I swear, iPods should come with a personal instructor for noobz like me. Or at least with training wheels. Because I’ve racked up quite a body count of iPods, out of nothing but sheer ignorance. OK, maybe I should’ve known not to go swimming with one. But how could I have anticipated the catastrophe that would ensue when I hooked it up to my Linux box? And when that teenager on the subway told me he just wanted to hold my iPod for a minute, I honestly expected to get it back. Chalk that one up to experience.

Clearly, I still have a lot to learn about personal audio-player ownership. But I can’t afford to make any more rookie mistakes. That’s why I’m stocking up on iRock 1GB MP3 Players: so that my next screwup will come with a much smaller price tag. It’s like a learner’s permit for those who aren’t quite ready for the responsibilities an iPod requires.

The iRok gives me the breathing room I need to find my iPod legs. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy MP3s, WMAs, and FM radio for up to 20 hours per battery charge, along with a microphone recorder, line-in recorder, high-speed USB 2.0 connection, and five different equalizer modes. Its unattractive blue casing makes the iRock an unlikely target for thieves. And when I get the bright idea to bring it along on a roller-coaster ride, my stupidity won’t cost me that much. With luck, someday I’ll be able to treat an iPod with the attention and competence it deserves – until then, I’ll rock the iRock.

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