What's an iPod?

Ok, I know what's an iPod, but I'll let you in on a little secret. I don't own one. And it may take quite a while before I do.

So why the laggard-like stance toward this technology? The diagram shown here is technology adoption lifecycle that was really brought to light with the work Geoffrey Moore put together in his book Crossing the Chasm. I first read this book back in 1996 when I was a bright-eyed new techie programmer here in the Silicon Valley. It spoke volumes to me and I've always like to use this adoption curve as a visual reference to many different situations.

Back to me and the iPod. I'm a laggard, plain and simple. But, it's more complicated than that. I'm a technology user who likes to have the most functionality from the least amount of devices. I always laugh inside when I see those poor folks who have two pagers on their hip to match the work and personal cell phone on the other side of there waist. Maybe these folks have discovered a new way of cross-training? Just put enough low level electronics at waist level to make it harder to walk around the office. Or maybe it's an underground techy movement that provides typically young males with vision problems a new male contraceptive device...however low level electronic gamma-waves won't prevent STD's.

When I saw back in the summer of 2006 that I could get a Motorola SLVR cell phone with iTunes already loaded, I knew that it was for me. One less device to keep track of, plus the phone would serve as my iPod. Heck, I had my iPhone before the iPhone was on the market!

This device has served me well. Now that I'm on a work provisioned Blackjack, I'm keeping the SLVR as my iPod. But there are some nuances to how it can be used. The version of iTunes on the phone limits the number of songs to 100 and the phone doesn't really work well with a MicroSD memory card bigger than 1GB. I could do some hacks to the phone to make it work differently, but I'll be fine with what I've got.

I might look at the iPod/iPhone once they get everything put into it. Enterprise access to work apps, GPS, remote control, garage opener, debit card, tail-light for my bike, powermeter for my powertap hub, etc. Ok, these might be unrealistic, but wouldn't it be nice?