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Armbands a hip solution for the musically mobile

I am thinking of getting an iPod (just like everybody else, I suppose) but I have a major concern: I run. I mean, I really run, several miles a day. I want to use the iPod while jogging but I have heard there are some problems with this.

I have been looking around the Web and quite a few people have complained that the iPod is not good for this. That would be a pity because other solutions are just not good enough. Small devices that work only with Ram are more stable, but they hold far less music.

I want lots of choice and the iPod can give me that. But I am told that the key to the iPod is its hard disk, which allows it to handle thousands of songs. It is also supposed to be the reason that the iPod tends not to work well while running. Is this true? Can you help?

Name and address supplied

Fortress Hill

One could argue that Apple Computer should be reprimanded - or at least slapped on the wrist - for creating all those advertisements with runners and dancers in dark silhouette, as their white iPod ear buds run from each ear to the waist. That made it look as if the iPod was designed for people who love action. It is a nice idea, but not quite true.

The iPod uses a certain amount of random access memory, or Ram, to store about 20 minutes' worth of music. This is done to protect the hard disk which is mechanical and so needs time to access the data. Ram is far quicker to access than a hard disk. Most computer systems use some form of buffering to do this.

If anything happens to the iPod while you are listening to music - if you are running and give it too much of a jolt - the hard disk may lock itself up to protect itself. (Many hard disks can be put into a lock mode so that the head cannot touch the disk itself. This is done because a random write of the head would destroy data.)

The simplest way to solve this problem is to stop running. This may sound odd and thought of as an unrealistic solution. If you do stop, the disk should be able to 'catch up' and load another 20 minutes' worth of music. You then have to stop in another 20 minutes.

This is obviously not ideal, but if you are looking for an excuse to stop running, you now have it.

I am assuming, however, that most people would want to continue running. The problem appears to be tied, quite literally, to the human body - the waist in particular.

Many joggers like to strap a Walkman or iPod to a pouch on the hip. This is probably the worst possible place to put such a device. When running, no part of the body gets quite so much punishment as the hip.

There is a simple solution. Put the iPod on your arm. I have spoken to a few people who run with their iPods and they all agree that this works.

I have heard one or two people complain that they do not like the armband but there would appear to be little choice. It may be that Apple will make a future version of the iPod Apple much stronger for running.

The armbands available commercially go for between US$19.95 and $29.95 online but should be available at most shops that sell iPod accessories in Hong Kong. Visit www.xtrememac.com

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