Apple Ipod

It is not mandatory that you load the ipod with MP3's. The 40 gig ipod will
hold about 100 CD's, UNCOMPRESSED. It will hold about 400 CD's using AAC at 320 kbps, which is pretty good sound for casual listening. I circulate music through my ipod UNCOMPRESSED using AIFF and it sounds really good.
I also have my car system set up so I can connect my ipod to a jack using the
Headphone OUT and play it directly through my car stereo -- and it sounds really good. 100 CD's, UNCOMPRESSED, is way more than any CD changer you will find. I keep my entire 1000+ CD collection on a hard drive and rotate them through my ipod as the mood strikes. I don't need the entire collection on the ipod at all times. 100 uncompressed CD's in the palm of my hand or in my car stereo is really handy. But, if you don't mind slight compression and you feel the need to have more music on your ipod, you can use AAC at 320 kbps and fit 4 times as much music. Further, I connected my ipod to my home system using the headphone out with an interconnect that splits into L & R and it produced better sound than the same CD through my Denon DVD1200 CD/DVD player. Finally, in other news, Alpine is coming out with with car stereos that will connect directly to your ipod, take over it's functions, and keep it charged. Do I recommend the ipod? Hell yes! I am not an Apple Dealer -- just a music lover who has been looking for a solution like this for years.

I'm a computer guy and just want to point ou that the IPOD is 'the best' mp3 player; not that it sounds the best as I don't feel one sounds better than the other, but the IPOD is easiest to use, has a good layout in it's controls and it's the most expensive. I owned the Nomand Jukebox Zen from Creative and felt it sounded every bit as good. If you want the best, buy the IPOD. If you want to save some of that bonus, buy something else.

Hey I was wondering does it ever skip? I like to listen to music when I jog and was wondering if I would have to worry about i skipping? I have a RIO 800 that crapped out on me and have been squimish about buying another player. (Sonic Blue Sucks!!) The RIO never skipped though because it has no moving parts and the Ipod has the hard drive. So does anyone feel the Ipod is a bad choice for jogging??

Peaks-drunk as a skunk last night I shook the little guy to see if it would disturb it.
No signs at all of skipping I would imagine it's perfect for jogging.

Ben, thats good to know..THANKS!