Apple iPod 5 GB M8513LLA White (1st Generation) OLD MODEL Review

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(More customer reviews)Sometimes, when I'm walking around and I see people with CD players, I just have to wonder how they manage.
The most amazing thing about this device is the size.Not just the size of the iPod itself, which is a lot less than half the size of other MP3 players that hold the same amount, but the amount of space it saves you in terms of CDs.Have you ever seen one of those CD towers with around 60-70 CDs in them?You know, the ones that are as tall as a bookshelf?How would you like to carry that around in your backpack at school or in your pocket on the street?I think carrying this thing around, which happens to be the size of a deck of cards and holds even more than those CD towers, is slightly preferrable.
The next best thing about the iPod is the batteries.This thing goes for 8-10 hours without quitting.That is the same amount of time as a CD player, and twice as long as other multi-GB mp3 players.In addition to that, you never need to buy batteries again.Just plug the iPod into the wall at night and you've got another 10 hours of music when you wake up.That'll work even if you only sleep for 3 hours a night like me!So this thing is saving both space and money (batteries)!
The third thing about this is how well it turns heads.Sometimes I try to hide this thing when I take it out, because strangers will literally come up to me and ask me "is that an iPod?" and want to play with the buttons and stuff.Sometimes, it gets a little annoying.In these cases, the size comes in handy because its very easy to hide while you are using it.But if your in the mood to turn some heads, just put this thing on your lap and play.
There are tons of other great things about this.The interface is beautiful... sometimes, I just stare at the screen while a song is playing, or turn on the backlight for fun.It takes 10 minutes to fill the entire thing, meaning that if you ever get tired of the songs you put on it, you can have them replaced in the snap of a finger.
But it all comes down to this; when you buy this, you will never need another music player again.If you have a Mac, go buy this.The money you save on batteries and future music players will more than make up for the ... price tag.

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Product Description:
Special note to customers: An iPod software update (version 1.1) is available on the Apple site. It adds a contacts menu to store your address book and a new equalizer with more than 20 presets and independent settings for each song.
Packing 1,000 songs and a 10-hour battery into a stunning 6.5-ounce package, the Apple iPod is the smallest hard drive-based MP3 player available, about the size of a deck of cards. Just plug it into your Mac and all your iTunes songs and playlists are automatically downloaded into iPod at blazing FireWire speed.
The 5 GB hard drive stores up to 1,000 MP3 song files (at 160 Kbps encoding rate) and also doubles as disk storage for applications and other files. A high-output (60-mW) amplifier provides CD-quality sound with a wide dynamic range, from deep, pulse-pounding bass to sharp, crystal-clear highs.
In addition to its 5 GB hard drive, iPod has a 32MB memory cache. The cache is made up of solid-state memory, meaning that it has no moving parts, so it's not affected by movement of the device. Skip protection on the iPod works by continually preloading up to 20 minutes of music into the cache.
The iPod has a large, high-quality liquid crystal display (LCD) for viewing up to six lines of text. And the LCD features a white-light-emitting diode (LED) backlight for clear visibility in low-light situations--indoors or outdoors. Pocket-sized and just 6.5 ounces, it weighs appreciably less than the stack of CDs it can store music from.
Featuring Apple's award-winning iTunes 2 software, the iPod can synchronize with newly added music files and playlists. Simply plug the iPod back into your Mac and the changes are automatically updated in seconds. And with iTunes 2, you can rip MP3s, create playlists, and burn custom CDs all from one simple interface.
Its rechargeable lithium battery is charged using the FireWire cable when connected to your Mac. You can also recharge the iPod using the included FireWire cable and AC adapter when you're on the go.
The iPod supports MP3 (up to 320 Kbps), MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR), WAV, and AIFF files, and is firmware upgradable. To use the iPod with your Mac, you'll need a FireWire port and you must be running either Mac OS 9.2.1 (or later) or Mac OS X v10.1 (or later). The iPod is not compatible with Windows operating systems.
It comes with earbud-style headphones, a FireWire cable, power adapter, and CD-ROM with iTunes 2. It's backed by a 90-day limited warranty.

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Apple iPod 10 GB White M8709LL/A (1st Generation) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm sure that I have over 1000 CDs and several hundred records.This collection isn't very convenient to use, manage or keep track of.I like to take music with me most places and my PC and Mac drives are stuffed with MP3s.I'm also pretty much into gadgets so mp3 players punch all my buttons.
I've owned the original Rio.Kind of cute but what good is it that it only holds about an hour's worth of music.Constantly reloading the player is a pain.
I've tried various portable CD players and my CDs take a beating from getting carried around, left in the car.I've tried copying the CDs to take copies, but it's too much work and hard to keep track of them.
I've tried a few minidisc players.Great concept, bad execution.The haven't been durable.The atrac conversion makes no sense - why cant' you just copy over mp3s?
I have the Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox.Lousy software, poor batteries (they die and have to be thrown away because they lose rechargeability).Slow USB connection.Unit is too big and heavy.
Enter the iPod.Finally, small, simple elegant.Easy to use software.It helps that I've got PCs and a Mac.itunes does the best job of ripping of any software I've tried.The iPod itself follows a simple organizational scheme.I can't fit my whole collection on it, but the firewire is so fast the entire ipod can be loaded and reloaded in a short period of time.The iPod is the one to beat. To those who complained about sound quality - you didn't listen very well.The included headphones are justso so, better headphones make a difference.Also, the included equalization is pretty rudimentary but it can be used to make adjustments.I think the sound quality is better than the Nomad or my minidisc players.

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Product Description:
Packing 2,000 songs and a 10-hour battery into a stunning 6.5-ounce package, the Apple iPod is the smallest hard drive-based MP3 player available, about the size of a deck of cards. Just plug it into your Mac and all your iTunes songs and playlists are automatically downloaded into iPod at blazing FireWire speed.
The 10 GB hard drive stores up to 2,000 MP3 song files (at 160 Kbps encoding rate) and also doubles as disk storage for applications and other files. A high-output (60-mW) amplifier provides CD-quality sound with a wide dynamic range, from deep, pulse-pounding bass to sharp, crystal-clear highs.
In addition to its 10 GB hard drive, iPod has a 32 MB memory cache. The cache is made up of solid-state memory, meaning that it has no moving parts, so it's not affected by movement of the device. Skip protection on the iPod works by continually preloading up to 20 minutes of music into the cache.
The iPod has a large, high-quality liquid crystal display (LCD) for viewing up to six lines of text. And the LCD features a white-light-emitting diode (LED) backlight for clear visibility in low-light situations--indoors or outdoors. Pocket-size and just 6.5 ounces, it weighs appreciably less than the stack of CDs it can store music from.
Featuring Apple's award-winning iTunes 2 software, the iPod can synchronize with newly added music files and playlists. Simply plug the iPod back into your Mac and the changes are automatically updated in seconds. And with iTunes 2, you can rip MP3s, create playlists, and burn custom CDs all from one simple interface.
Its rechargeable lithium battery is charged using the FireWire cable when connected to your Mac. You can also recharge the iPod using the included FireWire cable and AC adapter when you're on the go.
The iPod supports MP3 (up to 320 Kbps), MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR), WAV, and AIFF files, and is firmware upgradable. To use the iPod with your Mac you'll need a FireWire port and you must be running either Mac OS 9.2.1 (or later) or Mac OS X v10.1 (or later). The iPod is not compatible with Windows operating systems.
It comes with earbud-style headphones, a FireWire cable, power adapter, and CD-ROM with iTunes 2. It's backed by a 90-day limited warranty.

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Apple iPod nano 4 GB Black (1st Generation) OLD MODEL Review

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(More customer reviews)I love the iPod. Always have. At home, we have five, including this one: the 4GB iPod nano black.

Before you leap, realize two things: (1) this iPod is extremely fragile compared to other iPods, particularly the tough-as-nails iPod mini (a drop of a couple of feet onto a linoleum floor took out the screen); and (2) the black version gets scratched very easily, and shows scratches far more than any white iPod I've owned (after a day and before dropping the damn thing, it already looked awful from scratching -- and it was treated with kid gloves).

Okay, if you can live with those caveats, and invest in a durable protector (we bought the arm-band holder, which does a lousy job of protecting the iPod nano)--none of which are out yet--then this new iPod is truly an amazing bit of technology. It's tiny (it feels even smaller than the photos suggest), has great sound quality (better, I think, than any other iPod I've owned), and the display is gorgeous (even though tiny).

For me, the mini (now defunct, but bargains still abound) is the better choice given its sturdiness. I'm not up for museum-relic care for my electronics, which would certainly help if you own one of these.

Another beautiful, functional gizmo from Apple.Just know what you're getting.Some websites claim the nano is sturdy. I can tell you, from first hand experience, it isn't.So, you be the judge. (Sure, the thing still played, but replacing the screen will set you back at least $90, and, even on the web sites in question, the screen broke.)

(Oh, and if you see someone taking shots at the iTunes software, don't believe it. It's the best music software out there, and its integration with this--or any--iPod is a joy.)

__________

Follow up ... Apple has admitted a problem with some of the nano screens and is doing the right thing: replacing the units with new ones. BRAVO!

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Product Description:
Includes: earbud headphones, USB cable, dock adapter, & iTunes for Mac and Windows. Apple 4GB iPod nano - Come one, come all and witness the incredible shrinking iPod!! With the nano, Apple introduces the latest member of the highly successful iPod family of digital audio players. The nano is aptly named since it's a fraction of the size of it's larger iPod cousins. It has the width of a pencil and comes in at a feather-light 1.5 ounces. For Apple's next trick, they've taken this new diminutive iPod and added all of the features of a regular iPod. You get a bright full color display, Apple's famous click wheel, and up to 14 hours of battery life. With that said, take a peek behind the curtain and be amazed at the rest of what the iPod nano has to offer... Connector for optional dock Stereo Minijack Hold Switch Charge Time - about 3 hours (1.5 hour fast charge to 80% capacity) Audio Support - AAC (16 to 320 Kbps) / Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store) / MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps) / MP3 VBR / Audible (formats 2, 3, & 4) / Apple Lossless / WAV / AIFF Photo Support - JPEG / BMP / GIF / TIFF / PSD (Mac only) / PNG Sync & Charge via USB Cable Adjust audiobook playback speed Create multiple on-the-go playlists Shuffle songs or albums Repeat one or all 20 Equalizer settings Backlight Timer Display Contrast Alarm - On / Off / Silent Sleep Timer Date & Time Display time in menu bar Color - Black Supports - Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later, Mac OS X v10.3.4 or later Unit Dimensions - 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.27 Unit Weight - 1.5 ounces

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iAudio X5L 30 GB Multimedia Player Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I've swore to myself that I wouldn't buy an mp3 player until it met my entire list of expecations and I finally gave in and bought this one because it was so close. There are only two things keeping this player from being perfect. First, it organizes music by directory rather than ID tags. This isn't a big deal for me because all my music is already organized by folder, but I'd rather be able to sort by year, genre, track number. Second, the thumbstick interface takes a while to get used to, but its doable, I just wish there were more buttons on the unit.

Other than that this is the perfect digital audio player. It really is the best you can get right now. The USB host feature is incredible, I can snap 30G worth of digital pictures with my minolta dimage 5 before I have to find a computer to hook it up to. The radio reception is really good and way better than I expected. Sound quality is second to only the new sony units which are lacking in many other respects. Believe it or not, you really can tell the difference in sound quality with a decent set of headphones, and it is better than Creative players. iPOD sound quality is actually fairly poor when compared with better DAPs.

Yes I realize that mp3 quality is not exactly HiFi anyway, but I can definitely tell the difference. Plus, this unit supports FLAC (free lossless audio codec) from vorbis as well as OGG. So you really can get some pretty good sound out of it.

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Product Description:
The iAudio X5L 30 GB Multimedia Player Black combines an MP3 player, video player, FM radio, voice recorder, and digital photo album in one tidy package with a smooth aluminum finish. With its capacity for up to 7,500 songs, 3,000 folders, or 15,000 files, and a lithium-ion battery that provided up to 35 continuous hours of play, the iAudio X5 is the ideal way to take your digital music, music videos, and digital pictures on the road with you.
The iAudio X5L supports blazing fast USB 2.0 download speeds of up to 480 Mbps, obliterating the need to wait for your files to transfer from your computer. The 260,000 color TFT-LCD screen displays both text and image files, with text files viewable even as you're listening to your music. A built-in, high-fidelity microphone lets you record voice at the same quality level as dedicated voice recorders. Listen to FM radio and record it onto the iAudio X5L just by pressing a button, and use the preset feature to save your preferred radio stations. The iAudio X5's direct encoding technology lets you digitally record input from audio devices such as a Walkmans, mini disk, record, or TV.
The iAudio X5L's JetShell software enables the creation and editing of playlists directly on the player, as well as CD ripping and file transfers. You can save non-music files to the iAudio X5L and say goodbye to clumsy floppy disks and data CDs, and the JetAudio software enables simple video conversion onto the iAudio X5. If you're on the road and need a wake-up call, just use the built-in clock's alarm function.
The iAudio X5L is compatible with Windows and both Linux and the Mac OS, and comes with superb Cresyn headphones, giving you superior sound reproduction with a balanced tone. It supports MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV files, as well as the FLAC format, which compresses files without quality loss. Up to 12 minutes of anti-shock protection ensures that you'll enjoy your music no matter how bumpy the road, and the custom-made protective leather case fits perfectly to your iAudio X5L.
What's in the Box
X5L-30BL digital music player, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, audio cable, USB host cable, earphones, subpack, installation CD-ROM, and user's guide.

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iAudio X5L 20 GB Multimedia Player Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had my iAudio X5L for several weeks now -- it's been with me through two road trips (on just ONE battery charge!) and many commutes to work.I am even *happier* with this purchase then I expected to be!Highly recommended as an incredible gift to yourself or someone you know.This is THE digital music player and then some.I'm thrilled with mine.

First off, I must confess that I was also debating between an iPod or other media players.After reading the reviews at Cnet.com, PCmagazine, and here at Amazon, I went with a 30gb X5L from iAudio.Here's what you get with iAudio that you won't get on the iPod:

- listen to radio AND record from radio
- 24 radio station presets (FM only)
- a built-in mic to record lectures, poetry readings, dinner conversations (you have to be close to the speaker, though, I'm going to expirment with the line-in and see if an external mike can be plugged into that)
- a line-in jack so you can record from old cassettes, records, minidiscs, you name it ... from anything with a headphone jack
- looong battery life, it really does give 35 hours
- much stronger case, a beautiful black finish with a texture that won't scratch and show fingerprints like the iPods; I don't even have a cover over mine, I just keep it in my pocket and it does fine
- oh yeah... and you can watch videos, but I use my X5L while walking or driving so this feature doesn't even matter to me

There are some good tips to know about your iAudio:

-almost all questions can be answered at www.iaudiophile.com/forums... a fantastic resource for all iAudio users
- sure, it doesn't have the sort-by-tag software of the iPods, but I haven't even found that I miss that. I keep my files organized in folders by Artist\Album\songs and I'm a playlist junkie ... iTunes never does auto-create a playlist that I like anyway.You don't even need to install the software that comes with the iAudio.I use MediaMonkey to organize my music, but I just use Windowns Explorer to drag 'n' drop files into my iAudio's music folder. The Shuffle mode keeps me very happy, and having my favorite radio stations just a couple clicks away is WONDERFUL.
- When you first receive your X5L, you'll have to charge it for 6 hours. Hey, long battery life requires some serious power to start with.But once it's charged, you'll find that you already have a sample song and some sample videos so you can show off your toy right away.(They're basically iAudio commercials, but they are good for showing how good this treasure sounds and looks.)
- using the little button control is pretty simple when you get the hang of it ... press it down briefly in order to see a list for your current mode (ie. list of presets for Radio, list of songs for Music, list of movies for Video...) or hold down the button for a couple seconds in order to get to the main menu.Some people didn't get that, but it really is easy.
- the power, line-in, and USB ports for the X5L are on a little supback that you plug into the bottom of the X5L; it also comes with a line-in cable that you can plug into the headphone (or line-out) jack of any other equipment.Some people complain about having these little "things" to keep with the X5L.I got the Universal MP3 Player Travel Kit from CaseLogic and it has perfect little compartments for the iAudio accessories plus a pocket for the player itself.Or you might try a digital camera case with a couple external pockets - the iAudio X5L would fit in that very nicely, too.That's what I used before my CaseLogic order arrived.
- the only problem I had was actually with my music files, not with the X5L; my songs had been ripped with a mix of id3v1 and id3v2 tags, which meant that some albums would only show on the X5L with the filename instead of the tag info while playing.I used MediaMonkey to clean off the id3v1 tags and that worked very well.Voila - tag information would show on my X5L.

So all in all - the iAudio X5L has performed beautifully. I only wish I had waited and gotten the 60gb.Being able to record from radio and old media has filled up my memory more than I anticipated.
If you're still not sure about getting any digital music player in the first place, let me give this example ... I have 500 CDs, but I was only listening to maybe 30 of them regularly because so many just weren't the kind of albums that would be listened to in one sitting.Now I've culled the best tracks from those CDs and they come up on my X5L's shuffle as a nice surprise from the past.I'm remembering just how much I like this music or that artist.It's a wonderful rediscovery of my own collection!And when I don't recognize what I'm listening to, I just look down and all the info is right there for me.I'm finally starting to tell the difference between my Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus albums (jazz fans, forgive me) but I'm also hearing nuances that I never noticed before from my Erasure and Hotel Costes albums.In some ways, this is like hearing your music for the first time all over again.

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Product Description:
The iAudio X5L 20 GB Multimedia Player Black combines an MP3 player, video player, FM radio, voice recorder, and digital photo album in one tidy package with a smooth aluminum finish. With its capacity for up to 5,000 songs, 2,000 folders, or 10,000 files, and a lithium-ion battery that provided up to 35 continuous hours of play, the iAudio X5 is the ideal way to take your digital music, music videos, and digital pictures on the road with you.
The iAudio X5 supports blazing fast USB 2.0 download speeds of up to 480 Mbps, obliterating the need to wait for your files to transfer from your computer. The 260,000 color TFT-LCD screen displays both text and image files, with text files viewable even as you're listening to your music. A built-in, high-fidelity microphone lets you record voice at the same quality level as dedicated voice recorders. Listen to FM radio and record it onto the iAudio X5 just by pressing a button, and use the preset feature to save your preferred radio stations. The iAudio X5's direct encoding technology lets you digitally record input from audio devices such as a Walkmans, mini disk, record, or TV.
The iAudio G3's JetShell software enables the creation and editing of playlists directly on the player, as well as CD ripping and file transfers. You can save non-music files to the iAudio X5 and say goodbye to clumsy floppy disks and data CDs, and the JetAudio software enables simple video conversion onto the iAudio X5. If you're on the road and need a wake-up call, just use the built-in clock's alarm function.
The iAudio G3 is compatible with Windows and both Linux and the Mac OS, and comes with superb Cresyn headphones, giving you superior sound reproduction with a balanced tone. It supports MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV files, as well as the FLAC format, which compresses files without quality loss. Up to 12 minutes of anti-shock protection ensures that you'll enjoy your music no matter how bumpy the road, and the custom-made protective leather case fits perfectly to your iAudio X5.
What's in the Box
X5L-20BL digital music player, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, audio cable, USB host cable, earphones, subpack, installation CD-ROM, and user's guide.

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Sony NW-E105PS Network Walkman 512 MB Digital Music Player (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have had this MP3 player for a week now and I am really happy with it.It is feather-weight, sounds excellent, display is great and battery indicator is still at 100%.It can also be used as a USB device to carry data files.My only irritation (and the reason for 4 stars instead of 5) is the requirement to use Sony's Sonic Stage to tranfer files to it.

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Product Description:
Pump up the volume wherever you are--whether pounding the urban jungle pavement or power cycling at the gym--with Sony's NW-E105PS Network Walkman. Amazingly small and light, the round NW-E105PS measures just 2.21 inches in diameter and weighs under one ounce. It has a 512 MB internal flash memory and plays MP3, ATRAC, and ATRAC3plus formats. It's also compatible with content purchased and downloaded from Sony's Connect Music Store (available for Windows PC users only). This model comes in blue, and is also available in white.
Originally developed for Sony's MiniDisc players, the ATRAC3 format increases the sound compression rate by approximately one-tenth, thereby reducing the file size and enabling you to store more music. ATRAC3plus goes even further, with compression levels of 1/20 the original sound source, but provides stronger sound quality than other formats and comparable compression levels. The 512 MB memory will store up to 340 songs, or over 22 hours (calculated at 4 minutes per song using ATRAC3plus compression at 48 kbps). Though it doesn't play WMA or WAV, these formats can be converted into either ATRAC3 or ATRAC3plus.
Because music is stored on internal flash memory--with no moving parts, like hard drive-based players--the NW-E105PS won't skip when jostled, making it the perfect workout partner. The NW-E105PS has a blue backlit LCD that provides song information (such as title, artist, album, etc.) and easy toggle navigation. It also includes a bass and treble equalizer.
What's in the Box
Sony NW-E105PS Network Walkman (512 MB, Blue), headphones, USB cable, CD-ROM with SonicStage software (for managing your digital library, converting tracks from CDs, and transferring tunes to the Network Walkman)

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Apple iPod 30 GB Photo White M9829LL/A (4th Generation) OLD MODEL Review

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(More customer reviews)SCOPE: Because of the price drop on the color models, this review will be targeted to those struggling over a 20gig b&w screen vs. the 30gig color iPod decision.

BACKGROUND: I own both the 40gig iPod Photo and the new 30gig iPod Photo, and have owned a 15gig regular 4G iPod in the past and I also own a 512mb Shuffle. I use both PC and Mac formats.Note, I am not recommending the 60gig variety.

1) BOTTOM LINE: The new 30gig iPod Photo @ $349 is, in my opinion, the *perfect* iPod.My main complaint with the 40gig iPod photo was its price and size/weight (i gave it 4 stars).The new 30gig is roughly the same size/weight as the b&w 20gig and has all the features of the Photo family --> and for just $50 more, you get another 10 gigs, 3 more hours of battery time and a color screen!!!This price/feature tradeoff is one of the best you'll find anywhere in the Apple product suite.Frankly, the 20gig b&w is currently mis-priced @ $299, i would expect this price to drop very soon.

NOTE:
30gig iPod Photo = $11.63 /per gig -- $23.26 /per hour battery time
20gig iPod b&w = $14.95 /per gig -- $24.91 /per hour battery time

2) PHOTO QUALITY: Good to "pretty good".. but not excellent (no improvement since the first iPod Photos were released in 10/04)... I do realize the size of the screen is only 2 inches, but photos tend to be slightly pixilated, even the full resolution ones that are over 2mb (though you stop noticing after a minute) and color reproduction is not all that great on skin tones and deep reds, but very good w/ greens&blues... which make pics of landscapes quite nice!

3) PHOTOS ON MY TV: Now this is where this thing shines... this is a really cool feature... however you MUST BUY the mini-plug-to-RCA-out (headphone to 3 pronged yellow/white/red) for another $20, which in my opinion is worth it.. you can scroll through your photos on your big (or at least bigger than your computer screen) TV screen.

4) MUSIC: Biggest change here is you can now see the album art... sounds like a tiny feature, but after you get tired of showing off your photo albums, this is probably the single most useful feature.When before you had no incentive to look down at your ipod screen, now you'll find yourself looking at it all the time... In terms of music playback, it's the same as any click-wheel, 4G iPod.

5) SIZE/WEIGHT: Its great!, I cannot physically tell the difference in size and weight between the 20gig b&w and the 30gig iPod Photo... this was my #1 complaint about the iPod Photo 40gig -> it was simply too big and heavy to be practical... that's why I was forced to buy the Shuffle!

6) COSMETIC CHANGES: None on the outside, still scratches as easily as the rest, but has a color screen w/ a new font and screen looks very dark w/out the backlight.

7) BATTERY LIFE: Conditional based on the user... However, so far it seems to run above spec during mixed use = 16hours.

8) STORAGE: Disk access time for photos do have a lag (on both my 40gig and 30gig), and the unit tends to freeze from time to time, but I would consider the severity and frequency of this event to be insignificant to the overall functionality.In terms of size -> i think audio books, photos, and Podcast Radio programs have made -for the first time- the ridiculous size of the hard drives actually justifiable... in my 40gig photo, i used 15gigs due to my podcasts and audio books and would expect to reach 30gigs in 3-4 years of use... I still feel the 60gig to be not very practical... i suggest you stick with the smaller size.

== SURPRISES OUT OF THE BOX==

A) NEED TO BUY SOFTWARE: In order to enable the cooler features - like syncing albums automatically, etc..., you need to purchase or own iLife (iPhoto specifically) 4.03 or better (if you are the rare few that bought your computer in the last few months w/ 4.0, you still have to download an upgrade to 4.03) ... Now I bought my iMac from the Apple website last Christmas and it still shipped w/ iLife 2.0... so I had to purchase iLife 4.0 (according to several company reps, there is no free upgrade from the jump from 2.0 to 4.0)...which took me an additional day to figure out... Yes, you can assign folders and such to sync to your photos to your iPod, BUT having an album editor enables full control of changes and what changes I'm making, to the entire process. Oh Yeah, you need a high version of iTunes as well; my pod came w/ ver. 4.7... IMHO, you \need\ the iPhoto upgrade to enjoy this purchase.If you have PC, you have to buy Adobe Photoshop Elements.

B) TRANSITIONS: Only the "wipe" from right-to-left is included, however, I heard a firmware upgrade with more transitions would be out later this year.

C) SLIDESHOWS: You cannot assign multiple music lists in iTunes to specific albums in iPhoto... as of 03/05, you can only assign a SINGLE music list to ALL photo albums when you enable the slideshow feature. Yes, you can change this music list, but need to go back to the menu to do so.

D) COLOR SCREEN: When not backlit, the screen during regular music playback turns \VERY\ dark, much more so than regular B&W iPods... you need a light source reflecting off of the screen in order to see the letters... typeface has changed too, more like "Arial" and slightly smaller. Oh yeah, with the backlight off, the screen still displays in color.

TECHNICAL DETAILS:

A) You cannot adjust the color quality, size, cropping or transitions of the photos when detached from your computer, so don't waste your 1 customer service call credit on it.

B) The 30gig package does not come with the TV-out cable, you have to buy it ($20), and it comes w/ a USB 2.0 based charger, not firewire.

C) If you never upgrade your iTunes due to the hacks you can employ on earlier versions, then you cannot use the photo feature (yes I tried).

D) ALBUM ART: For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, you don't have to purchase a song from iTunes to get album art... just drag and drop an image of the album cover into the window where iTunes usually shows the album art.... plus there are programs out there that auto-download the album art into iTunes if you have the name of the album and the name of the artist...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Apple iPod 30 GB Photo White M9829LL/A (4th Generation) OLD MODEL

Product Description:
Includes: earbud headphones, AC adapter, & USB 2.0 cable. Apple 30GB iPod Photo - The iPod Photo combines the amazing digital audio features you've come to love, with new photo options that make your multimedia experience that much better! Enjoy thousands of photos on the new 2 inch, 220x176-pixel resolution display; that features backlighting and the new, clear, Myriad typeface. Play slideshows made in iPhoto, Adobe Photoshop Album 2.0, or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0. You can even output audio at the same time for a more enjoyable presentation! When outputing to a TV, the iPod Photo automatically optimizes your photos for 4 - 3 and 16 - 9 televisions Up to 15 hours of battery life (for audio only) Up to 17 minutes of skip protection Create & save multiple on-the-go playlists Adjust audiobooks read speed Synch and charge the iPod Photo through a (optional) FireWire or (included) USB 2.0 cable Alarm Clock/Sleep Timer Organizer Functions - Contacts, Calendar, & To-Do Lists Ports - dock connector, remote connector, stereo headphone jack, composite video & audio through headphone jack, FireWire 400 & USB 2.0 Audio Support - AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF, & Audible Photo Support - JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, & PNG Unit Dimensions - 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.63' Unit Weight - 6.4 oz.

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