Apple presents iPod - the first MP3 player to pack a countless number of songs and 10 hours of battery life into a stunning package you can literally take everywhere. It's your... more
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(+) lightweight, easy to use, wifi connection, Nike + iPod function, variety of features (-) pricey, short battery life with apps and video, limited space for music lovers
A review by Cid-zx on Apple iPod 10 GB November 3rd, 2004
Author's product rating:
Sound Quality
Excellent
Ease of Use
Very Easy
Look & Design
Excellent
Range of Features
Excellent
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
small, light
Disadvantages:
earphones
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I wanted a personal music player that could hold vast amounts of tracks that I could carry around in a compact device. After researching different players, i.e., cd walkmans that can play Mp3 tracks off disk and portable Mp3 players, some of which could only stores as little as 30 tracks at a time. I eventually came across Apple’s iPod. An innovation in music technology if there ever was one. The first things that caught my eye when I saw the iPod was it’s size, which is little bigger than a cigarette box and the fact that with it’s LCD display, scroll wheel for browsing the menu and it’s shiny metal back. This thing looked a very sexy gadget indeed! I bought my iPod 10Gb verson for windows (Apple Mac version also available) in Feb 2003 and since then it has been updated to the current version available, which has changed a little in how it looks but maintains that classy appearance. One of the main differences between this product and other Mp3 players it that the iPod contains a hard disk just like the one that you would have on a computer, although small enough to enable the ipod to be so compact. This is what allows it store so much music. I have loaded my entire CD collection onto it and it’s still only ¼ full so it would take some going to fill the thing to it’s capacity. Apple claim that the 10GB version can store 2000 near-CD quality songs but it should be able to store more than this if your using lesser quality tracks. After deciding that I wanted one (and that didn’t take too long!) I set about finding places that sell them. PcWorld did stock them but had sold out and I tried John Lewis which had the 5Gb version available but had sold out of the 10Gb and 20GB versions. So I finally bought mine through the Apple website (see below). Ordering through them was a very pain-less and simple process and I received my new iPod very quickly. You are also able to track the order through various stages of dispatch. When it arrived what struck me was how cool and attractive the packaging was and reinforced to me that this was a quality product. It comes in a small cube box that opens out into two halves. On one side is the iPod and the other the accessories. It just appeared that Apple had gone that extra mile to add some class to what could have been dull packaging. The contents the box was as follows: The iPod Installation and software disk User guide and ‘At a glance’ leaflet Apple warranty information Black plastic protective holder with belt clip Firewire cable and adapter plug Plug adapter for charging Earphones with spare set of foam ear-piece covers Remote control (not standard for the 5Gb version and now only standard for the newer 20GB & 40GB formats) Grey fabric pouch for carrying the iPod
First of all I had to charge up the iPod which takes about 4 hours to charge fully, although Apple claims that it is 90% charged in an hour. Charging is carried out by one of two methods. Either just plug it into your standard wall socket with the supplied plug adapter or plug it into your computer through a lead (also supplied) that attaches to your computer’s firewire card. Not all computers come with firewire cards as standards. I had to purchase one for my computer especially to use the iPod but it’s an essential piece of equipment to be able to use the iPod as you’ll see later. I picked mine up from PCWorld for approx. £30.00. I have found that charging it through via a wall socket is quicker although I don’t know why this is the case.
After charging I was ready to rock and roll and get some tunes onto it. At this point I needed to load the installation disk that came with it onto my computer. This was a pretty straight forward task. The disk also contains a program called ‘MusicMatch’ which is the software for uploading and downloading songs onto the iPod. However prior to buying the iPod I had discovered from other users that this was not the most easiest software to use with it and others were recommending the use of a program called ‘EphPod’ which is freely available to download. Just search for it on ‘Google’ and you’ll find it. This is the program that I use and it’s dead simple and straightforward. To enable the uploading and downloading of songs you need to connect the iPod to your computer via the firewire card. The card allows lightning fast transfer of songs between the two devices and you’ll be able to transfer the equivalent of a standard CD in about 14 seconds. The iPod itself is very simple to navigate. The buttons are comfortable to use but do take a while to remember which buttons take you where around the screen. The touch sensitive scroll wheel is a great addition making it very quick to scroll through list of songs, however it is very sensitive and sometimes you can go past the song you want to play. The LCD screen is ample big enough to easily see what your doing and it’s of excellent quality. It even has a back-lit facility so you can see it in the dark if you need to. When arranging your tracks you’ll be able to groups songs into any kind of order you like i.e., by genre, artist, album, alphabetically. You can choose to name folders and you can compile playlists, which might, for example contain your most favourite songs of the moment. All this is achieved through the software and then you just transfer it to the iPod. I have been very impressed with the iPod in terms of my expectations, it’s ease of use and it’s functionality. However that’s not to say I haven’t got negative things to say about it. Firstly I have been very frustrated that when not in use for some time it doesn’t seem to retain it’s power and there have been many times where I have gone to use it only to find the battery flat. Secondly on several occasions it has stopped working and ‘frozen’ with none of the buttons working. Plugging it into the wall socket for re-charging didn’t make any difference and the only way I could get it working again was to plug it into the computer which seemed to free it up again, not very convenient if your away from your compuer. This has happened quite frequently and I had thought that it was a fault, but having had a look at Apple’s online help pages it would appear that this is a recognised problem that can occur and it does give you a solution to this which is a combination of button pushing. It might also be worth mentioning that it is widely known that the metal back to the iPod is extremely susceptible to scratching, so you need to take good care of it. All things considered I am glad that I bought the iPod. It’s a great device, it looks cool and it does it’s job. It was expensive at £330 I agree, but you get what you pay for!
Here is a list of specifications as described by Apple: Holds over 2000 songs at near-CD quality on 10GB hard drive Up to 10 hours of continuous playback with lithium polymer battery Super portable at 6.5 ounces and only 0.72 inch thick, 2.4 inches wide and 4.0 inches tall Unique tough wheel for simple, one-handed navigation Plays MP3, WAV and AIFF formats Skip Protection for up to 20 minutes High-resolution backlit LCD display
Requirements: PC with Firewire Port Windows ME, Windows 2000, or Windows XP Home or Professional (Windows model only).
As mentioned earlier, Apple have released a newer version of the iPod which can be viewed at their website (store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore). It’s slightly smaller and the buttons on the front have changed appearance. It’s available in 10Mb, 20Mb or a whopping 40Mb format. Made for use with both Macintosh and Windows Pc’s. A new addition is the ‘iPod Dock’ which is a docking station in which you stand the iPod in for charging. This is included in only the 20MB & 40 MB models. There are also a variety of accessories to purchase separately.
Advantages: Stores thousands of music tracks, Easy to use, looks cool Disadvantages: Expensive
...thing to it’s capacity. Apple claim that the 10GB version can store 2000 near-CD quality songs but it should be able to store more than this if your using lesser quality tracks.
After deciding that I wanted one (and that didn’t take too long!) I set about finding places that sell them. PcWorld did stock them but had sold out and I tried John Lewis which had the 5Gb version available but had sold out of the 10Gb and 20GB versions. So I finally bought ... ...It just appeared that Apple had gone that extra mile to add some class to what could have been dull packaging. The contents the box was as follows:
The iPod
Installation and software disk
User guide and ‘At a glance’ leaflet
Apple warranty information
Black plastic protective holder with belt clip
Firewire cable and adapter plug
Plug adapter for charging
Earphones with spare set of foam ear-piece covers
Remote control (not standard for the ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: great looks, massive storage space, excellent sound quality Disadvantages: heavy to carry, not good when running
This is one of the best mp3 players in town, i have the 40 GB version, you never quite have enough songs to fill it up.
The slim and sleek iPod redefines having music on your fingertips. It’s weight is less than that of two CDs, and it can store up to 10,000 songs.
Software
The best thing about the iPod is its ease of use and simplicity. Its easy to add songs, the software it comes with works with both pc and mac. The two options for the software ... ...than Musicmatch. It allows you to add songs from cd's and it searches the database to add the details of songs. You however do need to be online for this funtion to work. Whether you rip your CD's or buy music from the iTunes Music Store the quality is excellent, however the iTunes music store is not working for UK yet.
Look and feel
It has the most amazing design and functionality and and makes iPod look far ahead of its time. The Touch Wheel ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: small, funky, lightweight - fits snug in back pocket Disadvantages: lenght of time to charge, battery life.
After checking out the apple web site on more than one occasion, I eventually decided to spend some hard earned cash on this kit. The 20GB is more than enough however the £299 price tag wasn't as appealing. I managed to obtain one for £250 although I've since found they can be had cheaper.
It's so much easier than a walkman or cd player as it's slim and light therefore will fit in almost any pocket. The 20GB can store next to 5000 songs so there's ... ...space.
It couldn't be simpler to use, the software comes with the pod and once you start downloading cd's or music it's so straightforward. The manual is easy to use, but the on screen instructions are simple also. You don't need to import each cd or tune straight away. you can wait until your entire collection is on the computer, then with one click you can import the whole lot, which will then just take a few minutes.
As it's basically a hard ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Come on, what bad things can you say about the iPod? It's awesome! Even with the 10GB version, you'll never listen to all the songs at once, because it can hold so many (2,500 to be exact)
The style of the iPod is top marks. The excellent chrome finish on the back, with the translucent white front, along side the easy to use "wheel" and buttons, just looks brilliant! It's nothing like the cheap CD players we're all used to, and the plastic covers ... ...Oh yeah, switch on the backlight at night, and the whole screen glows blue...sweet ;-)
My mates were extremely impressed with it when I showed them, and the added extra of using it as a 10GB hot pluggable hard drive is a massive bonus.
Not only does it play songs, you also have the ability to use it as an address book, a calender, a clock, an alarm, and it also have the classic "breakout" game!
It also has a built in equalizer, to tweak your songs ...
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Advantages: Stores lots of music Disadvantages: Big, long charging time
I wanted this because of its high storage capacity, but I found that I only ever had about 100 songs on it, this is manly because I’ve only got 56k internet so I can’t download much. I had it for about half year now and I’ve found it very easy to use.
When I first received my ipod I was amazed at how much you get with it I was only expecting the ipod and a user guide. I had:
Installation and software disk
User guide
Black plastic protective holder ... ...for charging
Earphones Remote control
Carry pouch
I found the ipod a bit big to carry around every day, also I didn’t like how long it takes to charge 3-4 hours.
Specifications
Display - 2-inch grayscale LCD with LED backlight
Connectivity - FireWire 400 and USB 2.0
Playtime: Up to 12 hours when fully charged
Standby time: 1 month when fully charged
Up to 25 minutes of skip protection
Size and weight (20GB model)
Height: 4.1 inches
Width: ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Light, user friendly, nippy Disadvantages: Price, controls, sound quality
...from most large online electronics retailers, and the vast online Apple store, I managed to get very lucky at John Lewis, but at the moment (Jan 2004) the 10gb models are like gold dust. Good hunting....
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: small, stylish and simple to use Disadvantages: expensive
...I nearly didn't buy my Ipod after all the bad press it received but I'm glad I did.
Although other Mp3 players offered far more GBs for the money, they don't come close in looks or size, the IPOD is minute in comparison to other players.
My 10GB one cost £199 from PC World which isnt bad when you can pay £100 for an MP3 player with a fraction of the memory. Its worth noting that the 20GB ipod would only have cost a extra £50 and comes with several accessories, making it a much better deal. ( accessories bought seperately are very expensive)
As a PC user I encountered no problems with any of the software, however If you own a PC as opposed to a MAC you will not be able to use it when you get home without a firewire port on your computer. The only alternative is to buy the Apple USB cable which doesn't come with the product, nor...
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...and the instructions are very helpful should you need to refer to them.
As well as offering lots of space for music the IPOD will also work at an external/portable hard drive making it very versatile. You’ll also find other tools which include a range of games, alarm clock, memo, calendar which may or may not be of use to the majority of users.
I’d recommend changing the head phones, while they do the job there are much better ones out there but they also advertise the fact that you have an expensive very sort after piece of kit in your pocket and your likely to be targeted by criminals (You have been warned).
Also there are many different add on’s available for the IPOD but where possible look for third parties that make assessories at Apple are very expensive.
In short if you can afford it buy it, in my opinion it’s the best around!...
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Features: Battery level indication, hold button, rechargeable capability, date display, Battery level indication, hold button, rechargeable capability, Battery level indication, hold button
Digital player (recorder)
Supported Digital Audio Standards: WAV, AIFF, MP3, WAV, MP3
ID3 Tags Support: Built-in
Playback Modes: Programme play, random play / shuffle, all tracks repeat, one track repeat
Supported Bit Rate: 32 - 320Kbps, 20 - 320Kbps
Response Bandwidth: 20 - 20000 Hz
Shockproof Memory: 1200 seconds
Shockproof Memory Capacity: 32 MB
External Hard Drive Function: Built-in
Headphones
Headphones Type: Headphones - binaural - ear-bud
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Sound Output Mode: Stereo
Response Bandwidth: 20 - 20000 Hz
Sensitivity: 104 dB
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Remote control
Type: Player remote control - cable
Connections
Connector Type:
1 x headphones ( mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK) ( 6 PIN FireWire )
System requirements
OS Required: Apple MacOS X 10.0.4 , Apple MacOS X 10.x, Apple MacOS 9.2.2 or later, Apple MacOS 9, Apple MacOS X, Apple MacOS X 10.1 / MacOS 9.2
Peripheral / Interface Devices: IEEE 1394 Firewire port
Manufacturer's product description
Apple presents iPod - the first MP3 player to pack a countless number of songs and 10 hours of battery life into a stunning package you can literally take everywhere. It's your entire music collection. With no moving parts, the iPod's touch-sensitive scroll wheel is less vulnerable to dust, dirt or sand and more durable. The touch-sensitive scroll wheel is designed to retain its crisp feel throughout the lifespan of your iPod. There's even a clicker that makes a tiny clicking sound when the scroll wheel is moving. Small though it is, the iPod packs a lot of storage. The number of songs it holds depends on the compression rate you choose. At a 160Kbps compression rate (the default setting for encoding MP3s in iTunes), 5GB equals approximately 1, 000 songs, or about 100 CDs. That's how big it is on the inside. And with that much space, you might also find yourself storing documents, files and applications on your iPod in FireWire disk mode. iPod's rechargeable lithium polymer battery gives you 10 hours of continuous playback. In a hurry to get it recharged? Fast-charge the battery to 80% of capacity in an hour, and get it fully recharged in three hours. With an industry-leading 20 minutes of skip protection, iPod keeps playing without missing a beat. iPod has a 32MB solid-state memory cache, meaning that it has no mechanical or moving parts. Skip protection works by continually preloading up to 20 minutes of music into the cache, so your iPod is not affected by sudden movements. The 10GB and 20GB iPod models include a clip-on wired remote control that lets you fast-forward or rewind a track, play, pause and adjust volume using just one hand. They also include a designer carrying case with belt clip that protects your iPod from the elements and lets you clip it to your belt, backpack or purse.
12.01.2004
