Apple Ipod, overpriced brick or good buy? Options

[sadolakced acid]

sure, there are threads in the technology forum about ipods; but none specifically for debating.

so here's the setup:

the apple ipod is the most popular portable music player in the United States. the word ipod has become synonomous with a hard drive device, like xerox because synonymous with copy machine.

However; the ipod was not the first MP3 player. They were not the first Hard drive player. The only thing that the ipod had that others didn't was the scroll wheel.

basically; the ipod was, and still is, priced higher than other similar competitors.

yet is the reason why it dominates is that it is actually a good portable music player, or is it becuase of clever advertising, it's status as a status symbol, and the mass stupidity of many?

[ethik dreamer]

I've been comparing iRiver H340 with iPod lately at school because my friend recently got an iRiver. Apparently, I found browsing through my iPod much more convient, rather than pressing buttons and such. Well, I find the iRiver to have more options. Anyway, I got the iPod not of free will, but as a gift, and I never really expected it, but I've grown accustom to it. And then, there's always that reason for buying it just because it's apple, and famous people perfer it (the iPod, I mean). Yeah, anyway, the iPod photo is somewhat like the iRiver H340 except without recording and fm. also, I heard the iRiver, and it's just up to parr with the normal 4th generation iPod. Another thing I didn't like about the iRiver was its fat design. I liked how simple the iPod was, and how it could smoothly fit into my pocket. I got annoyed by how the menus and such were set up at the iRiver, because I hated the colors being used. I liked the white rather than the black, because it showed a more...mature look.
I really don't care if my iPod can show pictures or not, because I only mainly use it for Aural pleasure. I mean, if you want the most out of your money simply because you don't want to spend a lot, go for the iRiver. If you want to look like you're worth a whole lot, and you can easily spend whatever you like, get the iPod. If you get either an iPod or an iRiver as a present, and you don't like it, don't be a bitch about it, because atleast you didn't pay for it.

Oh yeah, NOT every mp3 player can act as a hard drive. Most can only store mp3s and such.