One more thing to do with an iPod: enhance your clock radio.

I got my iPod for music during times I’m away from my computer and for storage for times I’m running out, but there’s always new uses. I picked up an iTrip at the Apple Store in town recently and it works great in the car, but it also makes my clock radio worth using again; I stopped listening to the radio because of commercials, but since I own about 300 hours of my own music I decided to use it.

• I first synched the clock radio to that of the iPod (which is set by the computer, which is set by an NTP server) and then I set the radio to the iTrip frequency.
• Then I set the wake-up timer on each to the same time and picked a playlist for the iPod to run to wake me up (I chose some higher-energy Bach).
• For fun, I put each on 60-minute sleep mode and dozed off to some Mozart. (Wake to Bach, sleep to Mozart; it’s almost commentary, isn’t it?)
• At 7:20 on the nose the clock radio kicked on and the iPod was already broadcasting music. Kill ‘em both, get ready for work. Repeat the next day.

My iPod’s the only radio station worth listening to, I say.