Watt's Up Musings of an original geek

I know, I know, it’s been a while. Sorry.

A few years back my sweet wife bought me an iPod for Christmas. It’s an iPod Nano Generation 1 with 4GB. Since then I have used it almost everyday. I never thought I’d use it as much, but I do. I wear it to work and back, but I don’t listen to it at work. It’s my car radio where I get to choose what I listen to. It keeps me company on my many long runs. I typically listen to podcasts, and not music. My favorites are This American Life (NPR), Phedippidations (Running), The Story (APM), and Radio Lab (WNYC). I’ve tried an number of others, such as, comedians and they just don’t do it for me. I tried a book once from Project Gutenberg, but the mechanical voice again just didn’t do it for me. Maybe it’s something to do with not spending $ for the content. I don’t know. Nevertheless, with it I can zone-out and listen to voice-in-my-head chatting, discussing, explaining, and informing me of happenings in the world. It’s like my own little PBS/NPR/etc Radio Machine. Over the years I have had to replaced it or repaired it 2 times by sending it into Apple and getting a new one. Typically it was the result of running, and getting sweat in it. A cap with a pocket for the iPod fixed that issue. Well about a week or so ago, while helping at the Austin Triathlon, the screen went dead. It continues to operate, but I could only start it playing or skip to the next podcast. I found this difficult, because I like to page through the various podcasts and pick one out depending upon my mood. Not seeing the screen was not good.

Apple iPod Nano (photo courtesy Apple.com)So today I went to the Apple store to get a replacement. Knowing that the iPod shuffle was quite small and self-contained I thought it would be good keeping the elements and sweat out, but I rejected it because there was no screen. Pushing the little up/down thingamabob on the earphones just didn’t cut it for me. So I looked at the latest iPod Nano. Naturally it was more expensive, had much more memory, and included a radio and video camera. I don’t know if I’ll use all those gadgets, but I got a nice bright red 16GB one. Oh, and it’s a (PRODUCT)RED to help fight AIDS in Africa. But I didn’t get it for that, I just like red things. Anyways I’m happy again, and tomorrow morning I’ll be again on the roads with my iPod keeping me company. I can’t wait.