iPod Puzzle Box

I got my new iPod shuffle. This, together with my recent G4 CPU upgrade to 1 GHz, is bringing me slowly but surely into the 21st century. Hey! Can't just jump in all at once. Mainly because it will take me about 10 years to figure out how to open the boxes.

I've seen pictures of the shuffle. Thought I knew how small it is. Well, the pod comes in a box about the size of a pack of cigarettes or a card game. Small. And the shuffle is smaller than that. I had mine engraved. I need a magnifying glass (almost!) to read the engraving.

Anyway, back to the box. I had to put my glasses on to figure out how to open the clear case. After trying various opening strategies (pushing, pulling, sliding, looking for the hinged side) and trying to find the tape (there was none), I noticed this very pale gray circular arrow, like the kind that might signify "replay." I saw that it was actually on a clear piece of plastic. Pulling on the plastic (in the direction of the arrow, of course) freed one end of the box completely. After that, it was a simple pull to get the cover to swing back. Okay.

Next step. Figure out how to get the pod out of the box. After finishing a rather lengthy marvel (which had started from the moment I saw the pod through the case), I noticed clear tabs apparently holding the pod down to a false bottom. After gently trying to extricate the tabs I finally gave a frustrated yank and the whole thing, pod, tabs, and a false bottom, came out of the case. Then it was easy to turn over the white cardboard false bottom and remove the tabs. Pod freed!!

The rest of the puzzle was easily solved by opening two white cardboard doors to the rest of the case. Inside was all the paraphernalia. Knowing how nifty new Apple stuff is I eagerly turned on the pod and saw the light come on. According to the booklet it was fully charged. So I plugged in the earphones and hit >. I was hoping for a nice message from Steve, like "Welcome to your new iPod and thanks for choosing Apple." or some such thing. After all, when you buy a new Apple computer you get a snazzy welcome screen and usually a short movie the first time you turn it on. No such luck with the iPod. Rats.

I have to say I have missed a lot in the music I've listened to using my home stereo speakers or the car stereo. Even listening from the computer with headphones, I have lost a lot of detail (high notes, subtle sounds) that I can now hear with my pod. And that's a lot.

Side Note: There is no help topic, either on my computer or the Apple site, that tells you how to open the case. I must be the only with issues. My iPod was FedExed directly from China. It's a little weird but fun to see it being shipped to me the night before I ordered it. The engraving apparently doesn't actually take 24-48 hours. Must be the mini-writing.

Totally Off Topic: I'm really glad to see that Mr. Mortensen has actually signed his entire name to a post on "In Other Words." Way to go VM! Also, I had no idea this anti-war thing was so massive. I wrote a bit about it in my other blog.

p.s. - You try typing iPod 15 times and see how many times you abbreviate it!
p.p.s. - This pod holds 240 songs! That's about 24 albums. In the four years I've been buying iTunes music I've only purchased 355 songs. Basically, removing the TV shows, videos, electronic booklets, etc. I could put everything I've bought on the iPod shuffle. I've no idea what I would do with a larger pod. Listen by album I suppose. ...