Just a Thought - Free TV Shows Equal New iPod

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Remember that adage, "There is no such thing as a free lunch"? If you've read my last few columns you may have noticed a reoccurring theme; free TV shows at the iTunes Music Store. True enough, the shows are free to download and enjoy, but they wound up costing me 200 bucks!

Up until recently whenever I needed to use a Video iPod for my articles, I'd borrow one from a friend of mine. I own a third generation iPod and a nano, owning 3 iPods just seemed silly to me. However, while I was browsing the Apple Store after last week's WWDC announcements I happened upon the 'Special Deals' section, and, lo and behold, there was a black Video iPod selling for a full 1/3 off the regular price. I dusted off my credit card and made the purchase, chastising myself the whole time.

Why are you buying a Video iPod, you barely use the 3-G iPod," I pointed out to myself as I typed in my mailing address. I reasoned that I'd use the video iPod more because of its video capability, and I wouldn't have to embarrass myself anymore by borrowing my friend's v-iPod.

"You could use that 200 bucks on something else," I reminded myself as my credit card info magically appeared in the appropriate space. I ignored myself and hit the button that completed the transaction. It's true, I could have used that 200 bucks for something else, but what the heck? You only live once. Tomorrow I could get smacked in the head by a rogue meteor and cease to exist without ever having known the joys of v-iPod ownership.

Even then I didn't let it rest; I called Apple the next day and asked them to cancel the order. They couldn't since the order had already shipped, but sent me the appropriate stuff to return the iPod once it arrived. Of course, once it arrived it was not going back, I knew that as I was hanging up on my call to Apple.

Then the thought occurred to me that I could sell my still very usable 3-G iPod to offset the cost of my new purchase. I made a few inquiries at work and sure enough, I had a buyer. The cash from the old iPod will go towards keeping my credit card balance in check, so my video iPod will cost me even less. Hard to argue with that.

Before the video iPod, when Apple posted new free TV shows at the iTunes Music Store, I'd download them and watch them on my Mac, which was cool. Yesterday, however, I had a few minutes to spare and I thought I'd check out Three Moons Over Milford, which seemed like my type of show: quirky, humorous, and mildly intelligent. I fired up my shiny new v-iPod, put on a set cans (hard shelled headphones) and watched.

I liked the show. The premise of Three Moons is about as offbeat as a show can get: the show centers on a family of three, a mom, a 16 year boy, and a 12 year old girl, as they deal with life in a small town called Milford after the Moon was struck by an asteroid and broken into 3 huge chunks. I like how the name of the show is about the characters. Moons orbit larger objects and each other, so do the characters in the show.

I confess that I likely would have not given Three Moons a chance had I not decided to watch it on my iPod, which made watching the show convenient. I'd fire up the show during spare moments, like when I'm waiting for my wife, while cooling down from a run, or maybe even while waiting for my wife. Basically any small snatch of time was fair game, and my new iPod manages them like a champ by starting up the show exactly where I left off, though I've listened to music between those times.

If you think about it, the iPod makes watching TV shows even more convenient than TiVo; iPods can be taken almost anywhere, TiVo can't be.

Anyway, I don't see why other shows aren't offering up an episode for free on iTunes Music Store, especially shows that are a bit left of center and may not get good footing on commercial TV. iPodding a TV show for free may be just the ticket to get people watching.

Since my last column, Apple has created an iTMS TV Shows section that  displays all the current free episodes, which make finding free stuff a whole lot easier.

So, those of you with video iPods, browse the free shows and take a gamble, you've got nothing but a little time to lose.

Those of you without video iPods browse the Apple Store Hot Deals section; you could wind up spending 200 bucks, but once you get the iPod in your hands, you'll know it was money better (if not best) spent.

Free TV shows equals new iPod. Funky math, but it works.

is a writer who currently lives in Orlando, FL. He's been a Mac fan since Atari Computers folded, but has worked with computers of nearly every type for 20 years.

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