Just picked up my new 15GB 3Gen iPod last weekend. W00t! My goal: put all my music that I ever owned on this thing, and use it everywhere, and just store my CDs in the closet. No more lugging around a CD case, and no more scratched CDs that skip. I want to use the iPod on the road, at the gym, in the car, and at home. Well, at home i have all the same songs on the HDD of my computer, and a second networked computer in the living room attached to a Creative 5.1 speaker system, so at home i just use the computer to play the music. But everywhere else, the iPod is now my music source.

So far so good. Except that accessories are still hard to find. Just ordered the cigarette lighter adapter from the online Apple store (not available retail yet). Also bought a plain-vanilla casette tape adapter. I've got a new truck, but it has a dual CD and cassette deck so this will work. When I get a new car stereo, it HAS to have an Aux-input. Don't want to mess with those FM adapters, and using the tape is a sound quality compromise.

As for the iPod itself, IT'S GREAT. I like things that are as small as possible, as sturdy as possible, cleanly designed and durable. That's why I bought a Canon Digital Elf camera, and this iPod is the best equivalent to that for an MP3 player. One problem-- the iPod is VERY susceptible to scratches. It's unavoidable. One speck of dirt in your slipcase will scratch it good. Don't bother trying to keep your iPod immaculate, after all you bought it to USE it right? Just get some cheap PDA screen protectors, cut one to size and put it on your screen. Then order an iSkin or iPod Skin and hope it arrives before too much damage occurs to the rest of the iPod. The good news is that, from what i've read on this forum, the iPod is otherwise very durable to abuse. It may end up looking bad after abuse, but it should still work. That's what really counts.

Also, I have had some problems with MusicMatch, and even EphPod, but I'm biding my time until iTunes for Windows comes out.

Remember, NO MP3 PLAYER is perfect. They all have some issues. I think the iPod is the best overall machine, all things considered.