Cons: No compressed mp3 sounds as good as a real CD, period!
The Bottom Line: Great sound (for a mp3) and the most storage capacity for the money. Buy a case right away though... the unit will scratch if you look at it wrong.
msh441's Full Review: Apple iPod 5th Generation White (30 GB) MP3 Player
YOU REALLY WANT A MP3 PLAYER? - I just recently was exposed to the 4th generation iPod mp3 player while visiting relatives in Atlanta. My previous experiences with mp3's left me unimpressed with the sound quality of the little compressed mp3 files. My nephew's 4th gen 20 gig iPod (combined with some hands-on with Apple's iTunes) began to change my mind on that.
CAPACITY - So I decided I wanted one, but what size? The new 5th generation 30 or 60 gig, or should I look for a deal on an older 4th gen 20 or 40 gig photo model? Well, unless your shopping USED on e-bay, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A DEAL ON NEW IPODS! The older 20 and 40 gig photo ipods are still $249-$349!!! The 5th generation 30 and 60 gig units are $299 and $399 respctively. I don't know about you, but $50 for 1/3 more storage AND video is well worth it!
I've got close to 130 full leangth CD's on mine now at the lowest (ie. largest file)compression level... and I'm only using just over 5 gigs!!! I'll have my whole music collection on there and have 15 gigs left to play with! 30 gigs is a ton of space and more than adequate for the general user.
SHOPPING - There appears to be a fixed price on new iPods, wherever you shop. $298-299. No sale prices anywhere, so don't waste your time shopping around too much. Buy where there's no sales tax (Saves $20-30, right?), and if you buy mail order, look for free shipping(Save a few bucks any way you can).
I ended up buying a 30 gig through Crutchfield. It was $299, no tax, free shipping and I got a $20 first time buyer referral credit (thanks to another member here). If you're interested and your a fist time buyer give them a call at 1-888-955-6000. Give them my code (#PVCGY-A3253-TET80... that's zero at the end) You get $20 off your first order and I get a referral credit too!
SOUND - The files compressed by iTunes had a better sound than I have experieced from other comparable mp3 files, and the availible equalizer allows for tweeking of each file to your own personal ear. Darn close to CD quality... but not quite. At least as goo as a clear FM signal. A really good set of headphones (Shure or comparable), a mini-amp and a quiet room will start the show the mp3's comression limitations. This won't be evident however in about 95% of the listening enviroments though as even the slightest ambient noise will mask most imperfections.
ESTETICS/FUNTIONALITY - The iPod's touch sensitive click wheel is beautiful! The screen is big (for a handheld unit) and the movie pictures are crystal clear with vibrant colors. Use is very intuitive, you'll have the thing mastered within a couple minutes of hands-on. The multiple ways it groups your music allows you to navigate and find what you wat quickley and easily. Apple's ideas about KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) funtionality are perfect.
Physically, the unit is BEAUTIFUL. The chromed sides and rear, white face covered with a layer of clear acrylic. A little work of electronic artwork. The down side: That pretty chrome case and plastic face/screen will scratch immediatly if you set the unprotected unit down on ANYTHING!!! A good PROTECTIVE case is a MUST HAVE. I bought a zCover which is a totally protective silicon rubber skin with a hard plastic screen protector. Well worth $30 through www.zcover.com
BATTERY LIFE - Apple has always spewed BS about iPod battery life 14-16 hours is generous. I get about 8-10 hours of use out of mine from a full charge. Thats with using Apple's recommendations on conserving battery life (not using the back light, or playing files from playlists using cashe memory vs. accessing the hard disc) but I still have a hard time beliving you can get more than about 10 hours of continuous use. The up side is that most accessories charge the thing while it plays (home dock with speakers, car connectors etc), so you're not too far from a place to juice up. The new video units only come with a USB cable charger, though... an AC unit to plug into a 110V outlit will cost you $30. That's just cheep in my opinion!
ITS NOT THAT BAD! REALLY!!! - One critisism I've heard is the iPod's inability to play other mp3's that were not downloaded via iTunes. This is not true. A little dragging and dropping... combined with naming the track further with iTunes will have you playing any mp3 you've got. Just takes an extra step ot two to get it into iTunes, but it's not hard.
Another critisism has been the limited video capabilities as it uses mp4 or avi formats. People have suggested your limited to ABC episodes and a few tunecasts provided by iTunes. This to is false. Do a search on the net for "DVD to mp4" or DVD to avi" and you can find a number of shareware programs that will rip your favorite DVD into a mobile file you can take with you wherever you go. I now have "Office Space" and "Super Troopers" with me for when I need a little laugh during my day.
ACCESSORIES - Look for a car charger/FM transmitter. I bought mine (Monster Cable) through www.pcmall.com for $59. Plug it into you cigerette lighter and it plays your ipod over your car's FM stereo while charging your ipod.
A good set of noise reducing headphones. The ones provided are not great (I'm being nice, here). Don't necessisarily spend >$150 on a set of Shure earbuds... but somthing to cancel out a bit of surrounding noise. It will allow you to play the files at a lower volume, and therefore you're not as like to A) damage your hearing, and B) point out inperfections and limitations of the mp3 file format. I really like Sony's current line of Funtopia MDR-EX71SL/WK. They have a silicon earbud to cancel out ambient noise (comes in 3 sizes), and produces great sound. They even come in white so you can match whatever colr iPod you've got! No matter where you go, they're $49.99... so just order through Sony online and get them ASAP.
An USB to AC charger is a must if you travelling and a computer with a USB port isn't accesable.
Again, get a good case ASAP! These things scratch and ding easily. At least slip the thing in an iPod sock until you find a good case.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 279 Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
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