iPod #5

Goddamn iPods.

Yep, you heard correct. I'm now on iPod #5...damnit. Let's go through my luck with iPods:

#1: stolen, along with purse, out of my car - on Thanksgiving Day. I was parked on my parents front lawn, car unlocked {OBVIOUSLY...we live in South Seaville for Christs' sake!}

#2: lent to Miss Emily Corkill @ the beach, who left it in a lent bookbag, and left both of them {accidentally} on the sidewalk. didn't realize that the bag was left until it was too late -- ipod and bag were no longer there upon our return. poof.

#3: living in a hostel on the beach in Dominical, Costa Rica for a month. people constantly coming and going, and no locks on our doors {because you share your room with multiple people}. naive cailin left ipod, camera and much loot in easily accessible bag -- all was stolen - the day of my birthday, two days before i returned home after over 2 months of being away.

#4: again, Dominical, Costa Rica. those goddamn la dron's {this means "theives" in spanish}!! i had been in costa for almost 3 months, was going to be leaving in a week...Shawn's shitty ass rental car would lock sometimes and not lock others. we stopped to look at the waves - i was 3 feet from the car - and in the span of about 2 minutes my bag with all my cash, credit card, my DAILY PLANNER, and so much more, was yanked. and yep, it had my brand new ipod in it.

Did i mention that all 4 ipods that were stolen were anywhere from 80gb's to 120gbs?? These weren't $100 ipods...they were several hundred. DAMNIT.

SO, against the discouragement I've received from my mother, I have gone ahead and purchased a 5th ipod. And damnit, if this one is stolen - I'm going to get Medieval - track down the bastard and cut their hands off. Seriously.

#5 is a purple 8Gb sixth generation ipod nano that I got off of Ebay for $93. I just can't be without an ipod...music is far too important in my life to travel without one. I've been "borrowing" Shawn's since we got back from Costa, and he finally got fed up with that and told me to get my own.

This morning I did some research, in hopes of holding onto this purple iPod FOR.EV.ER. and I found this article "How To Keep Your Gadgets from Getting Stolen":

Every day, the gadgets we use become smaller, more portable, and more valuable. Unfortunately, this increase in convenience also raises the appeal of these devices to potential thieves. Here, Switched presents tips to avoid becoming a theft victim for the five common gadgets, as well potential ways to recover your property if it's stolen. And no, we're not recommending using a taser for any of them.

iPods

Since iPods and other audio players are valuable, don't require subscriptions to use, and lack built-in theft deterrents, they're very popular for thieves. Major cities have begun cautioning commuters, like New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority, which released a poster reminding subway riders that "Earphones are a giveaway. Protect your device." In San Francisco, iPod robberies on the Bay Area Rapid Transit system accounted for 23% of the increase in citywide robbery from 2004 to 2006.

How to prevent theft (or minimize the consequences of theft):

• Switch out the headphones. The standard white iPod buds make you an obvious target for anyone who specifically wants the generally-more-coveted iPod or iPhone, so go for something less expensive looking.
• Conceal it. Avoid clipping your audio player onto your belt, which not only looks dorky, but also makes it much easier for robbers to grab than if it were hidden inside your clothing. As an alternative, go for an armband or something that secures it to your body.
• Be careful where you take it. Schools and subways are common areas for these kinds of thefts.
• Install tracking software, such as GadgetTrak. When connected to a computer, the software on your stolen device sends all the robber's computer information, including username, ISP, network address and more back to the company, which can very well lead to recovery.
• Never leave it unattended, anywhere. Duh.