Only $50 More

| posted in: nerdliness 


For some time now I have wanted an iPod. And in recent debates with myself I finally came to the conclusion that having a portable MP3 player was more important than a new cell phone. In truth, my cell phone usage has plummeted since Michele died; she was the principal reason I had a cell phone. I wanted to be able to call her anytime, and for her to be able to reach me at anytime. So, with less need for a new phone I shifted my focus to getting an iPod.

You can start for as little as $99 and get a 512MB iPod Shuffle. Certainly this is affordable, and very portable. But then you start to think, “Gee… for $50 I can get a 1GB Shuffle and have TWICE the capacity.”

Now, at $150 you realize that you are only $50 away from the entry level iPod nano. Uber small and uber cool. Color screen, click wheel, and 2GB of capacity. Okay. The Shuffle is out. I want a screen.

Fine.

That’s settled. $199.

But wait a minute… you know, with 4GB of storage I could carry a large selection of music with me all the time. And the 4GB model is only $50 more; the per GB drops from $100 each to $62.50. Much better deal.

And, really, $250 isn’t that much for an incredible bit of technology you can carry in your shirt pocket. Free laser engraving, free shipping. I’ll take it.

But then on the iPod page of the Apple Store you see the 30 GB model. It does video in addition to pictures and music. And at only $50 more the per GB price is now down to $10. And it comes in black (so does the Nano to be fair).

I’m getting a $99 iPod for only $333.33 (shipping and taxes included) because it’s only $50 more. Sheesh.

(What?! You thought I’d go for the 60GB model on the same principle? It’s a $100 more… that’s way too much.)

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Mark H. Nichols

I am a husband, cellist, code prole, nerd, technologist, and all around good guy living and working in fly-over country. You should follow me on Mastodon.