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As part of a questionable legislation in Michigan, students may be given iPods as "educational materials". The program will cost $38 million to the already financially struggling state. None of this makes any sense at all.

Michigan has already cut millions of dollars from schools in an effort to try to balance the budget. Now, they are making the most ass-backward decision they could possibly make. As much as I like iPods, there is no educational value to it. What stops kids from just putting music on it?

The only option that makes any sense is to provide lectures and such on them, but even then, that could simply be done through the school website. If that were the goal, the lectures should simply be downloadable so that students can access them at home.

Another option for saving money would be to get rid of most of the teachers presently there. Many of the teachers at my school are just waiting until they can retire. Until then, they offer no value to the school, and many are simply a waste of time.

Labels: America, iPod, School, Stupidity

New York Senator Carl Kruger wants to ban the use of iPods and cellphones in crosswalks. After a pedestrian death, the senator wants to eliminate what he considers to be a danger to everyone, claiming people don't pay attention to the road. From the article:

"We're talking about people walking sort of tuned in and in the process of being tuned in, tuned out," Kruger said. "Tuned out to the world around them. They're walking into speeding cars. They're walking into buses. They're walking into one another and it's creating a number of fatalities that have been documented right here in the city."

The senator make a large assumption that people using iPods are less aware of the things around them. This is a faulty argument because the sidewalks are safe from cars, and crosswalks most people cross the same with or without headphones/ cellphones. I have been to New York City, and most people will cross and pay some attention to cars at a crosswalk, or if the sign says to wait (who does?) people will look and cross if it is clear.

Saying that people don't notice things with headphones is no different than anything else. For example, while riding my bike, I rarely hear cars coming up behind me, but I almost always know when they are because I always look back. Same goes for running down the side of the road when I am listening to my iPod; I am always looking around.

Labels: iPod, News, People, Politics

This seems quite like something that Microsoft would do:

[via boingboing]

Labels: iPod, Microsoft, Video, YouTube

In order to better reflect the products of Apple, they have changed their name to Apple Inc. This comes hand in hand with news of many new Apple products.

The iPhone:

Apple does not have the rights to the name iPhone as of yet, but they are supposed to be in negotiations with Cisco to get the name. The apple page has video to support all of the features. The internet capabilities look like top of the line.

The Apple TV:

The Apple TV does not look like something that will take off right away, but it does come with nifty features that I'm sure someone can use. The device itself is wireless (with computer). From what I can pick up, the Apple TV will allow you to showcase all of the stuff on your computer, on your TV.

Labels: Apple, iPod, Technology

Hopefully it was just a defunct one anyhow:

Labels: Apple, iPod, Oddities, Video, YouTube

After quite a ruckus in the blogosphere, The stolen iPod lawsuit finally ends. The story on all of this runs back a few months, but an agreement has been made. From the article:

"Melanie McCarthy, Shannon’s mother, said she considers the used iPod offering 'an insult.' The iPod has more space for songs and a video playback capability that Shannon's iPod Nano did not have, but the screen and back were scratched and worn, compared to what she said was Shannon's new iPod.

McCarthy told French she simply did not have the time to go through with a trial, but did not consider the used iPod comparable to Shannon's loss of a brand new one. However, she said by helping to start a junior CrimeStoppers program she wants to take a bad experience and turn it into something positive."

Now we will take a moment to step back and examine the past. The girl ended up with a used iPod; she could have gotten a new iPod, case, and $50 in iTunes music, but her mother refused the anonymous donation. They could have gotten more out of all this and avoided all of the publicity if they had just accepted the offer.

I am also annoyed at the fact that the mother is "insulted" by all of this. She was the one pushing for court, she refused an anonymous donation so she could continue to harass the other girl. I guess saying that they are probably no longer friends would simply be stating the obvious.

Labels: iPod, Kids, Legal, News, People, Rants

The only music player better than an iPod is an iPod with visible insides. The iVue case replaces your iPod's hard outer shell. I must say that it would be nice to have one, something that none of your friends have.

From what I can tell, it sounds like you need to send in your iPod in order to get the case, but for that awesomeness, I would do it.

Labels: iPod, Technology

My parents and I did some shopping yesterday after dinner. First we went to Sam's Club to get some smoothie mix, but of course nothing is anywhere near where it was a few weeks ago. It's so annoying how they reorganise everything every couple of days. Anyhow, we didn't ever find it, but we got some new cell phones while we were there, from one of those kiosks they set up. Our contract is near up, so we renewed and got RAZRs seeing as how they are pratically free with the rebate.

Then we went over to Best Buy. My mom offered to buy me an iPod since they were cheap, and available. If you were to wait for the holidays, they'll all be gone. I saw my old soccer coach (the one I liked) and we talked a little bit, discussed the iPod, and then he sold us a nano. The night went well. It did come back to bite me, shuffle wasn't enough.

Labels: Apple, iPod, Music, Phone

Over at Engadget they just post the new iPod shuffle. It is so small and sexy. This is something that I want, and I'm putting it on my Christmas list for this year.

I think that my music collection has the potential to be scaled down enough to fit on a 1GB mp3. My dad said that he would take my old mini if I got the shuffle, which is fine with me as it is ever losing battery life, and for all the more I use it, I could easily pass it off.

This will probably come back and bite me in the ass, but I think that the new shuffle will meet my needs for at least the next two years, and then I can get a new mp3 when I head off to college. Update: It did.

Labels: Apple, Engadget, iPod, Music, Technology