I must go on record as not getting the iPod. Why you would want to lock into a proprietary format when there are a gazillion (free) MP3s and MP3 players out there–and pay over the odds for the privilege–is beyond me. But then again all the music I like was made by people who are now dead and the last DVD I bought was of a concert that happened in 1986 (which I went to!). So I guess I’m not Apple’s target market.

However in an article that reminds me of the piece I did on torrents last week, apparently another non-target market of Apple’s is using the iPod. Yup. radiologists are moving their digital films from place to place, using the iPod as an expensive portable hard drive. Yet more instances of unusual technology crossovers in healthcare.

UPDATE: Graham Walker reminds me that it’s just Apple’s iTunes that’s proprietary (and where you have to pay money for the music): The ipod plays mp3s, as well as Apple’s proprietary format–all the other music players also support MP3, as well as another proprietary format (Real, Windows Media, etc.) It’s got great usability, works with both Macs and PCs, and you can carry your entire library of music on it.