iPods and Apple's attempt keep it quiet (allegedly)

[Bus429]

The last paragraph is a little disturbing, too.

[anotherthing]

173,000,000 iPods sold, a few, by the sounds of it, have been (dangerously faulty).

Seems that the paper and Apple are blowing things out of proportion, unless there is a real issue that Apple are hiding. With that number of units sold, the track record is very good. Even in this day and age, any type battery is liable to overheating etc.

[Cacophonix]

Blowing things out of proportion :-). A bit like the iPod then. As a previous poster implies it is the attempt to gag these people that is the issue here. iPod is generally good technology.

[bnt]

iPods this year? Last year it was notebooks catching fire. The common factor is the lithium-ion batteries, which are always bought in, not made by Apple, Dell, HP or whoever. Those things pack a lot of energy in to a small volume, and when they go wrong, that energy is going to come out more quickly than it's supposed to.

[Sprogget]

It would be helpful if Apple didn't seal the batteries in to Ipods. that way, users could swap them out easily & not have to buy a new unit when the battery dies/explodes/commits Hara Kiri etc.

Apple like to portray themselves among other thngs as David against the MS Goliath, but indulge in restrictive practices themselves on a grand scale.

[Bus429]

One of my concerns was the rather partisan comment by The Trading Standards Institue; did not seem too balanced.

[Keef]

LiIon batteries will get very hot if they are short-circuited. Exploding isn't a big surprise.

But the gagging order - that's a different matter. Don't like that.

I'm going off Apple stuff. I have an iPod, and use it on journeys. It's supposed to go something like 16 hours on a charge. I'm very lucky to get 4 hours - and always have been. Apparently, I listen to the wrong kind of music - quiet, gentle stuff.

If the battery in there could be removed/replaced, like the batteries in my camera, telephone, and all the other kit I use, I wouldn't mind. Instead, I carry a battery pack with an Apple connector (they couldn't even use mini-USB!)

[Saab Dastard]

That is an absolute disgrace - shout your complaints from the rooftops, folks.

Stand up for your (our) rights.

SD

[SpringHeeledJack]

I have been a mac fan for a few years and love their products and styling, they are (in general) the leaders where other products follow. However, as fellow posters have said the restrictive elements of some of these mass products (non-computer) is both self defeating and frustrating for the customers.

I had an iPod, but due to the restrictions gave up, after all who needs frustrations when all one wants to do is listen to music ? A recommendation from Jerricho (what ever happened to him ?) to buy a Samsung mp3 player where you just 'drag and drop' files without having the 3rd degree from Apple was the solution. It is even powered by USB socket, or plug converter when travelling. It's not sexy like the iPod, but it does it for me.

Sealed batteries are just a problem waiting to happen IMHO, as are sealed mouths. It can only backfire on Apple and they should recognize this quicksmart.


SHJ

[bnt]

Apple get moaned at, by reviewers, every time they release a product with a non-replaceable battery, yet they keep on doing it. The only explanation I can think of is the desire for a "seamless" experience for the customer, in every sense of the word. It's not a "computer" , it's a "product", a lifestyle accessory.

[Sprogget]

It's a great way to force you to buy another one more like,

[LH2]

love their products and styling

And I love their marketing department

To be honest, their operating system is not too bad to be confronted with... once I can work out how to open a terminal I'm in home turf again.

[Polikarpov]

Apple get moaned at, by reviewers, every time they release a product with a non-replaceable battery, yet they keep on doing it.

Well, the counter argument is that in, for example, the Macbook Air, the internal battery saves a large amount of weight (and bulk) by dispensing with the battery housing and associated casing structures. Lots of people do like replaceable batteries in laptops (although the amount of places in which one finds oneself without a nearby plug is shrinking), but lots of people like things smaller, thinner and lighter. It may well be that the former win out in the end, but I presume they've crunched the numbers with their market research.

Arguments I guess are similar for the smaller devices, although things like music players are now SO small that I'd guess a higher percentage of people would be happy to live with a slight bulk increase for more battery options than would be the case with laptops.

Still have an "old" larger iPod from a couple of years ago, and it's still going strong with a decent battery life.

Cheers, P.

[El Grifo]

My 2 ipods, one 4 years old, one only a year, are the best things I have bought since I bought my first PC and my Canon 1DS.

They have changed my life.

All of my music, anywhere anytime.

I have all sorts of units into which they plug, my favourite being a Hi-Fi, Wi Fi transmitter which plugs into the pod and transmits to a receiver connected to my boom box up on the barby. We just past the pod around the table and guests choose their favourite tracks.

Thank you Apple