kosherdave's Full Review: Apple iPod classic 4th Generation from HP (40 GB) ...
I have three iPods, soon to be two, as I am selling my Mini to a friend. I've written reviews of the Mini and Shuffle if anyone is interested. They should be read if you are deciding between which model is right for you.
After a year with the Mini, my first iPod purchase, I decided it was, in fact, too small (memory-wise that is) for my every day usage. At first the mini was plenty, but as often seems to happen with an iPod, you eventually realize you have much more music than you originally thought, and much less space to store it all...you just can't fit it all onto the 4 (or now 6) GB of storage that the Mini offers.
Having come to that point, I decided to go to the Apple store and upgrade. Actually, by upgrade I mean flat out buy a new iPod, Apple will not let you "upgrade" by turning in an old model and paying the difference for a new model. This may seem obvious, but should be noted for anyone on the market for an iPod and not sure which one is right for them--- to go with little or a lot of memory; THAT is the question.
My advice is to go big, you are best to have more space than not enough, unless you, like me, don't mind shelling out money all over again for a new one, and selling your old one for half of the price you bought it a year earlier for. But I digress.
---PORTABLE is GREAT
If you read my other reviews, you'll see I simply love my iPod(s). They are a great way to schlep your music around---this is coming from a guy who never used to carry a walkman, owned an MD player but rarely used it, and usually prefers NOT to listen to the radio when driving, except if the car has XM Radio that is... but that's another review.
After I got my first iPod (the mini) my whole take on portable music changed.
All of a sudden, I had all the music I liked anywhere I was, at pretty much any time, in a very convenient and easy to use package ---Apple has really figured out how to make a user friendly trendy little product that most anyone can enjoy. They have revolutionized portable music in a way not seen since Sony made the walkman.
---CAPACITY is HUGE
My new 20 GB holds SOOO much music. Right now, with plenty of space to go still, I have 4,000 songs on it. I think it will hold 5,000. I NEVER run out of things to listen to. Some songs I thought I'd NEVER want to listen to, but find at odd times I do, and can. It's a great and simple concept. The more you have, the more you listen to, even if you originally think otherwise. I go from Classical Music to Techno to 80s to Books-on-CD (well on iPod I guess)to Big Booty Rap and back again, all in an afternoon.
---COLOR is FUN :)
The New iPods are all in color (this excludes the mini and shuffle at the time of this review). I believe they now come in 20 or 60 GB but the store still has a stock of 30GB, so maybe they are still making those. I do not think they still have a 40GB anymore.
So, aside from the tremendous amount of space, the color 20 GB iPod now allows you to store album covers for all of your favorite bands, which is kind of cool. You can also store a great deal of pictures on it for travel to show to your friends or just to look at when you're bored on the subway or at work, or wherever you're bored. I have yet to upload many pics, because I am lazy, but I plan to soon. It also has various slideshow options for when you do decide to have a lot of pictures on it. Very cool.
Also, I have to say, having a color screen is soo nice. It's as different from having the old B&W screen as the B&W screen is from having no screen at all; if that makes sense. The color clarity is great, and it is just nicer to look at.
---SOUND is SPECTACULAR
The sound on this iPod is GREAT. I must say I upgraded to a nicer pair of Sony earbuds--still white like the standard iPod ones-- but they go further into the ear, fit and feel bit better and are noise canceling, which is nice so you can avoid hearing others around you, and do not have to crank up the volume and risk hearing loss. I used them on my mini and found they were a bit tin-sounding, and despite having the volume turned way up, they were not that loud, but this is not the case with the 20 GB. Apple must have done something to boost the sound output because the same headphones sound 10 times better in this new unit than in my previous one.
Also, when burning music to your computer, iTunes lets you pic the recoding quality, I recommend using the best or close to it, you'll eventually hear the quality loss if you go for less quality. Lesser quality does equal greater storage space (well, more songs crammed into the same storage space) but with 20 or 60 GB, how much more do you need? Go with better quality. You're going to be listening to the music, after all, not just schlepping it around with you in a little box.
---EASE of USE
For those who have never used an iPod, the unit is as easy as can be to use. The track wheel (or whatever they are calling it now) on the front works to: increase/decrease sound, skip ahead or back, play/pause, scroll through the menu, it does everything; all in one little touch-sensitive pad.
All iPods come with Apple's iTunes software, which is easier to use than MusicMatch or other programs, and is very user friendly. You do not have to purchase music from their online store, you can, of course, burn your own CDs onto you computer, and load them to the iPod that way. With the included USB2 cable, whole albums zap right onto the iPod in a matter of seconds. I think it took about 10 minutes for me to upload 4,000 songs. Some day I am sure we will think that is dreadfully slow, but these days, it is lickity-split (can't believe I typed that).
---BATTERY LIFE is VERY GOOD
Not only does the iPod charge quickly (plugged into your computer’s USB2 port or via the plug into a standard outlet it charges in a matter of hours), but the battery lasts a long time. I use it at work constantly throughout the day at my desk, and only need to charge it every few days. If you use it only on the go, it could last for a week or more on a single charge. Apple says it will last 15 hours and I think it will.
It has an internal battery, so you do not need to invest in your own rechargeable batteries. I've heard the battery will die over time but I think the extended warranty covers this; I do not know anyone who has had their battery die for good though so this could just be a rumor or a ploy to get you to buy the warranty, which I comment on below.
---PODCAST has been ADDED
The new iPod is Podcast ready, which means it can download radio, I THINK, but I've never used this option, nor do I plan to
---COLOR OPTIONS are LIMITED
Right now, the iPod comes in White only. You can get the U2 model, which is red and black with the bands signatures scribbled into the back of the iPod, which is silver, by the way. If you want a colored one, you need to go with a Mini or buy a colored case for it. Apple offers many options for post-purchase customization.
POSSIBLE CONS:
---The screen scratches easily, get a jam jacket WITH a screen protector, some only cover the body of the iPod ---which was my initial mistake--- so I got a few annoying scratches in the fist week before I got the better jam jacket. Bummer.
---I noticed the new iPod does not seem to come with a firewire as the old one did. I could be mistaken, but I do not think it has one; just the USB2 cable. If this is a concern to the reader, you should definitely check this out with your Apple rep or the web site before making a purchase.
---Don't use it for strenuous exercise, do not spend your money on the arm band thinking you'll go running with it. IT WILL DIE. Apple will even tell you this now: constant, repeated jarring of the unit will affect the internal hard drive. It DOES have moving parts inside. It CAN be damaged by sudden repeated movement.
This unit is best for listing to music on the go, but not the gym. Get a Shuffle for that. The Shuffle has internal flash memory, in other words, NO moving parts. Lots of people use their (non-shuffle) iPods for running, I know, I see it EVERY weekend when I race in Central Park, but over time, they will wear out. Besides, they're big. Best for use in your bag, purse or pocket or (gasp--fashion police) clipped to your belt.
---The price
It is rather expensive, I paid 299 for mine, then got the warranty for another 50ish, and the jam jacket for 30ish.
---Extended Apple Warranty
I RECOMMEND the extended warranty. As much as I HATE the idea of paying MORE to ensure your purchase will LAST MORE THAN A YEAR... really, can't they make anything that just lasts cause it is made well? I can actually answer that: NO, APPLE CAN NOT. I had to replace my Mini cause it just stopped working, my girlfriend had to replace her (non color--hehehe) 20GB cause it died, and NUMEROUS other friends have made exchanges or returns, so be warned, this may be the best music system ever invented in the entire universe, but it may or may not last. And for the price, it is not a cheap replacement, so figure in another 50 bucks to be safe ---if you HATE warranties then do your own thing; but be forewarned.
Having said all this, I must return to my love of the iPod, despite the few flaws. I think EVERYONE should own one. If you do not have one, get one, you'll likely love it. iPods are like cell phones, many people do not want to give into the trend, but once they do (like me) they wonder how they ever lived with out one.
If you have one already, you might consider eventually getting a color one, they're cool.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 299 Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
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