Incorporating the fabulous Apple Click Wheel that was first introduced on iPod mini. Offering up to 12 hours of battery life. Weighing in at just 5.6 ounces. And getting slightly... more
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iPod Generation 4 20GB / Generation 4 40GB. Allowing access to ports and controls so that you can use your device in the case. Tip for GPS Users and Music Lovers Our magnetic car kits (magnetic docking mounts) are ideal for use with your PDA/Smartphone and GPS Navigation System (allowing you to quickly mount your PDA GPS system on your car windscreen) and also with your iPod (or other mobile digital audio device with a 3.5mm output) when combined with our innovative Proporta Wireless FM Stereo Transmitter (which allows you to play your music on your car radio).
iPod Generation 4 20GB / Generation 4 40GB. Allowing access to ports and controls so that you can use your device in the case. Tip for GPS Users and Music Lovers Our magnetic car kits (magnetic docking mounts) are ideal for use with your PDA/Smartphone and GPS Navigation System (allowing you to quickly mount your PDA GPS system on your car windscreen) and also with your iPod (or other mobile digital audio device with a 3.5mm output) when combined with our innovative Proporta Wireless FM Stereo Transmitter (which allows you to play your music on your car radio).
beautifully designed and finished to meet the exact specifications of your Apple iPod handheld. Made from a lightweight, aircraft grade aluminium with a tough anodised finish, it also includes a soft, protective neoprene lining to keep your device as snug as a bug in a… you get the idea.Your Apple iPod sits safely inside the lightweight and rigid protective outer cover, held by the secure attachment system on the side and the bottom of the case.You never have to worry about taking your Apple iPod out of the case as ports and controls are always accessible due to the necessary cutouts.
created to fill the aperture between utilitarian need and aesthetic excellence; making it a must-have for the urbane nomadic user. In today's competitive marketplace; the choices you make define your commitment to your occupation. The Gomadic leather case says you care about both your appearance and the devices on which you have come to depend. Hand-made from smooth; premium black leather with a felt lining that feels silken to the touch; Gomadic's leather case will neatly store and transport your mobile device; providing an elegant way to protect your PDA from the potentially-damaging elements. Uniquely designed with a quick release magnetic closure system; you will gain fast; convenient access to your PDA without sacrificing the crisp; classic look that excludes professionalism and success
your device in an attractive; streamlined package. The Windshield Mount promotes reliability along with style and ease. Our New Gomadic Windshield Auto Holder is also the only mount on the market with a lifetime warranty and keeps you in touch on even the longest road trip. Here are just some of the highlights of this holder:
device in an attractive; streamlined package. The Vent Mount promotes reliability along with style and ease. Our New Gomadic Auto Vent Holder is also the only mount on the market with a lifetime warranty and keeps you in touch on even the longest road trip. Here are just some of the highlights of this holder.
A review by mac101 on Apple iPod 20 GB February 17th, 2005
Author's product rating:
Sound Quality
Excellent
Ease of Use
Very Easy
Look & Design
Excellent
Range of Features
Diverse
Value for Money
Good
Advantages:
20Gb Hard Drive, Excellent sound potential
Disadvantages:
Terrible earbuds, infrequent freezing of pod
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
The Apple Ipod 20GB Model Code: M9282LL/A
A symbol of youth, wealth, fashion and of course, music - the Apple I-Pod, everyone, let's give it a round of applause!
The Clickwheel
So, with the arrival of the Generation 4 I-Pod late in 2004, the I-Pod is now sleeker, and the designers have omitted the seperate buttons and have now integrated them into one of the most fantastic control units available on any domestic-use music appliances - The CLICKWHEEL, which also features on the I-pod mini.
Apple calls the clickwheel the "envy of the industry" - and it's clear to see why. There surely cannot be a better way to navigate - no, wait, navigate is too weak a word - COMMAND (that's better) your music collection. Simple rotate your finger around the wheel, and the menu selection bar moves in unison, BUT, rather than click a seperate button, you simply add a little pressure to the wheel when you find what you want and music fills your ears.
Apple, design, and the mp3 player market
The backlight on the unit is a cool blue, perhaps the only colour backlight suitable for the design of the unit. This proves, once again, that Apple is streets ahead when it comes to the design of a mass-produced piece of kit. This conforms to Apple's recent history with the release of its I-Mac, G4 and G5 models of computer. However, although there has been much debate over the PC and Mac rivalry*, there is surely no real rival to the Apple I-pod.
In fact, it seems that most mp3 player manufacturers have given up. Apple, having beaten them to the post, are very much in control of the mp3 market. Any new mp3 player that comes out that has a new feature is marketed as "Rivalling the I-Pod", but it never does, and it has happend a few times now. Examples (from a brief Google search of Ipod rival and variations of Ipod, including I-pod, I pod, ipod etc...) include:
Sony unveils 20GB iPod rival Monday 10 May 2004 - Digit Online
Microsoft launches iPod rival. Summer release likely for personal media player vnunet.com 18 Mar 2004
BenQ Readies IPod Rival addict3d.org 9 October 2004
Apple well and truly has a hold on the mp3 market. Which for I-Pod users is great news, as it means an abundance of accessories, documentation, support (through Apple or communities on the web).
I-Pod and its merits
Having seen and used other MP3 players, even for a short time, none have given such aspects of:
- Instant usability - It almost feels like man was made to use the I-pod, rather than the I-pod being made to be used by man. Now with the introduction of the Clickwheel, the evolutionary convergence seems even closer! Although many mp3 players have similar menu structures in terms of navigability, it is the Clickwheel that makes this device, as it drastically improves the ability to manage vast amounts of music.
- Broad Spectrum compatibility - Whether Mac or PC; USB 2.0 or Firewire; Windows, Mac OS or Linux (assuming you are generally Linux competent, although Apple does not recommend the use of Linux with I-pod), the I-Pod is almost guaranteed to work. Not many computer peripherals are backwards compatible to 4 or 5 years (USB 2.0 first arrives) , but the I-Pod is among them, carrying a very low level minimum specification for use.
- Fantastic design - All other MP3 players look like a personal audio device. I-Pod, although we may have been slightly desensitised by it now, doesn't quite look like something from the not too distant future, it looks more like something that writers 100 years ago might have envisaged we would have by now. It truly is a futuristic, out of the box design.
I-Pod and Sound
Which now brings us on to sound quality. The I-Pod Generation 4 (G4) 20G supports the following audio formats:
AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF, Audible
If none of those mean anything to you, don't worry, I-Pod is shipped with software to do most of the work for you. Documentation is readily available online. I exclusively use my I-Pod for standard mp3s, converted from CD format to MP3s using the I-Tunes software. You can also use EphPod, which is a freeware utility available on the internet for PC Windows and Linux users of the pod who can not or do not wish to use I-Tunes.
I-Pod does its job very well, the sound quality is excellent when used with a decent pair of headphones or earbuds. Unfortuneately the earbuds supplied with the I-pod are not what you'd expect to come with a £200 piece of kit. They can push bass, but rattle internally when they do so, and they sound tinny when a wide range of bass and treble is used at once, for example with rock music. The perfect earphones I've used with the I-pod are Sennheiser MX500. They deliver rich bass and clear melody more deserving of a decent pair of open headphones than for inexpensive earbuds, if you buy an I-Pod, buy those 'phones (£14.99, Argos Extra, 12-02-05).
The I-Pod also has a total of 23 Equaliser settings (including off or 'flat'). Each of these is designed to complement a particular type of music. I find both Jazz and Rock excellent for my taste in music (metal and heavy rock) when listening on headphones, but switch to Bass booster when i plug it in to my hifi, then i use the EQ on the hifi to acheive a full range of decent tone when connected to an extenal amplifier.
All in all, the sound quality is superb when compression rates of 128Kbs are used (don't worry technophobes, that's the default setting for I-tunes so don't think you have to become a sound engineer to use one of these). At higher rates, the sound quality does improve, but only marginally. Since I don't yet have enough music to fill my I-pod, all my CDs are encoded to mp3s at 192Kbs, as I might as well use the space to make the tracks slightly more dynamic sounding than leave the it empty.
I-Pod and its Flaws
Other than the previously mentioned earbuds, there are only two other gripes I have with the I-Pod. The least serious is the tendency for the I-Pod to get scratched, which can be countered by rubbing the pod in a specialist non-scratch solution, much like the stuff opticians try to sell you when you buy your glasses.
The more serious problem is the tendency for the I-Pod to freeze during use. Admittedly, my new Pod does it considerably less than my old one, having only done it once. The only way around it is a hard reset, which does NOT wipe the music but restores the backlight settings. The irritating thing is that it has to be connected to an external power supply for you to reset it - meaning that portability is annoyingly cut-short when the pod does freeze.
I found that keeping the Pod in my jacket pocket, rather than my trouser pocket helps with this matter, indicating it may be a vibration issue, which may by sorted by a firmware update in the future that will help the anti-shock system, or make a reset possible without an external power supply.
CONCLUSION
The I-pod is probably going to be considered one of the monumentous acheivements in audio technology for many years to come. Here's why, according to Apple:
Before the I-pod came along, the comparative weights of that much music would have been impossible to carry around with you. Based on half the spec of the 40Gb model, the comparative weights for the 20G I-Pod, which can hold 5000 tracks are:
So, it's clear why the I-pod is such a winner. And once, again, the addition of the Clickwheel has much improved the design of what is the best mp3 player in the world, and the only one i'd ever buy. All flaws can be easily overlooked, which, for any product that costs as much as an I-pod, is a hell of an acheivement. Buy one, it WILL change your life more than £200 worth of anything could ever hope to.
Finally, The I-Pod in numbers
The Specification (as defined by Apple) for the Ipod G4 M9282LL/A are as follows:
-------------------------------------------------------------- -Storage(1): 20GB -Battery life (2): 12 hours
Audio -Up to 25 minutes of skip protection -Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz -Audio formats supported: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, Apple Lossless and WAV Upgradable firmware enables support for future audio formats
Headphones -Earbud-style headphones with 18-mm drivers using Neodymium transducer magnets -Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz -Impedance: 32 ohms
Mac system requirements -Macintosh computer with FireWire port -Mac OS X v10.1.5 or later (Mac OS X 10.3 or later recommended) -USB 2.0 requires Mac OS X v10.3.4
Windows system requirements -PC with FireWire or USB 2.0 port, or FireWire or USB 2.0 card -Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or Windows XP Home or Professional
I-Pod Ports: Dock connector, remote connector, stereo minijack
Charge time: About 4 hours (2-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)
Included accessories: Earbud headphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, USB 2.0 cable
Size and weight (20GB model) Height: 4.1 inches Width: 2.4 inches Depth: 0.57 inches Weight: 5.6 oz (158 g)
--------------------------------------------------------------- (1) 1GB = 1 billion bytes (metric); actual formatted capacity less. A true (binary) gigabyte is 1,073,741,824 bytes, not 1 billion, therefore although the I-Pod is 20GB metric, it will read as 18.5GB in I-Pod utilities.
(2) Rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced. Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings
For full specifications visit the Apple website.
_________________________________ INCIDENTALLY, IF YOUR 20GB I-POD DOES FREEZE, THE CORRECT PROCEDURE IS TO:
-PLUG YOUR I-POD INTO THE MAINS POWER SUPPLY -TURN THE HOLD SWITCH ON, THEN OFF -PRESS AND HOLD THE MENU AND SELECT KEYS UNTIL APPLE LOGO APPEARS -RESET YOUR BACKLIGHT SETTINGS, EQ (sometimes), AND CLICKER SETTINGS
*(to which, incidentally, I side with the PC, since you can have power, performance, style, value, etc... if you custom build, but as no Mac loving evangelistical comments please)
Advantages: iTunes, Infinite Accessories, Amazing Battery Life Disadvantages: Might break the bank, Not the tiniest mp3 around , Lost initial appeal
A rotten apple? Highly improbable. Apple has reported sales of more than 2 million iPods in the last quarter – a 500% increase over the comparable period of 2003! So what is all the frenzy about? I myself am quite the Apple enthusiast and will forever blame my parents for not naming me iTom, iDick (maybe not) or iHarry. I battered through cold and death for fourteen hours to be one of the blessed couple to enter the grand opening of the London Apple ... ...socks you can buy from Apple to make sure that your iPod is safe and warm when you go to sleep or carry it around with you. There are so many different accessories you could actually affiliate with your iPod that I am just going make life easier for me and you by listing it.
• iTrip – To summarise, a device used to create your own radio station. This ingenious little devil is plugged into the earphone socket and transmits a radio wave which actually ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
"GREAT LITTLE JEWEL": that's how I would define my i-pod…just a present to myself. Well, it is easy to understand the reason why I chose to buy it: smart, 20 Gb memory (so that I can listen up to 5.000 songs, 3 days long non-stop music, without ever listening to the same song twice), no need of any other support, such as cassettes or cds. That simply means more space in your handbag! Just me, my i-pod and I…well, a battery charger, too! ;P That's ... ...i-pod instead of a MP3 player?
Well, apart from the more virtual space available, it could be considered as a kind of little external hard disk. In fact, you can even record vocal memos, organize your music folders exactly as you would do with your PC or laptop, play some games, listen to audio books, downloadable on the web.
While a song is playing, you have the opportunity to read its infos, such as the song title, the album it belongs to, the ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
The iPod ooozes quality from the box which says enjoy on it to the sleek white iPod itself, The iPod is the best MP3 player out there looks good, sounds good and everybody wants to have it. Can you resist the iPod ? Of course not !!
What you get in the box: You get an iPod, a plug, a charging block, a USB 2.0 lead, a Firewire lead, white earbuds, two cloth earbud covers, iTunes CD and documentation on how to use your iPod. With the 40GB model you ... ...plastic which the iPod sits in when charging. There is one catch you need a PC running Windows XP or 2000 to use the iPod.
Installing my iPod: plugging my iPod into the Firewire ( you can also use USB 2.0 ) port on my PC it automatically began to charge. I placed the iTunes CD in the drive and it began to load. Soon after it asked me for an serial number. I rummaged through the box not there. I looked on the iPod as it said but couldn't see anything. ...
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Advantages: Over 18,000 songs can be stored on this little box of tricks, which saves lugging about 1000's of CD's and a discman! It is beautifully presented and the blue backlight oozes class. Disadvantages: The back of the Ipod has a chrome effect which can suffer to scratching on certain surfaces.
...on the packaging of the Apple Ipod, you just feel a sense admiration for the machine which was devised by the computer geniuses of a very reputable company.
The 20GB version comes in a black cube with very simple but effective branding. The apple logo is about the only thing you see on the outer packaging. However when you open the cube from the middle, the excitment mounts even more. There, neatly put into sections is 1 apple Ipod, a set of headphones, ... ...when its charging!), a USB cable, instructions, a CD-Rom which contains the Itunes software, and a spare set of headphone covers.
Firstly, to get started, you need to load the Itunes software onto your computer, which is a very simple precedure, and everything is explained in step by step instructions once you have inserted the Cd Rom into your computer. Once that is over with, its time to start putting your CD's onto your hard drive! Simply stick ...
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Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
very helpful
29.03.2005
What a buy! Review ofApple iPod 20 GBby
rottingseagull
Advantages: Can carry thousands of songs around in one very light package- don't have to fumble about with CD's AND a cd player Disadvantages: Quite short battery life (8 ish hours) and as it is white and silver is easily scratched
I bought an Apple i-pod in October and it was the greatest gadget I've ever invested in. I got the 20GB one and seriously, i would recommend that you may as well get this one if you're thinking of getting a mini. For 20-40 quid more it isn't that much larger, and you can easily fit it into your back pocket while strolling around ANYWHERE (if you live in a nice enough area, it could get nicked that way!). It fits 5000 songs, 4000 more than the mini, ... ...10 pounds as I know apple are selling fabric (type) ones for 30 which i think is a bit steep. I also bought a tape adapter that plugs into the earphone plug of the i-pod and the tape part goes in your car so you can listen to the songs out of the speakers in your car -great (and shuffle songs comes in especially useful when driving too)! ...
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Features: Battery level indication, hold button, rechargeable capability, playback speed control, phone book, calendar, upgradeable firmware, built-in games, notes
Built-in display
Built-in Display: LCD - monochrome
Display Illumination: Yes
Display Illumination Colour: White
Resolution: 160 x 128
Diagonal Size: 2"
Display Menu Language: Danish, Chinese (traditional), Chinese (simplified), English, German, French, Italian, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Spanish, Dutch, Japanese, Korean
Features: Adjustable contrast
Equaliser
Equaliser Factory Preset Qty: 20
Digital player (recorder)
Supported Digital Audio Standards: WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3, Apple Lossless
ID3 Tags Support: Yes
Playback Modes: Playlist, random play / shuffle, all tracks repeat, one track repeat
Supported Bit Rate: 32 - 320Kbps
Response Bandwidth: 20 - 20000 Hz
Shockproof Memory: 1500 seconds
External Hard Drive Function: Yes
Features: Variable bit-rate compatible
Headphones
Headphones Type: Headphones - binaural - ear-bud
Connectivity Technology: Wired
Sound Output Mode: Stereo
Response Bandwidth: 20 - 20000 Hz
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Connections
Connector Type:
1 x headphones / remote control ( mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
1 x docking station
Manufacturer's product description
Incorporating the fabulous Apple Click Wheel that was first introduced on iPod mini. Offering up to 12 hours of battery life. Weighing in at just 5.6 ounces. And getting slightly thinner with each new generation. iPod continues to define the perfect digital music player for Mac and Windows. A musical dream come true, the fourth-generation 20 GB iPod offers huge capacity, letting you easily slip up to 5,000 songs into your pocket. And enjoy it wherever you go. In the car. On the treadmill. At the office. Around the house. iPod now incorporates the same touch-sensitive Apple Click Wheel that debuted on iPod mini. Without lifting that trusty thumb of yours from the wheel, you can easily select playlists, scroll through thousands of songs, and start the music playing. Want that song to play from the beginning again? A single click will do the trick. You can put the Apple Click Wheel to use the next time you want to set your music to shuffle. Right there on the main menu - where it's very easy to find - you'll find a new option - Shuffle Songs. Everyone's favorite option for mixing things up, Shuffle Songs randomly plays the songs in your music library. You'll never guess what's coming up next, so you're always surprised by startling juxtapositions - like a melodic Coldplay song hot on the heels of a Caballe aria. And you can shuffle your way through a lot of songs now that iPod lets you play your music for up to 12 hours on a single battery charge. Imagine: you could fly from New York to Paris and still have hours of listening time left over as you stroll the Champs Elysees. While you're on the move, iPod keeps you aware of its charge level, and when it's time, iPod's quick to recharge. Plug it into your computer or a handy wall socket (via the included power adapter), and you can fast-charge iPod in as little as 2 hours.
Miscellaneous
Cables Included:
IEEE 1394 cable
USB cable
Software: Apple iTunes for Mac, Apple iTunes for Windows
Power
Power Device: Power adapter - external
Voltage Required: AC 120/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )
Battery
Battery: Player - rechargeable - Lithium Ion
Battery Enclosure Type: Integrated
Run Time (Up To): 12 hour(s)
Recharge Time: 4 hour(s)
System requirements
OS Required: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Apple MacOS X 10.1.5 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4
Peripheral / Interface Devices: USB port, IEEE 1394 Firewire port
Manufacturer warranty
Service & Support: 1 year warranty
Service & Support Details: Limited warranty - 1 year
Once I bought the iPhone I was dying for another bite of the Apple. I have a huge and ever expanding collection of music and therefore need a large MP3 player to hold it all on. The iPhone is great, but with a 16GB hard drive it just isn't quite large... more
![Apple iPod 20GB [MA079B/A]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65190823.jpg)
