Is this Apples trump card. There was a time when it looked like Apple and their computers were a thing of the past. Well there computers might be, but their Ipod, is their savior. Ever since Apples music gizmo was released it became an icon. It spread through households like wildfire, and even into the hands of U.S. Presidents. As it raced up the sales charts and sold millions Apples bank account also felt the effect. I will provide a very in-depth view at one of the earlier models of the Ipod called the Ipod mini. The Ipod mini will work with both PC’s based on windows operating systems, and of course it is also compatible with Apples lineup of computers.

Design… 100/100
Well Apple covered the design of this product very well. It is very light and easy to use. It is also very stylish . You can bring it just about any where you want without it being a nuisance. It is so small that it can easily be placed in your pocket. It is designed perfectly for workouts. Whether it be running, jogging or lifting weights. It also comes in a variety of stylish colors. One of the reasons that the Ipod line has been so successful, not only that it was an ingenious idea. But, the design itself helped appeal to the masses. The design is also fairly resistant to scratches and scrapes.

Hard drive… 100/100
While you can get the hard drive in many different sizes I have the 4GB version. I can fit about 1000 songs on my Ipod with that amount of space. That is more then enough space for me. With the availability to fit that many songs, I will never have to worry about running out of space. While if you are more of a music fan then I am, that is why you can buy versions with bigger hard drives.

Interface… 90/100
While you are selecting play lists, turning up/down the volume or other options, you do it with a unique touch sensitive wheel. While this is a nice feature it’s not always that responsive, and sometimes it can be a little over responsive. While it does almost always work the way you want it to, it just has some minor hiccups sometimes. Overall it was a nice and innovative feature to the Ipod.

Battery life… 70/100
This is the most disappointing feature of the Mini Ipod. With a fully charged battery you will be lucky to get 8 hours of battery life. It also seems that even when it goes into sleep mode it still drains some of the battery while you are not even using it. Like I said this is the most disappointing aspect of the Ipod minis.

Miscellaneous and additional information

Audio Formats
The apple Ipod supports the following audio formats: MP3 • WAV • AAC • MP3 VBR • AIFF

Games
There are various little mini games you can play. One game has you trying to guess the song in a certain amount of time. The quicker you answer the song the more points you get. The song is selected from a song from your library stored on the Ipods memory. There are some other little mini games that don’t have anything to do with music, just a little fun to play. Overall this is not one of the reason to buy an Ipod. But, if it’s going to be added in there, might as well take it.

Brighten Screen
There is an option to have the backlighting light up so you can see the screen in poorly lit areas. While this is a good feature it will eat away at the already poor battery performance. Use this feature sparingly.

-compatible with USB 2.0 and firewire

Accessories look into buying

Carrying Case- Allows the Ipod to fit snug against your waist, or arm during your workout.

USB Power Adapter- Charge your iPod when not connected to a computer with this USB adapter

Universal Dock - The Universal Dock makes a convenient home base for charging and syncing or for connecting iPod to your home audio system.

Bottom Line…
While Sony has put out a rival portable music player as well as a music download internet site, both of those have failed to catch on. This leaves Apple as the untouchable victor so far in the music download and MP3 player race. It will be very hard for companies such as Sony and Microsoft to catch Apple in this business. Because, Apple has such a big head start and market share it will be a huge uphill climb. It seems Apple can do no wrong in the music business so far. As they release upgraded versions of the ipods with added features and they continue to sell very well. An Ipod is a very good investment especially for people who like to workout.






Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 200.00
Recommended for: Athletes - Lightweight and Portable, Perfect for the Gym