iPod therefor iAm

I'm waiting for a podcast in iambic pentameter. I just thought I'd throw that out there.

iFeel a bit left out of the iPod craze. I love music. Unlike most people however I'm gifted with auditory hallucinations of music. For example, one holiday season I was bopping down the aisles of the Shop-Rite in Hackensack, NJ, commenting to my friend, Rob, about how impressed I was that they were playing Annie Lennox on the PA system. This stopped him dead in his tracks and inspired him to ask in a tone of crazed disbelief I've yet to hear from anyone ever again, "What are you listening to?" That's when I realized it wasn't in fact, Walking on Broken Glass, but rather Bing Crosby crooning, White Christmas. So, you can see how an iPod may seem a bit superfluous to someone like me. Someone who hears music-- often with lyrics-- that turns out to be the dishwasher churning away.

All this confusion stems from my sudden fascination with the podcast phenomenon. Instead of reading the blogs, I can download the podcast to my mp3 player of choice which might but doesn't necessarily have to start with a lower-case i to review at my own leisure-- the audio book version of blogging only cooler cause it's just like having your own radio show.

Meanwhile, the only thing stopping me is the fact that I'm still waiting for that mp3 player which converts me to a podcast-downloading, card-carrying iTunes enthusiast. In case you hadn't noticed there is a dizzying array of mp3 players available ranging in size from a block of government cheese to a 1" cube. Apple's sexy marketing scheme and snazzy approach to brand recognition has taken the guesswork out of it for the most part. Reliability however is a very public issue. A friend came over the other day with his iPod because every time he plugged it into his computer it froze his computer. It froze two of mine as well. Then, when I shared this story with a friend visiting from Norway, he told me the same thing happened with his iPod. iPod withdrawal is not to be taken lightly particularly when combined with the news of scratching and cracking displays on the slender Nano.

Then, as if things weren't confusing enough, some of these devices also store photos, play videos, tune in and even record FM radio as well as function as voice recorders. The voice recorder seems very handy for a student wanting to record lectures which can then be turned into podcasts for the study group. However, for general use it seems like another crutch. How many phone numbers did you know from memory before your got your cell phone? I once carried my address book in my head. Now I can't even remember my own number unless I add it to the phone book on my phone. So, I've just talked myself out of a voice recorder.

I guess it all comes down to price, personal aesthetics and the ability to read me bedtime stories. Now, when an mp3 player can tuck me in as well as read to me, then it just might make my must have list. Until such time, I'll have to make do with my iThumbs which work very nicely at holding up the book I'm reading.