Rating: 
Summary: A pleasure to use
Review: (...)
As you open the box of the new iPod, you have to remove a sealing sticker that carries the words 'Designed by Apple in California'. Of course the iPod is manufactured in the Far East, but the over-riding impression is of West Coast cool.Although the iPod is essentially an MP3 player, as it has a hard drive you can also use it as a storage device. While that is true of many MP3 players, including the devices based on flash memory, you'll find your iPod has plenty of storage capacity. The original iPod came in 5GB, 10GB and 15GB versions, but it's been revised to 10GB, 15GB and 30GB. My 15GB unit had 13.8GB available for use which is good for some 2,200 songs recorded at a high-quality setting of 192KB/sec. You'll get more at lower sampling rates, with Apple reckoning on 7,500 songs for the top-capacity version. Despite the hard drive technology the iPod is a tiny unit, about the size of a pack of playing cards but half as thick. This is thanks to the low profile, 1.8-inch Toshiba hard drive, and it is genuinely pocket-sized. It also looks very stylish, with the front half moulded in pearl white and the back formed from stainless steel. While it would be foolish to abuse the hardware it certainly feels well made and robust. The monochrome LCD display is a decent size and shows details of the current track with a progress bar showing both elapsed time and time remaining, as well as a battery indicator and the option of a clock. You control the iPod with four buttons that have a gorgeous luminous pink backlight, but the really neat part is menu navigation. A circular track uses the same touchpad technology that you find in notebooks and in the centre is a button that works in the same way. Scrolling and selecting could hardly be easier or more intuitive, and there are no moving parts to go wrong either. On the other hand the controls are hopeless for the three games that Apple includes, and they are best ignored. In addition to the main unit there's a charging cable, the all-important white earphones, an in-line remote control so you can tuck the iPod away in an inside pocket or your bag, a carrying case and a docking station. Naturally iPod uses a Firewire connection but a big selling point of the new iPod is that it also has a USB interface, with a USB 2.0 software update due soon. This is a little disingenuous as the USB cable is an optional extra. Apple includes an adapter so you can also use the smaller four-pin Firewire port. When the iPod is placed in the dock it fires up the included MusicMatch software with an iPod plug-in that searches your PC for music and creates an index. Synchronising the iPod transfers music at a respectable speed, and the files are logically arranged by artist and album, assuming you used CDDB when you first ripped them. Annoyingly the tracks are arranged in alphabetical order rather than as per the original running order, but that seems to be the case with most MP3 equipment. What does it sound like? It's one of the best MP3 players we've ever heard. It's not quite up to Minidisc standards, but as a mobile music player with an enormous capacity it's beyond reproach. Verdict: On the face of it an iPod is an expensive luxury, but that's crazy talk. This new version, compatible with both Mac and PC, offers excellent value for money and it is a pleasure to use. And, for the style-conscious, the white earphones mark you down as an iPod owner and therefore someone to be envied.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome - buy it
Review: (This is a review I wrote for the 40GB iPod. Most of it applies to this model as well.) What I like best about Amazon reviews is that, unlike Consumer Reports or other technical reviewers, they come from people who own the product and use it every day. Hence a disclaimer - I got my iPod a week ago. That being said - it is awesome. My iPod is connected to my PowerBook, where I have almost 5,000 songs stored in iTunes. All I have to do is put the iPod in the cradle and it automatically syncs. The first time took about 30 minutes or so - after that it hasn't taken more than a minute or so. It's much easier than other MP3 players. (For Christmas last year, I bought my dad a Rio MP3 player. Teaching him how to load songs onto it was a huge pain.) The sound quality is as good as it gets for an MP3. I bring my iPod everywhere and am listening to songs I forgot I have. It's also forced me to go through my music library and make sure everything is labeled properly (if it's not, it's going to be hard to find on an iPod, as it doesn't have a search function). The games it comes with are mindless timewasters, which is what they were intended to be. The music quiz is pretty cool though. The address book and calendar functions are useful, although a bit of a pain to update if you don't use Mac's Address Book and iCal, as you can't use iSync. The only complaints I have are minor: -When attached to the remote control, the earphone cord is too long. While it can be tucked in a pocket if you are wearing normal clothes, it's a pain when you go to the gym or for a run.
-There's a slight pause between songs, which is annoying when listening to a complete concert.
-Like many newer cars, mine doesn't have a tape deck. Hence, the only way to play my iPod through the car stereo is through an FM transmitter - most of which have lousy reputations.
-The functionality of the calendar and address book could be improved, although I'm sure that will come in time and iPods will be fully functioning PDAs as well.
Rating: 
Summary: It's a thin line...
Review: ...between love and hate. THEORETICALLY I love my iPod. When it works, it's great. But I'm already on my second. I bought the first one, had it about 3 weeks, dropped it a distance of less than 2 feet one day as I got out of my car (sound familiar?), and it completely, totally stopped working 2 days later. Not to be screwed quite so easily, I just took it back to the store I bought it at and told them it was defective. (And if you ask me, it was. I didn't tell them I had dropped it though!) Thankfully they exchanged it with no questions asked, telling me that I was hardly the first iPod buyer to bring one back for defects. Interesting... I've had the replacement now for about 3 months. I HAVE dropped this one as well a few times, but so far so good. The main problems I've had with it actually may be iTunes (Mac's mp3 software) issues, but I've found that in some cases I'll plug in the pod to charge or update and it will say "Do not disconnect," but the computer will fail to recognize it, and then basically I HAVE to disconnect it and just wait for the battery to run out before I can do anything with it, since it won't respond and Mac can't be bothered to put a boot switch on things. I bought an iPod because I have a Mac, and you basically have no other damn options. And like I said, when it works it's great. But Mac products in general seem to be a little temperamental. You hear the "I dropped it 2 feet and it stopped working" or "I jogged with it and it stopped working" or "It just stopped working" stories all the time with reference to the pod, and when you're laying down a few hundred bucks, that's just not acceptable. It's not like I was unreasonably rambunctious with the first one - a device like this just shouldn't be this delicate. Of course you're going to work out with your iPod - that's normal use. Build it to stand up to normal use! Then again, I have been relatively lucky so far with this one. My second one. ;)
Rating:
Summary: Excellant MP3 Player... the one to get
Review:
iPod on a Windows 2000 Professional OS, laptop PC. What I've done and how it has worked: - Thus far, copied about 300 songs from CD's I own to my Windows 2000 PC using iTunes....then loaded the iPod up with these songs.
Has worked great!
- Purchased about 10 songs from online iTunes via a behind-firewall-protected, corporate LAN internet access environment..... then loaded the iPod up with these songs.
Has worked great!
- Created play lists out of my 300 or so songs in iTunes.... transferred lists to the iPod.
Has worked just great! Now on to the iPod use itself....
- Played these tunes, play lists, albums, artists using the various iPod menu options (e.g. equalizer, skip, repeat) while out and about town.
Has worked great!
- Charged/recharged the battery via the a/c adapter and the OPTIONAL (yes I knew to buy it when I bought the iPod) USB/Firewire cable.
Has worked great! - Great sound and a pleasure to use. (BTW- I've found that CDs ripped with AAC format sound "cleaner" than those ripped as MP3). Key things:
- Make sure if you are in a Windows OS environment, you have what you need to work with the iPod... I had to add Windows Service Pack 4 to my OS (I was 2 service packs behind) before I could use the iPod... and I knew that was necessary because the minimum OS requirement is clear in the product specs.
- Don't leave the store without a case or "skin"... I knew that ahead of time... the elegant silver back of the iPod is pretty, but pointless.
- Again, if you are in a Windows OS environment, make sure you have the USB/Firewire cable in hand! If the store doesn't have one, go somewhere else for your iPod.
Rating:
Summary: love
Review: A while ago i bought my first mac, loved it and began exploring everything about mac and all. Well after some research i got my 15GB ipod and i'm in love. The days of boring one cd walkmans are over, i can run and it doesnt make a move, no shock anything. Buy buy buy yourself an ipod and enjoy!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Mp3 Player Period.
Review: Apple has out done themselves with the new 3rd generation 15gb iPod. Not only does it still have incredible clearity and the ease of use of the earlier versions of iPod, But it now has smaller more compact design, backlight for easier reading in low light conditions and best of all it works seamlessly with its music downloading counterpart iTunes. I own this product and wouldn't trade for any other mp3 player on the market. I highly reccomend!
Rating: 
Summary: The Best mp3 Jukebox Out There
Review: Apple has really done it this time, with their iPods that are getting more and more popular every day, especially with the iPod minis, available in 5 different colors. This 15 GB iPod is so user-friendly, any non-computer genius can use it. The fact that iTunes automatically updates your iPod when you plug it in is even cooler. The only reason I give the iPod four stars, is because the iPod itself, especially the metal back, scratches very easily. This can be easily solved with the use of a case that can be purchased at any Best Buy or other electronics store in your area. I have purchased a few mp3 players and jukeboxes before, but none of them come close to the user friendliness and quality that the iPod brings. I purchased a RCA Lyra Jukebox and a Rio 20GB Jukebox, and returned both within 2 weeks. Why? The two were jsut not quality products. The fact that this iPod is such a good quality buy is making me consider purchasing a Mac computer! Another note: if your computer does not have a firewire port, then you need to purchase an iPod USB Dock Connector, which can be purchased at Target, Circuit City, or any other electronics store.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: Apple's 15 GB ipod is the best mp3 player ever. It can more songs than most people even know and you can shake and stuff and the music wont skip. The only drawback i have found so far is that it scratches so incredibly easily. I have found scratches on it that i have no memory of how it happened. If you look at the back of it you will see the whole thing all scratched up. I wished it came with a dock and/or a case since the ones that apple offer are $40 each which is quite expensive. However there are some 3rd party manufactuers where you can find a dock or case for much cheaper. The games are ok but you cant pause the games or keep an acurate score either, but this is just a minor drawback since that isnt the point of it. When you sync it with itunes on a mac it transfers all your songs really fast. This is a great product for anyone who listens to music.
Rating:
Summary: Attached at the Hip (Literally)
Review: As the owner of a large CD collection, the combination of iTunes and this iPod have redefined my music experience. My only regret is that it wasn't available when I was in college. iTunes is a killer music app. Anybody who gives MusicMatch a second look after trying it must be smoking something. The ability to quickly browse by genre, artist (and have a filtered view of the music changing in real time!) is a must for those who have a significant number of tracks by the same artist (or even the same title). The iPod itself is an engineering marvel. The case is tight, refined, and aesthetic. The play options have allowed me to listen to my music in every conceivable way. After my wife gave me this thoughtful gift for Valentine's Day, there is a new demarcation point in my life: i.P.(As in Before iPod, After iPod)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Little Electronic Artifact
Review: As the title of this post attests, I'm truly marvelled at this product. Apple is and is going to beat all the competitors in the MP3 player arena. WOW, this product is sleek from the moment you see the box. And once you open the box and see how much care Apple takes care of presentation, you'll realize that you made a good investment. The player is SO much compact and lighter than I expected. I used to own a Creative Nomad Zen (20 Gb) and sold it because it was rather bulky and the controls were really clumsy. in contrast, the iPod is very intuitive and yet powerful. The design is outstanding, and the features is more than worth the money. The sound is superb, and the EQ is very decent just as the included headphones are.
If you look at the Price-Value relationship, iPod offers the most "bang for the buck," if you pardon the cliche. With organizer, clock, calendar, games and 15Gb of soage this unit is by FAR the best value. You won't regret it for one second! It will make a believer out of the most skeptical person. If you have the money...do not hesitate and get this unit.
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