I’m taking the week off from comics to get ready for Toonfest in Marceline, MO. Part of the break’s purpose is to adjust my sleep schedule so I can wake up in time for everything. I hope I can have some non-comic content created and uploaded in the break. Maybe I’ll get ahead on the comic, too?

To hold your interest in this break, I give you bouncing otter squeaks:

Seriously, Apple? The first feature you list is buttons? It’s also heavily-touted on the product page. I get that it’s a big change from the previous model, which also had buttons but fewer and made it smaller, but having buttons as a selling point really makes it sound like they have nothing.

Meanwhile, the iPod Nano has lost its camera. I’ve been wanting to get an iPod Nano as soon as I can afford one, but this dulls the deal for me. Add to that, the subtraction of VIDEO PLAYING, and it becomes even less useful.

My most basic mp3 player needs: I want an easy-to-carry mp3 player that remembers where it left off on my podcast when you turn it off and can pick up where I left off even a week later. Letting me pick up where I left off on my computer sweetens that deal even more. I know that used to be a selling point of the iPod, and I’m sure it still is, since iTunes still remembers where I left off. Therefore, an iPod seems the natural choice(I don’t know if Zune does this), and a Nano would be more useful than my Sansa. Having a video camera better than my point-and-shoot’s is a great feature. If I do find the cash for an iPod, it’ll likely be an iPod Touch now. Both the Nano and the Touch have their advantages. The Nano is great if you go for long walks while listening to podcasts. That happens to be what I do. The Touch is great for people that want all the the features of an iPhone but don’t want the phone charges. I like that too. I pay $15/month for my Net10 phone service, and I barely even use the minutes. I’m not paying monthly for an iPhone.

I’m tempted to get the previous model of the iPod Nano so I can still get that portable camera and the ability to watch videos on the go. I’m not sure how good the new Nano’s touch screen is. I kinda like having controls always visible, and I particularly like controls I can feel without having to look.

As for the iPod Shuffle; no screen, no deal. I want to see the description of the podcast, maybe even the album artwork, since it changes between episodes on some podcasts.

Edit December 2011: That following Christmas, I got a used iPhone 3GS and a new iPod Shuffle, both of which are awesome. I simply used the iPhone as an iPod Touch & GPS without paying AT&T’s unwieldy monthly charges. I liked the iPhone so much more than my cheapy Net10 phone that in December 2011, I replaced the cheap phone with a Motorola Triumph, Virgin Mobile’s currently-best Android phone. Yes, it’s not an iPhone, but Virgin Mobile has MUCH more reasonable plans than AT&T, and Android phones, which are very comparable to iPhones.

Oh, and those buttons? GREAT selling point. Seriously, I love being able to pause just by pressing one button. No unlocking my iPhone in order to access virtual buttons. It was such a hassle pausing my iPhone that I switched completely to the iPod Shuffle for listening to podcasts while walking or driving. I doubt my Android phone will be any more convenient than my iPhone in that way. Too bad, because my Android will be able to update podcasts over the air. Maybe I can find a remote control for it. And yes, I know that any dedicated mp3 player will have buttons, too. I wish my iPhone had a play button.