Pavlov Scope

So, i bought an iPod. Now I feel cool … I think. I was a hold out for a while. They didn’t hold enough in the earlier versions, and monochrome screens just don’t do it for me. My friend Bill, however, shamed me into getting one to, and I quote, “get me up to speed.” So, if I had any questions on whether I was too old to own one, the answer is a resounding No since my maturity level is still apparently low enough to fairly easily succumb to peer pressure.

But, now I have been converted. Now comes the formidable task of loading up my 3,000+ releases of music that I have to show for the last 20 years or so.

However, just in case someone else has run into these issues:

• First thing, I ran into a problem with iTunes. 403 error – unable to contact iTunes Music Store. Then, a related error, “unable to connect” with no error number. After many trials and tribulations, I was able to get around both of these errors. The source of the problem: Internet Explorer is configured to use a proxy. Like many companies, my organization uses a proxy server to access the Web. These settings are pushed down to clients via Group Policy and are re-configured routinely if you uncheck (to not use a proxy) – I should know, I’m the one that configures those settings on my company’s network! But, this causes iTunes trouble in some cases, so I recommend unchecking the proxy config (under Tools-Options-Connections-LAN Settings) if you are having these or similar errors.

• Second, I have been having intermittent problems while importing (ripping) CDs into iTunes. It will intermittently / randomly crash during the import of the disc – it writes the following error information into the Application Log of the Event Viewer: Faulting application itunes.exe, version 6.0.3.5, faulting module itunes.exe, version 6.0.3.5, fault address 0×00770507 – the faulting address varies just slightly but all start with 0×00770nnn (where n varies hexadecimally). The fix I found for this was to disconnect from any active VPN connection I had simultaneously running. The Cisco VPN (version 4.8.00.0440) software appears to interfere with the ripping process in iTunes. Once I disconnect and close out the Cisco VPN app, I can rip as many discs as I want and iTunes doesn’t crash.

Other than those growing pains, I have been enjoying the new “toy.” The first quest was finding a case to protect it. Out of the box, the black iPod has a terrible affinity for fingerprints and everyone tells me that it has a proclivity for scratching. I have settled on three ways to keep these things from havppening: The InvisibleShield is protective plastic cover that you can apply to the entire exterior of the iPod to protect it from scratches if you drop it, keep it in your pocket with keys, etc. It was originally developed to protect helicopter blades from debris – the stuff is pretty hardcore.
Additionally, I am using the Agent18 for the Video 5G 60GB. It is translucent/transparent hard plastic, and with the black front of the iPod creates a kind of smokey gray appearance to the device without adding my much mass or girth.
While in LA, I also picked up the black Speck Toughskin at the Northridge Apple store. The service in that store is very good – everyone was friendly – and that alone almost made me want to convert to a Mac. The Toughskin is a black rubber cover with an almost “Mad Max” look. I’m not sure how I feel about the look yet, but it should prevent my butterfingers from destroying my new acquisition (at least in the first month or so).

So, the 5G Video iPod is nice and I’ve put in around 4GB at this point. My favorite part so far is podcasting. I have been into it before, but only via my computer.

If you don’t yet know of Karl Pilkington, you will have fun learning all about him. This is a producer/friend of the creators of the original (UK) TV program named “The Office” – the U.S. version of the same program stars Steve Carrell. If you want to hear the first twelve episodes, please feel free to download them from here. If you have a good sense of humor, you are bound to get some good laughs out of this series of time wasters. To give you an idea if you haven’t become an addicted listener, the most famous thing Karl has pontificated out loud has been “I could eat a knob at night.” This facet of the show has spawned (per host’s request) over 70 variations of dance remixes using that quote as the hook. The original mix was quick and direct, and here is my favorite so far. Here are a few I’ve compiled so far.
Karl even has his own Wikipedia entry – amazingly detailed and complete.

“May the funk be with you.”