Ipod Broken After 4 Years of Ownership

Here is a little known Ipod secret.

when you hold the play(top) and select(middle) buttons the unit will
reset.

Well soon as the apple icon appears, indicating a reset. Hold down the
Back(left) and select(middle) buttons.

This will open the Ipod diagnostic tool.

Use back, forward and select to navigate.

Someone up there likes me. All of a sudden it started working and
we're all good!

4years? You have gotten your money's worth. Even if you purchased an
extended ipod service, it would have expired by now.

Try taking better care of your things so that you wont have this
problem in the future.
Good luck

Find an experienced high school kid to take a look at it first. My
son inherited an Ipod and got it working.

I agree that companies need to start making better quality products to
last and stop filling the landfills with expensive junk so they can
profit on more junk to sell.

I checked into the life expectancy of this item and it is 4 years.
You got your monies worth out of this product and more. Since it is
out of warranty now you are actually getting a good deal to fix it.
It bites but anything made by man is going to break eventually. I
only hope my soon to be purchased 8gm IPOD lasts as long, and it will
be used daily for several hours for running.

I Pods that last 4 years are about the most I would expect. The
original warranty is over on yours, Dana, and Apple is actually giving
you a reasonable solution. A refurbished IPod of equal quality may
give you four or more years of useful service, while saving you the
full expense of buying a new one.

I don't see how they should be expected to give you a new one. The
depreciated value of your four year old purchase is probably around a
hundred and fifty dollars, so their offer is actually a win win
proposition. We have three in our household, one which was replaced
with a refurbished model a year and a half ago, when either of the
other two go, I'm going the refurbished route. It will give me time to
save for new ones, hopefully with larger hard drives and better
features.

Well Dana,

I'll warn you now your not going to like my response much
either. I think you got very lucky, electronic devices these days are
not designed to last as long as they once were and with the way that
technology and devices are changing I can't think of many people who
actually want something to last for 4 years. I have found most people
start upgrading or changing devices every couple of years, maybe at
the most three years. Since the new technology and features come
available ( and may I point out at more reasonable prices as before )

I think you were increadiably lucky to have 4 years, I would
have been happy with anything over 2 personally. I have no doubt that
you got so many years because of the "light use" although I know my
ipod, even though it's used lightly, is used with me on the go, so it
takes movement, all the time.. Reading the other posters it's pretty
obvious that you have been complaining about things regularly
breaking, and although I agree you may have increadiable bad luck.. I
think you are very unreasonable.

The facts are manufacturers offer warrentys to cover there
products for what they consider a reasonable amount of time. Which
they determine by preforming tests and calculate the average time the
devices start to deteriorate. That is how long they give the warrenty.
Extended warrentys can provide additional protection depending on the
device, although taking advantage of this could be complicated and
time consuming depending on who offered it.

So all things considering, I think you should suck it up princess,
you got a great use of the item, longer then the standard timeframe
the device is used for, either replace (which would be smarter) or
repair, but you don't deserve even a sorry in this case.

You have written all these letters about items that broke after the
warranty expired. If everyone got stuff replaced for free (repair
cost "waived") after a warranty expires, companies would not be able
to make a profit.

You must have really bad luck. The stuff I buy all works the way it
should until such time I need/want something new. I NEVER buy an
extended warranty, and normally would not recommend anyone else buy
one. However, you are an exception. You should buy one for
everything you purchase.

When you purchased your Ipod did you have the option to purchase an
extended warranty with it?

Would you be making such a big deal about this if it would have only
cost you $50.00 to have apple look at broken Ipod?

Have you checked to see if there are any other companies in your area
that fix broken Ipods? This might be another option for you to
consider.

Electronics are not meant to last forver. I purchased a JVC DVD
player. It lasted about 6 months before breaking. Luckily I only
speant $20.00 on it so it wasnt a big deal. I also have a Sony
Walkman that was purcahsed in the early 90's and it still works.

The bottom line with your Ipod, shelf unit, external hard drive, VW
and vacuum - - these items came with a limited manufacturer's warranty
and when said warranties expire, then you are on your own to either
have the items repaired or replace them at your own cost. It's a fact
of life and these companies don't really care how long you think their
products should last.

I'm curious if you've received any results from all of your complaint
letters posted since January, 2008. I see where Slimfast came through
with two seventy-five cent coupons of which you didn't feel that was
enough. Just curious . . . .

Honestly Dana, as others have pinted out, four years is pretty good.
You are way past the warranty on this.

Out fo curiosity, how many years of use do you consider acceptable?

Ipods get bumped, jostled, etc by most folks, Some get dropped. Some
get wet.

Even if you carried it around on a satin cushion for 4 years, it has a
bazillion small moving parts and will eventually die.

I dont think you are due anything here, and I find it odd you feel you
are entitled to so many exceptions on so many electronics.

Dana, you seriously need to look into what's happening with your
electronics. I'm very concerned. Did a random EMP go by?

4 years is about average, maybe even slightly above average, for this
sort of device. Any portable electronic with lots of small, moving
parts likely isn't something you're going to pass down to your
great-grandkids.

You'd get a little more longevity with a flash-based player due to
lack of moving parts, but even then don't expect miracles.

You've had the Ipod for 4 years. As others have pointed out, it's not
uncommon for these gadgets to last only 2 - 3 years. I don't know
what prices are currently on the new models of Ipods, or what you paid
originally for yours. So, only you really know if it's worth spending
$144 to receive a refurbished model.

The responses here have actually been enlightening. 2 to 3 years is
the average lifespan for an Ipod?!! That's ridiculous!

Our household has had 4 different iPods & none has lasted more than 2
years. I thought 2 years was pretty good. Two of them barely lasted a
year. :)

Dana..now I believe you're being a little bit ridiculous. You've had
this item for 4 years and they are offering you a reasonable solution,
pay the $144 and get another one.

I was with you on the 1 yr for the hard drive, kind of sympathetic
about the 2 yr on the Sony shelf system but I really think you're
pushing the envelope here.

You need to start buying extended warranties.