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It's a fact like no other- iPod has catapulted Apple into unbelievable fame and fortune, but are iPod's really that fabulous and everything Apple would like us to believe? Is always important to give due consideration to iPod Advantages and disadvantages before you jump into an actual investment. At first glance, the iPod's appearance is dashing and the sound of high quality. Question is however, is it really the best-looking mp3 player available? Well, the answer will depend entirely upon your individual taste. The other question you should ask yourself is- is it the best sounding one? Mmm, the answer will also depend on what your standards of quality are. One thing that's sure is with competitors out there like Sony and Creative, you really have to pull up your socks and ensure you have excellent sound quality ratings when compared to the competition, which have been in the sound business for years. Is this another one of Apple's gimmicks? Have a look at my list of iPod advantages and disadvantages and judge for yourself...

Program access- The addition of the iTunes program is a great feature, there is not two ways about that. There is however also a disadvantage to iTunes and it comes in the form of being the only way to interact with iPod. Other mp3 players are easily accessed directly from your computer's "My Computer" folder, just as if you were accessing your flash, C or D drives. This fact alones makes iPod extremely limited in terms of what it can do. This also makes the use of Apple an essential intermediary for media transferring to and from their product.

Only play iTunes purchases- The greatest disadvantage to Apple iPod's is most probably its FairPlay DRM protection. The program only allows songs purchased trough iTunes to be played on the device, or on a specific computer if purchase of the songs were made from a computer. Should you decide to invest in another brand mp3 player, all your iTune-purchased so ngs will be unplayable and thus of absolute no value. It's just Apple's way of keeping you loyal to their product. If any other large technology company tried this stunt, it would get trashed and probably crucified by public opinion.
iTunes incompatibility with other mp3 player software- Prefer to use Windows Media Player or Winamp? Well, it's a fact they are a lot quicker and less tiring than iTunes! Unfortunately you can't! FairPlay DRM protection on downloaded songs only allows for songs to be played in iTunes or on your iPod.

Non-replaceable battery- Your iPod purchase comes standard with a non-replaceable battery in other words an internal rechargeable battery. As we all know- rechargeable batteries do not last forever; eventually they will stop holding their charge and should your iPod still be under warranty you have the option to send it to Apple. This will result in you receiving a refurbished iPod with the possibility of not being your, if you are out of warranty, you can just through your US Dollar 300 iPod into the garbage can. Replacement by Apple for an additional US Dollars 100 is another option you have but that is probably what your second-hand iPod will be worth by the t ime the battery's fully charged. Its also important to not that should the battery get depleted you can't spare change it, this should be kept in mind if functionality is essential for long periods of time.

No FM radio function- There are tons of MP3 players that have FM radio functionality with option to save radio recordings in mp3 format, but not Apple ipod! A separate adaptor need to be purchased for this feature and to top it all, the adapter will only work with newer iPod versions and will not allow records.

No storage space- Urgently need to store information but don't have a flash drive or a blank CD with you? Chances are very good that you most likely have your mp3 player. IPod has absolutely no storage space for an emergency transfer of media you've created for example in MS Word. Again, iTunes interaction with the iPod, is to blame for this.

No voice recording function- Have an unexpected voice recording? Many mp3 players will be a ble to assist in an instant, iPod unfortunately not.

No WMA format playback- WMA is a fantastic playback format that gives companies the capability of using DRM and producing files a lot smaller than mp3 format. It's mainly for these reasons that WMA is the preferred choice for ebook publishers. IPod has however chosen to ignore its existence. WMA conversion is a possibility but can be an immense hassle if you have an extensive music collection, to convert each and every song.

Expense- In general iPod's are more expensive when compared to other mp3 players that offer a lot more value for your money in terms of function, quality and overall appearance. By just giving consideration to all the reasons previously stated, you will agree with me that iPods has way more disadvantages than advantages. You will just be paying for the Apple name, and getting less.

Health concerns- iPod also comes with a couple of health concerns. A study recently showe d that iPods can potentially interfere with pacemakers resulting in malfunctions when placed near the heart monitoring device. Is actually scary to think that an iPod could pose a risk to your health. In all fairness however, no other player have probably been tested for this and might have same effect. IPods selection may have been biased for the study due to its extreme popularity. Wait just a second before you start sending me hate mail, its important to bear in mind that I've mainly given consideration to iPod's disadvantages and not its advantages. I am sure there are tons of positive aspects about iPod including battery charge duration and its incredible selection of accessories. When compared to other mp3's players, iPod most certainly has more accessories than any other mp3 players on the market.