December 28, 2006

iPods–Are they better for grannies than geeks?

By James Stout
Special to the Times

As iPods evolve and proliferate, I believe Apple should be taken to task for overlooking an important market which I call “Seasoned Citizens.”

The real crime is that they don’t need to change the product one bit, but they do need to acknowledge the market. If you’re in the 50+ group, like me, or have parents who are, the iPod can have special significance to your entertainment lifestyle. There are two reasons for this. The first is the way we enjoy our music and books. The second is that there are many more options to for listening to ‘Pods than those earbuds which seem to be permanently implanted into many of today’s youth ears.

Why can't I hear the music I love anymore?
Most of us bemoan the fact that radio doesn't cater to our tastes any more. Fortunately, help is on the way via the iPod and the way it allows us to relive our favorite experiences everywhere.

First, we can continue to listen to our favorite music, from Benny Goodman to Elvis to Bach and Beatles. They bring us as much pleasure today as when we were being carded at bars many moons ago. Few of us are slaves to pop culture where only a handful of artists appeal to our established tastes and are onstage a few years at best. Fortunately, most of us already own a sizeable collection of our favorites on CD. Even if you don’t own the music, a great collection of favorites can be acquired at very little cost. And iPods let you enjoy your music played in any order wherever you happen to be. There's little upkeep compared to the way young people tend to use their iPods.

iPods For learning?
But wait, there’s more! There’s podcasts, free broadcasts on virtually any subject from business to wine to technology. You just select the particular podcast in iTunes and the updates are automatically downloaded to your PC. I stay on top of technology in large part with technology podcasts. There are even paid subscriptions to broadcasts of well-known figures such as Dr. Laura or top political pundits. But the great thing is that you can enjoy these shows when it's convenient. Expanding our minds has never been easier.

Finally, there are audio books. 30,000+ selections can be acquired digitally for playback at our convenience. Most of us still enjoy a good book but have little time to enjoy them. Enjoy them for a few minutes or for hours. Check out www.audible.com for examples.

iPods yes - earbuds no
The iPod allows you to carry a universe of entertainment and education in the palm of your hand, but that’s only half the story. The real innovations around iPods are not the new models, but the plethora of players that allow them to be enjoyed anywhere.

First, there are the compact, portable players from Altec Lansing, Logitech, and others which allow music or podcasts to be enjoyed everywhere. Most of these run on AA batteries or AC and come with remote controls. Second, there is increasing recognition from the home theater industry that the iPod is an essential component, just like a DVD player. The number of systems which come with docking stations that display the iPod menus on TVs is growing. Finally, the latest car models are increasingly coming pre-equipped to support an iPod in their music systems. There’s even an under-the-counter system for those who spend a lot of time in their kitchen. The choices make listening to your iPod easier everyday.

A call to action for the AARP crowd
So there’s no excuse for not enjoying your music, radio, or books anywhere with a ‘Pod. They’re easy to use and set up. A great resource is www.ilounge.com. If you find getting started with ‘Pods a bit daunting or your kids / grandkids aren’t’ available as a resource, there are Gadget consultants who can help you select the right equipment, install the necessary software on you computer, and show you how to get your content from PC to ‘Pod. You’ll wonder why you waited so long.

James Stout is a member of the Almaden Business Association and owner of Bay Area Gadgets. He can be reached at (408) 393-4779 or by e-mail: james@bayareagadgets.com or at his Web site: http://www.bayareagadgets.com