The second generation iPod mini holds up to 1000 of your favorite songs in a compact, colorful package that goes with you everywhere. Its durable anodized aluminum shell comes in a choice of four bright colors, including pink, so you can make a bold fashion statement. Its long battery life lets you enjoy your music for up to 18 hours on a single charge. One-year limited warranty.
1 Ok product
My friend have a new ipod mini and I helped her transfer and setup and all that. I was impressed at its size and beautiful color. I was hoping that it didn't cost about 200 USD, I wish it was a bit cheaper.
The Bad: When I tried to install Itunes, it does not work. Why? I have Windows ME. It ONLY works for Windows 2000 or GREATER. I had to transfer the songs to a cd and do it on my brother's computer. A big pain in the butt since my computer is bought in 2001 with one cd drive. Transferring the songs from a music cd to Itunes took awhile, maybe 5-10 min if you transfer about 18 songs. I don't know, but it may vary from computer to computer. I don't like the fact that you have to use itunes to transfer your songs to the Ipod. You can't use the Windows Explorer to do it.
The Good: Using Itunes was easy. it can take a few seconds to know what the buttons do, but its pretty much easy for those people who hasn't used Itunes before. The mini also comes with a belt clip, which looks nice. I'm not sure if it's secure since I my friend does not put it on her belt (she has a little pouch to put her ipod.) The backlight is AWSOME, so bright and it's whiteish. The Ipod mini's controls are very easy to use. The click wheel is awsome. The earbuds are good, the sound is good too.
The Good//Bad: The Mini only need an USB cable connected to the computer to charge its battery. But if you're going on a long trip without a computer, then you would have to buy an iPod USB Power Adapter for around 30 bucks. I would rather use an outlet to charge it than an USB cable.
2 Love it!
I love my new ipod, and the best part is, i got it for only $40! -email me if you want details.
jenmarieduncan@hotmail.com
3 no complaints
this little device is the coolest ever. i like to strap it to my arm and workout listening to my favorite songs.
4 Some people dramatize bad points...
Unlike what some people will have you believe, the iPod does in fact work. It took me about four minutes to import all of my music from iTunes- perhaps it's easier to do if you're on a Mac computer. The interface is easy to get a hang of, and from then on it's pretty easy to use to. Songs can be organized easily from iTunes, into whatever scheme fits you best.
The earbuds are, however, very uncomfortable, albeit they have good sound- some people complained about lack of bass, though I've found, at least with my classical music, that there is plenty, if not to much, bass.
Overall, very worth the price, though you might spring $50 more for 2 more Gigs.
5 Great design and appearance, but not built to last!
This review is from the perspective of someone that has used my iPod mini every day for just over a year.
Let me start by saying, I loved my iPod. I have the Belkin iTrip for my car, and I listen to it most of the day while working at my desk.
I say "loved" because after about 10 months I noticed my battery life became shorter and shorter. I've read about battery fatigue, but this didn't concern me too much. I was a heavy user, and most of my listening happened in places where I could keep it in a charger. No worries.
However, after about a year my iPod sound quality became very staticky. It became apparent that when I jiggled the phone jack that something in the physical headphone connection was causing the signal to get distorted. Still, this was not a huge deal for me. If I was just careful in the car or at work I could still listen.
I've now had it for about 14 months (I bought my mini from Apple the first month they came out), and it is just not useable. Which sucks, considering there is only a 1 year warranty. Nice timing.
Obviously, my 2-star rating could be seen as unfair because I really don't have many complaints about the product and the way it functions.
However, given the problems I've had with it, and realizing that it didn't last for more than 2 months after the 1-year warranty, I wouldn't feel right giving it a higher rating.
Just be careful with this product. It looks sexy, and it is a great mp3 player. But, if you plan to actually use it every day, you should plan on buying one every year.
6 Impossible To Set Up
I recently received a 4GB Mini Ipod as a birthday present, and was quite excited until I found out it was almost impossible to program and came with almost no instructions. After more than 10 hours of trying and searching the Apple website for solutions, I am giving up and returning this item back to where it was purchased and buying an iriver. The itunes software kept telling me that there was an error and that I needed to reformat to factory settings - of course, it does not explain anywhere how exactly do do this in the limited instruction manual that comes with the unit. Even when I finally managed reformat the unit and download songs into the unit, the songs would not play - again, no instructions as to how to deal with this problem. So I try to download the songs again and get the same error message that the unit needs to be reformatted to factory settings and is not able to copy any of my songs! Before completely giving up I went to two different friends that have MP3 players (one with a 20GB ipod and the other with a 20GB iriver). Both spent over an hour trying to figure out the impossible before giving up and recommending that I return the unit for something easier to use.
7 Where is my charger to go with this ipod???
There is nothing to be said about ipod minis and how fantastic they are. But where is the charger to go along with the ipod from this particular vendor!!! It's like selling someone a car without a steering wheel. This is the 3rd ipod I bought from Amazon and the first two came with a charger as you would expect! But this one, which I bought a s a mother's day gift came without one and makes it completely ungiftable. Yes yes the description does not include one, but come-on, it is only common sense that a charger should be included, when you pay the same price as one that would have it!!!
8 A solid product which deserves to sell a bazillion units
I visited the ipod mini page from a link on my purchase history. I didn't expect to need to add my positive review until I read some of the negative comments being posted here.
I own a second generation ipod which I bought as soon as it became available to Windows users. Put it this way, when I bought it, the cashier at Best Buy was like, "What's an ipod?" Ok - maybe that says more about Best Buy hiring practices than anything else.
I bought a garish pink ipod mini this round for my wife and she absolutely loves it. Took about an hour to fill it with a 1,000 of her favorite songs. USB 2.0 feels a lot faster than my firewire ipod transfer.
I had a few issues with loading the ipod mini software but as an old hand at this stuff I didn't worry about it. I fear a few newbies might freak when their computer fails to recognize the ipod without rebooting their machine and plugging the ipod back in. Subsequently, I've had no recognition problems.
The navigation process on the ipod mini is still excellent. The physical build is solid and attractive. I highly recommend the ipod mini but please get a case to protect it. I sat across a guy on my ferry to San Francisco the other day and was horrified to see his 4th gen ipod scratched to bits. I shook my head in disgust. Lol.
Enjoy your music!
9 I'm going crazy, crazy, crazy just thinking about my iPod!
Oh my gosh! I love my iPod so much and I think I would've died without it. You might be thinking, "1,000 songs? I could just name 5,000 songs from the top of my head!" but you're wrong. I was thinking the same thing until I took a risk and bought from the wonderful Amazon.com. Here's the story...
One day, my friend came to school and said, "Look, I got an iPod for my birthday!" I was like what is that? And she explained to me. I totally fell in love with the idea of getting one and I asked my mom for one for a birthday present. But of course, she said no. So I saved up. After a while, I had about $400 saved up for just an iPod mini 4G. But I needed it. I got the iPod (of course) for $174.95, the iSee mini case for $11.55, the portable charger for $29.99, and the speakers for $39.99! I just got it 3 weeks ago, and I already have 122 songs!
Things I love:
1,000 songs, now that's a whopper compaired to an mp3 player!
its adorable appearance
clear, beutiful sound
Things I detest:
iTunes (it takes 4 min. for one song to download)
charging, HOURS AND HOURS!
battery life...8 hours, come on! horrible for a plane ride
but still...all these things can't keep me from giving it 5 stars!
10 Best MP3 Player There Ever Could Be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best
Apple made this the best way ever.
The software is seamless with windows not a SINGLE problem
I would seggest buying this to anyone.
1. It is built great, very sturdy yet cool.
2. The battery last a very long time right now I've been on a charge for 4 days.
3. Hold's 1000 song's.
4. You can put your address book on it as well as notes and a calendar (But I must say I can't figure out how to use the calendar).
5.Buy it....Its so worth 199.00
JORDAN
11 From vinyl to Digital
My green mini iPod ROCKS (literally)! It is PERFECT for any music lover! It is soooo easy to use! The sound is really, really great! I don't know anything about the purchasing of songs from iTunes, I just get songs from CDs I own. It is perfect for someone who is not really too hi-tech, like me. Green is the best color too! Get one, it is worth the money!
12 The iPod's great, the software is terrible
I received the iPod mini as a christmas gift. It's the only mp3 player that I have ever owned. But the Itunes software is terribly annoying. My first beef with it is the size of the program; it is SLOW. It takes 2 to 3 times to bring up as windows media player. It rips a CD at nowhere near the speed of wmp. Also, it destroys any type of organization scheme that you develop on your own. If you rip a CD using Itunes, it will put the files in my documents\my music\itunes\itunes music\artist name\album name. If you have multiple iPod's sharing the same computer, forget trying to keep things straight. Also, apple has added the "convenience" of only being able to upload to your iPod using the Itunes software. A drag and drop using windows explorer would be much appreciated.
Bottom line: If you've never touched a computer before, apple makes it 100% idiot proof, otherwise the software will frustrate you to no end.
13 Little but Big Problems
I always admired people with these mini iPods and I was surfing amazon one day and I saw it for the low price of $149.99 with free shipping. So I decided I deserved a big present for myself, I bought it. It took about 2 weeks for the shipping and I took it to Washington D.C., the battery life isn't great for a trip but it's good. It takes several hours to charge, which is a downfall but it should charge overnight.
Although, I had the same problem with it 3 times. It kept giving the exclamation point folder icon, which meant a low battery, no memory, or reset. Well I know it had memory because I had songs on it and I know I charged the battery. I called apple for help but got no help what so ever, I was very fed up. Apple charges you $49.99 for each Tech Support Phone call you make after the first one, just so you know. If you are up for a headache then sure it's a great buy. I know people who never had problems, but then again I know at least 2 other people that have had this trouble with it too. Needless to say I sent it back to Amazon for a refund.
14 Don't bother with this product...
I got one and when I opened the box it (the iPod) didn't work. I called the Customer Service and they said, "Too bad!" I was PISSED!
I called later and someone else said to return it for a new one so I did.
Pros:
*Navigation is good
*Nice design
*Lots of options to do
Cons:
*The sound quality is horrible. Its like listening to a casseste player.
*Customer Service is bad
*Costs more than Zen Micro
*You have to pay $.99 for one song from iTunes
*Terrible Manual
I was using this and suddenly it BROKE. I called Customer Service (again) and they said they'll send a replacement. I said I didn't want one because I'm getting the Zen Micro instead. ;)
Conclusion: I recommend getting the Creative Zen Micro instead because it costs less and you don't have to pay $.99 for EACH song.
15 What! No AC adapter?
So what am I supposed to do when I travel and the battery needs charging and no computer is handy? That's it! Shell out another $30 for an AC adapter! And why would one want to boot up the computer at home just to charge the battery anyway? On another matter, after iTunes software installation on my XP system, iTunes would not recognize the iPod. Eventually I had to uninstall the software and repeat the process to make it recognize the unit.
16 Great product, but want a couple of software improvements.
I'm very pleased with my 4gig Ipod Mini so far, but wanted to add a few comments to what others have written.
The sound quality is quite nice, even with the standard ear buds. The capacity is right for the price, and battery life is good for how I use it (a couple of hours here and there). I have two concerns, but they are not significant enough to reduce the rating from 5 stars for me:
- I-tunes, the computer software you use to load/unload songs, is not completely intuitive. Although the software works well and downloading/purchasing new music is easy, getting songs onto your ipod can be difficult if you already have an extensive music collection. I solved this by creating a couple of specific playlists in I-tunes, and having the I-pod only synchronize with those playlists.
- Although the I-pod mini can play songs in set order, random, or direct selection, I've not found a way for it to shuffle songs from only one playlist. I like to hear relaxing songs by the pool, and energetic songs when I'm at the gym. Being able to shuffle only my "poolside" playlist or my "energy" playlist would be great. Perhaps it can be done and I just need to research more.
- Some of the help documentation isn't very deep. This is typical of Apple. Because their hardware and software have so few problems, most users never need extensive documentation. But if you want to go back and change some unusual settings (like the I-pod's name, or the shuffle method I mentioned above), how to do it is either not explained or difficult to find in the manual.
Those caveats aside, I'm loving my I-pod mini and definitely recommend it. All of my concerns are non-critical, and they could be addressed with a software update.
17 Clear, Perfectly Pristine Sound
Apple iPod is a great advancement to technology that will have everyone smiling. The sound is inevitable and is extremely satisfying.
However, I marked it down by two stars because :
1. It does not come with any free songs; once you get it you do have your iPod, but you need to fill it with songs that'll COST you more money.
2. A little too expensive on the account that it has no songs in it
18 what's with the battery?
Not a bad piece of machinery, but the battery lasts (maybe) 10 hours at most (playing at medium sound), not the 18 hours advertised.
19 Apple iPod Mini is the Apple of my Eye
The Apple iPod: definitely the best MP3 player out there. $200 is not a lot of money for hours and hours of entertainment. Last year, I considered buying a cheap MP3 player. You know, even below $100 if possible. In the end, I couldn't find one nice enough for my price range. This year, my best friend purchased a green mini. I fell in love with it! Every time I went over to her house, I sat down and asked her about the features. I listened to all of her songs, and I was blown away by the sound quality. Even the style of the mini is adorable! I asked her how much it was, and she said $250. Yikes! A bit steep for me! But i wanted that mini, so I started saving up. A good 6 months later, I hadn't spent one penny of my now saved $300. Then one day my best friend called me to tell me that minis were now only $200! I was so excited. With my extra cash, I bought a wristband, speakers, and a case from www.apple.com. What a buy! I love my pink mini so much! Here are my favorite features:
-Style: It's adorable! Fun pink, blue, and green, plus a more conservative silver.
-Size: It's remarkable. About the size of a credit card, and less than 1/2 inch thick!
-Click Wheel: Hated this feature at first. Just could NOT get used to it! But now I find it great.
-Battery Life: Not too shabby for an iPod. I'm impressed.
-Screen: One of the only reasons I bought a mini as opossed to a shuffle. Clear words are a definite plus.
Things I would change:
-iTunes: Hate it hate it hate it. Everything about it annoys me! I mean, even something as stupid as the visualations on my computer. They stop after one song! What a pain! Worst software ever.
-Games: So hard to play. I mean, not really a big issue because nobody ever plays them anyway, but especially Solitaire disapointed me.
All in all, the Apple iPod Mini is a great buy at great value. If you're looking for a high quality Mp3 player, this is for you!
20 More Hype than Substance
Ok the price is good, for a 4GB Music Player.
The interface on the iPod itself is great! The clickwheel is a brilliant innovation, I love how you just have to move your finger round the wheel and have things like volume, location in song and scrolling through the menus change seamlessly
Sound? Well I have hooked the iPOd up to a pair decent pair of PC Speakers (complete with subwoofer) and the output was great. As for earbuds, that's good too, plus let's not forget that the sound quality also depends on the MP3s you've got...Also there was absolutely no skipping occuring.
Ok so that's the good. Unfortunately, there's a lot that's bad - BATTERY LIFE - it's ridiculously low. I get about 2/3 hours mileage out of it at most. This is without playing with the clickwheel too much. I don't know if mine is a defective piece, but I don't think so.
iTUNES IS AWFUL. This is the least user-friendly piece of software I have ever come across. Instead of allowing you simply add songs to your iPod based on filename, you have to conform to the ID3 tag format. Although this may not seem too much of an issue for some, it was a real problem for me, as none of my songs are catalogued according to ID3 and I have over 700 songs! Winamp is smart enough to pickup whatever info it can get, and iTunes should be too.
Further, and most importantly, on Windows 2000 Professional, if you try and install iTunes when Quicktime is already installed, the setup hangs, and you get nothing. So you have go back and uninstall quicktime, before installing iTunes.
It is not very easy to create playlists. You can't just select 5 songs and say create playlist out of these 5 songs. You have to first create a playlist, and then drag the songs into the list....
Finally, the iPod's casing is looks a lot stronger than it is. It has a niced brushed metal look, but is very weak. I've gently dropped my iPod once, and was upset to observe a dent on the top left corner :-( I guess one needs to invest in a case for the ipod.
Keeping these things in mind, I would say that the iPod is a good buy, but more for fans than for practical people...
21 I don't know how I ever got along without it...
I LOVE MY SILVER IPOD MINI! After about a year of research and procrastination, I was having a particularly bad week, so after seeing a teenage at the drug store with her Pink mini, I decided that if she can have one and she doesn't have a job, I can surely have one and buy it with my hard-earned money!
I marched myself into the Apple Store and treated myself to my mini. Awesome decision! I was wavering between the 4GB and the 20GB since there was only about a $50 difference. It didn't even make sense to me to consider the 6GB because that was $50 more as well, and if I was going to pay the $50, then I was going to get the 20GB. I decided on the 4GB for now. My computer hard drive is only 6GB at the moment, so there's really no need for an iPod whose storage is bigger than what my system can hold! :)
MY LIKES:
1. The Size- It's absolutely perfect! It stays in my purse so I will always have music on the go. My co-worker gave me a baby blue skin to put on it so it will be protected in my purse.
2. The Color- I was aiming for the blue one until I saw it in person. The color was a little too blue for my taste (even though blue is one of my favorite colors! ZZZZ-PHI!) I'm not a fan of Pink nor Green, so Silver was it. It's sophisticated looking.
3. The Battery Life- This was the sticking point for me. Up until I bought my mini, I was listening to music on my 1GB SD card plugged into my Palm Pilot. It was a good solution for a while. I was, and still am, thankful for the capabilities of my Palm, and if it weren't for the fact that my Palm's battery life is horrible, I may have stayed with that and never bought my mini. So far, I have gotten a good 12 hours on 1 charge. That's awesome. The advertised time is about 18 hours. Look, if it lasts me a whole work day without dying, then I am happy. So far, it has totally surpassed that.
4. The Screen- It is clear and bright. I love it!
5. The Click Wheel- It took some getting used to, but now, I love it. It makes it easier to navigate around the menus.
6. USB Cable- Quick music transfer!
7. iTunes- I used to use MusicMatch faithfully. I will probably still use it since I have lifetime upgrades. I also like the burning capabilites of the program. I use Windows Media Player as well. I let RealPlayer go. Too much spyware. iTunes is a very robust program that does just about everything you need. It organizes your music very well, and it is an easy program to learn.
8. Sound Quality- The sound quality is awesome. I can't ask for anything better. Very crisp and clear. Plus, once you play around with the EQ, you'll find what suits you.
9. Educational Discount- If you are a student, you can get an Educational Discount on all Apple products if you purchase directly from Apple.
MY DISLIKES:
There aren't many, but there are a few...
1. No AC Adapter- I had to buy it separately! Apparently, it was included in the previous generations. I own a laptop, so I don't keep it on all of the time. Therefore, that would have been counter-productive trying to charge my mini from the USB port. The Adapter is $30 by itself, but for people like me, it's a necessary cost so I can plug it up to the wall and it can travel with me.
2. No Stop Button - There isn't a dedicated "Stop" button in iTunes or on my mini. All I see is a "Pause" button. If there is a stop button, someone please show it to me!
3. On/Off Management - I don't like the fact that whenever I plug up my mini to charge, even if it's already turned off, the unit turns on. I have to physically turn it off. Not a biggie, but it's just something I've noticed.
4. The Earbuds- They sound just ok to me. I'm not a fan of them. My inner ear is shaped funny so I'm probably not getting the full effect of them since I can't really put them in as far as they are intended to go. I may have to get some of those ear canal ones. I have figured out to have these stay in my ears all day without them hurting. I don't wear them with the foam though. The foam irritates me to no end.
Ok...that's my review. I hope it helps you all!
22 Great, but bruises as easily as an apple....
This is my first Ipod and I love it. The functionality is excellent and I've found that it lives up to nearly all of the positive notes that others here and elsewhere have written. However, I have two complaints: One that would not have changed my purchase decision, and another that would have made me buy an accessory earlier.
First, the battery life is nowhere near 18 hours. I do not use the backlight, nor do I play it very loud. Perhaps the best I have done with battery life is 7-10 hours. I was so surprised at first that I thought I had accidentally purchased the fist generation Mini. I confirmed that I had the second one. But again, I would still purchase this, regardless.
Second, get a case or some other protective cover! I dropped mine twice outside. Both times were from only a foot or two but were on pavement or asphalt. The Ipod worked flawlessly without any problems at all. But, drops that may have only slightly scratched a plastic case resulted in several small but very noticeable dings and even an actual dent on the corner. The metal used for these cases must be pretty soft or pretty cheap! If you want to keep your Mini looking clean and new over time, and you occasionally have two left hands, you will definitely want to get some type of case or cover for it.
23 Wonderful.
I have a tremendous amount of music - too much for an iPod of any current size - and so I knew that I would be moving music on and off of the device no matter what. I chose the smallest iPod Mini because of its good price and physical dimensions (it's a lot smaller than most people think), and have been very, very happy with my purchase. I am something of an audiophile, and yet have been very pleased with the Mini's impressive sound quality, its ease of use, the incredible battery life (18 hours is not much of an exageration) and the flexibility that the Mini provides me. To be only slightly critical (and not to discourage anyone from enjoying an awesome device), I am not especially fond of Apple's ear-buds (and a bit uncomfortable, too), but they were easily replaced for even better sound. Also, I do wish that I could turn off the "auto-pause" feature (the unit pauses automatically when the earphones are removed, but is so sensitive as to occasionally pause when the plug is inadvertently rotated). These are minor criticisms, and I hope that everyone gets an iPod!
24 What is Wrong With iTunes?
I love my iPod and iTunes, and simply can not see why people dislike iTunes. A previous reviewer said that they couldn't transfer songs from another computer. BULL. Just right click on the iPod, and change it to manual synchronization. Even if you don't like iTunes, there are many other applications, such as iPod Agent, that can transfer music (and more) to your iPod that are available online for free. Especially with the new price, IPODS ROCK!
25 Very disappointing battery life
So I received my Ipod Mini last week (good job Amazon for the free shipping....which arrived very promptly) and I had a lot of trouble with iTunes. I had a 256 mb mp3 player before I bought my iPod and transferring music to that one was so much easier. With iTunes, you have to make sure every song you want on your iPod is in the library. Thus if you add songs from a different computer, the songs that are not in this new library will be deleted! I guess this protects illegal music sharing, but for something this expensive this is a very inconvenient feature. Basically I think iTunes is an inferior program for transferring music; on my old mp3 player you could just drag and drop music files into the player.
Most importantly, the battery life of my iPod is absolutely disappointing. I've had to charge it every 2 days since the day I received it, and it's not like I keep it on all the time. I just use it when I walk to class, and in a span of 2 days it is actually on for about no more than 6 hours. I don't even have the backlight setting on at all. I am extremely upset with this because the 18 hour battery life is what initially hooked me into buying this second generation version.
Apple is lucky the iPod has such a good interface. The scroll wheel I must admit is a very intelligent tool and the ability to make playlists is something flash drive based mp3 players can't do. For 190 dollars I got a second generation iPod that has EXTREMELY poor battery life and that's why I am so upset with this. If anyone else has had problems with their battery, please share. It's better to know I'm not the only one who got gypped!
26 can't deal with the newer blue color
The earlier generation of ipod blue was better than this blue. This one is too bright and gaudy.
27 A Convert
I have a Creative Nomad Zen that I've given up on. It really isn't fair to compare the Nomad with the Mini, based on storage alone, but let me tell you why I decided to get this one.
I had an iPod 20g that I decided to return after spending way too much money on accessories that were almost necessary (wall charger, usb cable, etc). I also had problems synching it with more than one computer. Ok, I get it, we shouldn't do that, sharing music is wrong, blah, blah. So I took it back and swore off iPods.
After the price went down, I decided this was a good deal and should pick it up, plus it is really good looking.
I'm using it on linux which gives you more freedom and control than using iTunes for synching up.
Biggest Pros:
-- Extended battery life
-- Charging via usb/firewire
28 "the next big" bogus offer
Let's face it, you can't get something for nothing!
The San Francisco Chronicle recently exposed the real story behind the so-called "offers" that are continually being posted here.
Do a search on Google or on sfgate.com for "iPod not really free David Lazarus" and you will see what the con artists running these programs are really up to.
In a nutshell, it's just another way for spammers and other sleazy people to steal your personal information.
29 If It's Too Loud, You're Too Old...
I've owned a number of other MP3 players and have made a concerted effort to avoid "iPod madness." But with the recent price drop and upgrade of the battery life, I decided to take the plunge. I bought mine through the Apple store and got free engraving as well as free shipping.
All-in-all, I LOVE my new 4gb iPod mini. I also like that I can import my MusicMatch Jukebox playlists into iTunes rather easily.
There are really, in my opinion, only a few negatives:
~ Dock is no longer included. However, the included USB cable works fine IF you have a powered USB port on your PC.
~ The included ear-buds are AWFUL! Fortunately I had several pairs of good headphones floating around, so that was not a big issue for me.
I would recommend picking up the USB power adapter and the Insten iPod Sync & Charging cradle. I would also recomment checking out the IpodLounge site for lots of good information on the care and feeding of your iPod.
Oh! One other negative is that these things ARE addictive.
30 Ipod = The Best MP3 Player
I love the ipod mini it holds so much music and is so small. Also the 18 hour battery life is great. This is perfect for holding my hip hop music collection. If you dont have alot of music I would also recomend the ipod shuffle. But my ipod mini has been great so far. Go Ipods!
31 Wow
I got the product within the day the email was sent that it had been shipped and in perfect condition.
32 Incredibly Fast Shipping!
Cheers to Amazon! I bought this IPod as a gift for my fiancˇe's burf-day, so I haven't even taken it out of the box yet, but I had to write a quick note singing their praises. Amazon's logistics and delivery network is unbelievable.
I opted for the free shipping offer (Super Saver Discount), which Amazon claims will ship in two to three days. I placed the order around 2:00 PM CST, yesterday (3/21/05), only to have it show-up on my desk at work at 10:30 AM CST, today (3/22/05). That's a total of 20.5 hours for Super Saver Delivery.
I will say that my home in St. Louis, MO isn't extremely far from Amazon's distribution center in Lexington, KY, where this package was shipped from - about 350 miles. But still, I've ordered pizza's that have taken longer to get here.
Way to go Amazon!
33 Now a part of the iPod craze!
Trust me, I was the LAST person to buy an iPod. I was perfectly happy with my iRiver H140 (which I still love), and was sick to death of seeing those white headphones everywhere! But then I decided to get a tinier player for my walks to class and such. I tried out different smaller players and they all had some type of defect. An iPod Shuffle wasn't an option as the thing doesn't even have a screen. When these second-generation minis came out, I was blown away by the specs: supposedly 18 hours of battery life, price cut down fifty dollars, etc. So I went ahead and bought the blue version and yet to have any regrets. My review:
PROS:
// I did a battery test on this the afternoon I bought it. It wasn't even charged to full capacity, and on top of that, I played with it a lot, and it still ran continuously for about 23 hours. Amazing. One of the reasons I was hesitant about getting a first-generation mini was its battery life (about eight hours, I believe). Apple has definitely improved on this feature.
// iTunes, the software that you use to put music on your iPod, is great. You can make it automatically sync to your iPod or manually update. I choose the latter option as I have more music on my computer than will fit on a 4GB player. I thought having to use software would be annoying in comparison to hooking a player up like a regular hard drive and using the file tree method, but iTunes is simple and gets the job done. There are other programs you can use to manage your iPod, like MusicMatch, but iTunes seems to be the least clunky to me. Also, you DO NOT have to buy from the iTunes music store to work your iPod. You can even hide this option on the sidebar if you wish and make iTunes solely a music manager.
// So tiny! I have to admit that when I opened the box, I exclaimed, "It's SO cute!" It's basically the size of a credit card. A little slimmer, a little longer, but you get the idea. Even the package it comes in is very compact!
// Sound quality is absolutely superb. You'll listen to songs that you've heard on your computer or other MP3 player or whatever and hear nuances that you haven't heard before. Like I said, I have an iRiver, and while that has amazing quality too, you'll be surprised how crisp this little device sounds.
// Plenty of features. Notes, contacts, games (Music Quiz, Solitaire, Brick and Parachute), clock, alarm... I have yet to use any of these extras but I guess it's nice to know that they're there in case you do. I think more efficient features would be voice recording, FM tuner, etc.
// Scratch-resistant. All of my friends' iPods are scratched up like you wouldn't believe. The mini has a lot more resistance to scratches as it has an anodized aluminum case.
// Inuitive design. Everyone knows about the click wheel. I've handled lots of different players and Apple really wins in this area. The controls are underneath the wheel, so you don't have to worry about buttons bulging out on the exterior.
// Colors-- this is a pretty trivial point, but I was initially disappointed when these "new" colors came out. I thought the earlier model pastels were much prettier. However, now that I actually have one (photos don't do justice), I think my blue one has a gorgeous, rich hue, and I imagine this is the same for the green and pink. No complaints in the aesthetics department from my end.
CONS:
// No support for WMAs. iTunes will import these as their own format, which might result in a sound degradation. I had to rip a bunch of my CDs as MP3s just to retain original audio quality.
// Apple really skimped out on the accessories. I'm used to getting a bunch of add-ons with my player for free, like a case and adapter. The mini includes a clip-on holder, headphones, and your charging cord, but that's pretty much it. HOWEVER, to Apple's credit, you can charge your iPod without an adapter (right from USB, or Firewire). Plus, to get these 4GB models down cheaper than they were before, it makes sense that they cut out the superfluous items.
// This will be a minor issue for most people, but when you're in your menus (like listings under Songs or Albums or wherever), the titles don't scroll. So if you have a lot of songs that start with the same string of words, you're going to have try them all to see which one you're looking for. On the actual now-playing screen, they DO scroll, it's just that in the menus they don't. Like I said, this won't affect most people, but it did kind of annoy me when I first saw it as all other players I've worked with scroll titles in menus.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:
// The iPod never actually shuts off. I know that when I first got this, I was like, "Where's the stop button?!" You can put it to sleep by holding the play/pause button down for a few seconds, but it will never actually be turned off. This is a smart move made by Apple because if you were to continually shut off and restart everytime you wanted to use it, not only would it take a long time to boot up, but it would wear down its interior.
// iPod doesn't give you a straightforward way to copy your music back onto your computer after putting it on, but there's a way to do so without using external programs if it's enabled to disk usage. 1) Click on the iPod icon in My Computer. 3) Click Tools > Folder Options > View > Show Hidden Files and Folders. 3) A folder called "iPod Control" should appear. Navigate into that folder and all your music should be in several different folders within. If you don't want to do it this way, there are also third-party programs like CopyPod.
// For iPod support, Google "iPodLounge." Their forums are really helpful, too.
// Ordering from Amazon is probably your best bet. I ordered this on March 17 and received it the very next day on March 18. That was with Super Saver Shipping deal where it's actually supposed to take up to two weeks to get to you! This could just be in my lucky case, but even so, you can also always return your iPod if something is wrong with it with zero hassle and for free. Like with those other players that gave me issues? Amazon sent a UPS guy to my house to pick it up, returned it, and I got ALL of my money back. Just my two cents on that.
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Overall, a great player. Besides a few flaws, Apple has found a new iPod-lover in me which I thought NEVER would happen! Sorry for the length of this review but I hope it helped potential buyers. Happy iPodding. :)
34 Such a rip off
I don't like iPod's. I think that they're a total rip off. You buy an iPod for like $200.00, then you have to buy your charger, then you have to buy your headphones. Plus you have to pay for the songs you download on it. Thats what blew me away. I think that since you payed about $300.00 for your iPod, they should atleast give you the songs for free. I would advise everyone to stay away from them if they want to save money...
35 The price is rising
last time I checked you could get an ipod for $180. i last checked about 2 weeks ago and i thought it was a rip off then. this is outrageous, apple makes their ipods for $30 and amazon is selling them for $200. they're earning more money than they need, yet people still keep buying them. Sure it's great with all the songs, games and features but, it's not worth the money your paying for it. IT'S A RIP OFF.
36 Simply THE best mp3 player!
iPod mini was the hottest gadget last year & the best mp3 player around. Looks like this will be true even in 2005. There is absolutely no competition for the iPod's, no other player is even half as good as iPod.
Pro's,
1. Very good audio quality. Support for normal mp3's (unlike Sony).
2. Small size (smaller than most cell phones like much-talked-about-Motorola-Razr)
3. Extremely well desgined (let's hope Apple makes a cell phone and PDA in near future)
4. Very intuitive interface (award winning touch wheel and minimal buttons)
5. 4GB hard drive (enough space for about 800 mp3 songs)
6. Available in many colors (hopefully Apple will come up with Nokia style faceplates for future Mini's)
7. iTunes is one of the best music software around (rate songs, keep playcount, easy-sync with the iPod)
8. Excellent screen for such small size
9. Recharges from a standard USB port with the same cable as used for the upload of songs. No need to carry around a charger now.
10. Tons of innovative accessories in the market (from Bose speakers to colorful socks!)
11. Good battery life, about 10-14 hrs depneding on how much you surf around on it. ofcourse we all want more and there is no end to that demand :)
12. Everything about the iPod Mini is designed to perfection (no other company has put this much time & effort into their mp3 players even in 4 yrs since iPod hit the streets)
Con's,
1. The battery is internal with no easy replacement chances
2. Colors on the new Mini, except Silver, IMHO, are all gaudy. Last generation of Mini's had much pleasing colors. Check out for yourself at a local store before buying.
3. Gold version has been dropped now, its become a collector's item? Instead of adding more colors they have dropped one!
4. Doesn't come with a wall charger any more and takes longer to charge from USB port. You always need to be around a computer or pay extra for the charger.
Its simply fabulous and I am running out of superlatives to describe it. Thanks Apple for the new iPod Mini!
37 Great Design!
When I first started to buy a MP3 Player I scoffed at the idea of buying a iPod. I thought "how mainstream". I searched and I searched until I saw the Creative Zen Micro. Then I discovered it had headphone jack problems. So, I opened my mind an dbought an Ipod mini. The new ones have longer battery life and I just love the easy UI. But, It will not work with many music stores.
38 Love it!
I just got my iPod Mini, and I LOVE IT!!!!! It's awesome. It's definitely worth the $200. The only thing I wish it had was a better charger you could use in the car. Apple sells one, but it has terrible feedback. One of the best features: you can play games while you listen to music. There's 4 games: Brick, Music Quiz, Parachute, and Solitaire. Music Quiz is the only one you CAN'T play while listening. This is a must buy!
39 Get this
I got this a couple days ago from best buy for 199.99 and it is great. it plays the songs better than a cd. dont get this from best buy or anywhere else though. get it on the apple wedsite and if your are a student k-college lick on the student discount page. you get a 20$ discount, free shipping, and free laser engravtion
40 Revised: Good but could be better
The Good
1.The new Ipod mini has made one major improvement over its predecessor i.e. a battery life of 18 hrs or more. My 4GB lasted for 22 hrs on the first go.
2.The looks are the best coz of the sleek anodized case.
3.Easy to use,Click wheel Navigation features are unbeatable.
4.Easy to use iTunes software and music downloads.
5.For students you can get this on the apple store for $179 and the 6gb for $229.
6.Good Customer Service
7.Anti-Shock memory good for those of us who drop things :D
The Bad
1. The sound quality is not the best, PC World compared it to headphones quality while comparing the iRiver and Creative products to listening room quality. However for normal listeners this shouldn't matter.
2. It cannot play WMA tracks so it can store only half the number of songs that a wma player can for the same capacity.
3.Doesn't come with the wall charger now that the price is reduced
The Ugly
1. The ipods have to be returned to Apple to replace the battery which normally will run out in 6-12 months depending on use, that costs $99 besides shipping not to mention the waiting...it would have made more sense to produce them with replacable LiOn batteries.
My suggestion
I would suggest getting creative's zen micro.They hav a 5GB version for $229 on Amazon .They are releasing 2 new models a 4gb for $199. A 6 gb for $249.They are equipped with replaceable 10-12 hr batteries which you can get for $40. Carry around an extra battery an you get 20-24 hr listening time.
The zen micros also have better sound quality as compared to the pods.
But if want great looks and not bothered by less than perfect sound quality stick to the ipod mini.
41 22 hours battery life on my first test
everyone knows the iPod mini is a great player, but I was really amazed at the new battery life. I don't even have to care anymore, it lasts so long. I HIGHLY recommend the mini.
Are you going to be one of the poor souls that end up with a zen micro that gets 10 hours battery life on a good day? -- Personally I think the zen looks like it came out of a cracker jack box and it seems to my ear that they use a bass preset as "normal" to trick the consumer-- just try amping one of those creepy zlooking zens! Whatever folks, thats up to you.
However, you WILL NOT be dissapointed with this SUPER mini from apple whereas you may be very depressed if you buy one of the lesser players like the zen or dj
42 Great
I just got an ipod mini tonight. Within 20 minutes of having it at home i already had about 2 gigs of music on it. Within an hour i was listening to my music. Plus the price point now beats out the zen micro, the mini's only real competitor. I have played with my friends zen micro and i have to admit I was going to get one before the price drop.But it takes time to get used to the touch pad and the fm reception is bad. Overall this is a great product adn even better due to its price. my advice is to go out and get one ASAP. UPDATE: this thing is very sturdy i have left it in the snow for 5 inutes and it still works. I have left the headphones dragging on the road at speeds upwards of 40MPH and they still work great
43 The second-generation Ipod Mini is a hit!
I went into the Apple store this weekend, planning to buy myself an Ipod shuffle to keep myself under the $200 mark while buying an Ipod, and what did I see but the newly released 2nd generation Ipod Mini, selling just within my price range!
This mini is totally worth the added cost compared to the shuffle. While I envy the shuffle's extremely light weight and even lower price, I'm glad to have the extra storage space on my Ipod as well as a much-needed screen. My ipod mini is pretty light, even if not weightless, and it has an amazing 18-hour battery life.
On the missing regular Charger: I haven't had any problems using the USB cable and connecting my Ipod right to my computer. Plus, so many people have ipods these days that I imagine I could always borrow someone else's charger if I needed it. And buying a new charger is always an option.
44 Apple raises the bar again with the new iPod mini
I was lucky enough to get one of these literally 5 minutes before the store sold out. I have the 6gb version, which is identical to this one except for the capacity (and the price - it was $50 more than this 4gb version). I also have a 40gb 4th generation iPod, an iPod shuffle, and I have owned and used MP3 players by Creative and iRiver.
The new "2nd generation" iPod mini builds on the strengths that made the original mini a blockbuster best-seller: easy to learn, easy to use, elegant user interface, immensely usable "click-wheel," and outstanding sound quality. Since the original mini was introduced a year ago, some competitors appeared that offered higher capacity, better battery life, and lower price. This new iPod mini answers the competition with some important improvements which make it a compelling choice over the competition:
1) Battery life is now 18 hours instead of 8 hours for the first generation mini.
2) The 2nd generation mini is cheaper: the original mini was $250 for 4 gigabytes of storage, which holds up to 1000 songs. The new mini is $200 for 4 gigabytes, or you can pay $250 for 6 gigabytes (up to 1500 songs). To achieve this price drop, though, Apple no longer includes a dock or charger - these are available separately, but you can live without them just fine. For example, the battery charges whenever the mini is plugged into your computer's USB port.
In addition to these improvements, there is a minor cosmetic difference, concerning the color choices: gold is no longer an option (it was the worst seller in the original mini), and the other colors are now a bit brighter.
The iPod mini comes with iTunes software to help you organize the music on your iPod, and to transfer music from your CD collection to your player. If you wish, you can use the iTunes software to purchase music from Apple's online store and download them directly to your iPod, but the software absolutely does not push you to do so.
The mini also comes with the same earbuds that accompany every other iPod. They are better than the headphones that come with most MP3 players, but you'll probably want to consider replacing them with something a bit nicer.
Like its predecessor, the build quality of the new iPod mini is excellent, very sturdy, just like all iPods. My 40gb iPod has taken a lot of abuse and has held up extremely well. Plus, I did a fair amount of research on the original mini and it has held up well since it was introduced. So I fully expect that my new iPod mini will last a long time.
I also considered the Creative Zen Micro, the Dell Pocket DJ and the Rio Carbon, which seem to be the closest competitors to the mini. They have more features than the iPod mini, but are not as elegantly designed and their build quality feels a little cheaper than the mini. Plus, as a previous owner of other iPods, I already have a lot of music in Apple's AAC format, which these other players cannot deal with.
