7. Accessories

At one time, nearly everything you needed for a happy iPodding experience came in the box: the iPod, a power adapter, the right cables, a case, a remote control, a Dock, and the software necessary to make it all work. That’s changed—a lot. As Apple has lowered iPod prices while offering models with equal or higher capacities, it’s determined to protect its profit by making once-bundled accessories pay-for options.

At the risk of verging onto the editorial, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing. Although I occasionally regret not getting a power adapter with each iPod, many people never use an adapter, as they routinely plug their iPods into their computers. And though it was nice enough to get a “free” case, the iPod case that ...

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