Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Toutgood · Jul 14, 2003, 05:05 PM

I'm gonna break down and buy one of these babies. Can you believe I'm still burning one cd at a time, and carrying them around in a bulky case with my cd player to boot?

Anyway, what's the deal with the dock and the remote? Are they really worth it? Well built, functional, etc? I don't really like the case that comes wih the pod, I rather prefer the iSkin.

Anyway, not to be cheap, but are these couple extras worth the $100?

icruise · Jul 14, 2003, 05:26 PM

They may not be worth $100 by themselves, but combined with an extra 5GB of storage they are worth it.

Axo1ot1 · Jul 14, 2003, 05:26 PM

I don't find the remote to be terribly useful, but that's a matter of personal preference. The dock is very cool. You end up paying as much as you would have paid for the 15 if you want to get all the amenities for the 10, so the 15 GB is my recommendation.

mdc · Jul 14, 2003, 06:06 PM

i went with the 15. i put my ipod on all songs random, put it in the carry case it came in, into my backpack with the remote sticking out, and leave it.

remote skips to the next, volume, play pause. everything i need.

and you get the dock, and 5 gig extra.

JLFanboy · Jul 14, 2003, 11:13 PM

The 15 is by far the sweet spot of the current iPod lineup. Go for it. The dock and remote rock. Don't know about the case, but hey, 5 gigs is 5 gigs.

DigitalEl · Jul 15, 2003, 12:20 AM

The 15GB is probably the better value, but it depends on your needs. I have about 6GB of music and don't really have need for a portable Firewire drive, so the 10GB iPod is perfect.

I bought the remote for my old first-generation iPod and found I more often than not left it at home. I didn't find it terribly useful. As for the new Dock, it seems impractical for me. I think it's fair to say most people use their iPods in some sort of case or cover. The docking station is such a snug fit, there's really no way to use it, except to remove the iPod from the case every night. That would be a pain. I know there's one of those "skin" -type cases with a removable bottom, for use in the Dock, but...

My two cents.

Dan D. · Jul 15, 2003, 08:55 AM

I bought the 30GB a couple of weeks ago because I am going to need the space (16GB so far, and still ripping every night). I got the dock, case and remote, and here's basically what I think of them.

The case is fine, but there are so many better options out there that it's simply not worth it. Something like an iSkin is a much better choice and offers more protection, as does nearly everything else out there. I'm using the factory case right now and it pretty much forces me to clip the iPod somewhere externally since it doesn't afford much protection. I'd prefer to stick the iPod in my bag, but I can't guarantee it would stay in the case or the unprotected sides won't get damaged.

The dock is cool, but I have concerns about its usability after getting a new case. Most cases seem to have a port in the bottom to accept the cable, but they won't work with the dock. This isn't a problem with most cases where the iPod is easy to remove, but something like the difficult-to-remove iSkin would render the dock useless.

The remote is great in concept but I haven't been able to find a good way to use it. Since I have to wear the iPod on me (or outside my bag) due to the case limitations, I end up with a ridiculous amount of cable draped across me when I use the remote. I like having the controls up on my bag strap, especially the volume and pause, but all that cable is cumbersome. I'm sure I could figure out a neater way to arrange it but I haven't yet, so for now the remote is of limited use.

Bottom line, if I could have bought the 30GB for $100 less without these add-ons, I would have done so and invested in a better desgned, more versatile case (or two).

icruise · Jul 15, 2003, 09:14 AM

The remote is of limited use if you use Apple's braindead choice of earphones (they're the same length as the ones they included when there was no remote, which means the damn cord is way too long). If you get another pair of earphones designed with a remote in mind (ones with a very short cord) it's very very useful.

Dan D. · Jul 15, 2003, 12:27 PM

Any earphone suggestions Icruise? I've been planning on replacing those.

cwasko · Jul 15, 2003, 01:03 PM

My wife just bought me the 15G fro my Birth Day. She also got me the Belkin Cig-lighter kit. I guess the Apple store person convinced her into purchasing the 15G over the 10G due to the addition of the Dock, the Remote, and the Case. I mainly use the iPod for driving, as I drive between Northern VA, New York, and CT alot. I was thinking XM radio... but I didn't feel like spitting out 10$ a month for someone else's music

I actually use the remote quite a bit. When driving down the road, its much easier to mess with the remote then the iPod, not to mention a heck of alot safer. I'm not sure what to think of the case yet. Its good for me, but I can see how people that want to carry it on would not like it. I plug the Belkin Cig-lighter adapter into the bottom and leave the iPod hanging about half way out, so i can still see the screen - not to mention it won't go down all the way due to the connector.

Toutgood · Jul 15, 2003, 01:21 PM

Leaning towards the 10 gb one just because. Even if I wanted to carry around 15 gb of music ( which is like 9 days straight ), I usually only have a rotation of about 3-4 gb max. And that's why I'm getting it folks, music. As for the remote, I'd be sold if it were like the one I have for my MD player. With a little screen and tons of functions. I wouldn't be suprised if Apple jazzes those up on the next version. But the whole headphone plus remote cord was such a pain. I had to tie the thing up with a rubber band. And besides I've got my own headphones, never been much of an earbud person. The new iSkins are supposed to be usable with the dock, but why do we need the dock again? To keep the lil' guy upright? Still not convinced.

G-mac · Jul 15, 2003, 03:34 PM

I'm thinking of upgrading to a 10 or 15 gigger, primarily since I like the dock.

I don't have a dock currently (old 5 gigger), but I believe it has a few functions: "keep the lil' guy upright," recharge the iPod, keep it from getting scratched (dragging on desk), and looks cleaner than a cord hanging on your desk.

In addition, I think the iPod is useable while in its dock/charging (unlike with older iPods), so you can hook up your speakers to it and play music while its being charged. Or you could just hook up some headphones and listen to your iPod in its dock while reading, etc. I think.

People with a dock - am I assuming things correctly? Anything I missed?

cwasko · Jul 15, 2003, 03:37 PM

Regarding the Dock...

The Dock is really multi-purpose. It serves as a way to keep the iPod from getting scratched up, a way to have a 'set' place to charge it so you don't have to go fumbling for cords that inevitably seem to fall behind the desk, and it also has audio out - so if the iPod is hooked up to a stereo then you don't have to fumbling around for the darn cord. For these reasons, I find the Dock pretty darn useful and I'm quite convinced.

cwasko · Jul 15, 2003, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by G-mac:
In addition, I think the iPod is useable while in its dock/charging (unlike with older iPods), so you can hook up your speakers to it and play music while its being charged. Or you could just hook up some headphones and listen to your iPod in its dock while reading, etc. I think.

Well, useable in the sense that if you don't have it mounted on your computer, you can use it. Otherwise, if it is mounted on the computer then you are not able to use it. However, you can plop it in the Dock, then it mounts - I usually unmount it right after. it will still charge, and then you can use it. A slight PITA, but not bad.

Toutgood · Jul 15, 2003, 04:42 PM

Just a question about the remote: Why would Apple go through all the trouble to give us a beautiful designed iPod, with its slick controls and design, and then push a run of the mill remote on us- which isn't even close to the really cool ones that came with some of the portable md's? I mean why buy into the design and ease of use if you're not going to even use it?

Just a thought..

boardsurfer · Jul 15, 2003, 05:10 PM

I dig the dock. My iPod sits in it on my desk with line out to my stereo. I can easily see the display and skip ahead if necessary. Set it to shuffle all songs and you're set. The remote has seen limited use so far. I went for a skate down the boardwalk with the pod in my pocket, remote clipped outside my pocket and extra mile of cable rolled in my pocket as well. Worked well.

SupahCoolX · Jul 15, 2003, 06:13 PM

I wish I had a dock for my 5gb iPod. I always have to climb under my desk to unplug the Firewire cable from the power strip when I want to sync my iPod.
I find the remote very useful. I keep my iPod in a protective case in a little zippered compartment of my "messenger" style backpack. I attach the remote to the shoulder strap. This way, my iPod stays safe, I don't have to keep taking it out and putting it back in, etc.

icruise · Jul 15, 2003, 07:50 PM

Originally posted by Dan D.:
Any earphone suggestions Icruise? I've been planning on replacing those.

I don't really know what is available in the US, but in Japan there are any number of earphones available that are made specifically for things with remotes. I remember having trouble finding decent headphones the last time I looked in the US, but that was maybe 4-5 years ago.

cwasko · Jul 16, 2003, 07:07 AM

Originally posted by Toutgood:
Just a question about the remote: Why would Apple go through all the trouble to give us a beautiful designed iPod, with its slick controls and design, and then push a run of the mill remote on us- which isn't even close to the really cool ones that came with some of the portable md's? I mean why buy into the design and ease of use if you're not going to even use it?

Just a thought..

To be honest, I'm not sure what the 'others' are doing. However, I'm a firm believer of simplification. The Apple remote provides just that. Its a remote to control the basic functions of the unit. If you want to do more, then why wouldn't you just whip the unit out and do it? I see no value in having an entire extra interface-on-a-wire just for the sake of making it. Now, if it was a wireless remote, then yea... I could see making it more complicated. But, since it IS wired, by definition, you are connected to the main unit and why over replicate services which are just as easily done from the main unit. Oh, and I use the remote almost exclusively for the tasks it does: volume, back/next track and play/pause.

Toutgood · Jul 16, 2003, 08:41 AM

Here's a probable reason for a simplified remote: uses less battery power.

An lcd would be nice, especially to see which of the thousands of tracks is playing without having to dig the pod out of the bag/pocket. But at the expense of battery life? Nah...

icruise · Jul 16, 2003, 09:00 AM

The thing is that I don't really see the minidisc players having to make any sacrifices in terms of battery life or expense. The best of them can run for days on like 1 AA battery, and they have backlit remotes that display track titles, etc. Remember that the original design of the iPod included the connectors for the remote and even a space for it in the box, but it wasn't included (or even sold seperately) until quite some time later. I get the feeling that there was some internal division within Apple as to whether or not the remote was worth including, and it may have led to the half-assed thing we have now (including the too-long earphone cord). Still, it's perfectly usable and I use it a lot. It's just that it could have been much more.

The bottom line is that it's still a lot better than fishing in your bag to adjust the volume or to skip a track.