Here’s why:
They are over-priced. For each Ipod model that Apple offers, I can get a corresponding model, with more features and/or memory from another leading brand (such as Creative, who makes the Zen).
Ipods have been around for a long time. They were around long before they ever became uber-trendy. It logically follows, then, that they will eventually lose their trendiness, many people will forget about them, and life will go on as it did before they became trendy.
The newer Ipods only run on Windows XP. I don’t have XP, and thus was forced into purchasing a different brand. Creative’s Zen Models run on Windows 98 and higher. In fact, some models work like a giant flash drive in the sense that no driver software is even required.
For under $99 dollars (the base price of the cheapest Ipod model) I can get a 512mb MP3 player with an LCD screen, FM radio, Voice recorder, and a ton of accessories. The only thing Apple offers for $99 is the Ipod Shuffle, which has no LCD screen, no voice recorder (that I’m aware of), no FM radio, and virtually no included accessories. You are paying for the Ipod name; not the product.
So, unless paying more money for less product is cool, Ipods aren’t all that cool in the long run…
