I wanted a mp3 player for some time (I feel sorry for my MD player…), but I’m weary that it’d become a pair of “ivory chopsticks.” What does that mean you say? I think everyone heard of the story before:

商紂王請工匠用象牙為他製作筷子，他的叔父箕子十分擔憂。因為他認為，一旦使用了稀有昂貴的象牙作筷子，與之相配套的杯盤碗盞就會換成用犀牛 角、美玉石打磨出的精美器皿。餐具一旦換成了象牙筷子和玉石盤碗，你就千方百計地享用犛牛、象、豹之類的胎兒等山珍美味了。在盡情享受美味佳餚之時，你一 定不會再去穿粗布縫製的衣裳，住在低矮潮濕的茅屋下，而必然會換成一套又一套的綾羅綢緞，並且住進高樓大廈之中。

箕子害怕演變下去，必定會帶來一個悲慘的結局。所以，他從紂王一開始製作象牙筷子起，就感到莫名的恐懼。事情的發展果然不出箕子所料。僅僅只過 了5 年光景，紂王窮奢極欲、荒淫無恥的度日。他的王宮內，掛滿了各種各樣的獸肉，多得像一片肉林；廚房內添置了專門用來烤肉的銅格；後園內經過釀酒後剩下的酒 糟已經堆積如山，而盛放美酒的酒池竟大得可以划船。紂王的腐敗行徑，苦了老百姓，更將一個國家搞得烏七八糟，最後終於被周武王所剿滅而亡國。

(from: http://www.minghui-school.org/school/article/2004/3/16/30032.html )

According to the moral of the story above, once you get an mp3 player, you’d want a protective shield, a pair of lanyard headphones, a portable speaker, a FM transmitter for the car, a case, and a Mac to go with an iPod (err, I probably wouldn’t go that far, but you get the idea). It seems nowadays anything that work with any audio devices (speakers, FM transmitters, etc.) would emphasize on “iPod compatible” just so that they can mark up in prices.

My conclusion? I don’t know, maybe I’ll hold out until TD offer an 1G Nano for people who switch accounts? :p