iPod Mini Original 4GB - Largely a great player
 Jun 22nd, 2005
(Jun 23rd, 2005)
Advantages:
Small, lightweight; funky colours; easy to use
Disadvantages:
Battery runs low quite quickly; ear phones leak a lot of sound
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Look & Design
Range of Features
Value for Money
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  pinkprincesskitten
About me:
Heya, I'm fairly new to Ciao but I'd like to say thanks to all the great people who've been helpful ...
Member since:28.01.2005
Reviews:1
Review rated by 14 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
This review received a counterstatement by a party concerned
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I got the first version of the iPod mini (with 4GB of storage) about two months before the newer version of the iPod mini came onto the market (with 6GB storage). Had I have known that a newer version was going to be released I would have waited a little longer to get it because I paid £179 for my iPod mini which was then reduced to £139 when the newer version came available, which itself was selling for £169 (and it was better than the one I had bought)! Other than the cost factor, the iPod mini 4GB seems to have a very poor battery life, despite claiming to last up to 8 hours (for the original version of the iPod mini, the one I own). I would very much doubt if it comes close to that. I travel a 1 hour 15 minute door to door journey almost every day and from being fully charged at the start, by the time the I'm back home again,
the battery has almost drained. This is just from sitting listening to the songs, it's not as if I am using other features of the player. Other people have also experienced this so it isn't just a problem with mine. So if you are looking for a player to play for hours on end, maybe this isn't it. I couldn't see it lasting a full long-haul flight, for example!
One other bad point is the quality of the ear phones. Even when playing music quite low or enough to hear the music in an ordinary outdoor setting, the sound is leaked quite substantially, so much so that it could annoy anybody else that is around! I've used other ear phones with the iPod mini and they do not seem to leak sound quite so bad so it might be worth considering upgrading the earphones if you want to use your iPod mini in public without annoying people. The sound itself if clear and quite good, just I'd like to listen to it louder without other people knowing about it! Aside from these issues I've had with my iPod, once I got the hang of how to use it, it is very simple to use and update songs on the player. It allows you to create playlists easily and the scroll wheel makes navigating through the menus very quick and easy. However, friends of mine found it difficult at first to figure out how to use it and upload songs onto it so maybe the instructions could be clearer. But, saying that they are fairly thorough and once you have downloaded the software needed to manage and tranfer songs onto the iPod, it is easy to figure out what to do without the need for the instructions. The iPod mini comes fully with everything you need to start downloading and transferring songs, and the software is updated automatically if you're connected to the web, ensuring you have the latest version of iTunes. Another handy feature is that iTunes can convert WMA files so you can put those onto your iPod mini too. My iPod mini came with plug-in charger, another advantage because it's included in the price and not an additional accessory.
It doesn't take long to become familiar with how to use the iPod mini itself and it's so small and lightweight you can carry it about without it taking up much space in your bag/pocket. I chose the iPod mini over other MP3 players after looking about for a while because although it was more expensive than others on the market I thought that it was worth the money to buy something by a reputable brand until other brands have become established successfully in the same technology. In the past I have bought things by other lesser known brands and often they are not as good at first (although I'm sure by now there are other strong rivals to Apple). Also, I wanted something that looked stylish and contemporary and with the choice of colours (mine is pink), the iPod mini met that requirement. There are also a huge array of accessories available for the iPod mini meaning that you can improve and get the best out of your MP3 player, although at a cost.
I would recommend either the 4GB or 6GB iPod mini because newer versions have supposedly addressed the battery life issue. The 4GB iPod mini available now has a longer battery life because my version was the first mini, so that part of the review probably wouldn't apply to new players (although I would still doubt that it lasts 18 hours, but maybe that long-haul flight!) Other than that and the larger storage, there isn't much difference between the two minis (as far as I have seen so far) so it depends on how many songs you think you'll end up with. But I can tell you that I've got more than expected when I first bought the 4GB so I'm running out of space! I would hope the iPod minis now have also addressed the sound leakage problem, if so I would say it is definitely worth the investment! I have no regrets with the choice of the iPod mini as a player, I just wish I had waited a little longer to get the best value for money. But I have had no problems with the software or the player itself so I would hope it will last a long time until I am ready for something newer.
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![Apple iPod mini 4GB - Silver [M9160B/A]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/83220299.jpg)
23.07.2005 10:55
great first review! ~Amazoco
24.06.2005 14:00
Hiya, Welcome to Ciao. Tea xx
23.06.2005 21:02
Hi and warm welcome to ciao. Some super info there in your first, well-written review. I hope you enjoy the ciao experience, as I do. Ray