iPod includes a 10, 15, 20, 30 or 40GB hard drive, a dock connector, an 8-hour rechargeable battery, headphone jack, 2-inch backlit LCD and a touch-sensitive wheel and backlit touch-sensitive buttons. Also standard are a dock connector-to-FireWire cable, earbud-style headphones, 6-pin-to-4-pin FireWire adapter, AC Adapter, and CD with iTunes for Mac OS X and iTunes for Windows. iPod supports any Mac with built-in FireWire and Mac OS X 10.1.5 or later, or any PC with built-in FireWire or USB 2.0 or a Windows-certified FireWire or USB 2.0 card and Windows XP Home or Professional or 2000.
1 A Lifesaver... For my EARS!
My job reassigned me to overnights and all I had to hear while I worked was horrible Musak! I thought, disc-mans are way too bulky and my musical tastes span many variaties. So I thought of MP3 players. I found the 15GB iPod and thought, "Holy crap! This thing has 3 quarters the capacity of my PC's hard drive!" So, I shelled out out the $235. I have about 300 songs on it now and that's only 1.41 out of 15 GB of space used at 19.1 hours! (One song being the 26 minute live "Dazed and Confused" from Led Zeppelin's "Song Remains the Same" soundtrack.) People bitch and moan about not enough space? I don't think I could ever come close to filling it unless I wanted every CD I own to be on it.
I just shuffle the songs while I work and I get all my favorite one hit 80's wonders to No Doubt to Van Halen (with Diamond Dave) to soundclips from Pulp Fiction to the opening theme from Chico and the Man! Now that's my OWN private Musak with style!
My only problem with it would be with the software. They have to develope a way to link certain pairs of songs so they play in sequence even when you have it set on shuffle. Ex: I hate hearing Led Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker" without "Living Loving Maid" coming right after it. The same holds true with "The Song Remains the Same" and "Rain Song" or the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "A Little Help from My Friends" or No Doubt's "Sixteen" and "Sunday Morning." The biggest pet pieve is Van Halen's "Sunday Afternoon in the Park" not running into "One Foot Out the Door..." It's an abrupt end to the 1st song and a tear-off start for the 2nd.
The iPod only crashed on me once in the 8 months that I've owned it. I simply let the battery die (which reset it)and then recharged it and hadn't had a problem since. Great for your car too if you don't want to install a CD changer and play around with burning custom CD mixes of your favorite tunes. You will need an FM Transmitter to do this though. I recommend the Kensington, because there's rarely any static and it recharges while you drive (hell, I haven't used my original recharger since owning it, but I gues this is another review LOL).
If you have an issue with the compressed mp3's not being as good sound-wise to uncompressed wav files? It holds wav files too. BUY a case for it! So you don't scratch the crome backing. If you own a PC you'll need a USB adapter.
Happy Listening!
2 One Bad Apple
I've had this item for 6 mos and it crashed 2x. Now, it can't find the hard drive. I have to send it back. It's been very disappointing. Apple does have a 1 yr. warranty - so, I'll see what that process looks like next. Also, it's lame that Apple sends the Firewire port and then, consumers have to go out and purchase the USB.
3 Better than new one
if you are at all smart.. then you will buy one of these. The new ipods are only different in one main way, there is a click wheel instead of a touch weel. When it comes to spending 300 dollars and 200 dollars, ill buy the one with the touch wheel anyday. Its a great gadget!
4 Apple 15 GB 3rd Generation iPod
This iPod isn't as good as the fourth generation. The first and second generations were really bad because they were really thick and couldn't hold too many songs. But without those generation iPods we wouldn't have the new ones we see today. The 3rd Generation in my opinion is the worst normal iPod in the 4 generation package. The battery life is only 8 hours long which is even less than the 1st and 2nd generation's 10 hour battery life. This 15 GB can't even hold that much songs either. The top four buttons on the iPod are really stupid and now the four are integrated onto the click-wheel on the new iPod. Here are the specs of this generation iPod verses the 4th Generation iPod
APPLE iPOD 3RD GENERATION:
General
Product type Hard drive
PC interface(s) supported FireWire, Hi-Speed USB
Total output power 60 mW
Flash memory installed 15 GB
Digital storage Built-in 15 GB Hard disk drive
Weight 5.6 oz
Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.4 in x 0.6 in x 4.1 in
Body material Metal, Plastic
Color White
Included accessories Docking station
Software type Apple iTunes, MusicMatch Jukebox Plus
Carrying Case
Case type Case
Material Nylon
Strap Belt clip
Digital Player / Recorder
Digital formats supported AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible
Digital player (recorder) playback modes Random play, Program play, One track repeat, All tracks repeat
Digital player (recorder) response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Supported bit rates 16 - 320Kbps
Shockproof memory 1500 seconds
ID3 tags support Yes
External hard drive function Yes
Additional features Variable bit-rate compatible
Built-in Display
Built-in display LCD
Diagonal size 2"
Resolution 160 x 128
Display illumination color White
Display menu language Dutch, Danish, French, German, Korean, English, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional)
Features Adjustable contrast
Audio Features
Sound output mode Stereo
Timer Wake, Sleep
Built-in clock Timer, Digital clock
Additional features Hold button, Upgradeable firmware, Rechargeable capability, Battery level indication
CD System
CD system type None
Digital audio standards supported MP3, WAV, AAC
Equalizer
Factory preset qty 20
Radio
Tuner type None
Remote Control
Remote control Player remote control - Cable
Headphones
Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
Sound output mode Stereo
Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Sensitivity 104 dB
Impedance 32 Ohm
Connectivity technology Wired
Connectivity
Cable(s) included 1 x IEEE 1394 cable - External, 1 x IEEE 1394 adapter - External
Connector type 1 x Headphones Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Docking station, 1 x Remote control
Battery / Power
Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Mfr estimated battery life 8 hour(s)
Battery capacity 630 mAh
Recharge time 3 hour(s)
Power device type Power adapter
System Requirements
Interface devices IEEE 1394 FireWire port
OS required Microsoft Windows 2000, Apple MacOS X 10.1.5 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Warranty
Service & support type 1 year warranty
APPLE iPOD 4TH GENERATION:
General
Product type Digital player
PC interface(s) supported FireWire, Hi-Speed USB
Flash memory installed No built-in memory
Digital storage Built-in 20 GB Hard disk drive
Weight 5.6 oz
Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.4 in x .57 in x 4.1 in
Color White
Available body colors Silver
Included accessories Earbud headphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, USB 2.0 cable
Carrying Case
Case type Optional
Digital Player / Recorder
Digital formats supported AAC, AIFF, MP3, WAV
Digital player (recorder) playback modes Random play, One track repeat, All tracks repeat
Edit functions Erase
Digital player (recorder) response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Supported bit rates 32 - 320Kbps
Shockproof memory 1500 seconds
ID3 tags support Yes
External hard drive function Yes
Additional features Variable bit-rate compatible
Built-in Display
Built-in display LCD
Diagonal size 2"
Resolution 160 x 128
Backlight display Yes
Display illumination color White
Display menu language Dutch, Danish, French, German, Korean, English, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese, Norwegian, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional)
Features Adjustable contrast
Audio Features
Sound output mode Stereo
Timer Wake, Sleep
Built-in clock Timer, Digital clock
Additional features Calendar, Phone book, Hold button, Upgradeable firmware, Playback speed control, Rechargeable capability, Battery level indication
CD System
CD system type None
Playback modes Skip playback, Random play, Repeat one/all
Digital audio standards supported MP3, AAC, MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, WAV
Equalizer
Factory preset qty 20
Radio
Tuner type None
Remote Control
Remote control None
Microphone
Microphone type None
Headphones
Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
Sound output mode Stereo
Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Impedance 32 Ohm
Connectivity technology Wired
Connectivity
Cable(s) included 1 x, IEEE 1394 cable - External, USB cable - External
Connector type 1 x Headphones / remote control Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 1 x Docking station
Battery / Power
Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryBuilt-in
Mfr estimated battery life 12 hour(s)
Recharge time 4 hour(s)
Power device type Power adapter
System Requirements
Interface devices USB port, IEEE 1394 FireWire port
OS required Apple MacOS X 10.1.5 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Warranty
Service & support type 1 year warranty
Information: CNET.com
5 Works with old PC's just fine
I own three iPods, including this 3rd generation model. I specifically use it on a trashy PC... that is I got the machine out of someone's trash. It's an old machine (circa 1999) running 600 mhz with Win XP Professional. My iPod was recognized right away, without the need to load any drivers. Best of all is that if you set up your iPod on a PC, then you can plug it into either a Mac or Windows machine and access all of your files. Awesome!
Having owned 3 generations of iPods, I'd say this one is the best designed model. It's lighter than the classic iPod, and its "touch wheel" navigates through the menu with much more control than the "click wheel" currently used in the current, 4th generation iPods and iPod Minis. I often use the wheel to assign ratings to my MP3's, so it can tell iTunes which are my favorites. The click wheel is far too sensitive, and it can take many tries to assign a song a rating of one star. Conversely, these touch wheel iPods are very precise, making for a very pleasurable experience.
6 wow wat a load of crap
attention if u own a even remotely semi old pc never get the i-pod, ive bin through 2 weeks of non-stop computer work to get this i-pod running and my comp is only a year old! i got it running for a day, it was the day after x-mas, then the next day i plug it into my computer and it just doesnt read. so i bought a USB 2.0 card wich in no way helped then i tried all the following instructions that MAC instructed me to and i got nothing. worst 2 weeks of my life, got so frustrated i serously wanted to have someone pitch it to me and me hit it with a bat then take a axe and chop up the rest. never ever ever ever ever buy this product with a pc at home. you have bin warned, dont waste ur money
7 Just Great! Can't be without it!
Just got it as a gift and already cant be without it!
I take it too the gym, the office or out running.
I am a fanatic for hi-tech stuff but this is really great for anyone.
8 Very happy with my ipod
I use my ipod very regularly. It's usually my companion in any car ride thats longer than 10 minutes, at work, at home with my speakers and during workouts. I have a bunch of songs on it, but am not even close to filling up the 15GB hard disk that mine has. Using the iPod with iTunes is simple, smooth and problem free. Very happy with my user experience. I have had the iPod crash a couple of times on me, but it's very easy to reboot. And it usually happens on the same song, so it might just be something corrupt in the mp3 file.
If I was to suggest improvements it would be as follows :
- make it a little smaller. Its not quite a pant pocket sized item yet. Alternatively you can go for the iPod Mini which is pant pocket sized, but you are giving up a bunch of storage space.
- make the battery last longer. The battery is rated at 8 hours or so. I usually get 6 or a little more. This is fine most of the time, but it would nicer to be around 12 atleast. I think the newer G4 models do get 12 hours. Also one can get replacement batteries for the iPod that have a longer life.
I would highly recommend the iPod.
9 iPod is the One to Own!
I purchased this item about 2 months ago to use w/ Windows XP. I have to say, I am extremely happy w/ the iPod. Along w/ its Sleek Appearance, and its ease of use, the iPod is THE one to own! I did a lot of shopping before deciding on the iPod, and even though there are some minuses, I am more than glad I went w/ the iPod. Yes, sometimes you will have to reset your iPod, but no damage is done, and you don't lose music. It consists of holding two buttons down simultaneously for 5 seconds. No Big Deal. When purchasing the iPod, I suggest you get the additional accessories such as the carrying case, dock connector etc. Yes, more money on top of an already expensive item, but If you are going top of the line (as you are w/ the iPod) you might as well have all the bells and whistles!
The only downfall that I have encountered is that if you do not have the iPod plugged in while loading music, the power drains pretty quickly. However, w/ the AC adaptor, that problem is solved easily enough. The iPod is very simple to use. Whether w/ MMJB or iTunes. I have been using MMJB - yes, I am sure it would be a little smoother w/ iTunes now that Apple no longer supports MMJB - However, I like the tagging / super tagging available on MMJB. It seems to be a little better. (imo) As for those people who talk about how fragile it is - I would not only expect, but also assume anything to break if it is dropped. As for sound - UNBELIEVEABLE! All in All, The Bottom Line - It Looks Great, It Sounds Great ... It doesn't get any better....Unless you go w/ a higher 20GB or 40GB. You will be impressed!
10 Great Product, Best purchase ever
This iPod was the bet item I have ever purchased.
It was a little expensive, and scratches easily, but its still great.
I use it every day, and I never get tired of it.
The music capacity at 15gb is amazing. I have over 3,000 songs all at 192kbps+ and I still have more room.
The contrast of the screen is amazing, and so is the overall design.
The user interface with windows via USB and Firewwire is very fast, and very smooth.
Overall I have never had any probelms, and would instantly buy it again.
11 Beware! Apple Warranty Service is nonexistent.
Bought IPOD 15GB for my daughter. After 2 months the LCD cracked without any accidental injury to the unit. Apple refuses to provide service under warranty claiming the damage could not possibly be due to defect. They will repair it for $250 which coincidentally is the price of a new unit. Based on this "superior" customer support, I would advise against buying any Apple product.
12 No USB cable - Why?
I brought an Ipod for a friend's birthday and to my horror, when they opened the box and tried to use it, it had no USB cable. That is the dumbest thing I have ever seen. It says its compatible with PCs and it doesn't come with a USB cable? What percentage of PCs have firewire cables, 1%? I think this is a real sleazy way of trying to save a buck for a company I use to respect. At least when you buy a toy for a kid, it tells you Batteries not included, so you can buy batteries ahead of time to avoid the disappointment of not being able to play with it right away.
13 Don't buy one!
The ipod is great until something goes wrong. I used to own one 20gigs and then the hd went bad. $250 went to the garbage. The worse part is I hardly used it. I used it about 4 times. So, dont't buy one.
14 Great Deal!!!
Ordered on the 10th, and got it on the 15th. IT DOESN'T COME WITH A USB CABLE....
15 The ipod
I was very pleased with my ipod for five months, until the screen developed a rip in it, with the rip in the screen you can not see where you want to go. I sent it in for the repair. They said that only happens with a blow to the ipod. I baby my player. So they basically called me a liar and refused to fix my ipod. So if you get one, I think you will enjoy the quality until something goes wrong with it. Good luck getting it fixed!
16 First Apple Product
I've never owned an Apple product. After purchasing the 15G iPod, I am truly amazed with the quality and attention to detail. For the price, I would have been very disappointed with a poorly made product. I have absolutely no regrets. I expect to enjoy the iPod for a long, long time. The unit works perfectly, the iTunes software is very quick and easy, and some Apple accessories I purchased are of the same quality.
17 An Extraordinary MP3 Player
When i first heard about the Ipod a year back I was not so sure about it. Mostly because it was made by Apple, and I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Apple. However after some friends showed me it in person and I did some research, I decided to give it a try.
I love my Ipod, it can hold all the music I could ever need and has very nice features along with it. I especially love the Ipod's touch wheel, its not too sensitive or anything. I like how its in the shape of a circle because that makes it even easier, after you've put your finger down when browsing you dont have to lift it back up [ideal for the lazy people like me :)]. No problems for me with the features.
Don't even get me started with the size. It is so small and fits just about anywhere. It is the lightest MP3 player around in its Capacity Class. It holds so much, but it weighs so little. Also, its sound puts out quite a punch for such a small MP3 player. The sound quality is great, although the sound quality mostly depends on what your using to listen with. It's portability is simply amazing and it works great for the size.
I know many people say bad things about the Ipod but that is because they either bought one back in the 1G times or they have a different player and are jealous. There is nothing bad you could possibly say about the Ipod, it is too perfectly and beautifully made. Purely a work of art and genius!
~Andy
18 Nearly Perfect
I love it. My only problem with the iPod is how delicate the touch on the buttons to skip tracks, etc. I have inadvertantly skipped and paused numerous times-- it's good to get used to switching to the locked mode. Other than that, the iPod is that rare piece of technology that is almost perfect in every way. Worth every penny.
19 Amazing... BUT
I bought an I Pod a few months ago and I have to say it is amazing!!! I wasn't sure whether I should buy it or not but I took a chance and I'm VERY glad I bought it. I do have one problem though. Last week, my family computer broke down and we lost everything including the Library to my I Pod. This would not have been a problem except that all of my song files were lost too. So I needed to redownload everything I needed and then put it all back on my I Pod. This took me a very long time. There should definitely be a way to transfer your songs on your I Pod to your Library. If there is, someone please write it down on your review and tell me how to do it. But overall, you should definitely get this.
20 The answer to my prayers
I got my iPod second-hand for a great price and still under guarantee!
I'm a 19 year old music fanatic. I listen to it all day and I've always been searching for the ultimate in portable audio. Now, with the Apple iPod, I have found it.
I went through 2 Sony Walkmans before stepping over to an MP3 player. It was 32MB device I got for my 17th birthday and I really digged it. I could upload a half-hour of my favorite tracks every day and that was cool because no one else had anything like it. However I soon got fed-up of having to upload new songs all the time and the half hour it could hold just wasn't enough for my lengty train rides to and from college.
So when I was 18 I got myself a Sony NetMD, the MP3 MiniDisc player. It seemed ideal because it was pocket sized, shock-proof and could hold quite a few MP3s per disc. However after a while I just couldn't keep up with charging batteries and making new MDs. Then along came the iPod.
I have over 1600 downloaded MP3 files. After I got the iPod I bought a FireWire PCI card for my PC and I was able to download them to my iPod in about 15 minutes. Compared to USB this is a blessing. I now have over 1600 tracks at my disposal and as the iPod updates itsself upon connection (and the compulsory activation of iTunes) it automatically downloads all the latest MP3s I downloaded off the net. This is so great because I've always hated not being able to carry my entire music collection with me.
Now that isn't all. I've also downloaded some 3rd party software and I can now have my iPod download RSS news feeds, local weather reports and even my horoscope, every day! The battery lasts for 8 hours wich actually is just right for me. The only thing I worry about it the battery replacement which I will one day have to face! But untill then I'm sure I'll get more than enough pleasure from it. I can't really say much more about it, I'm too excited about it!
If you have a lot of MP3s and want a slick, user-friendly and very handy portable audio system, look no further !!
21 A Review by a Septegenarian
I bought this IPod as a 70th birthday present for myself and I am enjoying every minute of it.
It is very easy to set up and I particularly enjoy the ability to make Smart Playlists sorted by artist, genre or several other categories I have not tried as yet.
I walk for 30 minutes twice a day and have transferred all my walking music from CDs to the IPod. {One caveat is to not have "shuffle" on when using walking music because most walking music CDs start slow and build up speed. "Shuffle" entirely destroyed this! The problem was solved by making a separate playlist for slow and fast walking. Then "shuffle " was an asset.}
Recently I have been downloading music from the Apple site I-Tunes. Again, the supplied software makes this very easy and I very much appreciate the ability to download one or two pieces of music from a particular artist or a whole CD.
This is one of the best birthday presents I have ever had.
22 i love it.
Here is why the iPod is so great:
1 - It stores 100s of CDs (depending on model, but even the smallest one is enough)
2 - It _just works_. This is something that no other player does. my wife figured it out in 5 minutes, with no manual and without asking any questions. It's an amazing breaktrough in usability.
I have had an iPod since November 2001, when they first came out. I used it almost every single day, and it is, in fact, my stereo. I have had the battery replaced within warranty (within a year, actually) and the new battery has not had any problems since.
I am still using my 5G original iPod from way back when. I also purchased a brand new mini for my wife and it's just delicious - it simply works.
this is one of the three things i will take with me to a deserted island - next to the power adapter and the solar panel...
23 This product is even more amazing than I imagined!!
I have only had my Ipod for 3 days but I know that every other product on the market is a step backward. The most important qualities are the ease of operation in downloading music and audiobooks (why I bought it!), the compact size and sleek design (it feels good in your hand). Last but definitely not least, you have no idea how large 15 gb is!! I am so excited to have this product, which I will use constantly. Contary to what I may have thought before, this is one "gadget" that is definitely worth the price. I have many...I know! Try it. You won't regret the investment. AB, Springfield,Ma
24 To the RETARD who didn't know what this is for.
HEY DUMB ARSE! It's an MP3 player....not a friggin Record player or cassette player or walkman...god I shudder to thing of the consequences that happened when you tried to put in a casette....IT PLAYS DIGITAL MUSIC! You download CDs to your computer and upload the songs to the iPod you idiot....god...BTW i give this 5 stars because even though people complain about the battery life and durability....i'm more upset about the inability to download wma files, which most of my CDs transfer too. While iTunes is incredibly cool, I don't want to have to end up paying a dollar for something i already have.
25 The iPod Versus Iraq
At one point in the past I swore an oath to myself that I would never buy an Apple iPod. The small size, the nice capacity, the friendly software, and the option to buy songs one by one or whole albums online would NEVER sway me over to the iPod.
After finding out that I'd be coming over here to Iraq, I reconsidered. The iPod is VERY well-sealed with almost no holes or cracks (not counting the headphone jack and the plug-in spot to transfer files) for sand and dust to get into, unlike most players. But there're two things that should be taken into account before buying it.
One, the battery life will hold less charge over time. But unless you're going to be listening to music for 12 hours straight, I wouldn't worry about it. Even here in Iraq I have time to listen to my songs and then charge the battery. And if you want to use it in your car you can always get an adaptor. I have a warranty on my iPod, so when the battery finally gives up, I'll get a brand new iPod for free. I'll have to transfer all of my songs again, but since they're on my computer it'll only take about 15 minutes at the most.
And two, the screen. Though nice and pretty, it scratches when you breathe hard on it. So I bought a carrying case for it. No scratches now.
Overall, the iPod is worth the price you pay for it. The software is user-friendly, you can fit LOTS of songs on it, the sound quality is outstanding, and it's durable. It's lasted me quite awhile out here in Iraq so far, and I doubt anything short of a mortar attack could make it quit on me.
26 Please Don't Buy This
I was excited to buy the 15 GB iPod after Audible.com was able to take off $100.00 from the already amazing price offered at Amazon. But let me tell you, my Dell Insprion 8100 crashed each time I tried to config. the iPot. I had to purchased a USB 2.0 card and it also did not work for the iPod. Ultimately, after I tried to do everything as instructed for the iPod, not to mention buying the USB 2.0 card and the additional iPod dock connector to USB2.0 + FireWire, I am going to return the iPOd, and try something else. Very disapointing!!
27 The Best I've Seen
I just recently got an iPod and I love it. It is great. I use it all the time. The only drawback is if you have a PC, you either need to buy a firewire/USB 2.0 cable or already have a firewire card installed on your machine. Other than that, I find this to be utterly amazing product. The iTunes software is great and it rips CDs and lets you import them to your iPod. If you love music as much as I do, get this. It'll be the best investment yet.
28 ????????????????????????????
PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION:
I just ordered the 15g from amazon and have not yet recieved it. I have been reading the other reviews and they have been saying it is a pain in the ass to hook up to a PC and that you have to buy a usb 2.0 adapter(doesn't this come in the box with the iPod?) If anyone could please reply to my question it would be great
29 Firewire vs. USB
I'm 15, just going into high school next week. I just won an iPod for taking some survey thing on the internet. (and then they entered me in a contest and I won and ya it was a pop up, crazy huh?). So now i have a lot of money for accessories. I was a little worried about the firewire part becuz i have a pc and most pc's dont have a firewire port. so i was searching for a cheap usb cord. but then i thought, why dont i just buy a fricken firewire port, and i did. it has saved me $20. i found one on ebay for .99, brand new. can u believe it, .99. insted of $30 or wutever for a fricken USB cord u get a firewire port for .99. its a steal. the only problem is the s/h is like $9, but wutever. i recommend that to any of you who r about to waste $30 or $40 on a USB cord, consider looking at ebay and see if they have more left for really really cheap. it won't last forever so hurry. frick
30 If i could give this a ten, I would!
All I can say is, wow. Wow. Everything about this is great. Many people complain about the battery with this. Personally, I have had no problem with it. I have used it for about two hours (I just got this today), and only about a fifth of the battery is used. Plus, how often are you out of contact of an electrical outlet for 8-10 hours? People also complain about the durability of this product. Well, guess what? What happenes if you break a CD player? What happens if you drop a computer? What happens what you drop a delicate peice of pottery? Like everything else, IT BREAKS. But, if you're spending $250+ for an item, by all means, do yourself a favor and treat it with care. There are a ton of extra features with this. There are games, but, you don't spend $250+ for 4 black and white games. Thay are average at best. If you are a PC user (like me), connecting the iPod to the computer can be quite a challenge if you don't have a Firewire port. Fortunately, I do, and it works like a charm. Otherwise, but a Firewire/USB dock connector. Also for windows users, it will be difficult to use the calendar and notes features. Personally, I don't know how, but you don't spend $250+ for a notebook, you buy it for the music. And that's the great part. I already have 200 songs on it, with a surplus of empty space. Also, the music quality is astounding. I have never heard anything so clear and crisp. Many people say the included earphones are comfortable, others disagree. Let me clarify this: The are comfortable until you start moving; they can fall out. But, they are perfect for plane rides. Granite, they won't fit in everyone's ears, but they will to the majority of us. If you are comptimplating whether or not to spend the money for it, look no further that the sleek, stylish, and slim, yet giant in features and capacity, iPod.
31 It's just not for me...
I purchased and apple iPod 15GB from my local best buy. i had it for about 15 minutes. I loaded iTunes. and it took quite a while to upload my music(not included in the 15 minutes). later, it said that iTunes could not convert 192 of my music files into MP3 files since they are protected WMA. makes sense to me. i burned all protected files to CD's and put them back on my computer. lo and behold, it will not support normal WMA files. I called apple and said the only other solution was to buy music, just so they can get a little more money. i dont know about the rest of you, but i refuse to fork over $192 just for some songs. Like I said in my title, if your music is files that will be converted into MP3's, this is your player. It's nice to look at, the touch sensitive features are a dream, files can be sorted, or all played at once, it has auto-sync, and iTunes is awesome. However, if you've ripped most of your music from legal CD's, I'd recommend something else.
32 not some cosmetic fad
I'm going into ninth grade this year, and I love my new ipod. I find it's very user-friendly, I love the touch buttons, and don't think they're TOO sensitive like I've heard numerous people complain about. It's very good looking and you can help to diminish scratches just by putting it in a clear Jam Jacket. I haven't dropped it yet, and I'm trying not to as all of us have probably heard horror stories about that. I've found that the battery WILL last 8 or 9 hours if you fully charge it and just listen to music without downloading music onto it or using the backlight. I really like Itunes, all you have to do is sign up an account, plug up your ipod, and download whatever songs or audiobooks you like, and you have them in a minute or two. I just hope Apple continues to expand the Itunes Music Store.
33 The iPod simply changed my life
I go to highschool and one of the hardest choices i had to make when i got up in the morning was to choose what cd wanted to listen to at school. Now with the iPod i don't have to suffer any more.It's so small i don't even notice it's my pocket.Just buy one and don't even think about buying any other than the iPod.It is worth every hard earned penny you buy it with.
34 I love it, love it, love it
I love to sing, so you can imagine how many CDs I have. Since I have bought this ipod I have been in heaven. Yes, unfortunately you do need to take the time to load on your cds- and I have hundreds, but once you do your done with them. You can take it anywhere. It is a God send on the plane. I even have singing lesson CDs that I do, "Voice Lessons To GO" by Vaccarino. I uploaded both volumes of it and now I can practice singing anywhere with this ipod. Do Re Mi...!
35 I love my iPod!!!
I have had my iPod for 3 months and I love it! I got it from my parents for my 16th birthday. It's the best gift I've ever been given. I am a huge music lover and I would always have to lug around cases of cds and my cd walkman, but now it is much easier with the iPod! For those who have a big music collection like I do, the iPod is definitely worth the money. I have over 350 cds and over 2000 mp3s, so it used to be a pain having to choose what I was going to take with me. Now that I have the iPod, I can take my whole collection with me!
I think the iPod works great and I have not had very many problems with it. When I got it, it was not compatible with Windows ME, so we had to get Windows XP, which was okay since Windows ME is a piece of crap anyway. And I did have to buy the cable to hook the iPod to my computer. After that, it worked great! I love how iTunes organizes my music. I have not bought any songs from iTunes, I just import my mp3s and my cds, which is very easy to do.
The only thing I don't like about iTunes is after you delete a song off of your hard drive, it won't let you move the song around to different playlists or change the information. I do not have the space on my computer to keep all my cds uploaded. And to those who want to delete songs off their hard drive but still keep them on your iPod, the only thing you have to do is select the option 'update only checked songs'. As long as you keep the song in the iTunes library and keep it checked, it will remain on the iPod.
I have heard that the battery life isn't very good, but I haven't had any problems so far. I listen to my iPod everyday, anywhere from 1 to 5 hours. I am constantly recharging it, and I hook it to my computer and add new songs 2-3 times a day. I think it has held up very well for all of my use. It is very good for long car rides, I make 13 hour trips often and the iPod does well and I am able to listen to it for most of the trip. I don't think it's a pain to charge either, I just plug it in overnight and it's fully charged by morning. You can also charge/run it in the car as long as you have the right adaptor.
It does come with games on it, I love music quiz. It takes a clip of any one of your songs and gives you about four song titles to choose from, you have to guess which song it is by the clip. You have a time limit and you get points. It's a very fun game for someone like me who has 3059 songs on their iPod, you have to know your music well!
The iPod has a very pretty design and I love all the white accessories. When I first used it, I was amazed at the sound quality. It was alot better than my cds on my cd walkman. I loved the white iPod headphones (very clear sound), but unfortunately, my sister's cat got ahold of them and chewed up the cord and ruined them. Luckily you can buy replacments from Apple.com. In the meantime, I am using my old headphones from my cd walkman, but the sound quality is not as clear.
The iPod does scratch easily, but it's a fragile device and I sort of expected that. And to those of you that complain that the iPod breaks when you drop it, well, what do you expect? It is an expensive, fragile device and should be handled with care. It's not meant to be dropped!
The iPod is very simple to use. I love the buttons and was surprised at how sensitive they were, but as long as you put it on 'hold' when you are not using it, you will be fine. I like how you can put your music into playlists and I like how you can browse by artist, album, song, genre, composer. That type of organization is a must for someone with alot of music. The five star rating system is also something I like. You can rate each song from 1 to 5 stars. The iPod also has an 'On-The-Go' playlist where you can select any song you want while on your iPod and it adds it to the playlist. It also has 3 playlists: My Top Rated, Recently Played, and Top 25 Most Played.
It has the capability to record, keep a list of contacts, has a calendar, has notes and also keeps the time and date for you. The iPod has shuffle and repeat options, a backlight timer (the backlight is very nice), you can choose from several different languages, and it has 22 different equalizers you can choose from to make different genres of music sound better.
That is just a little bit of information about the iPod, there is alot to it and you will soon learn how to use it the best way and how to use all of it's features. I love my iPod and I'm very happy with it. I hope to get a bigger one in the future, such as the 40 GB, as I am running out of space on this one. The iPod is a great product and a must for anyone who is a music lover and has a large music collection. I highly reccommend it.
36 If I could marry it, I would!!!
I do not go anywhere without my iPod. I have had it for about a month, and I am totally in love. The design and functionality sets the bar for all other MP3 players. I love the ease of use so much, I have considered switching from my Dell laptop to a Powerbook. I have not had any issues with compatibilty with any of the music I had on my PC. All in all, one of the best purchases I have made in my life.
Battery life is a small issue, but only a minor concern. I am now thinking of getting the 40 Gig Ipod and and letting one of my friends have my 15 since she is constantly stealing it from me anyway.
Did I mention I am in love???
37 Love my ipod!
Wouldnt go anywhere without it! Absolutely great. Wish the battery lasted a little longer but it works pretty well...have to charge every few days.
38 BEST MP3 PLAYER OUT THERE!
This is by far the best mp3 player made today. It is so easy to use, small and pocket size, and best of all has better sound quality than any of the other mp3 players. 3700 songs is a VERY LARGE amount and although it is $300 new, all the other crappier ones are more expensive. Not to mension that buying used here can literally cut the price in half!
39 Worth the money
If you're on the fence trying to decide whether spending $250 on an ipod is really worth it, I must urge you that it truly is. After pondering day after day about putting down the $$ myself, I decided to go ahead and purchase Apple's premier product. After using the ipod for several months, I've come to appreciate the great extent of the memory as well as its convienently easy-to-use structure. Being a student currently enrolled in summer classes at college, the recording option on the ipod has also been a helpful addition to the multi-purpose music machine. I can go on and on about the other purposes the ipod can serve, but you've probably already read them in the product description. All in all, my advice for those who are unsure that the ipod is worth the $$, is that you will not be dissatisfied with the product.
40 iPod-- hate those new wheels
What can i say? Its great from what i've seen of it... and that's alot (apple stores at the mall... let you try it out as long as you want. heh heh suckers...)
it comes with built in mini games like helicopter, a game where you're fending off paratroopers and helicopters in a base with a big gun. You fend them off as long as possible, if they land on you, you lose, if 2 stack up they start to shoot at you,you get 2 points if you hit a paratrooper and helicopter, but lose one every time you shoot.You can go for two birds with one stone by hitting a helicopter and its falling debris hitting something else.
Then there's brick, the classic game where you are the platform with the bouncing ball and the large bunch of bricks in front of you.
I found brick hard with the new wheel... its like a laptop touchpad mouse and its hard to get the circle motion down without hitting the buttons (but i always did have trouble with those wheels). The old wheel let you actually spin it, so you knew it was moving, and the buttons were above the screen so you didnt have to worry about them. The music should be the same quality you download it, so if it sounds crappy, try it on the computer and compare. the wheel lost the ipods 5th star
and to reviewer sarah, i have a sollution,
1, stop living in the 90s and get dsl,
2, buy a faster cpu to download onto the ipod in about 833 1/3 minutes(13 hours) for a complete 10,000 song, 40 gig library (2000 + cpu)
3, the ipod has an 8 hour battery so the way you described it your ipod ran low on batteries, if not... then you have to restart your computer, or look for the place you downloaded the program (under start button, then my computer.)
4, learn to spell, its "the apple website gives no help" instead of "aple website give know healp)
and not to mention, if you HAD an apple computer then you would actually have better results
41 This item (the "old Ipod") is an incredible
Don't wait for Amazon to list the new version of the Ipod! People should be buying the older version now....and here's why. The older version (or current Amazon version, Model #M9244LL/A) is $299 and comes with a docking station, remote, headphones, carrying case, and AC adapter. If you like these extra's (and I think most of us do), you're getting all of it free. If you had to buy these things elsewhere, like on the Apple website, they come to a total of $210. Now, lets look at the newest Ipod (Model #M9282LL/A). It costs $299, but doesn't come with any accessories. If you then went out and bought the accessories above, your total cost for everything would come to $509. So the difference in cost between the Amazon Ipod and the new Ipod is $210. The only benefits you get from the new version are 4 extra hours of battery life, and a new "click-wheel" feature which isn't all that special. They're both small, and almost the exact same size. So in the end, the question is, "Is 4 extra hours of battery life and this click-wheel thing worth $210?". Not for me!
42 just wait
Wait a bit and maybe Amazon will finally start selling the new iPods, which are smaller and have a longer battery life. Can't believe they're still selling these older ones at a price you can buy the new ones at.
43 Pretty easy to use.
Ipod has to be one of the coolest toys out there. It's pretty easy to use too. The sound quality is so much better than my old Rio S30S. It holds a whole lot more music then the Rio S30S. It's pretty fast even though my computer said "Fast connection" (or something like that) "Fast connection unavailable." I thought maybe it was because I might have USB 1.0 or something, not sure but it was still pretty fast. I only have about 225 songs but I plan on getting a lot more CDs soon.
Itunes is really great! Even though it's kind of slow at converting files into AAC files. But that wouldn't stop me from buying an ipod. Importing music from your computer is fast too. It's slightly faster than my old rio MP3 player. It's easy to create play lists and it's easy to move songs to play lists. Just drag the songs to whichever play list you want them to go to. Changing songs to AACs are easy too. I thought it would be complicated since I'm not the best at handling computers. To change them, all you have to do is right click the song and click "Convert to AAC." It will begin changing it and a new icon thing will appear on the left hand side where all the playlists are that says "Converting files" or something like that. It's quite simple. The only issue with itunes is that if it messes up on one song out of a group of songs selected to convert into AACs then it will stop converting the rest of them. It doesn't mess up often, it only messed up on one song, there must've been something wrong with that song.
The ipod's controls are easy. There's a hold button, a play/pause button, a stop button,a hold button, a fast-forward/next button, and a back/rewind button. They light up too as well as the screen. I'm not sure if having the hold button on drains the battery or not, that's why I haven't used it. If anyone knows, please note that in your review. Also, the buttons aren't really buttons, they're all touch sensitive except for the hold button.
Now for the big one: The battery. It seems like a three hour charge isn't that long. But it feels like forever when you're waiting to use it. I don't know if the battery is up to what they say it is (8 hours) but I never have the backlight on and I've used it for about 3 hours or so and it's almost to half way full. I guess it's about 7 1/4 hours. I don't mind this because if it dies, you could just charge it. And you could always just play a song on your computer or use itunes to make a CD if you really have to listen to a song badly.
It's well worth the money. Especially now that it's only $250. Which is the same cost as the ipod mini except you get about 3 times the space. Anyway, if you really like gadgets portability, music, and cool gadgets, this is definitely the new toy for you.
44 Deserves a 10 Star Rating, Not Just 5
Short and Sweet: This is THE SINGLE BEST electronics device I've ever owned. 99% of my use is just playing MP3s (instead of using it as an external drive), but that's primarily because it's virtually full of music, and there's no real room for other files of any size. But even though I don't really use any of the "extra" features, this still qualifies as absolutely amazing.
Best uses:
1. While driving--one iPod instead of a million CDs.
2. Studying
3. Books on MP3--great for long car or plane trips
4. Sleep aid when travelling. Downloading white noise, waves, etc. and playing it on a loop is great to drown out unfamiliar noises that keep you awake when you try to sleep on the road.
5. Doing yard work--mowing my grass is a MUCH better experience with an iPod
6. While working out--I've never had a problem with it skipping even when running
Bottom Line: If you're even THINKING about buying an iPod, go ahead and pull the trigger. You'll be thrilled with it.
45 still the best mp3 player on planet earth
I bought one of the original 5gig iPods when they first came out - it works, but the jack is loose, so I can't get it to synch properly (although I can charge it in the car), and getting it fixed cost more than getting a new 15gig iPod, so I treated myself to more space (I had already maxxed out the 5 gigs on the older model).
I really loved the moveable jog wheel on the original iPod - it made the technology that much more - I don't know - touchable. I was also annoyed that not only did this new model did not come with a dock (as does the identical 40gig), but that the new connector is not a standard firewire connector - this means I have to bring the cord with me if I want to move a file from my iPod (which serves as an external hard drive as well) from home to work or vice versa. When working on big Photoshop projects with multiple layers, I don't always feel like burning another 3 CDs to take to work and vice versa - so I use my iPod as the portable conduit... but when I forget the cable, I'm up a creek (you know the one - it has a very familiar name).
Also gone are the easy to remember buttons on the 4 sides of the jog wheel - I could easily navigate the iPod without looking, whether exercising (rarely) or driving (often), but I need to look at this one every time, otherwise I'm likely to hit the wrong button.
I like the fact that this new model is a bit thinner than the original and has rounded edges on all 8 edges, instead of just the back 4. The way the buttons light up along with the screen is very handy in low-light situations. I wish there was a photocell that would also auto detect this need (with the ability to turn off the photocell in situations where the light would be distracting) instead of having to figure out which one is the menu button in the dark.
I'm a bit annoyed that such an expensive gizmo does not come with a nice leather case to protect it from surface scratches... leaving the buyer to buy a another $40 accessory for this thing.
My fantasy is that Apple will make the logical next step - color screen, PDA and phone with a flip-out keyboard or something. Such rampant space is begging for this ability. No more would you have to download ringtones - just use iTunes and use your favorite mp3 or acc file or use GarageBand to make your own ringtone!
Until the day my fantasy is realized, I still have an iPod - this century's coolest gadget. I get a lot of use out of it - and despite its shortcomings when compared to the original, I'm digging the extra gigs in a big way.
46 Well worth every cent!!!
I bought an Ipod about three weeks ago, after a long and hard dispute on whether it was worth the cash or not. Let me tell you, it is! Since I bought I've put my entire CD collection on it and am filling it with songs already on my computer and it's not even half full yet. I know there's a lot of writers out there who have complained about dropping it and breaking it. What's wrong with these people? If you're spending $300 on an MP3 player, get it a carrying case for crying out loud!
I bring my ipod wherever I go and listen to dozens of CD's whenever I want, isn't that reason enough to get one?
One last thing, if you're getting an ipod, treat it with some care, don't drop it and break it and then write a review that consists of a bunch of whining, just because you don't treat it with the proper respect.
- Treat the ipod with respect, and it will treat you with respect -
47 Kevin Mooney is WRONG!!!
Ipod is cool. I got it to work with Limewire which is like Napster despite Kevin "Gooney"'s wrong statements. He just might not be able to work a computer..NOOB!!! LOL. With 40gb u can store a lot of music, all your CDs maybe. The only slight problemo (problem- if you are not fluent in spanish as is I) is the battery power. But other than that it is the greatest machine ever created, i take that back, the computer is. LOL
48 This is so awesome
This product has REVOLUTIONIZED the way I listen to music. It has a lot of space, so I was able to transfer almost my entire cd collection onto it, plus some downloaded mp3s. iTunes, the music store for Apple, is very easy to use and has very good quality Mp3's for a low price. I've been very satisfied with this product. The only thing that disappoints me is its battery life. It only lasts about 6 hours with the backlight timer set to 10 seconds after pressing a button. It needs to be recharged nightly. Other than that, It's a great way to spend that kind of money
49 The Best mp3 Jukebox Out There
Apple has really done it this time, with their iPods that are getting more and more popular every day, especially with the iPod minis, available in 5 different colors. This 15 GB iPod is so user-friendly, any non-computer genius can use it. The fact that iTunes automatically updates your iPod when you plug it in is even cooler. The only reason I give the iPod four stars, is because the iPod itself, especially the metal back, scratches very easily. This can be easily solved with the use of a case that can be purchased at any Best Buy or other electronics store in your area.
I have purchased a few mp3 players and jukeboxes before, but none of them come close to the user friendliness and quality that the iPod brings. I purchased a RCA Lyra Jukebox and a Rio 20GB Jukebox, and returned both within 2 weeks. Why? The two were jsut not quality products. The fact that this iPod is such a good quality buy is making me consider purchasing a Mac computer!
Another note: if your computer does not have a firewire port, then you need to purchase an iPod USB Dock Connector, which can be purchased at Target, Circuit City, or any other electronics store.
50 Great for Motorcycles
I bought the iPod for use on my motorcycle. My touring bike has a small "glove" box in the fairing and a power (cigarette lighter) source can be installed. There's also a jack for headphones that plugs into the iPod.
I downloaded about 1,000 songs so far, and the downloads have been very simple. The sound quality is outstanding, and the ability to create playlists and organize music is also quite easy.
I looked at Minidiscs, and I'm glad that I spent the extra $100 and bought the iPod. So, if there are any fellow bikers out there, I would recommend this product.
51 Great Product for anyone who has a LOT of music!
I really enjoy my iPod. I got it about two months ago and already it is about 1/3 filled. The design is great and it allows me to listen to all my show tunes anywhere. However, there are a few details that can be annoying. First of all, the apple website states that with a fully charged battery (three hours of charging) one can play music for 8 hours straight. That is incorrect. After I charged my iPod overnight (eight hours) it allowed me about 3 hours of playing time, less that half of what was advertised. Another annoyance is that it gets scratched really easily. The coverplate on my already has some permanent scratches. Also, if you aren't planning on carrying more than 1000 songs, just get the iPod mini for $50 less. It's a great product.
52 OKAY, but not really that great
i had an ipod for 15 days, then i returned it. i dont really find it that great.
first, it had great design and layouts. Very easy to use, but i'm afriad you have to "hold" all the time so you don't touch anything wrong, in other words, the buottons are a lil bit TOO sensitive. i had to put it very flat on a table or keep "HOLDING" it.\
but more importantly is it's sound quality. IT WASN'T THAT GOOD AT ALL. Alot of the songs i had played well in my iTunes, but not in ipod. Those songs had a lot of noises when they reached a pitch or got louder. Some of them couldn't even be listened at all, 70% of the track was jumpy and glitchy. not good at all. but i m still thinking if it only happend on mine alone.
i m ordering an iriver coming a few days later, and i especially like its SRS and remote. i ll prolly write another review on that too and do a comparison.
Over all, ipod is really nice from the outside, but just OKAY from the inside.
53 There's a Solution (or two) for Battery Replacement
For the reviewer who claimed to have spoken to the manufacturer in July 2004, you must've dialed the wrong telephone # (and thus not truely spoken to an actual Apple rep), for Apple does indeed have a battery replacement program in effect (albeit for ~$100 US). Nevertheless, there are plenty of "3rd party" alternatives for about 1/2 the cost of the official fix.
54 Best MP3 player around, Get it now!!!
I bought two, 40 Gb iPods in a period of 3 months. I really love the design, handling and sound quality of this baby.
The downsides and remedies:
Scratches easily - I got the Icondom cover to protect both screens and use the standard black carrying case included with the iPod as I think the other cases look stupid. It doesn't scratch anymore.
ITunes - don't use it. Register a small program called Xplay which will allow you to upload/download any song from anywhere onto your iPod and back onto your PC as though your iPod was just another folder on your HDD. Don't encode MP3 music with iTunes unless you use the Apple LAME plugin. There is a really cool Freeware CD ripper out there as well called Audiograbber which uses the free LAME codec too and the CD database. LAME offers best MP3 quality.
Battery Life - you can get a replacement Li-Polymer battery in auctions/on the web for $19.99!!! That's another 18 months of fun for you with your iPod.
Finally - long ear piece cables.... these are a drag. Mine always get tangled up. The Apple ear piece cables are not the best and mine are fraying already in the part where the L and R split off. The quality of the ear pieces themselves is very good however.
The Good - everything else - quality of music, ease of dumping stuff onto your iPod. You don't need a DOC to charge or connect either. Just plug into your USB 2.0 or FireWire slot (I use a DV editing board FireWire connector).
The iPod is heartily recommended by me. I admit I am a bit of a dummy with only 7Gb used of my 40Gb but maybe one day I'll fill it up with more Anime music/JPOP, Gorecki and Buddha-Bar music. ^_^
55 This is a 1-of-a-kind MP3 Player
Its got all of the features and space that anyone could want....its a little pricey, but worth the extra cash
56 As Close to Perfection as an MP3 Player Gets
If you are going to purchase the Ipod, you must be willing to ask yourself what you really want in an mp3 player. If you just want to play a few hundred songs, don't really need something to hold files, don't really care about the design or ease-of-use factor, then don't get an Ipod. However, if any of the previous things are a necessity or a luxury you'd like to spend a few extra bucks on, get an Ipod -- without a doubt.
I was never an Apple fan before, but the Ipod changed that. It is tremendously light, can hold tons of songs (and audiobooks), is beautifully designed for usage, and has a great software support program in Itunes. It is fragile, but what $300 device isn't? A great solution, though, is to spend an extra $30 and get a solid hard case to protect it.
The extensive array of extras available on the market make customization of this device very easy. If you like to go off-roading with your Ipod, buy a tougher case. If you want to use it as a recorder for recording lectures at school, get a microphone recorder. If you want to listen to it through your car stereo system, buy an FM transmitter. This device is very adaptable and its after-market accessories are a testament to that.
If I had to be picky about the Ipod, though, I do wish the battery life was longer. It isn't enough to make me want to return it because it is rechargable, but something that could be improved in future models.
All in all, this is the MP3 player of all MP3 players. It is like the Nintendo of the '80s and '90s - head and shoulders above the rest.
57 Couldn't Be Better
Ignore the review from Sarah from Chicago. It sounds like she can't navigate the internet in addition to the world's easiest MP3 player.
I'm a diehard Mac addict - my husband is a PC guru. We both love the iPod because of its ease of use, durability, size, flexibility, style, etc. Connecting it to the Mac or PC is truly plug-and-play. It doesn't get any better.
58 Built-in battery biggest flaw
Apple came out with a great, user friendly product. I bought my 40G ipod 2 years ago and used it religiously. However, the rechargeable battery has declined from 8 hrs of play time to ~2hrs. When I contacted Apple for a solution, such as a possible new battery (which I was more than willing to pay for) they could not offer me a decent solution. As much as I loved my Ipod, I am not willing to pay an extra $400 for a new one when I know that the product life expectancy is a mere 2 years. Though this may not be a problem to some, I'm sure that there are many like myself who are looking for a product which is not so heavily determined by the life of the battery when the rest of the product works perfectly. Until, Apple fixes this easily reconcilable problem with their ipod, I would not recommend this product.
59 How could you not love an iPod
There's no way anyone can ever NOT like an ipod!
So here's how it works:
After years of searching and reading reviews over and over again, being just on the brink of clicking 'Buy It' and backing out, and finally getting together the guts (and the money) to make a purchse, you'll bring your sweetly packed ipod home.
Whether its mini,white,pink,silver,15GB,40GB, Mac or Windows, after 20 mins of using your ipod you'll fall in love with it.
Its just awesome! The look and feel, the intuitive controls, sound quality..everything's great.
Sure if you drop it, its going to break..its not designed for the military! but nonetheless its a lovely piece of electronics.
Very simpley put, if you are willing to spend the $300 or so on a music gadget! and you like listening to songs and you have a wee bit of show-off mentality.....DO NOT THINK TWICE!
60 Very dissatisfied
I should have been tipped off when one store tried to sell me one of several RETURNED iPod 15gb's. I had to hunt down a USB connector, which is NOT widely available. I was pressured into buying a card to convert my USB1 port to a USB2. THAT wasn't cheap, and it was on top of the exorbitant price of this little piece of junk! Go ahead and laugh, the adaptor worked just fine in my USB1 port and I learned my lesson, although I let the store know I wasn't happy about being swindled when I returned the whole mess.
Yes, after all that scrambling and downloading the right conversion software (which took hours), I was ready to return it for the time-wasted factor alone. I managed to get a CD put on and it sounded awful! It crackled, and nothing could fix it. It wasn't the CD - we checked. Then it SCRATCHED just by passing around the house a few times! I returned it with only a mild fight with the store I bought it from. People, save your money for a company that produces quality products.
61 Design at its best
i just bought a brand new ipod.
and then i read some reviews on amazon to see what people are saying about this.
i am amazed at how many people are belittling this product. first of all, i'd like to say some things about negative comments that have been very commonly made about ipod.
BATTERY LIFE ::
battery simply doesn not die or stop working in one or two years. it's a battery, of course it will die out eventually. a little bit anxious, i asked friends of mine who have been using ipod for 12+ months, and they told me theirs work fine. if the battery is fully charged, and not used for a week, the battery may be weak or can die out much quicker. but really. do you expect the battery to last forever? with a little more attention to the amount of backlight use, nobody should be complaining about the battery life. just plug it over night, and it's fine. if you are really, really, seriously worried about it dying on you over a long trip, get a four AA battery pack. seriously. please stop whining. you just spent 300 dollars on this product. resepct it, appreciate it, and live up to its values.
FRAGILTY::
if you drop something this delicate, what do you expect to happen? of course it will break. again, if you are handling a device that costs 300 dollars, and is one of the most precisely manufactured technological product, you really should be much more careful with it. if anyone thinks ipod is fragile, which hdd mp3 player isn't?
iPOD and iTUNES::
itunes is so versatile. the auto-synching can be manipulated, so you can make it auto-sync totally, partially, or in any way you want. playlists are really easy to make, smart playlists are even better, everything is organizable by name, artist genre, composer, rating, album. for window users, you can simply click and drag files from windows explorer into itunes to make playlists, so if you know exactly where your files are, this is the perfect way to use itunes. you can also make it get rid of repeated files and songs, so that you won't have multiple copies of the same song. there are programs that can transfer the music files from ipod to the computer, but if any transporting is to be done from the ipod to the computer, just simply store the files in ipod as harddrive files. itunes buttons are so big and clear, and everything is so easy to understand. what can be so hard about this? i just don't understand.
at first, i was considering buying a small, 128-256 flash mp3 player, cuz i never imagined i would need 15gb of storage, when the point of mp3 player is to use it "on the run." so i never imagined myself getting sick of the songs for multiple days, when i could just change them at night when i come back home. after long consideration, i decided to just get the ipod. ipod certainly is the mainstream mp3 player on the market, and it probably is the most widely used. because of its heavy use, there are so many additional products out there that makes up for ipod's lack of indigenous innovations. for example, the ipod may not have fm encoder, recorder, microphone or anything else built into it, but you can always find a solution(like with the battery pack).
but YES, everything that has to do with ipod is more expensive then other brand products. in my opinion, it is worth that extra fifty dollars. anything that apple computers make is design at its best. whatever that they design, from the product manual, cable, box, even the bags that contain the pieces are designed to pure perfection. customer service is one of the finest, and i really couldn't ask for better designs. the touch sensitive wheel is so sensitive and smooth, that it almost amazes me every time i use it. there are no moving parts on the interface, which makes it extremely hard for it to have any physical malfunctions. the backlight is just beautiful, but DO be careful with its use cuz it can drain the battery significantly(for all those who worry themselves to death). i too thought paying 300+ for something like this would be a risky investment. but every dollar is worth it. in the world of mp3 players, ipod really is the king of them all. NO QUESTION.
62 Beware! Apple is horriable!
I've had my Ipod for less then 6 months and it been nothing but a hassel! First off it won't work on my Windows pc(Toshiba Laptop) and i spent weeks figuring out how to get it to work! Once I did it was great..untill I had to update the software for Itunes(a must in order to keep purchase songs from Itunes) and if you have a dial up it takes like 3 1/2 hrs! Once I got it done i was all excited..but then i couldn't get my songs on my Ipod! I was so mad! Then like a week later(after attepmts to call apple) i figured out that i had to download software for the ipod too. Which of course when you download the itunes thing it never tells you that!So this takes over 5 hours!(No jokes for those of us still in the jurassic period..cough dial up) Finally after forever its at 99% and has like literally 20 secs and the download just shuts off! Figures huh? Apple's site is horriable and gives you know solutions to your issues! Save your money!
For something so expensive it should work! Apple will be hearing from me and I don't plan on keeping my Ipod,Which was a gift! : (
hmmm wonder why I don't own a Apple computer!
63 Conservative and Reliable
PROS::
***outstanding design
***reliable
***touch sensitive click wheel and buttons
***interchangeable languages (more than 10)
CONS::
***doesn't come with usb 2.0 cable for pc users
***no fm, no voice recorder
***doesn't support wma files
after getting this 15gb apple ipod, i could understand why it is so popular everywhere. functionally, there isn't very much ipod can do, compared to other hdd type mp3 players on the market. for example, to record voice, external sounds, fm radio and fm recorder, you have to purchase extra parts. even though the ipod lacks any indigenous innovations or features, it is a industrial design at its best. from the box, manual, to even the cables, everything is designed to perfection. the ipod itself is EXTREMELY reliable. touch sensitive click wheel has very precise response, and the clean, white and silver back design makes it top of the line in every department. transporting and auto-synching with itunes makes everything organized and neat at the click of a button. calenders, alarm, clock, equalizer persets, games... ipod may be priced higher than most mp3 players, but it is definitely worth the money.
64 a subtle secret
i just bought a 40 GB iPod and I find it fascinating. It is taking me a while to learn all the secrets to using it. The best hint I can give is to follow the instructions for manually loading music; if you don't and change your songs in the iTunes programs, everything that you removed from your library gets erased.
Also, a little secret: if you download songs from the iTunes music store, burn the song onto a CD-RW. Then delete the song from your library. When you then copy the song back onto your computer from the disc, the computer stores it as an AIFF (MP3) file thus circumventing the share problems some have spoken of.
As for the reviewer who didn't like the fragility of the iPod, take notice! Since my player cost $500, I treat it as if it were a piece of gold. Buy a carrying case. Handle it with extreme care. Would you store a $500 TV on the front seat of your car? Would you do everything in your power to prevent dropping a $500 computer tower from a height of "only" 2 1/2 feet? It's your money. Be a clutz and pay (literally) the consequences.
Also, make sure to purchase the monster cable accessory so that you can hook it up to your stereo. You must own a dock in order for this to work (the headphone jack on the top of the iPod doesn't produce a strong enough electrical signal), but it is well worth the extra $20 or so. The sound quality is slightly lower than a CD, but it is adequate enough if you aren't an anal-retentive audiophile.
Because I have over 2000 CD titles stored in banker's boxes, I mainly bought the iPod so I didn't have to root through box after box every time I wanted to hear a favorite CD. For this reason along, the iPod was a worthwhile investment.
Why four stars? I believe that the price is a bit excessive. The cost for iPods will most likely decrease dramatically even as Apple improves them. Wait if you can. I bought a Phillips CD burner for my stereo for $450 in early 1999 that burns at 1X. Now I have a $100 Firewire burner that burns an 80 minute CD in about 2 minutes. I have some regrets. (But I bought the iPod with a wedding gift check, so what the heck!)
65 Great Toy
Although iPod is revolutionary, and has lead to a complete change in the music industry (with the introduction of iTunes music, etc.), it does have the minor annoyances. My first problem came when I unpacked my iPod, it doesn't come with a USB cable for my Windows machine. Which, I had to purchase for about $20, which isn't too bad. Then, after owning my iPod for about 10 months, I was putting it in my pocket and getting out of the car at the sime time, when I dropped it in my driveway. After about a 2 and a half foot fall, my iPod stopped working entirely. Fortunately, it's $7.50 to be repaired under warranty, and $30 out of warranty, depending on the problem. I have also heard of other people dropping there iPods on concrete from a similar height, without having any problems at all, besides the aesthetic flaws. Which is the other problem, although I can read the screen as well as the day I bought it, and it functioned fine (until I dropped it), the iPod is very prone to scratching. I would recommend buying a carrying case immediately (or making one). The final issue I have with the iPod, is it's controversial battery life. My iPod does last for several hours, but it doesn't last near the time that's advertised, which I consider only a minor annoyance.
I am overall very satisfied with my iPod. It's indispensable to anyone with as many CDs as I listen to, and it saves a huge amount of space.
66 Things That are Bad and How to Get Around Them
Don't get me wrong, I think that it is a cool device. There's just so many things that they could have done to make it better.
(1)It is a very fragile product. Two of my friends have broken there iPods by dropping them no more than 2 feet. After that the hardisk gets ruined and 300 dollars have gone down the drain.
(2)Warrenty is not all it's cracked up to be. I bet a lot of you that just read #1 said "Well just go to a Apple Strore with your warrenty and they'll fix it right up."....WRONG. The Warrenty is pretty much just for a mistake made in the factory. If you take in your broken iPod with as so much as a tiny tiny dent the employees will call it a customer abuse code and they will definently not repair your iPod.
(3)To put it simple, iTunes could be a lot better in the way you upload your songs to your iPod. A lot of you will argue with that but it is, and admit it, frustrating.
(4)The battery time. I'm not just talking in life span but I'm talking in just plane daily use. The daily use is just about 4 hours long. That is pretty bad if you ask me. Maby I just got a defective battery, but I don't dare go down to the Apple Store to honor my useless warenty.
(5)The iPod DID NOT revolutiuonalize music. There were MP3 players long before the iPod. Not to mention they played cds and were pretty indestructible if you ask me.
Well that's all I have to say about the iPod. Don't just take my word for it, there are a great number of Apple Lovers on this topic to prove me wrong.
-HELPFUL PIECES OF ADVICE-
(1)Battery Time: My only suggestion to you is to not charge your iPod more than 4 hours. If you do the battery life will ware down a lot, and I mean A LOT, quiker. Also, don't charge your iPod untill it has completely lost charge, this will also increase battery life span. If your battery does stop working there is a store online that I came across one day that does actually teach you how to take apart your ipod and install a new battery, the cost is around $150. To find the web site click in "New iPod batteries" in your key word search.
(2)Warrenty: If you feel that you aren't careful enough and that you need a little insurance, you can buy an extended warrenty that will cover SOME damages you might put on to your iPod, the price is about $50. Another good way to keep your iPod safe is to buy a jacket/cover for it.
(3)Easy Scratches and Marks: If your that obsessed to keep it good looking than buy a cover for it, the average cost for a cover is about $20.
(4)No Fire-Wire Port: You can't get around this problem if you have a computer like, for example, a Dell that requires a USB port connecter. There are only two solutions to this problem. {a}Buy a fire-wire card: this solution will cost you about $40 dollars and it takes a little time to install. I wouldn't suggest this solution unless you have other products that require a fire-wire port as well. Or you can {b} buy a 20 dollar chord that connects to your iPod and then splits into a USB chord and a fire-wire chord.
(5)iTunes Frustration: OK I have been determined to find way to get around the frustrating style of iTunes and find a way to be able to load new songs into my iPod without keeping the enormous amount of songs on there as well. I saw on an earlier review that you can use "deauthorizing" to fix this problem, however he/she didn't explain what that means, so untill someone clarifies on that method here's mine. There is another program for iPod handling that is pretty much for Windows users called Ephod. It is free and easy to download from the internet. This system allows you to take songs from the iTunes library and synchronize them with your iPod. So it basically loads one song at a time and doesn't require you to have every song on your hardrive as you do on your iPod. WARNING: Make sure that you make the iTunes-iPod options to manuel or when you plug in your iPod your memory will be erased.
Well that's about all I have to say. I hope it was helpful.
67 I Love my Ipod more than my girlfriend
Let's face it, this is a toy but what a great little toy it is. I don't know how I'm ever going to fill this thing up and it works great for running and exercises (I had had some misgivings before buyig because it was a hard drive and moving parts dont take very well to a person running). The back does seem to scratch easily so heed the warnings and buy a cover/case/jacket for it. DLO makes a great one that comes with a very effective armband.
68 Well... don't drop it!
Oh my gosh! I can't believe all the people complaining about their iPods not surviving after a "fall". I supose these guys go around carelessly tossing their cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras and any other delicate electronic device they own. Really!
As for my iPod, I absolutely adore it. It wasn't long ago that I use to carry around my portable CD player along with 25 CDs in a rather bulky case, but not knowing any better back then, I was pretty satisfied with it. This little thing has truly revolutionized the way I listen to music. Now any song at any given moment is literally at my fingertips. And its size is perfect! No more bulky cases for me.No more juggling CDs, portable player, cases, sleeves and the like every time I want to change the disc. The sound quality is astounding and the interfase is so easy to use.The provided headphones are not the greatest but they sound fine to me. However I do notice a considerable improvement when I use the Apple in-ear ones.
All in all this is a fabulous product. Go to a store, borrow your friends ipod, play with it if you can, before making your decision. And if you end up getting yourself one, you won't be disappointed.
69 Excelent, but don't look at the price...
OK, I got my iPod yesterday afternoon, so I've had it like for 24 hours. First of all, I must say that I was about to buy the Nomad Zen NX Xtra. It is really good (as I've read through reviews), but the size is a bit too big. Yes, I must accept that, but that wasn't a problem. But then, one thing led to another, and I finished buying a 15 GB iPod. When I received it, opened it, and put some songs in it, I thought "wow, all the money was really worth it". Yes it is expensive, put it is really good. It is like you heard it directly from the CD, but put in a tiny space. The quality of the sound is excellent, really good. Even though I rated this product with 5 stars, I recommend everyone who reads this to take your time, look at all your possibilities, and then, after consulting all these things with your pillow, make a decision.
PS: I recommend you to buy the 15 GB iPod, not more unless you have a HUGE CD collection.
PSPS: The dock isn't really necessary, all you need is the USB cable (if you don't own a Mac or do not own a FireWire card), and if you want the remote control.
70 Postives outweight the negatives...
About a month ago, I started looking for a high-capacity mp3 player. After a week or so, it became apparent there were very few options that would handle what I wanted. First off, I needed something that could hold my entire music collection (~ 8 Gigs). Second, I wanted something relatively small that I could put in my pocket and bring with me almost anywhere. And finally, I wanted something with a built in battery so that I didnt have to be buying a pack of AA's every week...
After reading hundreds of reviews by online sites and regular consumers, I finally decided upon the iPod. Despite a lot of negitave feedback I heard (low battery life, expensive, easy to break, etc...).
I couldnt have been more happy with my decision. My iPod is like a child to me; I tuck it into bed, wake it up in the morning, make it pancakes, clean it, and play with it. Having my entire music collection in my pocket is amazing. And I also ended up picking up the iTrip (which i highly recommend), so i can listen to my iPod on any radio within a 10 foot radius.
As for the negative comments:
price ~ yea, it is a little expensive, but your really paying for one of the best products out on the market right now. And it really is beatifully crafted too, its like a piece of art.
durability ~ i wouldnt say its any more fragile than a cell phone; just be careful with it and you'll be fine.
battery life ~ i get very close to 8 hours just listening to mine through my headphones. And i get about 4 hours while using the iTrip (about 3 hours more than what the guy at the apple store told me). Not too bad at all.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful product and if your thinking about getting one, I hope this review helps you make the right decision.
71 Oh...My...God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Incredible - and so EASY!!!
Firstly, whilst not a technophobe, I am not the most technically literate person on the planet!
When I bought my iPod, my main worry was whether I would be able to use it properly. This concern was immediately put to rest. Its just SO simple!!!
Setup...
Simply upload the iTunes package from the supplied cd-rom (it has wizard to take you through it - again, VERY simple). Attach your charged iPod via the Firewire connection cable (supplied), which by the way, is the same cable you connect to the plug to charge, so just 1 cable, not multiple!
Put a cd into your pc, and copy it to the hard drive. it automatically goes to your 'Library'. Connect the iPod and they will automatically copy onto the iPod!!! I transferred about 600 tracks in about 2 minutes! Create your playlists on here as well, and they will transfer at the same time.
Now, for the iPod itself.
I have used walkmans / discmans and recently the nike mp3 players for about 20 years! I have never had sound quality like this. Its like having a cd player in your head!
Its also incredibly easy to scroll (using the touchpad - and for those who have a laptop, its much easier than the touchpad on these).
Its very simple (trying to find alternative words for 'easy' now! ha ha) to find the music you want, as it stores by artist name, track name, style etc.
The iPod also links to your Outlook on your pc, and transfers your contacts / calendar info etc, has an alarm (you can choose the music that wakes you up).
It has an internal battery, so no replacing batteries all the time.
The 15GB iPod stores about 3700 songs! You may think, as I did' i SO don't need that many songs on a walkman!!!
Well, if you decide to buy the extras, it makes sense.
You can use it as yur main music system by buying the speakers that iPod connects to. It can become your car system, by buying the FM transmitter which literally transmits the music to your car WITHOUT wires!!! This way, you travel with your music collection - and to me, thats just so impressive.
This really is an amazing peice of equipment.
Easy to use (there's that word again, 'easy'), excellent quality AND it even looks stylish!
EEEEEASY...
72 Well worth the money, but nothing's perfect
I bought a used 15 GB iPod from Best Buy because I was going to be driving 14 hrs semi-x-country with a 2 year old and a 9 month old. I needed something to keep my sanity, and although the price tag is quite high, surely those of you with children understand.
I was very hesitant and did a lot of research into other MP3 players, and the iPod has turned out to be worth all the hype and then some. The controls are incredibly user-friendly, its small size makes it nonintrusive when doing things you don't want to do (dishes, yard work, sticking it in the cup holder of your car, etc), and it just flat out looks good.
While doing research I narrowed it down between the Dell DJ and the iPod. I'm a Windows user and still believe most Mac stuff is hype and nothing more than a pretty UNIX shell for burning CDs or using some Adobe product. However, the Dell DJ doesn't play AAC format. Hello iPod... That was the selling point since I've been ripping all my cds in AAC format for quite some time.
The best thing though has been listening to audio books/magazines on it. I have a long daily commute and the books are so simple to listen to on the iPod. I download them from audible.com, import them into the iPod and I'm done. Much easier than burning a single book onto 8-12 CDs, fumbling around in traffic for the right CD, carrying a big CD case, etc.
The downsides:
iTunes dependent. OK, iTunes is pretty good, but I can't stand how it organizes my files when I UNCHECK the "Keep iTunes music organized" preference. iTunes automatically reads the Meta Data associated with your MP3 files and organizes accordingly. If you're comfortable with XML (I am) you can edit the iTunes Music Library.xml file manually, but you shouldn't have to. I would prefer it appear exactly like my music folder's structure on my computer.
2. You can't adjust the EQ manually. For my music the "Rock" EQ is to overdriven and all others are too weak, regardless of what earphone/E.Q setting I use.
The SEMI-downside:
It's fragile. I have no doubt; it's a very small hard drive with a pretty shell. But pay $300 for such a small devise with cash instead of charging it on your credit card and I'm sure you will be much less likely to drop it.
The Pros:
1. It ALWAYS goes back to the exact location of my 12 hour book that I was at after turning the iPod off, listening to something outside of my audilbe.com playlist, etc..
2. Small and beautiful.
3. Storage size. Even with the smaller 15 GB you can get everything that you can possibly enjoy and then some on it.
4. The iTrip FM adaptor. I live in a large metropolitan area where the airways are extremely polluted. Fortunately, I can find a single station on the FM band where I can listen to my iPod on the radio. That's not possible with the more espensive Belkin, etc. How sweet...
73 Why Waste Your Money?
It's sleek and everyone likes the looks and its made from Apple so it has a brand name. It also has cool touch buttons but iTunes is a pain to mess with, its insanely fragile, and users basically have no warranty for it. It is also extremely expensive compared to other companies' mp3 players like creative lab. With that said check out everyother mp3 player before if you want to buy it or have a rich or spolied friend get it and see if it works for them.
74 I own this model and love it
The only thing I don't like about the iPod is the headphones, I keep losing the little black earbud thingies.
Before you buy an MP3 player, try some of them if at all possible. The iPod interface is really quite remarkable and easy to use. While I don't recommend doing this, I drive 70mph while mixing songs on the fly.
I use it extensively when I am travelling and have yet to use up the 8 hour battery life, generally I am in the car or end up near an outlet where it can be recharged rather quickly. I've found the FM Transmitter adapters work well on long car trips in rural areas, but not in heavy populated areas like Chicago (where I am)
Oddly enough, I only have about 3GB of tunes on my 15GB iPod, I use the rest of it for transferring and backing up files from my laptop. It's a portable firewire drive!
Most all the music on my iPod is from my own CD's with a few songs I purchased on the iTunes Music Store. The Music Store is nice, but I already own most of the music I like to listen to.
While "officially" you CAN'T transfer your iPod tunes from the iPod to a computer, there are several third party programs that will enable this feature for both Mac and Windows iPods.
If you buy it and you don't like it, you can EASILY sell it for close to what you paid for it. Try that with any other MP3 player. Even a DEAD iPod is worth more than $100!
You should really go to an Apple Store or other reseller and check them out in person. Then come back and shop and find the best price/deal. Don't rely exclusively on reviews that may be written by people that have a grudge against Apple for having a best seller. In fact, don't rely on this review either. Compare the others, pay particular attention to the interface that you will be spending alot of time with.
75 Best player out there
This product is definetly worth the money and I would highly reccomend it to anyone looking for an MP3 player.
Also if you are going to get this you should get a case because the back scratches very easily.
You actually do not get 15GB on this product you only get 13.8 GB so if you have more than that I would reccomend getting the 30 or 40 GB Ipods.
Other than those 2 things this product is flawless and the best MP3 player on the market. I would highly reccomend this to anyone looking for a good Mp3 player
76 ipod ROX
the apple ipod is the best music player in the world. I am a mac lover and i bet that this will turn any1 2 b like me.
77 Great and Stylish
I LOVE my iPod!!! So far I haven't dropped it and it hasn't broken. Although I would make sure that you have a firewire connector on your computer. Or else you will be spending another $20 to get a USB & Firewire cable to download and transfer songs. I have taken my iPod on vacations and school trip and everybody loves it.
78 Things That Are Bad And How To Get Around Them
Don't get me wrong, I think that it is a cool device. There's just so many things that they could have done to make it better.
(1)It is a very fragile product. Two of my friends have broken there iPods by dropping them no more than 2 feet. After that the hardisk gets ruined and 300 dollars have gone down the drain.
(2)Warrenty is not all it's cracked up to be. I bet a lot of you that just read #1 said "Well just go to a Apple Strore with your warrenty and they'll fix it right up."....WRONG. The Warrenty is pretty much just for a mistake made in the factory. If you take in your broken iPod with as so much as a tiny tiny dent the employees will call it a customer abuse code and they will definently not repair your iPod.
(3)To put it simple, iTunes could be a lot better in the way you upload your songs to your iPod. A lot of you will argue with that but it is, and admit it, frustrating.
(4)The battery time. I'm not just talking in life span but I'm talking in just plane daily use. The daily use is just about 4 hours long. That is pretty bad if you ask me. Maby I just got a defective battery, but I don't dare go down to the Apple Store to honor my useless warenty.
(5)The iPod DID NOT revolutiuonalize music. There were MP3 players long before the iPod. Not to mention they played cds and were pretty indestructible if you ask me.
Well that's all I have to say about the iPod. Don't just take my word for it, there are a great number of Apple Lovers on this topic to prove me wrong.
-HELPFUL PIECES OF ADVICE-
(1)Battery Time: My only suggestion to you is to not charge your iPod more than 4 hours. If you do the battery life will ware down a lot, and I mean A LOT, quiker. Also, don't charge your iPod untill it has completely lost charge, this will also increase battery life span. If your battery does stop working there is a store online that I came across one day that does actually teach you how to take apart your ipod and install a new battery, the cost is around $150. To find the web site click in "New iPod batteries" in your key word search.
(2)Warrenty: If you feel that you aren't careful enough and that you need a little insurance, you can buy an extended warrenty that will cover SOME damages you might put on to your iPod, the price is about $50. Another good way to keep your iPod safe is to buy a jacket/cover for it.
(3)Easy Scratches and Marks: If your that obsessed to keep it good looking than buy a cover for it, the average cost for a cover is about $20.
(4)No Fire-Wire Port: You can't get around this problem if you have a computer like, for example, a Dell that requires a USB port connecter. There are only two solutions to this problem. {a}Buy a fire-wire card: this solution will cost you about $40 dollars and it takes a little time to install. I wouldn't suggest this solution unless you have other products that require a fire-wire port as well. Or you can {b} buy a 20 dollar chord that connects to your iPod and then splits into a USB chord and a fire-wire chord.
(5)iTunes Frustration: OK I have been determined to find way to get around the frustrating style of iTunes and find a way to be able to load new songs into my iPod without keeping the enormous amount of songs on there as well. I saw on an earlier review that you can use "deauthorizing" to fix this problem, however he/she didn't explain what that means, so untill someone clarifies on that method here's mine. There is another program for iPod handling that is pretty much for Windows users called Ephod. It is free and easy to download from the internet. This system allows you to take songs from the iTunes library and synchronize them with your iPod. So it basically loads one song at a time and doesn't require you to have every song on your hardrive as you do on your iPod. WARNING: Make sure that you make the iTunes-iPod options to manuel or when you plug in your iPod your memory will be erased.
Well that's about all I have to say. I hope it was helpful.
79 .......
I bought my ipod 2 weeks ago and I just noticed that i bought a 10gb at target and the box says 15gb!!! i cant believe i didnt notice before!! im so pissed that target could do this!! i love the ipod but i didnt pay 300$$!! for a 10gb ipod instead of what its sujpposed to be (15gb), wat a rip off!!! i hope i cant exchange it now... :(
80 Outstanding!
The Ipod is not perfect, but what piece of technology is! I have had mine for several weeks now and I have not had any problems.(Hopefully it stays that way.)
The Ipod is easily scratched, so it is essential to purchase a case. Also, I would recommend getting the extended care plan because it is a very fragile piece of hardware.
Battery life is decent, but you have to charge it every night or every other night for many hours of play.
All in all it is a good music player and has changed the way I listen to music.
81 It's Not Perfect, But What In Life Is?
I got my IPod last Christmas, and I love it. Mine is actually the now-defunct 10GB model, but that's what eventually morphed into this 15GB model. I have a dock and a carrying case for my IPod(they didn't come with it), and they come in very hand. I am a college student and I tend to have lots of time between classes where I study or lounge around and whatnot, so it's great to have all my music with me, in this little device, to take anywhere.
To address some complaints that others have had:
Can't upload songs back to PC: FALSE. You just can't do it with ITunes. There is another IPod software program, small and free, available for download called EphPod, and with it you can copy anything and everything from your IPod back to your PC.
If you hook the IPod to a different PC, all the songs get erased: TRUE. But there is a way to get around that. I'm not quite sure what it is, but there IS a way, I'm sure of that much.
Battery life: Could be better, but not bad at all. I've had my IPod for almost seven months now and the battery hasn't died yet, so I'm being optimistic.
All in all, a great device.
82 Revolutionized My Music Listening
I've had my iPod for about 6 six months and it's revolutionized how I listen to music. Now all the CD music I love and haven't listened to for years is easily accessible in ways I never imagined. I have a PC running XP and I've never had problems with it connecting to the iPod. Transferring CDs to the iPod music system is fast and easy since it transfers at about 10 times the listening speed. I've even started buying music off the web because the software makes it so easy and affordable at 99 cents a song. Buying just the songs I want to hear is wonderful.
Not often mentioned is the (free) iTunes software that runs on your PC. It's really where all the power is for the user. It allows me to organize my songs in any way that suits my tastes in folders that are then transferred to the iPod. And then there's the Smart Folders where I can set up a folder to suit me. For example, I have one for all the songs that I have rated in iTunes as 4 or 5 stars and I have them set to play the ones first that I haven't listed to for the longest. Or the folder that has all the songs that I've labeled as "new artist" so I can become familiar with their songs even though I can't remember their names.
Some things to know before you buy this rather expensive device:
1. Have a reliable backup to your audio files on your PC. The iPod is designed to be downloaded to. So if your computer crashes you'll loose all your music and investment. It's not possible to easily get the songs back from the iPod. There are 3rd party applications that can do this but I haven't tried them. I keep all my files backed up on an external hard drive with a backup software called Backup4All. That added about another $100 to the cost (drive + software) but now I have much more peace of mind and protection for my investment in music files. And since I now backup all my data to the external drive I feel it's well worth the investment.
2. Get a case. The iPod case is easily scratched.
3. Know that you can get rapid and competent support from the iPod and iTunes discussion groups that are available on the apple web site. Answers to most questions usually come back in minutes. If you haven't been in an online discussion like this, just know that the people are friendly and are willing to address any question no matter how big or small. They will not make you feel like you asked a stupid question.
4. Don't drop your iPod. It's a precision instrument. I dropped mine on a concrete sidewalk while it was in its case. Terrified, I watched in what seemed like slow montion as it hit the ground, the iPod slide out of the case, and slid along the ground. Miraculously it kept working and I have not had any problems that I can attribute to the drop. I got lucky.
5. My iPod exhibited annoying behaviors in the first couple of months (before and after the drop) such as the controls locking up or not turning off. Then it would clear up as mysteriously as it started. For months now it's worked flawlessly. One theory that I got off the discussion group is that the iPod may be affected by cold weather.
6. Judging from the discussions some people are disappointed with the battery life. Apple advertises 8 hours but it seems shorter. The more iPiod features you turn on the faster the battery drains. And the meter is a little funky. It goes down fast at the start making it look like the battery is draining very fast, but than it slows down. It's not a particular problem for me because I just pay attention and keep it charged. I have never drained the battery.
7. Replacing the battery is expensive. It's a sealed-in battery so it really should be replaced by someone who knows what they're doing. Apple charges $100 for a replacement but I believe there are services that cost around $50. I'm hoping to get two years from my battery and by then there will be something smaller and better to tempt me. In the mean time, I purchased a $50 extended warranty for the peace of mind.
8. Amazon is a great source for free, legal downloads of music. If you like to experiment with new and mostly unknown artists you can have a ball. Go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/468646/ref%3Dm%5Fmh%5Fmn%5Fdd/103-1753606-8047008
In summary, I would recommend an iPod if you love music and lots of it, if the overall cost is not a significant issue for you, and if you are used to and comfortable with new technology that will undoubtedly improve over the years. If you feel you can't wait then the iPod is for you.
83 Excellent!
The Apple IPOD is an outstanding piece of hardward. I cannot put mine down I love it so much. The sound quality is outstanding and the look and feel of it is unmatched by other similar devices. Even my parents who are not into gagets too much were amazed at the sound and build quality of the IPOD. If you decide to purchase one you will not be able to put it down. I take my IPOD everywhere and it does an outstanding job of keeping me sane. itunes music shop is outstanding and it is so easy to use with my Dell laptop with firewire ports. Apple take a bow; you have created an extraordinary piece of technological history.
84 Freakin Awesome
Lemme just say this, the 5 star rating isn't enough, I give it a 100...
I bought the 10gb iPod on apple.com's Sale section for 250 bucks and I LOVE IT. It's not hard to set up (if you already use iTunes) in fact, iTunes does most of the work for you! The actual iPod is smaller than I thought and weighs little. TO the person who wrote about iTunes deleting all of the songs automaticly, you can turn that off... did you READ the manual?
This is sooo much easier to use if you have a Mac but it's still easy to use w/ a PC
IMPORTANT! --> Buy a case as soon as you get it! I recomend an iSkin but anything will do!
Well, I can't describe the joy of having an iPod in words!
85 wow move over walkman
ok this thing is great got it yesterday. so small and the touch botton is cool ( for all you dell jukebox fans, sorry i dont think they have touch bottons lol) i have 7,132 songs on my 15 gb ipod, its only can hold 3,700. the music qality is great now for everybody who says " when it drops it breaks" 2 solutions for u
1. GET THE IPOD PROTECTION PLAN PLEASSEE if u drop it or the batery dies or anything for the next 2 years go to the APPLE store and they will GIVE u a new one coool
2. BUY A JAM JACKET they work great
the batery is acceptable too about 5 hours
buy it today
im actullay a 15 year old but im not with amazon (...) lol
86 Answer to 'hunk of crap' post
I know this isn't a message board but I thought it would be fair to let you all know that in the 'hunk of crap' review it says you cannot erase the songs from your computer w/o trouble. In answer to that supposed problem I would like everyone to know that you can do this thing called "deauthorizing" and it let's you move the music where ever you want...and you can burn the songs as many times as you want.
87 New Anticipations on a New Product.
Hey all. Ok So i did it. I went and bought one of Apple's infamous ipods. I have to say that I am impressed with how it functions and how quickly I was able to put my music into it. CAUTION! READ THIS BEFORE CONSIDERING! You MUST, i repeat MUST have either windows 2000 or XP or higher to operate this device on a computer other than a Mac. That is why I knocked off a star because I had to lug my cd collection to work and upload them into the iPod there. But since they had brand new dell computers, it went quite well and quick and also the I Tunes program names your cds for you! Which is another plus. I guess the only problem majorilly i encountered was the fact that i had to purchase a USB 2.0 cord along with another firewire for my i-pod because i had no firewire on my computer. But I tried both cords, and they are both equally fast. The controls aew easy to learn and i have yet to drop my i-pod to test its duribility. and i don't plan to...=) Anyways, i would say go for it if your thinking about buying it. I have about 50 albums on it already and it takes up bout 2% already. So i am one happy camper! Just do it.
88 Great.....as long as it works.. (app. 3 weeks!!!)
Nice little toy, until it just dies on you... It stops working, and there is nothing you can do about it...User's Guide provides zero real troubleshooting issues. Don't buy this product if you don't want to get extremely aggrevated over a $300 purchase...
89 HUNK OF CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't stand this thing. First when I bought I thought that it would be a better device than the Dell Digital Jukebox that I had. Big Mistake!!!!
When I first purchased this overpriced crap I went home eager to load my collection of music. To my suprise the stupid cable wasn't compatible with my computer. So I had to order a USB connecter that costed another 20 bucks. That was frustrating enough.
When I finally could load my music it took hours to rip my cd's and format the songs into AAC files.
Then I was ready to load my songs on to the iPod. So I finished and it was a good thing..... for a while.
Because I don't want all the GB of song memory on my computer just taking up space I thought it would be fine to erase it. EVEN BIGGER MISTAKE!!! It turns out that the genuis that invented iTunes made it so that you have to keep every single song you download to your iPod on iTunes as well, or when you try to load another load of songs it will not only put those songs on your iPod but ERASE EVERY SONG YOU HAD ON IT BEFORE!!!
What idiot made this up?
So then I had to load every single song onto my computer all over again. What a freaking waste of time.
To put it simple buy a Dell Digital Jukebox. Not only is it compatible to load songs with it's partner Musicmatch, but also Napster, Media Player, Real One Player, and much more. You also don't need to keep every single song on your computer taking up hardrive.
I wish I didn't spend $300 on this piece of Junk.
90 To all the whiners - read before you buy!!!
The box tells you what's in it and what you'll need if you have a PC. It doesn't mention that it supports WMA and like all electronic equipment, it needs to be handled w/ care. I can't count how many postings I've read that someone dropped their iPod and now it doesn't work. Gee...do you think that if you drop your laptop/computer, it will still work the same? Why don't you give it a try?
If the price is too much (which you already know how much it is) and you find more complaints about it than appreciate it for what it is, than do us all a favor and DON'T BUY IT.
And for those who found the bottoms to be diffucult to remember or control, I really don't know what to tell you. There's only 4 buttons an a wheel. If you find that difficult, than maybe you shouldn't be driving a car or consider driving one.
For the Dell Jukebox users/lovers out there (I'm sure there's about 10 of you), pls keep your Jukebox review under Dell Jukebox. I know there's not enough of you so you're trying to recruit some iPod users, but that is not the right approach. Come to think of it, it's just down right tacky. But don't worry, buy the end of the year, you may double in size. 20 members -- YEAH!!!
91 Awesome...but it still has it's flaws
This product is great i recieved it as a graduation gift. (my mom is a genius) This product functions very well and has lots and lots of space for your media. The only reason I gave this a rate of 4 stars is mainly four things
1. It is not really PC friendly
2. you have to use iTunes to download songs onto it
3. really stiff price tag
4. It can sometimes be confusing when you first use it
If Apple would just fix these flaws I think they would see a whole lot more but overall this product is one of the best of it's type
I hope you make a wise choice and consider this product when you are shopping for mp3 players
92 It's a good buy.
The iPod is fantastic!
It is smaller than what you expect, which is great. It is very stylish with its spin wheel, touch buttons and it's white surface. It is very easy to use, you don't really need to read the manual. It seems as if you have an infanant amount of space, I have 250 songs on it and it hasn't even used up a GB. 3,700 songs is plenty so get the 15GB one unless you have an extra $200 and 10,000 songs you'd like to buy/get from CDs. Here are some pros and cons for you to look at:
Pros:
Great size and weight
Easy to use
It looks nice :)
Transports from comp. to iPod easily and fast
Great features
It holds many songs - either 15,20 or 40GB
It comes with iTunes which is great, you can have as many songs as you want on iTunes, also, you can buy pretty much any song
Great sound quality
Nice backlight
Cons:
Scratches easily (no big deal)
Easily dropped
Battery life is low
Comes in one color (also no big deal)
Overall this is a great purchase and it's worth the money if you have it. It's the best MP3 player available other than the bigger hardrive iPod's (20 and 40GB). You should buy it.
93 Easily broken, and warranty not honored
I think the iPod is a wonderful device. I loved it.....while it worked.
I carried my iPod from home to work in a padded case. Four months after getting the iPod, the drive started making a strange noise and stopped working. I took it to the Apple store to get repaired under warranty. The technician looked at the iPod and noticed a nearly undetectable blemish in the shiny silver back. He declared that the iPod had been "abused" and thus voided the warranty. It would cost me $300 to repair the unit (when it cost nearly the same new) if I wanted it to work again. I was informed by Apple customer service and the store manager that I had no other option and they would not honor the warranty even though another customer in the store couldn't find the "blemish".
Warning to any potential buyers - The iPod is great but is easily damaged. Since it is a sealed unit, any repair basically necessitates a new unit and if it isn't under warranty, will cost you the same as a new one. Since Apple appears to void their warranties at the drop of a hat, this means that if you want to gamble $300 on a product that could stop working because of normal usage, go for it.
This ranked as the worst customer experience I've ever had. Save yourself the headache and don't buy the beautiful, but hopelessly fragile iPod.
94 Great time tested Hard Drive Player
I got this player a year ago when it held the middle spot on the iPod line-up. This is the 15 GB dock connecting (3rd Generation) iPod. Since I have had this for a year now of heavy daily use, I thought people looking to buy now might know what a years use would be like. First of all, regardless of all the scratches my iPod is still performing like the day I bought it. I use it a minimum of three hours a day 5 days a week (I rely on public transit, this thing keeps me sane) and my battery hasn't lost a bit of it's life. I can still go a little over two day's of use without recharging. I test the length of the battery every couple of months to make sure everything is going well and it is. I have dropped it about three times about two and a half feet, and it still works great. Some of my favorite functions with this unit are:
I can carry all my music with me
Creating playlists on the fly
(Just navigate to the song, artist, album, playlist, etc... press and hold the selection button and whatever was selected goes into the on-the-go playlist. If you sync with iTunes before your battery runs out, the playlist is saved as on-the-go #__ .) For example, you can go to the artists section and while an artist is selected, press and hold the select button. It blinks at you about three times and stores all the songs by that artist in the on-the-go playlist. You can do this to a single song, album, playlist, genre, etc... whatever you can navigate to and select.
Connecting my iPod to my stereo.
Unfortunately, you will have to purchase the dock for this function (mine came with the dock at the time). I just set up the dock plugged into the wall and a cable going from my dock to my stereo and I have all my songs, playlists, etc. available on my stereo. Of course with apples new airport express you can do this with your pc, but that's for a different review.
Smart Playlists
This is actually a feature of the iTunes software. You can make smartplaylists which are dynamic playlists. For example, I have a favorite playlist labeled seldom heard favorites. It keeps all my five star rated songs that haven't been played in the past three days ready for my listening pleasure. You can have a playlist with all kinds of parameters. A very powerful tool. And these playlists sync with your iPod.
Automatically organizes your music and updates playlists
No extra cords to recharge battery. Data transfer and recharging is all done through firewire (not true for USB 2.0 users due to the considerably less watts used with USB 2.0). This is great for me because in a pinch I can use my laptop's battery to power my iPod (it has firewire on it).
Also, to dispell some misconceptions:
The iPod plays MP3's as well as the AAC format and now apple's lossless compression available in the latest iTunes.
iTunes will import WMA files.
Sound is just as good as any other player. The main reason for differences in sound is the compression rating and the source of most people's songs. I use the AAC compression at 160 kbps instead of 128 and it sounds great. 128 sounds pretty good too, but I am a bit picky.
A final bit of advice is to download iTunes from apple and see if you like the software. I switched before the wma support so I imported all my cd's (about 9 GB worth) in two to three days. Then I took a day to download all my album art when the new jewel case mosaic print feature became available. I love iTunes as a jukebox player and music organization tool and the iPod is an absolutely wonderful tool to make the time really fly.
Oh, one more feature that I can't wait to get and use is the optional flash card reader that will let me download my smart media card into my ipod (my digital camera uses smartmedia, but the attatchment takes compactflash and secure digital as well. I'm not sure about the new xD memory). You can't view your pictures, but it will give me about 5 GB of storage space, so I don't have to waste a lot of money on flash cards. This is a great option cause now I don't have to take my laptop with me on vacation, just my little bitty iPod.
Also, one of the times I dropped my iPod, a pretty large gash was taken out of the scroll wheel and a crack in the selection button, but it still works like the day I first got it.
95 Great for all
Constantly changing my mind over what to do with my money, I decided on an iPod. Once you've tried out an iPod you can't go back. I'm going to simply divide this first into pros and cons.
Pros:
-keeps your entire music library
-smaller & weighs less than it looks
-allows you to truly hear your music for the first time picks up on all of the background beats)
-scroll wheel is fast (goes through 200 songs in 3 seconds)
-the hold is really useful when put in your pocket (kinda obvious)
-backlight really illuminates the screen
-extremely fast transfers (using USB 2.0 but still same as firewire)
-ability to view text files on iPod screen
-can act as a 15 GB hard drive
-awesome Apple customer service
Cons:
-battery time could be much better
-lack of firewire card on comp.
-foam on headphones continues to fall off
-metal on back easily smudges and scratches
-costly but would still be worthy to most consumers
Besides that, I recommend that you get it especially if you collect music on your computer's hard drive. I would recommend using Apple in that you can engrave whatever on the metal part of the iPod for free.
P.S.
Mandatory Accessories:
-Jam Jacket cover ($20)keeps scratches off the back of iPod
-USB 2.0 cable (as opposed to supplied firewire cable)because it allows for greater versatility in treating the iPod as a hard drive and is cheaper than purchasing a $40 firewire card($20)
-Applecare Protection Plan (if you're getting an iPod you MUST get this because after 1.5 years the battery will diminish in daily lifespan) = $60
96 Buy your iPod Today!
Should You Really Buy an Apple?
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What if you don't like tofu? What if you are not a vegetarian? What if you are not a member of the Sierra Club? Can you still own an Apple product?
Yes, you can own an iPod even if you are not an Apple Nerd. The iPod is a special exception. Buy your iPod now. Just don't tell anyone.
You Can Have Your Own Radio Station!
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Seriously, the iPod is like getting to have your own radio station. You play your songs whenever you like.
Want an MP3 Player in Your Car?
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A quick solution is to plug the "TransPod" car docking station into your cigarette lighter. It can hold your iPod right where you need it. You slid your iPod in and the TransPod broadcasts whatever your iPod is playing. You listen through your car's FM radio while the TransPod charges your iPod. This sound quality is not as good as headphone jack but the headphone jack is still open if you want to use it instead.
Have Your Favorite Songs With You!
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Software such as "Nero" will let you rip (convert) tracks from your CDs to MP3 files. The included iPod iTunes helps you manage your music with a variety of tools including Smart Playlists that will automatically include new songs as you add them to your iPod. Rip at 192 kbs for excellent quality and you will get about 200 songs per GB. As you go to lower sample rates more songs fit onto your iPod but you may get strange digital chirping or distortion.
Accessories
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Apple leads the way with the most accessories offered by third party vendors. In addition to the TransPod, you can change the case color by changing "skins". You can also have a little docking station with speakers in your home with products like the Altec Lansing inMotion Speakers. Do an Amazon search for "iPod Speakers."
A Fast and Cheap Computer Backup
--------------------------------
You may find that even if you rip every song that you like, you may still have many Giga Bytes to fill. Why not let the iPod be your free computer backup? All of your key files from your PC may only take up a few gigs. You will still have room left over!
Digital Voice Recorder
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Tell your parents you are buying a digital voice recorder so you can record lectures. For about the same money buy the iPod. Although limited, the iPod can record up to 150 hours or more with a recorder adapter.
Don't Forget a Case
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iPods have more case options than anyone. Search Amazon for "iPod case." You will find everything from Neoprene wetsuits to waist and arm straps. A case also offers some protection from bumps.
Do I Have to Use iTunes for Downloads?
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You can purchase downloads from iTunes but also consider purchasing from other sites including Real.com and Kazaa.com.
Buy A Warranty
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The iPod is basically a hard disk drive in a case. Guess what happens when your drop a hard drive on the floor? It breaks. The AppleCare Protection Plan for iPod M9404LL/A is another $50 but if you ever drop your iPod you will wish you had the warranty.
What's the Catch?
--------------
The iPod is intended for the 3 % of the world that uses a Mac. Macs use "FireWire" instead of the USB connectors your PC probably has. So you probably need an Apple iPod Dock Connector-to-FireWire-and-USB 2.0 Cable for about $20. Do an Amazon Search for "B00009KO0D". For $36, consider the Apple "iPod Dock" which also gives you USB plus a docking station to hold your iPod.
Summary
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Buy an iPod. Buy it from Amazon. Amazon has some of the best prices on iPod products. And with Amazon you can trust that you will really get a new product.
Have Fun!
97 Battery life is awful. Don't buy if you use a PC
A complete disaster. Customer service was smug, rude and useless. Battery life is less than half of what is advertised.
98 Great- Realistically
I've had mine for about a week now, and I already can't go without it. The thing is beautiful and intuitive. But it IS a hard-drive based music player, which means that it will have certain limitations: Battery and ruggedness. HD based players will never be as rugged as solid state players simply because the hard drive
