11-28-2003, 05:00 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,878
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iPod vs. Dell
O.K., need some help...
Wife wants a digital player, I have decided either a 20GB iPod or 20GB Dell DJ 20 would fit the bill nicely...
I need opinions...
I realize the Dell is over $100.00US cheaper, but what about battery life, ease of use (w/Windows), etc...
And yes, I read the spec sheets, but I want real world opinions...
Thanks,
Steve
__________________
"My eyes are rolling back in my head so far I can see my grey matter bubbling and frothing from reading this thread....bleh." JD
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11-28-2003, 05:07 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,398
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Not that this helps, but Gateway has an iPod-clone now, too. I haven't anything about the Dell or Gateway devices - not even a review!
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11-28-2003, 05:12 PM
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,878
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Hmm...
O.K., to be cmpletely fair about it, anyone know about the Gateway DMP-X20 Jukebox as well...
Steve
__________________
"My eyes are rolling back in my head so far I can see my grey matter bubbling and frothing from reading this thread....bleh." JD
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11-28-2003, 05:27 PM
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11-28-2003, 06:26 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 368
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I have some friends who returned their iPod's because of disappointing battery life. The old iPod had much longer battery life.
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11-28-2003, 08:32 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ignar
I have some friends who returned their iPod's because of disappointing battery life. The old iPod had much longer battery life.
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Really? :confused totally: The new iPod has the same battery life as the old iPod. However, it does have much less battery life than the new Dell unit (about half, at 8 hours). I find it sufficient (since I charge it everyday in front of a computer), but some might not.
In response to your other questions, Steve:
- Ease of use with Windows: toss-up at this point. The iPod doesn't come with a USB 2.0 cable, you have to buy that as an accessory (firewire comes by default). On the other hand, iTunes is an absolute joy, and I prefer it infinitely to MusicMatch.
- Size: The iPod is smaller. Important for me as I pocket it, but maybe less important if it goes in a purse or handbag.
- Music formats: Both support MP3. The Dell unit supports WMA, the iPod supports AAC. Not sure if you're going to be buying Internet music, but I personally prefer Apple's DRM to most WMA stores.
- Aesthetics: iPod wins for having a nice non-moving pressure-sensitive thumbwheel, which is a fantastic interface for scrolling. It loses because the surface is a bit prone to scratching, and the unit is a little slippery.
Steve - does that help?
--janak
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11-28-2003, 08:44 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 368
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Yes, I'm sure the new model has a less battery life. I also found this site interesting.
http://ipodsdirtysecret.com/
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11-28-2003, 08:51 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ignar
Yes, I'm sure the new model has a less battery life.
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Can you cite some statistics for this? Both my sister and I own a 3G iPod (she a 15GB, me a 30GB), and we find its battery life is indeed very comparable to older iPods (less than the Dell player, but I already said that).
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I also found this site interesting.
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This site is simply noting the fact that Li-Ion batteries wear out after about 18-24 months. This is nothing new. Apple's replacement fees aren't cheap, but one can discover sites like www.ipodbattery.com which sells it for about ~ $50. This is not unique to iPods; old iPAQs, like the 3650 and 3870, suffer from this problem as well.
If you want to point out that the iPod's battery is not trivially removable, making buying aftermarket batteries a pain, that's a legitimate point. I think the Dell DJ has (and will have) the same problem, however.
BTW, Steve: you might want to check out the Rio Karma as well. If I had to get an audio player now, that's the one I'd be most tempted by. Not only does it have Ogg and WMA support, it has an Ethernet port in the cradle! 8O
--janak
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11-28-2003, 09:18 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 368
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Quick Google search found this article. I don't have detailed specs, but my friends told they could use the old iPod up to 15 hours straight while the max for the newer model is less than 8 hours.
http://ptech.wsj.com/archive/ptech-20030501.html
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The new iPod does have one big drawback, however. To reduce the size of the unit, Apple had to cut the size of the battery. So, the battery life of the new iPods, while still respectable, is significantly lower than it was on the original version. The old models claimed 10 hours of battery life, but mine got 12 hours. The new models claim eight hours of battery life, but my test iPod lasted only 7.5 hours -- nearly 40% less than my old one.
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I linked ipodsdirtysecret.com just as FYI material. I have nothing against iPod, but believe $255 plus mailing fee for battery replacement is big enough money which should be considered by potential buyers.
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11-28-2003, 09:21 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ignar
Quick Google search found this article. I don't have detailed specs, but my friends told they could use the old iPod up to 15 hours straight while the max for the newer model is less than 8 hours.
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Thanks. I didn't realize that people actually got that long lifetimes from the old iPods -- I guess my friends weren't as lucky, or something.  I know that the new iPods have physically small batteries to handle the formfactor, and perhaps that was the source of the tradeoff.
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I have nothing against iPod, but believe $255 plus mailing fee for battery replacement is big enough money which should be considered by potential buyers.
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I'd never suggest anyone ever do that. Aftermarket all the way, be it for Pocket PCs or music players.  BTW, News.com has an article on the site you mentioned. Personally, I don't get their beef -- and I've never seen their "modifications" on NYC ads... although I've been living in front of my computer as of late, bogged down with work.
--janak
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