finding a salesperson, it turned out she knew NOTHING about it! Apparently they just hired her and turned her loose on the floor. Frustrating.

But it is pretty cool. I think hubby is going to get me one for Christmas.

 

[Icarus]

Yeah, video is the most demanding for power, but I think it's rated at something like 5 hours for video. You can check apple.com for stuff like that.

If you already have an igo power adapter for your notebook, you can just get a $10 tip that works with the ipods.

That remote thing sounds ridiculous. Sorry.

When I got my car, I replaced the head end with an Alpine unit that supports an ipod interface. They wired the ipod cable into the glove compartment. One of my older ipods just sits in there all the time, and I can control the ipod from the stereo head end. Depending on what type of car and radio you might be able to do something like that without replacing the head end. Anyway, the head end is the cheap part. The speaker upgrade, 2 amps and subwoofer I added were more than the head end.

Anyway, all you need is an aux in jack on your car stereo. If it has that, you can create playlists in itunes and load the playlists onto your ipod and just run the playlists, so you don't need to do anything special when you are driving. Its better to have the full interface through the head end, but an aux in jack will work too.

I wouldn't leave my ipod touch in the car. The one in the car is an older disk based ipod, with a ton of space, and can hold my entire music collection.

-David

 

[Glynda]

EEKS...

That remote thing sounds ridiculous. Sorry.

Anyway, all you need is an aux in jack on your car stereo. If it has that, you can create playlists in itunes and load the playlists onto your ipod and just run the playlists, so you don't need to do anything special when you are driving. Its better to have the full interface through the head end, but an aux in jack will work too.

-David

You've never seen me driving and trying to reach over towards the passenger side (the iPod is stationary in a Road Trip FM transmitter holder) to rewind or stop the player.

Remember, I'm listening to books, not music. If my mind wanders or my cell phone rings or I'm going through a drive through to order something....I have to stop or rewind. Not exactly safe.

 

[sandesurf]

Hi, I'm trying to learn more about the iPod touch, as it's what our son wants for Christmas. I never have used an iPod, so forgive my novice questions...
I understand there's different ways to buy applications for it (games,music, videos), but is the iTunes store also where you get these? I keep seeing those iTune gift cards everywhere, but will they work for the iPod touch?
Thanks!

 

[Glynda]

Hi, I'm trying to learn more about the iPod touch, as it's what our son wants for Christmas. I never have used an iPod, so forgive my novice questions...
I understand there's different ways to buy applications for it (games,music, videos), but is the iTunes store also where you get these? I keep seeing those iTune gift cards everywhere, but will they work for the iPod touch?
Thanks!

Yes, the iTunes store is one and the gift card will work.

 

[Icarus]

Remember, I'm listening to books, not music. If my mind wanders or my cell phone rings or I'm going through a drive through to order something....I have to stop or rewind. Not exactly safe.

What kind of car is it? I think you should look into an ipod connector to the stereo (the head end) and if it can't accommodate it, as long as it isn't a factory GPS system or very fancy stereo system, look into replacing the head end with one that can accommodate the ipod connector. If you can do the real ipod connector, you can use the car radio controls for skip, ff, rewind, volume, mute, pause, track selection, etc. Some will even display what's playing on the display. This is much better than something that has a cable and wraps around the steering wheel. And I know you can afford it, and a head end replacement isn't very expensive. You can get a nice Alpine unit for around $200 - $250 (even less, depending on the features you want) plus the cost to install it. They come with kits so it will fit in your dash where the factory radio goes.

Some cars, like BMWs can accommodate the ipod connector with the factory radio.

-David

 

[sandesurf]

Yes, the iTunes store is one and the gift card will work.

Thanks, Glynda!

 

[Glynda]

What kind of car is it? I think you should look into an ipod connector to the stereo (the head end) and if it can't accommodate it, as long as it isn't a factory GPS system or very fancy stereo system, look into replacing the head end with one that can accommodate the ipod connector. If you can do the real ipod connector, you can use the car radio controls for skip, ff, rewind, volume, mute, pause, track selection, etc. Some will even display what's playing on the display. This is much better than something that has a cable and wraps around the steering wheel. And I know you can afford it, and a head end replacement isn't very expensive. You can get a nice Alpine unit for around $200 - $250 (even less, depending on the features you want) plus the cost to install it. They come with kits so it will fit in your dash where the factory radio goes.

Some cars, like BMWs can accommodate the ipod connector with the factory radio.

-David

2006 Lexus RX 330. I think it was the next year that they started doing the iPod stereo connections. I do have GPS. Not sure I want to change anything but I listen every time I get in the car even to the grocery, etc. And almost every weekend I make a 9 hour round trip. So I listen to a lot of books on iPod.

This is what I was considering. The remote that wraps around the steering wheel is very small and wireless. http://store.apple.com/us/product/TR824LL/A?fnode=MTY1NDA2MQ&mco=MjE1NzM1MA

 

[Icarus]

ok, you're in real good shape with the Lexus.

http://www.vaistech.com/home.php

Scroll down to the SLi, SL2i, SL2vi section. These work with your factory GPS system/head end, steering wheel controls, display, etc. An experienced professional installer will install it behind the radio and can have them run the ipod connector cable wherever it makes sense.

Do some research, Glynda. You'll be much happier and safer with full integration. And something like this, even though it might be relatively expensive, is much nicer than the cheap Alpine head end unit I have, and it works with your factory GPS system.

I'm sure this isn't the only option. There are probably others out there.

Here's another one: http://www.diceelectronics.com/ipod_integration.htm

-David

 

[Lawlar]

Got One!

I just bought my wife an IPOD Touch. The 16GB.

It was $289 at Costco - which has a 90-day return policy The price was far less than what I saw online.

There was only one left after I bought mine - so shop early!

 

[Icarus]

I just bought my wife an IPOD Touch. The 16GB.

It was $289 at Costco - which has a 90-day return policy The price was far less than what I saw online.

There was only one left after I bought mine - so shop early!

Yeah, $299 list price from the Apple Store

Amazon.com has it for around $265 (from Amazon), but "usually ships in 3 to 5 weeks"

-David

 

[Glynda]

Generations...

Yeah, $299 list price from the Apple Store

Amazon.com has it for around $265 (from Amazon), but "usually ships in 3 to 5 weeks"

-David

KEMcA: I was under the impression that those deals are for the first generation iPod Touch, not the second.

 

[Glynda]

Thanks

ok, you're in real good shape with the Lexus.

http://www.vaistech.com/home.php

Scroll down to the SLi, SL2i, SL2vi section. These work with your factory GPS system/head end, steering wheel controls, display, etc. An experienced professional installer will install it behind the radio and can have them run the ipod connector cable wherever it makes sense.

Do some research, Glynda. You'll be much happier and safer with full integration. And something like this, even though it might be relatively expensive, is much nicer than the cheap Alpine head end unit I have, and it works with your factory GPS system.

I'm sure this isn't the only option. There are probably others out there.

Here's another one: http://www.diceelectronics.com/ipod_integration.htm

-David

Great information, David. I really appreciate all your help. I can always count on you! I'll look into it.

 

[Icarus]

I was under the impression that those deals are for the first generation iPod Touch, not the second.

2nd gen, 16gb, $269.98

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...t_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

-David

 

[Lawlar]

Yeah, $299 list price from the Apple Store

Amazon.com has it for around $265 (from Amazon), but "usually ships in 3 to 5 weeks"

-David

You are right David. I looked at the price for the Touch with even more memory. I goofed.

Still I like the convenience of being able to take it back to Costco if anything goes wrong. However, Apple will engrave it if you buy it directly from them - that would be nice.

 

[Icarus]

I think you did fine. You got it for under the list price and they had it in stock.

-David

 

[sandesurf]

I just bought my wife an IPOD Touch. The 16GB.

It was $289 at Costco - which has a 90-day return policy The price was far less than what I saw online.

There was only one left after I bought mine - so shop early!

Hi, I just went out and bought it at Costco also. I'm bothered by the fact that it doesn't mention being the "2nd generation" anywhere on the box. The salespeople said it was, but how can I know, for sure?
Thanks!

 

[Icarus]

The bottom is rounded a bit and not flat on the 2nd gen, I think.

The 2nd gen has a speaker and volume buttons. The 1st gen doesn't have either of those.

You can also look at the part number and compare to the part numbers on apple.com

-David