Fixing a Sad iPod

Making the usual rounds at digg this afternoon I came across an article entitled, "How to Fix an iPod with the Sad iPod Icon." Now this immediately grabbed my attention as I have struggled with sad face many a time, leading to countless hours on the internet trying to figure out anyway to combat the problem. Apple's website is less than useless; their advice basically amounts to this: "Restart your iPod. Can't restart it? Whoops! Sorry. Maybe you should get a new one." That's my biggest problem with Apple as a company actually. They're very good at making things very simple and intuitive to use, but any time you want to do something above and beyond basic functions (make a playlist on the iPod, right click on OSX), they make you jump through hoops to make that happen. ANGER.

I'm getting off topic, though. Now, what I've done in the past to fix my iPod, is to simply leave it plugged into my computer until it magically fixes itself. Not the most tech-savvy fix but I have had a 100% success rate using this method. It has taken anywhere from about 2 hours to over three days plugged in to fix itself, but it always manages to heal, much like Wolverine, to perfect health on its own.

The conclusion author Tom Coffee came to, after also spending much time on internet forums, was that the cure for a sad iPod was some sort of severe physical contact, a la dropping the iPod on the floor or slamming it against the desk. This is completely outrageous and yet for some reason perfectly sensible to me. Hitting TVs back in the olden days used to fix reception, why not try the same thing on an electronic device? What is actually happening is that the sad icon usually comes about as the result of a cord coming out of place, and a swift metaphorical kick in the pants smacks that sucker back into a working position. Certainly much more efficient than plugging it in and praying. I'm for sure trying this the next time my iPod craps out on me (which I promise you, it will). I've got a warantee on this sucker so it's no skin off my back if it breaks. Should I have to resort to such measures of barbarism, I'll write about how it turned out.