For some time now, I’ve been looking for portable speakers to use with an iPod during exercise. I don’t like wearing headphones (one ear or two ears) because (1) it’s dangerous because it insulates you from your surroundings and (2) I believe it’s illegal in California to wear two headphones while cycling. I was thinking of building my own portable speaker system when I came across this promotion on Gizmodo.
Podwave Speakers Free After Rebate! All you pay is a $8.24 shipping charge. This should be perfect for when I restart my exercise regimen. Now, all I need to do is get a new iPod! Sadly, my original 1st-gen 5GB iPod no longer works; I’m currently eyeing an iPod shuffle. 1GB or 512MB?
Update: Looks like the deal is now sold out.
tow.com 
512mb.
If it has no screen, and you’ll use it to ‘shuffle’ songs (like it or not, unless you memorize a playlist), whats the difference between 120 or 240 songs?. Just fill it up everyday with an auto playlist and enjoy. No need for 1gb imo.
Unless you plan to use it as data storage.
Hi, I’ve just found this site after searching for information on dislocated elbows.
What about Oakley Thumps for working out outside? A mate took them skiing and they don’t disassocaite the user from their surroundings – you can still hear noise around because you dont’ push the ear-buds into your ears but rest them outside your ears. They’ve had some damning press but the guy who wore them skiing was very pleased with their performance.
Happy shopping!
Yeah, I remember seeing these during the Tour de France last year. Armstrong was testing them while warming up one day. Unfortunately, I wear glasses, so the Oakley’s won’t work for me.
Hi
Contacting apple is worth a try, I was told an out of warranty ipod would be “refurbed” (they take my old one and give me a new one) for US $100. much less than a new, although with the mini and the shuffle, its a whole new game :)
hth
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I have occansionally toyed with the idea of putting some small speakers in a bike helmet. That way I could have tunes and still hear traffic. The iPod shuffle is small enought that you could build the whole thing into the helmet. I am tempted to do it with my Phison 512MB player since it was so cheap if I ever get another player.
I had actually sent my iPod in for service in the past (it wasn’t holding its charge). When it came back, it worked for a little while longer, but soon developed another problem where the iPod wouldn’t boot up properly. Plugging it into FireWire starts a continual boot, shutdown, boot, shutdown cycle.