That "Big Magazine" I mentioned recently was Business Week, and they [published a small snippet from the phone interview I gave](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2005-10-10/does-your-ipod-lack-stamina). Pick up the next Business Week, and check out the "Gearworld" section, for an article/sidebar written by Elizabeth Woyke and Peter Burrows. I don't come off sounding like either a raving lunatic, nor a drooling fanboy, so it's not too bad. It's a much shorter article than I was thinking it was, based on the information Elizabeth was asking (and suggesting that she had already interviewed several others).
One thing I hadn't given much thought to was the sheer number of iPods that must be in (or nearly in) the same condition mine is in - they cite a Piper Jaffray analyst who claims 2.2 million iPods will need replacement batteries this year. That would only increase, with the exponential increase of iPod sales.Good time to be in the third-party battery business...
By the way, apparently CostCo carries replacement iPod batteries in the states - no sign of them in the Canadian CostCo stores (or online), but I've got a query in to their feedback centre to see wtf.
It's paywalled, so here's the mini-article:
Does Your iPod Lack Stamina?
The clock is ticking for millions of owners of older iPods. The problem: Apple Computer's (AAPL ) iPods run on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Newer models are more efficient, but batteries for older models start degrading after 100 to 200 charges and need replacing after a year or two, says Gene Munster, a Piper Jaffray analyst. That means up to 2.2 million iPods sold from fall '03 to fall '04 may soon need new juice. Some owners are covered by a standard one-year warranty, while others have filed claims tied to a class-action suit. But many -- like software developer D'Arcy Norman, who says his iPod fell from six hours of power on a full charge to just one after 16 months of daily use -- have to pay to keep the tunes cranking. For $59, Apple offers an extended warranty or a replacement. Norman says he'll probably buy a third-party battery kit selling online for as little as $30. Meanwhile, Apple had its hands full last week handling complaints about broken or scratched screens on its newest iPod, the nano. Apple said a "vendor quality" problem caused screens to break in fewer than 0.1% of units sold. Customers with a defective screen can contact Apple for a free replacement.
By Elizabeth Woyke and Peter Burrows