Boy with iPod

Unveil the story of “Boy with iPod”

...an article on “my device”

 

 

Adding new electronic gadgets to my e-gallery has always been fascinating for me. But it was always driven by my financial state. When the company decided that I had to travel to Texas, US, I was very happy. The US has always been a place for buying the latest e-gadgets. Even before reaching there, I had shortlisted some items to buy for myself and friends.

Like everyone else, I also wanted to get a camera. As I have had an interest in photography since my college days, I thought I would go for a digital zoom camera. One of my friends in the US helped me choose, and I finally decided on a 12x optical, 4x digital (i.e., combined 48x zoom), 5-megapixel Canon S2 IS. The predecessor of the Canon S2 IS was a big market grabber in the camera world. I paid $487 just for the camera.

On the second weekend of my stay in the US, one of my colleagues took me to Fry’s (one of the biggest e-gadget stores in the US) and showed me the Apple iPod Nano with 2 GB and 4 GB capacity. At first sight, I thought I should buy it. But after looking at its price, I postponed the idea for a while. It was $199. Until then, I never knew that such a device existed. All I knew was USB memory with MP3 players from Creative. The iPod Nano with 4 GB has the capacity to store around 1,000 songs.

The iPod Nano, with its tiny size, sleek look, undeniable cool factor, unsurpassed interface, excellent sound quality, and responsive controls, was just amazing. From that day onwards, http://www.apple.com/ipod/ became my favorite URL. I read a lot about Apple iPod products, accessories, and reviews. For me, it was very tempting to buy an iPod Nano. But every time I converted its price to Indian rupees, it felt very expensive.

At the start of October 2005, ads were circulating about the 5th-generation iPod. This was supposed to be the next generation beyond the iPod Nano. It could play video along with audio. There were 30 GB and 60 GB models released to the market. This model was named the new iPod. I visited Circuit City (another major US electronics store) to get a demo. It was just a masterpiece, state-of-the-art in its category. Its touch keypad, video quality, and photo gallery options were very impressive. This time I was completely bowled over. I couldn’t think of any reason why this should not be added to my e-library. I calculated my US dollar balance, but the result was disappointing. I had already overspent my limit. I came back to my room empty-handed. The video played during the demo remained in my cherished memory.

In mid-October, I came to know from my team that my stay was being extended by two more weeks, along with my per diem. This time, my calculations worked perfectly to go for the new iPod. I had four choices now: iPod Shuffle, which didn’t have any visual display and was just an MP3 player; iPod Photo, which had a display and photo viewing capability; iPod Nano, the sleekest and most attractive one with display but only audio capability; and finally, the new iPod, which was a combination of all. It was 30 GB, with audio, video, and photo gallery capabilities. I think it was a good decision not to buy the iPod Nano when I first saw it.

This is how Apple advertised the new iPod:

“Witness the evolution of the revolution. First it played songs. Then photos. Then podcasts. Now iPod plays video, changing the way you experience your music and more. Again. In lighter, thinner 30GB and 60GB models starting at $299, the new iPod is music to your eyes.”

Now I made up my mind to go for the new iPod with 30 GB. It cost $299 plus 8.25% tax, plus accessories. Apple had a clever marketing strategy. To keep the base price under $300, they removed all accessories from this model. One had to buy essential accessories like a USB Power Adapter ($29) to charge the iPod from a power outlet, and an Apple AV cable ($19) to view videos on a TV. This model was initially released only in white, and later in black.

On November 4, 2005, at 5:30 pm—the day I spent nearly $1,500—I bought cameras, a sound card, a DVD player for my colleagues, and my new dream: the new iPod. I wanted the black color, which I didn’t find at CompUSA, so I went to Circuit City to fulfill my requirement. I also bought a USB Power Adapter and Apple AV cable. Everything, including taxes, cost me $375.

I came back to my room and connected it to my laptop after downloading iTunes software. For the first time, my laptop hung for a few minutes. Later, it recognized the device with the Apple name. I could successfully download some songs and photos, but video remained a gray area. This model supports only certain formats like .m4v, .mp4, and .mov, which I didn’t have on my laptop. I was eager to watch a video on my iPod. So what was the next step? I searched online to find software that could convert videos into iPod-compatible formats. I found one and downloaded it. A friend staying in the same hotel helped me. Soon, I had video on my iPod. I was on top of the world. It played beautifully. My friend gave me “Love Story,” an English movie that was a big hit during the 1970s. I watched that too on “my device—the new iPod.”

The next experiment was to test it with a TV. Unfortunately, the TV in my room didn’t have an AV cable port, but I believed in Apple. By this time, Apple had become one of my favorite brands because of its simplicity, compactness, thoughtful design, and user-friendly experience.

My device helped me pass time during my travels. I am now back in my homeland. I give iPod demos to everyone I meet. Some people commented on overspending, but everyone praised its design and appearance. I tested the iPod with my LG TV—now it even acts like a DVD player.

Now my iPod is lying in my e-gallery, connected to a Mercury compact speaker with a woofer. Every morning I listen to instrumental music, and in the evening I enjoy random songs. It has become an essential item during all my travels. I am very happy with its battery backup, sound quality, and design.

The daily routine of the “boy with iPod” starts with instrumental music and ends with film songs.