iPod photo 40-gig: A deal at Amazon

I haven't been able to find a replacement drive for my 5-gig iPod, so I haven't been able to update songs for a couple of months.

I was considering an iPod shuffle, which would mean I would manage my music on one computer or another instead of on the iPod. Then Apple introduced the new-generation iPod photos, and the 30-gig for $349 looked like an interesting possibility: only $50 more than the no-color, shorter battery life, 20-gig iPod. The new 60-gig has a drive as big as my laptop, but $450....

Then I noticed that the discontinued 40-gig iPod photo is still available, currently priced about $10 more than the 30-gig "new" model. And it gets better: The 40-gig model still comes with the special AV dock, USB and FireWire cables, and a case.

The new 30-gig model does not include accessories; only a USB 2 cable is included. Neither does the $100 more expensive 60-gig, although the old old 60-gig model is available for essentially the same price as the new, accessory-poor, model.

Don't know how long they'll be available, but if you're considering an iPod photo, and you'll need some of the accessories, this is definitely the way to go.