You can buy an ipod nano everywhere except Korea...WHY!!!
I checked out the online Apple store and I checked every international online store and every country on the site EXCEPT for South Korea is currently selling the iPod nano. What's up with that!
I was really looking forward to buying one today. I called the Apple store today and they said they don't know when they will have them in inventory. I think this is all a crock of dung because EVERY country has them including Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, even Ireland. (I'm just throwing Ireland out there because it's a remote island. I have nothing against those crazy Guiness guzzling, potato munching, log tossers.)
I think Apple is trying to move inventory, so they are bundling ipod shuffles with the G4 ibooks. Which doesn't sound like such a bad idea but the rest of the world has been bundling the ipod mini with the laptops. I know that Koreans are mac fearful, but I think it is for other reasons other than reliability. I really think many Koreans don't like Apple because they can't pirate the software. Software piracy is a major problem and it really hinders the development of new products.
I understand that Korea wants to move their inventory but they should have done it before Apple made this new release because it's killing my impulsive buying drive.
For those wondering if this is a new conspiracy set up by Samsung and iRiver, I would like to say it is unlikely. Apple is buying about 40% of Samsung's flash memory output, so it would be in their favor to start selling the new nano mp3 players.
iRiver...that's a whole another issue. They should simply stop trying to fight Apple and partner up and enjoy the ride. iRiver mp3 players are probably the second best on the whole market. They are well made, the quality is impeccable and the features tilt the balance in their favor. The voice recorder is like 4 times better than the ipod berkin accessory and there is even one with a nice camera attached to it. iRiver also had the innovative lanyard fusion first - one of my favorite features. Honestly, I think the Apple designers took quite a few "hints" from the iRiver designers.
The only problem is the software and the fact that the iRiver is primarly for music. The software is horrible. It is drag and drop. And if you're trying to organize it, you might as give up. It's like having winamp back in 1999. However, most of the hard drives maxed out at like 10 gigs back then, so you couldn't have as much music. I currently have 18 gigs worth of music, so if I didn't have playlists and a fast search it would be impossible to find what I want to listen to. Also, I'm really into audiobooks right now and iRiver doesn't play the Apple formats or Audible.com formats.
What's so great about these audiobook formats? Well they are compressed for one, so you don't eat up as much memory on your mp3 players and they bookmark. So if, iRiver wants to compete, they should make their players itunes compatible. itunes has become the global standard for a reason.
So...my rant is going to end here. Apple Korea, you should start selling the Apple nano...NOW. Because if iRiver makes their players itunes compatible, I might end up buying it instead. (that's a hollow threat actually, because then I'd have to change my name.)
ipoddan
I was really looking forward to buying one today. I called the Apple store today and they said they don't know when they will have them in inventory. I think this is all a crock of dung because EVERY country has them including Hong Kong, Japan, Spain, even Ireland. (I'm just throwing Ireland out there because it's a remote island. I have nothing against those crazy Guiness guzzling, potato munching, log tossers.)
I think Apple is trying to move inventory, so they are bundling ipod shuffles with the G4 ibooks. Which doesn't sound like such a bad idea but the rest of the world has been bundling the ipod mini with the laptops. I know that Koreans are mac fearful, but I think it is for other reasons other than reliability. I really think many Koreans don't like Apple because they can't pirate the software. Software piracy is a major problem and it really hinders the development of new products.
I understand that Korea wants to move their inventory but they should have done it before Apple made this new release because it's killing my impulsive buying drive.
For those wondering if this is a new conspiracy set up by Samsung and iRiver, I would like to say it is unlikely. Apple is buying about 40% of Samsung's flash memory output, so it would be in their favor to start selling the new nano mp3 players.
iRiver...that's a whole another issue. They should simply stop trying to fight Apple and partner up and enjoy the ride. iRiver mp3 players are probably the second best on the whole market. They are well made, the quality is impeccable and the features tilt the balance in their favor. The voice recorder is like 4 times better than the ipod berkin accessory and there is even one with a nice camera attached to it. iRiver also had the innovative lanyard fusion first - one of my favorite features. Honestly, I think the Apple designers took quite a few "hints" from the iRiver designers.
The only problem is the software and the fact that the iRiver is primarly for music. The software is horrible. It is drag and drop. And if you're trying to organize it, you might as give up. It's like having winamp back in 1999. However, most of the hard drives maxed out at like 10 gigs back then, so you couldn't have as much music. I currently have 18 gigs worth of music, so if I didn't have playlists and a fast search it would be impossible to find what I want to listen to. Also, I'm really into audiobooks right now and iRiver doesn't play the Apple formats or Audible.com formats.
What's so great about these audiobook formats? Well they are compressed for one, so you don't eat up as much memory on your mp3 players and they bookmark. So if, iRiver wants to compete, they should make their players itunes compatible. itunes has become the global standard for a reason.
So...my rant is going to end here. Apple Korea, you should start selling the Apple nano...NOW. Because if iRiver makes their players itunes compatible, I might end up buying it instead. (that's a hollow threat actually, because then I'd have to change my name.)
ipoddan
