I bought the 3.5-inch pin cable from a local hardware store for Rs 30.
Time taken 30 minutes
Connected the Audio Out of my PC to the Aux In of my Philips stereo system using the 3.5-inch pin cable. Popped in a blank 90-minute cassette that cost Rs 25.
Time taken 2 minutes
Played my favourite 20-song playlist as the stereo did the recording. Had to turn the cassette once.
Time taken 91 minutes
Played the recorded cassette on my old Aiwa Walkman that I had bought for just Rs 1,000. Enjoyed the age-old ways of analogue music!
Total Time Taken: 133 minutes
Total Cost: Rs 1,055 for 20 songs
Listening to music the Tech Way
Items in hand: 15 GB iPod, FireWire cable. Needed a USB cable.
Bought USB cable for Rs 2,200. Had to call up the Apple distributor and then go to pick up the cable.
Time taken 95 minutes
Connected the iPod to my PC. Loaded the iTunes software from the accompanying CD. After a few hitches, it worked.
Time taken 28 minutes
Transferred over 3,000 songs from my PC to the iPod in just over a half-hour.Of course, this was from a legit playlist gifted by a friend in the US.
Time taken 31 minutes
Created a playlist from the 3,000 songs on the iPod and played them. Revelled in the digital, new-age way of listening to music!
Total Time Taken : 154 minutes
Total Cost : Rs 15,000 plus for 3,000 songs
And The Winner Is…
I could not decide what was most important-cost, quality, or quantity. Sachin spent more than Rs 15,000 on his equipment. While you can show off the iPod to friends and colleagues, the personal stereo-or Walkman-gives you a simple, cheap and time-tested solution. Ultimately, I favoured simplicity over the flashier iPod-it costs much less, and is almost hassle-free.