If you've got lots of songs, this is for you
Written: Oct 04 '03
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Pros: Lots of refinements versus prior versions, more compact size!
Cons: Battery life slightly shorter than prior 2G iPods, battery glitch with hibernate mode
The Bottom Line: 40 GBs is probably overkill, but it's nice to have! For most users, the 20 GB model will suffice.
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| abolinger's Full Review: Apple iPod 40 GB White MP3 Player |
I received a 2nd generation 20 GB iPod for Christmas last year. It has been the best consumer electronic device that I've ever owned, trailed by my iMac and my PowerBook. For my birthday, I got an 3rd generation iPod 40 GB model. When reading this review, bear in mind that it is written by a Macintosh user, not a PC user. Given that Apple makes all the hardware and software with my setup, the integration with iTunes that Mac users enjoy might not carry over to the PC users out there.
What's in the box
1) an iPod
2) a FireWire cable and a dock
3) earbud headphones (with two sets of foam doo-dads that you put over the earbuds)
4) a remote control (headphones connect into the remote, remote plugs into the iPod)
5) a nylon case
6) an AC adapter
7) an envelope containing warranty information and a CD containing the iPod software.
Setting up the device
After making the switch nearly a year ago, I'm continually amazed that Apple hardware works as advertised without glitches. The new iPod does not disappoint.
I unpacked the box, plugged the FireWire cable into my iMac, plugged the dock into the FireWire cable, and dropped the iPod in the dock. The iMac instantly recognized that I was plugging a NEW iPod into it and asked if I wanted the new iPod to be associated with my iMac. I selected yes and the iTunes software dumped all 3,000 of my songs into my new iPod in about 10 minutes. No hiccups. Everything worked the first time straight out of the box with no intervention on my part.
A Glitch on a Mac!
There appears to be a glaring glitch that Apple has not yet addressed with the new iPod. I fully charged my iPod after dropping it in the dock the first time. I then used it for a day or so until the battery fully discharged. Before I went to bed, I dropped it in the cradle to let it charge and everything seemed to proceed normally. When I awoke the next morning, I retrieved my iPod to find the battery was completely dead. Long story short, it flaked out and I got what I call the "black Apple of death" on my iPod. I tried all th reset procedures described on the Apple support website and nothing worked. I ended up taking it back to the store and they replaced it. There was no hassle whatsoever getting my iPod replaced at the Apple store.
What causes this problem?
After coming home from the Apple store, I did a little more research on the problem I experienced with the first iPod 40 GB model and I discovered that a lot of people are running into the same issue of the battery discharging when they drop it in the cradle overnight. It appears as though the iPod will charge correctly if left in the cradle and the computer doesn't go into hibernate mode. HOWEVER, if your Mac does hibernate, the iPod will stop charging and start discharging the battery. I never had this problem with my 2nd generation 20 GB iPod.
The workaround
I notified Apple via their support page and there are numerous posts on Apple's discussion board on their site referencing this problem. I anticipate the company will address this problem in short order.
In the interim, there are two workarounds to this issue: 1) Turn off hibernate mode on your iMac and only let the screen sleep, not the entire machine or 2) Charge the iPod from a wall outlet rather than the FireWire cable plugged into your Mac.
Description of the iPod
The iPod is approximately the size of a deck of cards. The 3G 40 GB model is approximately 20% thinner than the 2G 20 GB model it replaced. The 3rd generation iPods have no moving buttons, just touch sensitive buttons. The upper portion of the front side contains an LCD screen. Below the LCD screen are 4 buttons that are, in order, left to right: 1) back, 2) menu, 3) play/pause, and 4) forward. Below the buttons is a large circle which acts as the scroll wheel to navigate the menu system and control volume when songs are playing. At the center of the scroll wheel, there is a raised touch sensitive button which acts as a "select" button. To navigate the menus on the iPod, all you need to do is use the scroll wheel, the select button to go into a menu, and the menu button to back out of a menu. Very simple! At the top of the iPod, there is a hold button that can be used to disable the buttons on the iPod.
2G iPods vs. 3G iPods
The batterylife of the 3G iPods is slightly shorter than the 2G iPods they replace. I've observed batterylife of 7 to 8 hours, versus 9 to 10 hours with my old 2G iPod. Additionally, the backlight on the new iPods is noticeably better. It is a bluish shade versus white for the last version. Additionally, the LCD contrast when the backlight is vastly improved with the new iPod. The original 2G iPods came in 5 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB sizes. The latest iteration of the 3G iPods come in 10 GB, 20 GB, and 40 GB sizes. The 2G 20GB iPod is considerably thicker than the latest 3G iteration of the 20 GB product.
The Menu System
Pressing any button on the device will turn it on. There are 6 selections available from the front iPod menu. They are:
1) Playlists - This menu replicates the playlists that are contained within your iTunes software on your desktop. These playlists cannot be altered from the iPod. Additionally, there is an "On the Go" playlist, which solves an issue many iPod users had with prior versions of the device. The "On the Go" playlist enables you to dump songs into that playlist without having to connect the iPod to the desktop.
2) Browse - This menu enables you to browse your music by a) artist, b) album, c) song, d) genre, or e) composer
3) Extras - This menu contains an updated a) clock (and alarm clock), b) contacts (from your Address Book), c) calendar (can be synchronized with iCal), d) notes, and e) games (Brick, Parachute, and Solitaire)
4) Settings - This menu contains all the personalized settings like the equalizer, clicker on/off toggle, backlight settings, etc.
5) Backlight - This enables you to turn the backlight on without having to dig through many menus.
6) Now playing - displays the current song playing
To scroll through the menu, you use the scroll wheel. To go into a menu, you press the select key, to back out you use the menu key. It's very intuitive. Most users will never read the directions on this device.
The iPod in Action
The 40 GB iPod is delightful to use. There are some very slight refinements to the interface versus the 2G iPods. For instance, when using the scroll wheels to go through songs, the scroll wheel is a bit faster on the latest version. Additionally, the menu can be customized to the users' preferences so that certain features are accessible from the front menu rather than having to dig through the settings menu to find them. The backlight is dramatically improved on the latest version, too. It no longer washes out the battery indicator when it's illuminated.
The sound quality of this device is phenomenal. iTunes, by default, records at 160 kb/s, so the sound quality is excellent when you convert your CDs to MP3s. Additionally, the iTunes music store integrates beautifully with iTunes and the iPod, as well. Via iTunes Music Store, you can listen to a preview version of the song, click it to buy it, and it's rapidly downloaded into iTunes. No intervention is necessary on the user's part to get their new music into the iPod.
Additional uses for the iPod
For most people, the 20 GB model of the iPod will suffice. If you've got a lot of music or wish to use the hard drive functionality of the iPod, 40 GB might be for you. If you wish to back up a lot of data and have it at your fingertips, the iPod can act as an external hard disk. That is the reason I wanted to get this model over the new 20 GB model.
Some buying tips
Even though I received this item as a gift, I would gladly pay $500 for it. There is not much of a differential between the prices offered by various vendors. Occasionally, Dell will offer good coupons that bring the cost down to approximately $450.
Additionally, there are refurbished models of previous 3G iPods (the "old" 3G version comes in 10 GB, 15 GB, & 30 GB sizes) can be found occasionally at http://store.apple.com and http://www.smalldog.com. The 30 GB model is quite a deal if you don't want to pony up $500 for the latest 40 GB model.
I've read some reviews of iPods by Windows users and the software for Windows does not appear to be as well integrated with the iPod as the Macintosh version of the software is. There are rumors that Apple will be opening an iTunes for Windows store sometime in October. I suspect if the ITMS store is opened for Windows, the application Apple writes will replicate the functionality that only Macintosh users enjoy now.
I've found the following websites helpful:
www.ipodlounge.com
www.ipoding.com
www.smalldog.com
I hope you found this review helpful and complete. If you did, please rate this review below.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 499
Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
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Epinions.com ID:
abolinger
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Location: West Coast, USA
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 2 members
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