iPod RIP

Well, last week's iPod restore helped for a spell, but now the iPod no longer talks to my computer. I tried everything I could find on the Apple site - resetting, switching to disk mode, swapping cables. The silly thing is the iPod itself is working OK. I just can't sync it or put anything new on it. And that's a big problem when you're hooked on podcasts like me:

• NPR News
• Wait Wait Don't Tell Me
• Chicago Public Radio Featured Stories
• Security Now!
• Scientific American's Science Talk
• Japanese Pod 101
• Deutsche Welles Langsam Gesprochene Nachrichten
• and many more

Fortunately for me, Father's Day is right around the corner. I'm told my new iPod Classic 80GB is on the way. I use my cell phone way too infrequently to justify an iPhone, and the new service contract it would require. The iPod touch is cool, but I couldn't rationalize that either. And as I am not a fan of mobile video, it should take me quite a while to fill up 80GB. I was quite content with 20. I was surprised to see the battery life on the iPod Classic is much higher than the Nano with its solid state storage.