Apple iPod 10 GB

...can easily be updated from Apple online.

It will connect via USB or Firewire, and while USB 2.0 would be an advantage it is backwards compatible with 1.1 devices too. Firewire is my connection of choice and the download speeds are frightening. 6 gigs worth of music slipped onto the player in barely the blink of an eye...well, okay about 4 minutes, but nevertheless it was still impressive.

Just over palm sized and the ...
...tracking one down right now. Available 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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The latest incarnation of the Ipod is upon us, and for me it's still the MP3 Hard Drive player to beat. For those out there that fear the world of Apple, just don't. This is far more user friendly and compatible than you may at first think.

Okay, so it's a major advantage to have a Mac, Itunes and an existing library, but whereas other hard drive MP3 devices favour PCs and PCs only, the Ipod will happily swing both ways with no hitches or twitches. Compatible with different formats too, don't be restricted to MP3s, as it will also read .wav files, .aiff files, and more besides as the firmware can easily be updated from Apple online.

It will connect via USB or Firewire, and while USB 2.0 would be an advantage it is backwards compatible with 1.1 devices too. Firewire is my connection of choice and the download speeds are frightening. 6 gigs worth of music slipped onto the player in barely the blink of an eye...well, okay about 4 minutes, but nevertheless it was still impressive.

Just over palm sized and the depth of a finger, it's more portable than current removable hard drives, and will function as such just as easily as it will play tunes for you. It never feels entirely bulletproof, and I often panic about the slightest knock it takes, but it looks the part if not fully feeling it. It's a little weighty and would make a shirt pocket sag, but hey...do you want the moon on a stick?

So, small, and pretty light, very compatible, very fast and yes, it's depressingly sexy too. Cased in white with a chrome back it has a very minimalist style and one wonders how 4 buttons are going to work a device like this. Luckily, 4 buttons and touch sensitive scroll wheel are all you need to navigate the Ipod and all it has to offer. It's simplicity itself with menus unfolding in fool proof ways to lead you to numerous different ways of selecting your music. By album, artist, song title, genre, length, your own star rating which you can set either on the pod or in Itunes, which comes on CD for installation onto PC or to upgrade your standard mac version.

It will shuffle tracks randomly or you can create or use existing itunes playlists. It's entirely up to you and there are no limits to choosing how you want to hear your 10 gigs worth of music. Then again, you may not need all the 10 gig for music, and then the Ipod will allow you to store any other kind of file on the remaining hard drive space.

The Ipod comes chocked with other extras, how useful they are I don't know, but it can be used as an alarm clock, calendar, filofax, will take voice memos (with microphone adaptor) and you can even play games on it. With a host of adaptors you can turn the ipod into pretty much whatever you please.

As standard it comes with USB connectors, Firewire connectors, battery charger and it's own headphones.

So far so good? Well, not entirely, because I've now got to the bad points. Number one on that list is the aforementioned battery charger. You're going to need that alot. The built in batteries will last a not very colossal 8 hours, and while it will charge to 80% in just 1 hour, somehow 8 hours doesn't seem overly impressive. On a recent long haul flight I found myself having to use the player sparingly for fear of being left musicless.

Pump up the volume or use the backlighting and watch the power just ooze away. It will charge while connected via firewire, but not USB. You can buy a battery adaptor allowing 4 AA batteries to give you a whopping 20 hours.

Gripe number 2 is that after having spent £259 on my ipod, I then don't wish to keep on buying accessories to make it completely useful. At £259 it's not extortionately priced, but, there is a small amount of resentment attached to having to add functionality to it by way of your wallet.

Next up is sound quality. It's absolutely fine. But nothing more. The included headphones are naff and need binning immediately, but a new set are not going to significantly improve the dynamics. Despite endless equalizer variations, there's just not much oomph there, and you're left with it being 'satisfactory'. A shame for £259.

Last up on the hall of shame is the overly sensitive controls. A feather like brush of the scroll wheel and the volume can rocket up, or you can whizz through 15 menus without realising. Thank heavens for the ability to lock the pad off when on the move, or else sheer changes in airflow around the pod could have it changing it's settings.

Easy to use, easy to like, easy on the ear, but it does fall a little short of total bliss. Trouble is, you can't help but fall in love with the Ipod, warts and all. For the ease of use and practicality, I've found myself overlooking the small battery life, and those darned fiddly buttons. It's a grower too, rather than discovering more things you don't like about it, instead you find yourself discovering hidden gems lurking deep within the menus.

The Ipod is obviously doing something right, because should you be tempted by its charms, you're going to have a hell of a job tracking one down right now. Available 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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