iPod : The Long Distance Biker’s Companion

The iPod is a phenomenon, no second opinions about that. It is such a great invention that it has become synonymous with the generic phrase referring to mobile music players. There are many other players, Creative Zen and what not. But there is only one iPod. I was a little flummoxed before the GIR began as to which would solve some of varied requirements in the trip : a backup device for photographs, a easy to plug in photo viewer, a video viewer and finally a music player for those long rides.

The answer was a multiple choice between a Sony PSP and an iPod. Other options didn’t even figure in my list. I had a Sony PSP since a while and knew that it was the best when it came to display on the rocking wide screen with fluid graphics and unbelievable game play abilities. I was also aware that it did not have enough internal storage space ( 1 GB Sony Duo card at best for me ).

So I got iPods. A 60 GB and a 30 GB U2 special version. GasolineJunkie got hooked to it from the start with his deafening music which heard like someone was washing utensils and cribbing about it.

I was a little apprehensive in Leg 1 of the GIR about using the iPod for its entertainment capabilities. It wasn’t until Leg 2 started and I had to ride the 1000RR on the Golden Quadrilateral for long stretches at once. I turned to iPod, loaded some fast music and tried it once with me on the mile munching machine and rest was history. I am now totally hooked to it. From lots of music videos to great auto shows, it all there on the iPod.

Plus one major advantage of having it coupled with a cheap video out accessory cable which allows you to connect the iPOD to auxillary of any TV these days and voila! You favorite music videos on the TV. But I had a bigger use for this capability. Whenever we used to check into any hotel and got a visit from any members in the city we used to show them the GIR wallpapers and videos loaded onto the iPod on the TV screen with audio. It was like a mobile presentation center. Now even the laptop is obviated, as far as the need to show people what we were doing goes.

Some might argue the screen is a wee bit small for video, but as it changed my opinion, so it will in your case. Just try it.

For the time being I am off to watch Bittersweet Symphony. It Suits me.