The Apple Thread

[cyrus]

	Quote:	PlantHead
	I need some help. I need to buy an mp3 player, and it needs to be simple as my Dad has to use it, so I'm thinking Apple. It needs to be powered ie. not by USB only and have at least 5gb of storage on it..this seems to be impossible. Everything Apple offers is USB powered only, am I missing something? Other players as long as they are über simple would also be suitable if anyone has any advice. Should also add it is going to be used in a hospital, so Heath Robinson jury rigged power solutions are not going to work.

It's possible to get a charger for the iPod that the USB cable plugs into, your dad wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

The iPod nano would seem the ideal solution.

[peachy]

	Quote:	PlantHead
	Should also add it is going to be used in a hospital, so Heath Robinson jury rigged power solutions are not going to work.

This means a simple Apple 230v > USB adaptor would not be suitable?

[PlantHead]

Ahh good, ok I need to buy an additional bit of kit, although what "bright" spark figured it was a good idea to only sell them with USB power is beyond me.
Cheers.

[peachy]

	Quote:	PlantHead
	Ahh good, ok I need to buy an additional bit of kit, although what "bright" spark figured it was a good idea to only sell them with USB power is beyond me. Cheers.

USB is a global standard, and surely anybody who gets an ipod would want to be able to connect it to their computer? It's logically the best place for it to charge since it can sync and charge simultaneously.

[cyrus]

	Quote:	PlantHead
	Ahh good, ok I need to buy an additional bit of kit, although what "bright" spark figured it was a good idea to only sell them with USB power is beyond me. Cheers.

To be fair, you really need something to get the tunes on it in the first place, for most users, that would make the charger an extra unrequired cost.

	Quote:	PlantHead
	I need to buy an mp3 player, and it needs to be simple as my Dad has to use it, so I'm thinking Apple.

My daughter bought her grandfather (he's about 80yrs.) in France an iPod and loaded all of his favorite classic French music onto it for him. He's totally lost when it comes to "technology" (never owned a computer) but seems to have no problem navigating an iPod after it was demonstrated to him how to play back the music.

[PlantHead]

	Quote:	cyrus
	To be fair, you really need something to get the tunes on it in the first place, for most users, that would make the charger an extra unrequired cost.

Fair point, but an iPod is supposed to be portable, when you are on the move its much easier to gain access to a power socket than it is to a usb port.
Also charging via USB is not as efficient as charging from a power socket...takes longer.
Anyway I am biased, I generally hate Apple products, ignore my jibe.

[Nathu]

	Quote:	PlantHead
	I need to buy an mp3 player, and it needs to be simple as my Dad has to use it, so I'm thinking Apple.

You can change the menu structure of iPods to only "Music" and "Settings" on the top level (plus "Random music" if you like) so navigating can definitely be simple. But it also depends on the size and MP3 tags of the music library.

[krlock3]

	Quote:	swissotter
	is there an apple shop opening in zentrum glatt?

Yep, glamour central for apples prestigious entry in the swiss retail marketplace.

[swissotter]

i'm off to check it out in a few hours! woo hoo!

[krlock3]

let us know your review!

haha.

[usagi]

I went there this afternoon - it wasn't too crowded, though I imagine it will be tomorrow. It is the basic mall-setup that Apple has - if you have been to a mall Apple store in the US you've seen it before. The clientele also looks exactly like that of Apple stores elsewhere - people in their 20s to 40s, looking scruffy in a hip/not-poor way, and slightly geeky - plus a sprinkling of teenagers. The staff look, well, exactly like Apple Store staff, if you know what I mean. With the Starbucks on the same level, it's almost like being back in the US! I had to get a box of Cru Sauvage truffes from Sprüngli and some groceries at Migros to reassure myself I was still in Switzerland

[gooner]

Any 1st gen MacPro users who've upgraded from the 7600 GT or 1900 XT GFX card to the 8800 GT please give me a shout.

How loud is it?
How does it perform? Had any issues?

If anyone is using FCP or FCE, please let me know.

[robban]

Hooray! Apple have invited the media to the launch of their new notebooks on October 14th.

I just hope this G4 Powerbook lasts until next week, poor thing

[Nathu]

Ten hours to go... The front page of macrumors gives a good summary.

[robban]

	Quote:	Nathu
	Ten hours to go... The front page of macrumors gives a good summary.

Hmm... my sixth sense is buzzing. Lord Jobs has been saying (along with others) that they have a bunch of exciting products in the pipeline. What have we had so far, apart from the phone upgrade...?

Needless to say, I am pretty much already signed up for a new laptop, but I wonder what this rumoured $899 product is? Is it really just a display? It needs to be special for that price as I am about to get a TV-compatible Samsung display of a similar quality for a little over half the price.

Hmm... perhaps these new laptops are the 'really exciting' products Apple have been teasing us with...

[Nathu]

	Quote:	robban
	Needless to say, I am pretty much already signed up for a new laptop, but I wonder what this rumoured $899 product is? Is it really just a display? It needs to be special for that price as I am about to get a TV-compatible Samsung display of a similar quality for a little over half the price.

Hopefully it's not a special iTunes video compatible display with VGA resolution

	Quote:	robban
	Hmm... perhaps these new laptops are the 'really exciting' products Apple have been teasing us with...

They better be because I'm not interested in peanuts!!

[Nathu]

Four live tickers, one click away:

http://9to5mac.com/livepanel.html

Funny but totally useless on my XGA monitor.

[swissotter]

steve is looking too thin....

[Nathu]

I like the size of the new trackpad. But I rather dislike click-touch.

It's a shame that Firewire was removed from the Macbooks. This makes the cheapened old model a considerable option. The new model's biggest advantage is the LED display in my opinion.

Thankfully they got rid of the X3100 graphics chip but I'm sure that the new Nvidia chip is also near the bottom end of what the market offers.