We’re having a little family fundraiser to cover some unexpected expenses. As a result, I decided to part with my rare pre-release first generation iPod and put it up for auction on eBay.
While I was at Apple, I was one of a bunch of internal testers for the iPod. When the testing was done, all the volunteers had a chance to trade in their beta iPods for ‘real’ ones, but I never got around to it. So I still have the pre-release unit.
Somewhat surprisingly, it continues to work, and using it reminds me of how far this little device has come in such a short time.
Damn
Well, that’s interesting. I just got an email from eBay saying they had taken the auction down. Here’s what they said:
The rights owner, Apple, Inc., notified eBay that this listing violates intellectual property rights. When eBay receives a report of this type of violation, we remove the listing to comply with the law.
I don’t know how selling an old iPod can violate their rights, but you can’t fight city hall (or eBay or Apple either, apparently). (more…)
Nice to see Mr Jobs hasn’t lost his touch. I’m happy to report that the SOBs who run the major record companies got their sorry asses kicked by Steve and agreed to continue their incredibly lucrative deals with the iTunes Music Store. It’s absolutely disgusting the way these pricks complain about what is probably the most profitable part of their business. (But between the record companies and the movies studios, it’s always been hard to decide which is the most obscenely greedy.*) 
