Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Advice for a mobile media newbie.

You can easily enable your iPod's hard disk mode via a check-box in iTunes.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1478

My recommendation would be to separate your audio/video player and mobile phone/wi-fi device. Apple products just don't have the battery life for a all in one device (like the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch) IF you are going to be using the audio/video sections for extensive periods of time like 13 hour plane rides. I would recommend something from Cowon like the s9 or d2 (or whatever) that offer extensive battery life like 50-60 hours for music 10-20 for video. Get a phone of your choice and you are set for the even the most demanding portable audio/video use (and by your original post that seems to be the case)

A feature, which in my opinion should be required, is that the player show up as a mass storage device. So you can manage the files on it as if it was just a USB drive. As opposed to requiring proprietary software to copy media files to the player. That way if you have any other file you need to transport, you just make a "Junk" folder or what ever and store your stuff there.

Dean
Yes, you can play MP3 or Apple lossless formats. Sorry, no FLAC, OGG or the like.

I would strongly suggest you take a look at Apple's app store. That is their strength. You can get apps to control stuff on your network, including other PCs/Macs, Tivos, Pandora, specialized apps to access HP Home Servers (like my EX495), home automation, games, etc. The fact that those apps work on iPod Touches, iPads and iPhones is the real strength. Yes, you have to commit to the Apple ecosystem but it's a BIG eco system. Android has promise but it's not there...yet.

BTW, I did play w/ my coworker's iPad yesterday. I'm an Apple fanatic and early adopter, but I couldn't see buying this thing because I already own a Kindle and a Dell Mini 9 Netbook (running Win7 and OSX). After 10 minutes, I want one. It doesn't replace a laptop or smartphone, but it does replace a Kindle and netbook. Even the soft keyboard in landscape mode is better than a netbook. Gorgeous screen, Kindle app, and promising iBook store. The killer for me: viewing full page comics. Wow.

Yeah, it doesn't have a camera, but I rarely do video chat so it's not a deal killer. And if I need a camera in a pinch, I always have my iPhone w/ me.

I agree but everything I’ve read recently is blending together, can you recommend one that operates like that. I’ve seen a lot of car audio that will sync up with an iPod using the same interface but haven’t noticed if there is anything out there that would simply work as an external hard drive or flash drive.