iPod Review
Friday 17th November 2006To be a fair comparison with the Zune
the iPod used in this review will be the iPod (30 GB) model.
![[iPod - Apple Computer]](ipod.png)
Since the launch of the original iPod in 2001 Apple have been working hard increasig the capacity while still reducing the size. Back in 2001 the original iPod only had a capacity of 5 GB and weighed 6.5 ounces. Now the iPod has a maximum capacity of 80GB as well as a cheaper 30GB model and weighs 4.8 ounces. For people who want lighter they now offer the tiny Nano which is less than 1.5 ounces and can hold up to 8 GB.
Apple have a range of partners which make accessories for the iPod making an almost endless list of possibilities. They've worked with car manufactures to fit iPod docks to cars, so you can control your iPod via the in car controls. They're working with airlines to offer iPod connectivity from 2007, meaning you can watch videos stored on your iPod on your in-flight personal TV. You can even integrate you iPod into certain Nike trainers to make it act like a pedometer, however weird the idea it seems like someone somewhere has made an accessory to link just about anything to an iPod.
Once you have all your music and playlists set up simply plug in your iPod and iTunes will offer to sync your music collection. You have the option to set it to automatically sync whenever connected or you can ask to do it manually.
iTunes supports podcast integration. This means that you can choose to subscribe to certain podcasts (both audio and video) and iTunes will check for updates when you're online. This is useful if you like to listen to podcasts on the move.
For people who like listening to audio books, the iPod offers the ability to bookmark the audio file so you can carry on where you left off at a later time. This can greatly simplify the process of listening to audio books as on most players you have to skip through the track until you find your place.
The iPod features the popular scrollwheel interface. It makes it quite simple and intuitive for navigating a long list of songs. At the top of the iPod is a switch that is used to lock the iPod to stop the controls being activated in your pocket. A lot of people new to the iPod wonder how to turn the device off, there's no off switch, the device turns itself off after a period of inactivity.
Overall, if you want a well supported music player then the iPod is going to be hard to beat.
PREV: Zune and iPod Technical Specs
IN DEPTH: Zune
Since the launch of the original iPod in 2001 Apple have been working hard increasig the capacity while still reducing the size. Back in 2001 the original iPod only had a capacity of 5 GB and weighed 6.5 ounces. Now the iPod has a maximum capacity of 80GB as well as a cheaper 30GB model and weighs 4.8 ounces. For people who want lighter they now offer the tiny Nano which is less than 1.5 ounces and can hold up to 8 GB.
Apple have a range of partners which make accessories for the iPod making an almost endless list of possibilities. They've worked with car manufactures to fit iPod docks to cars, so you can control your iPod via the in car controls. They're working with airlines to offer iPod connectivity from 2007, meaning you can watch videos stored on your iPod on your in-flight personal TV. You can even integrate you iPod into certain Nike trainers to make it act like a pedometer, however weird the idea it seems like someone somewhere has made an accessory to link just about anything to an iPod.
Setting Up
The iPod package does not include a CD. If you're running a Mac you'll have iTunes installed on your machine already. In this case it's just a simple matter of plugging the iPod into a spare USB port and following the prompts when iTunes starts up. The procedure for Windows requires you to visit the Apple website and download iTunes, once iTunes is installed the procedure is as simple as it is on the Mac. If you have iTunes already installed on your PC you can skip this step as it'll detect the iPod automatically. iTunes will offer to search your hard drive for music to add to your iTunes library. It does a good job and detected all the music files on the machine.Using
The first thing most people want to do when they get an iPod is to import their CD collection on to the device. This is a simple procedure and it uses an online CD database in order to automatically label all your songs from the CD with the artist name, album name and the track name. One of the powerful features of the iPod and iTunes combination is the ability to create 'smart playlists' this can use a numer of criteria for creating dynamic playlists. Smart playlists can be very useful when you have a large collection of music.Once you have all your music and playlists set up simply plug in your iPod and iTunes will offer to sync your music collection. You have the option to set it to automatically sync whenever connected or you can ask to do it manually.
iTunes supports podcast integration. This means that you can choose to subscribe to certain podcasts (both audio and video) and iTunes will check for updates when you're online. This is useful if you like to listen to podcasts on the move.
For people who like listening to audio books, the iPod offers the ability to bookmark the audio file so you can carry on where you left off at a later time. This can greatly simplify the process of listening to audio books as on most players you have to skip through the track until you find your place.
The iPod features the popular scrollwheel interface. It makes it quite simple and intuitive for navigating a long list of songs. At the top of the iPod is a switch that is used to lock the iPod to stop the controls being activated in your pocket. A lot of people new to the iPod wonder how to turn the device off, there's no off switch, the device turns itself off after a period of inactivity.
Shopping
Adding content to the iPod is simple, you can add content from CD's or your own MP3's. iTunes has its own integrated music store but you only need to register for it if you intend to use it. Registration is not compulsory. The iTunes music store is the most popular online music store in the UK and offers the largest selection, although some less mainstream genres are not well supported at the moment. Tracks currently cost 79p (albums £7.99) and can be paid by credit card or you can buy vouchers at many supermarkets as well as the Apple store. The vouchers are good as a cheap gift for any iPod owners you know. The iTunes Music Store also has video content available for sale. Content purchased at the iTunes store can legally be burned to CD copied to two iPods and up to five computers.Quality
The whole iPod experience feels like a well refined product. The iPod is probably the best looking MP3 player on the market but doesn't sacrifice ease of use for looks. However, iPods still scratch easier than most other players due to their smooth finish. The iPod comes with a case to protect it, plus there's numerous other iPod cases on the market.Overall, if you want a well supported music player then the iPod is going to be hard to beat.
PREV: Zune and iPod Technical Specs
IN DEPTH: Zune