Over all a satisfying product but there are some buts....
Written: Feb 22 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
| Portability: |
 |
|
| Battery Life: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Good sound quality. Great looks. Overall pleasing performance.
Cons: Price. Battery life. Long-term durability. Accessories.
The Bottom Line: Recommended. Portable, pleasing sound and stylish to boot!
|
|
|
| imho2004's Full Review: Apple iPod 3rd Generation White (20 GB) MP3 Player |
This is my epinion (and only my epinion) of the iPod (G3) 20 GB unit after a month-and-a-half of use:
Surprisingly good sound from the included earbuds. Even better with higher quality headphones. Pleasing quality of sound with equalizer turned off. Yet the music often sounds veiled as if being played through a thin curtain. Somewhat limited dynamics and separation, and narrow soundstage. Music often lacks "ooph" and sounds as if it were coming from between both ears and somewhat below the eyes as opposed to extending beyond the head (unless the stereo effect is exaggerated on the recording). Nevertheless, the iPod is an enjoyable listening experience. I have not yet hooked it up to a quality stereo system. I imagine the audio would be quite good.
Good ergonomics that take some getting use to. Keyboard and display have several quirks that may be unique to the unit I own. A distinct thin line going across the screen disappeared soon after it appeared. The battery meter takes a while (5-10 minutes) before showing the remaining juice level after the battery was just fully recharged. The meter never seems to be an accurate indicator of battery energy still left. The reset procedure doesn't work as stated (simultaneously pushing two buttons). Keys work fine. Depending on the pressure exerted, however, the keys sometimes do the unexpected.
Excellent build quality. Subjectively a classic piece of audio design. It looks and feels as if it were a high priced (which it is) and high quality piece of audio equipment. Yet the iPod feels as if it were to disintegrate if dropped---three inches onto a desktop! Although the iPod is relatively small and light, it may still be too large and heavy for some people's shirt pocket---a better to be for some urbanites who might prefer concealing the iPod under a jacket as opposed to wearing it more openly on a belt buckle.
Terrible battery life. Turning up the volume midway or slightly higher, frequently using the controls, and setting the unit to have the backlight come on when a key is depressed shortens the time between recharge further. I have experienced as little as three hours or so of use before the unit fell asleep. Worst yet, internet rumors abound concerning premature death of the battery after only 15 months or so and of Apple's less than stellar customer service. (Luckily there is an internet site that offers battery replacement).
Do not get caught-up in iPod accessories game. The Apple website offers many options, mostly made by third party companies such as Belkin. None are really worth the money. One of the most popular accesories appears to be cases. Well, the case that comes with the iPod is good enough. Some optional cases offer more protection and easier access to the controls but they also add weight and bulk thus defeating one of the more desirable features of the player. The accessory earphones were very disappointing. If you really need to replace the earbuds, look for higher quality units from Sony or Shure or opt for headphones instead. The iTrip FM transmitter degrades sound significantly and plays very softly through car stereo. The iTalk seems to work okay, but you must speak fairly close to the mic. Thus, it does not appear to be very useful for recording meetings, lectures, etc. (A different microphone from another company is soon to be released and promises better performance). A FM radio accessory is mentioned out there in cyberspace but the only place I found it said the company decided not to manufacture it.
There appears to be a some hidden iPod features and capabilities that Apple's documentation does not explain. Published books on the iPod secrets have gotten generally negative reviews. Obviously (iTalk, iTrip) were made with knowledge of those capabilities. One wonders what else lirks inside the iPod. Perhaps a built-in tuner?
Overall I enjoy my iPod very much. I think the sound is good and enjoyable. Perhaps the best MP3 player on the market. Just wish it wasn't so expensive compared to many other brands. My gut feeling is that higher capacity units with lower prices will be around the corner. My concerns are mainly battery life between charges, battery life expectancy and unit durability. I wish I did not buy all the accessories that I did since most were disappointing. Otherwise, I am quite satisfied with the iPod and I recommend it.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 359
Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
imho2004
|
|
Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.