[Spliff]

Today, Neil Gaiman (novelist and comics writer) posted at his blog about how none of his last three iPods have lasted more than 11 months before something broke. Gaiman is a very tech savvy person, so I don't think it's user incompetence. He's also a heavy user of his gadgets. Either he's had bad luck or Apple's quality control ain't great.

So, I'm wondering how long your iPod has lasted before something malfunctioned or broke and had to be replaced under warranty.

[EdipisReks]

i've had mine for 10 months, and nothing has "broken". the chrome casing has become a little lose, but nothing that effects function, or even looks.

[iPoder]

My 1st gen was broken after a little over a year.

It plays songs, charges the battery, but my Mac does not recognize it anymore. It is either that the internal file system got corrupted or firewire port is bad.

Good thing is that I almost filled up the HD with songs I want to hear before it broke, so I did not bother to get it fixed (out of warranty).

[Spheric Harlot]

First generation 5GB iPod, bought IIRC in May 2002. Still going strong, with five, six or so hours of battery life.

[sith33]

My 1st gen 5gig is still going strong, though it's not mine anymore. But we see each other every now and again.

My 3rd gen 15gig just died this week. Harddrive started goign "ker-clunk" and it would only boot every 10th time or so. Then I really broke it taking it apart, but that's another story.

My mini (silver) just arrived this morning, and so far, all is well. It's so sexy...

[riverfreak]

I have a first generation 5GB purchased the day they were announced, rec'd sometime in October 2001. That's been passed on to my pops.

I now have a 20GB 2nd generation purchased from the show floor in New York the day they were announced at MacWorld in July (august?) 2002.

Both are still going strong although the battery life has started to diminish. The 20GB is used every single day, day-in, day-out for 4-5 hours a day.

[PurpleGiant]

1st Gen 5GB iPod: Bought in November 2001, sold in February 2004. No problems.
3rd Gen 20GB iPod: Bought Feb 2004, still have it, no problems.


...yet.

[michaelb]

I'm a fairly heavy user of iPod (5+ hours/day everyday, year round).

My 1st Gen 5GB: bought early 2002, gave it to a relative when I upgraded, no glitches in 2.75 years, still going strong, battery still good.

Father's 2nd Gen 10GB: complained that battery was running out overnight, but I told him how to check the alarm, it was on, he turned it off and now it's fine.

My 3rd Gen 30GB: bought when released (April 2003), after 6 months had problem where the iPod drive would seek for long periods without finding data to play, took it in for repair, Apple replaced it with a brand new one. Later, same problem happened again (overuse maybe?) after the warranty expired but I know how to fix it now: run Disk Utility and do a zero-level format on the FireWire device, then let iTunes restore it. Good as new.

My 5th Gen 60GB iPod Photo: bought when released (Oct 2004), serious problem - it's not in my hand yet!

[bells0]

Had 3rd gen 20 gigger for 13 months now, not a problem, though no idea about battery as is plugged into Altec Lansing speaker/dock at work which charges it whilst playing.

Currently listenin to Green Day new album

[porieux]

http://www.greendayconcerts.com/remix/

Green Day is cool.