babyeddy7's Full Review: Apple iPod 3rd Generation White (10 GB) MP3 Player
Sony's 20GB NW-HD1 is smaller and thinner than 15GB, 20GB and 40GB iPods. In fact the new Walkman is barely larger than the iPod Mini (4GB), but has five times more capacity. Best of all the NW-HD1 has 30 hour battery life, five times more than the iPod's.
Whether it's 10GB, 15GB, 20GB, 30GB or 40GB, the iPod's storage is excessive. This makes it great for storing files other than music. However, the high capacity of hard drive-based players is balanced by inherent inferiority in other areas.
High transfer rates
USB 2.0 and FireWire are options for transfer. Transferring songs to and from the iPod is very speedy.
Ease of use
Since Apple is known for its unbridled software expertise, I wasn't surprised that the iPod was easy to setup and use, even with a PC.
Battery
Six-hour battery life was acceptable five years ago; now it's ridiculous. Apple never tells you how poor the iPod's battery life is. It falsely advertises that it is eight hours, but it is much closer to six. This figure deteriorates month after month. After half a year of use, the iPod battery lasts barely three hours. iPod has the wrong approach: portable devices are not portable if they have short-lived batteries.
Headphones
The included headphones are OK. Sound quality suffers because the cord is not oxygen-free, which leaves ample room for distortion. I don't believe Apple's claims that neodymium magnets are used in these headphones; the earbuds do not have enough power or sound range to confirm this. I think Apple is actually using ferrite magnets, much cheaper materials of lower quality. Of course serious listeners already have headphones from a reputable, experienced brand.
Style
Several reviewers put style as a pro. I must dissent. Apple products have an immature and blatant color scheme. This is the company's way of appealing to insecure people who try to improve their self-image and show off. Nothing annoys me more than the smug expression of iPod users. A man is not a man if he lets his possessions own him. A man is supposed to own his possessions.
The back of the iPod needs to be cleaned constantly. Finger oils stick to it very easily, which makes it a grimy mess.
Portability
The iPod (5.6 ounces) is almost three times heavier than most MP3 players. It is uncomfortable to carry in a pocket. Flash memory MP3 players are much lighter and smaller. Tiny is how MP3 was meant to be.
While the iPod has bearable portability for a hard drive player, with its medium weight and size factors, HiMD Walkmans totally clobber it in this area.
You cannot make a hard drive player skip-free. Just ask the displeased athletes who have purchased the iPod. After jogging for less than 10 minutes, the iPod will begin to skip.
Durability
No one put durability of the iPod as a pro. Good. The screen and rest of the unit scratch easily. Cheap plastics were used in constructing this device. Hard metals should have been used.
In addition, the headphones supplied with the iPod are flimsy. They have foam pads on them that easily come off. The cord is also very thin and fragile.
Conclusion
Hi-MD Walkman is the first heavy competition to iPod. It is superior in almost every way-size and weight, price, quality and battery life.
Recommended:
No
Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
All preowned iPods are quality tested and receive a cosmetic check and cleaning an inventory of all components download and play tests product repacka...More at Target
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