Nine New Uses for an Old, Outdated IPod

Don't throw away your old iPod after you've updated to a snazzy new model, or your current iPod has died on you. There are several options that you may not be aware of to enable you to breathe new life into Apple's old technology. Do you know just how many things you can do with an iPod? Read on!

1. If your IPod will still power on, you can use it as an external storage drive for your computer. Instructions are available here and they are very easy to follow.

2. If the battery has died in your iPod, you can simply plug it into your computer, or any AC source, and continue to enjoy your music collection.

3. Photo-capable iPods can be used with a website called iWay www.ipodiway.com to download driving directions from Yahoo Maps so you can have a portable map system to take with you when traveling.

4. Use your iPod as a recipe book with PodGourmet and carry your favorite recipes with you wherever you go. You can also get recipes from the Kraft website for the iPod.

5. If you also own a Mac, a product called TechTool ProToGo, released recently by Micromat will let you turn that old iPod into a bootable diagnostic center, with utilities that can boot, maintain, and repair your computer.

6. If your battery is dead, go green and invest in a solar power charger. Called the Solio, it uses the sun to recharge the iPod so that you never need worry again about losing battery power. www.solio.com

7.Download travel guides for some of the world's best travel content at your fingertips. Called Podscrolls, Rough Guides Travel offers them for free.

8. There are several educational options for the iPod that kids will enjoy. You can download and listen to science lessons at a web site called Science Made Fun http://sciencemadefun.podbean.com/ or download and enjoy children's audiobooks to keep kids busy for hours.

If you and your children enjoy learning about history, Notewaves.net has some wonderful history downloads available for the iPod at this web site - as well as Spanish lessons and children's stories.

You can also create iPod flash cards to learn on the go with a program by Zelek Software. Check it out here.

Other foreign language lessons are available for the iPod with the use of the ILingo Europack, which makes it very easy to brush up on your French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. This software is sold at Amazon.com. Another software choice for educational use of the iPod is iRocker, which teaches guitar.

9. Use your old iPod exclusively to download and listen to podcasts. There are so many to choose from that you are sure of finding a subject that appeals to you.