So, my 20GB iPod is on the way, thanks to a big discount from a friend who works at Apple. My Sony Vaio has built-in FireWire that I'm hoping I can use for the initial file transfer. Longer-term, I'd ...

Apple Computer has almost single-handedly succeeded in turning USB into an accepted interface standard. Sony, Apple, and others are currently making FireWire into the industry standard for multimedia.

IIRC, there is not standard for motherboard firewire connections or anything like that yet, so you're expected to buy Firewire extension cables and route them from the back firewire ports through your ...