Pope Benedict XVI scores 2GB iPod nano, wanted 4GB
The Pope just got his very own iPod nano, engraved with: "To His Holiness, Benedict XVI". They got his title
right, but the playlist? Besides the Vatican Radio podcast, they've got Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and
Stravinsky. Puhleese. We know JPII went for a little bit of break dancing in his day, let's see BXVI take it up a notch
in the Vatican.
[Via TUAW]
[Via TUAW]



















HAHA the pope has an ipod and my friend doesnt....
iPope?
His Holiness should have gotten a 5G iPod.
So now we may hear the church's opinion on downloading music and DRM. Just wait till the pope gets burnt by DRM, then the church will have an opinion! Or the pope gets into downloading music, music downloading != theft????
When Gee-wiz was alive, he prolly carried an ipod. Why not? I can imagine him having the Holy Books as an mp3.
I wonder if it would be possible to explain to the pope what a gigabyte is.
The man's a legend!
Keep it real your holiness.
Stravinsky? Isn't that a bit risque?
@ThreEchelon: Yeah, the pope. That uneducated religious leader.
Yes, and how some people pronounce it gigabytes and some people pronounce it geegabytes.
if this was a story with the head cleric of the other religion as the subject...there will be a "death to unholy gadgets" demo soon.
From the article:
"Though the white iPod nano is tiny, it still made an impression on the pope. When the head of the radio's technical and computer support department [...] handed the pope the boxed iPod, the pope was said to have replied, 'Computer technology is the future.' "
Also from the article:
"With his new iPod, the pope can access the radio's daily podcasts, as well as download music and audio books from the Internet."
Given the pope's comment about "the future", I somehow doubt it ;-)
This is kinda cool. Technology has come a long way for real.
dont be mean to the pope guys.
classical music is awesome in my opinion.
rap is awful. I hate rap.
The pope can probably get an ipod Hi-Fi and have the ipod play his prayers for him...
The iPod is a result of science. Once the pope's way is gone, we'll revel in greater wonders that only science can bring. Science is far too underrated. Remember, the true "Bibles" are the books of math and physics.
My wife scored one of these today.
"True bibles"?? "once the pope's way is gone"?? Math has a bible? The pope has a way? Who is this guy?
When did Engadget become some wannabe scientist's pulpit?
The article is about the pervasiveness of technology and the success of a company and its products. When did science ever enter the topic? Even if you want to spout off about how the iPod is the result of science at work, why is the popes way suddenly taking a backseat to science?
Cybert: I agree with DB, with the corollary of "why do they have to be different or opposing?" Why can't people realize and accept the fact that theology and science aren't different, don't oppose each other, and, in fact, get along and agree quite nicely? It's almost like God intended it to be that way, it's so uncanny.
Wow that is awesome.
Only one person so far has hit on the real topic here. Apple has the POTUS and the Pope walking around giving free advertising to its product. Does the Queen of England have one? Has there ever been another gadget with this kind of almost universal useage at even the highest level of governmental or religious auhtority?
Further proof that everyone and their mom has an iPod, thus making me want it less and less.
#16 You're married to the pope?
Your wife scored a Pope?! DUDE!
haha, just messing.
Joe Smith: try Steve Vai
Cybert what are you talking about. THe catholic church is all about science these days. They always go about saying how science doesnt contradict the bible at all. They even except evolution. they are one of the only religions now where science is fully excepted. They even have their own scientists
You know old pope Benedict XVI whants to get Crunk
The Pope wasn't given an iPod because it the iPod is popular; he got one because it is the simplest useful portable audio playback device yet devised.
That's why the iPod is "winning": its simple and it works. Think about the marketing. iPod marketing is exclusively images of people dancing. That's not a "hard sell". No booming voice telling you to buy buy buy. No lists of features. No endorsements. Just images of people dancing. No one is being brainwashed by iPod marketing. iPod ads build and maintain awareness, but its through exposure to the honestly useful functionality of the iPod+iTunes experience that the iPod has become so successful.
There are simply are not enough lemmings who buy something simply because it is "popular" to make a product successful on the iPod's scale.
Nope, iPods are popular and given to Popes because they work great and are simple to use.
He should have gotten a PlaysForSure-compatible device, like the Toshiba Gigabeat S. When is that coming out anyways? I thought it was supposed to have already been on sale in March?
"8. Stravinsky? Isn't that a bit risque?"
Yes and no.
Rite of Spring? Clearly yes. Flat-out pagan.
Symphony of the Psalms? Well, obviously that's kosher. Or whatever the Catholic equivalent of kosher is.
I'm not religious and I don't wish ill will on anyone (especially those that potentially have a hook up with a higher power) but please please please let the RIAA catch him downloading music on a file-sharing network while visiting the United States.
Then, when they sue him, he can have the Man Upstairs smite the little "fair-use-doesn't-exist-we're-going-to-sue-to-
keep-an-outdated-business-model-alive" sonsofbi....s.
For #29 Cranch: I've never seen a television commercial for any mp3 players by Creative, iRiver, Cowon, Archos, Samsung, etc. So it seems Apple's marketing is more "in your face" than any other brand.
For everyone else: Did the President buy his, or was it given as a gift? The Pope's engraving "To His Holiness" doesn't sound like something he would choose himself, also making me think it was a gift. Apple would get plenty of cred/exposure by giving a $400 player to high profile people.
they couldn't spring for a 4gb nano?
would you rather give jesus a game boy advance or a DS Lite?
damn you.
His name looks like a superbowl event.
let's see when this one shows up on ebay!
Great A Nazi Pope with an iPOD... Ok I have now seen everything and I am ready to die...
I hate Christians
I hate Jews
I hate Muslims
They all need to SHUT UP!
The Pope's On The Go playlist:
Faith (George Micheal)
I Believe In A Thing Called Love (The Darkness)
Heaven (Talking Heads)
All Is Full of Love (Bjork)
God Put A Smile on Your Face (Coldplay)
Like a Virgin (Madonna)
Fumbling Toward Ecstasy (Sarah McLachlan)
Oops!...I Did It Again (Britney Spears)
Bus To Beelzebub (Soul Coughing)
Devil Went Down to Georgia (Charlie Daniels Band)
Save a Prayer (Duran Duran)
Screaming for Vengeance (Judas Priest)
on a side note:
the photoshopper didnt make the pope completely black.
if you look at it closely, you can make out the face and details of the robe.
other than that:
the pope gets an iPod. remind me what the big deal is?
(just 'cus he's special....)
let's hope the pope uses this ipod to assist in his spreading of hatred of homosexuals and encouraging people not to use condoms, hence propagating the aids epidemic in africa. What an amazing hitler youth man he is. praise jebus.
Isn't it funny how Christian haters can't bring themselves to say (or even type!) the names 'God' or 'Jesus'?
What!? A CARTOON of our holy Pope!
This calls for US-flag burning and setting fire to American embassies world wide!
(kiddin)
The Pope deserves the best! :)
Does this mean I can make people sign up to one of those pyramid free iPod schemes because it's a holy product?
I wonder what he has to say about the Cult of Mac...
We got B16 in the Vat, consecratin sum righteous beats, yo! Bless to yo mutha of G!
#26,
"Cybert what are you talking about. THe catholic church is all about science these days. They always go about saying how science doesnt contradict the bible at all. They even except evolution. they are one of the only religions now where science is fully excepted. They even have their own scientists"
Are you trying to be funny with the usage of the word 'except'? If you substitute the word 'accept' for 'except' it completely changes the meaning of your statement. Saying the church 'excepts' evolution literaly means they don't agree with it.
The church tried to supress the findings of Galileo who claimed that the earth was not the center of the univers. It wasn't 400 years ago, and it isn't today. It wasn't until the year 2000 that the church apologized for its sins of the past 2000 years, including the awful treatment of Galileo, among other things. I am not saying the church is bad, far from it, just nowhere near perfect.
#21
as a matter of fact the queen does have an ipod. a 6G silver iPod mini.
as does bush
"I am not saying the church is bad, far from it, just nowhere near perfect."
What's that? Humans aren't perfect? Why, yes!
I would say that science is more hostile to religion than religion is to science. Unless we're talking about Islam.
I wonder if this was news if the pope had a mp3-player that wasn't an ipod.
@ #40
Don't forget the pope is also again sex before your married. But it in the human nature to only listen to things that you like and have someone to blame for your fault. I mean if people want to follow the pope without thinking, follow him completly not just the bits you like.
"39. on a side note:
the photoshopper didnt make the pope completely black"
Wow, looks like Apple doesnt make the people completely black either... http://live.watchmactv.com/?p=91
This is an historic event to be marked on our calendars along with the Moon Landing and the virgin flight of Air Force One as a day to be commemorated throughout history.
Man the pope is even cooler than before! Go POPE!
omg that's so not cool. how can the pope have an ipod and not me? i wonder what all is on there besides that pansy crap. i bet some ac/dc highway to hell!!
I scored with the Pope.
What was the cardinal doing in bed with a whore? Waiting for The Second Coming!
Dominnee Dominnee yer all Catholics now
Hey #41. Ok, I didn't even finish reading all the comments yet, but I have to pipe in here real quick. Christian haters or not, it isn't kosher to type Jes-s or G-d in the first place. Reason being (and although I am fully aware of the concept, I have the worst time explaining it), by typing the lords name you subject it to the inevitable possibility of being destroyed, and thus, disgraced. Much like writing it out means at some point it would be torn/burnt/erased/spat on/stepped on or destroyed in some other such way. Typing it out means that at some point it must be deleted/erased or whatever. Being the devout Christian I bet you are, thank them for not typing it outright, and kick yourself in the hind quarters for being so ignorant. As for me, whatever, God, a wonderful concept that helps the greater part of the world go to sleep at night. Jesus, a wonderful man who gives us all hope and inspiration to live our lives to the fullest.
But really, none of that is the topic here is it?
The Pope got an iPod, alright!!
The Pope RoX$ my SoX$!
To bogsnogger,
"Isn't it funny how Christian haters can't bring themselves to say (or even type!) the names 'God' or 'Jesus'?"
Um... I hate Christians. I hate their idea of GOD and how they perpetuate the JESUS MYTH. JESUS is a LIE. The so-called 'IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER MARY' is a LIE. Anyone who believes in that tripe is a SUCKER and SHEEP.
OH GOD, PLEASE PROTECT ME FROM YOUR FOLLOWERS.
PS, that goes for JEWS and MUSLIMS and their ALLAH and JEHOVAH and YAHWEH plus the stupid DEVIL/SATAN MYTH they all perpetuate. All stupid lies to make you CONTROLLABLE
I'm surprised noone mentioned this iBelieve stuff engadget wrote about a few month ago, hope he gets one like that too :
http://www.engadget.com/2005/10/25/ibelieve-250-sermons-in-your-pocket/
@DNA, Let me guess: you've been raped by someone from church, or you 13 yr old.
WWPBD = What Would Pope Benedict Do (with an iPod?)
http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/04/pope-benedict-xvi-scores-2gb-ipod-nano-wanted-4gb/
#21. Yes, she has a silver iPod Mini.
". I hate Christians
I hate Jews
I hate Muslims
They all need to SHUT UP!"
Too bad. It looks like you don't have what it takes to deal with freedom of religion or speech. You have issues. Deal with them.
http://www.dnahelices.com/noreligion/noreligion.jpg
To JCG, "@DNA, Let me guess: you've been raped by someone from church, or you [sic] 13 yr [sic] old."
No, wrong, your guess is teh sux.
However, around 13 years old was when my intelligence kicked in, and I realized the the phoney and stupid christian church I was being dragged to every sunday was a joke and I told my parents I didn't want to be brain washed like them.
Lawlz, DNA is a 13-year-old who thinks that rebelling against everything makes him independent and cool.
Science can purify religion from error and superstition.
Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.
- Pope John Paul II
Not too many people seem to know that science is an intellectual virtue in Catholic theology. Not terribly surprising, since the same people don't seem to know that the Church never really had anything against Copernican cosmology (See "The Galileo Controversy": http://www.catholic.com/library/Galileo_Controversy.asp).
So much for "the Enlightenment". ;-)
God bless y'all!
TTM