Another toy for the gadget guru
Written: Dec 30 '03 (Updated Dec 30 '03)
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Pros: Great MP3 player, external hard drive and pseudo "PDA capabilities" for the novice.
Cons: Pricey, non-color screen.
The Bottom Line: Certainly pick one up if your budget allows. No tech household is complete without one.
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| ivy-rose's Full Review: Apple iPod 3rd Generation White (15 GB) MP3 Player |
Packaging
When you open up the little cube, you'll see that everything has its place. Included in the package you'll get the dock, remote, carrying case, earbud headphones (and an extra pair of foamy things), AC adapter, dock connector to FireWire cable and 4-pin-to-6-pin FireWire adapter.
Features
* 25 minute skip protection
* Customize main menu
* Create On-The-Go playlists
* Rate songs
* Shuffle songs or albums
* Repeat one or all
* Sound Check on or off
* 20 Equalizer settings
* Backlight timer
* Display contrast
* Alarms on, off or silent
* Sleep timer
* Date and time
* Display time in menu bar
* Contacts sort and display by first or last names
* Clicker on or off
* Upgradeable firmware
Size
The first thing that struck me was how small this iPod really was. I previously used my husband's 20GB iPod and this is just tiny. At 4.1"x2.4"x0.62" and 5.6 ounces, I hardly notice I have it on me. And, thankfully, it doesn't add any more weight to my laptop bag which houses my lil 12" PowerBook.
Battery Life
Apple rates this iPod to have over 8 hours on one full charge (which takes approximately three hours). I'd say, for once, this is very close to correct. The only thing is that once charged you have to use it rather soon after, otherwise the charge is somehow depleted. Meaning you can't expect to fully charge it today and hold charge fully until you use it three days later.
Sound Quality
The sound that comes out of this little device is amazing. The earbuds that come standard really doesn't do it justice. It still sounds great but I've found that hardwiring the iPod dock to a set of good speakers (or even a decent set of computer speakers) really shows the iPod at its best.
Casing
After owning this guy for about six months, I've already scratched it up pretty good (and I'm VERY careful with my toys). I guess the chrome casing is just prone to being scratched and dinged easily. I would not feel comfortable with the outcome should this iPod ever be dropped on a hard surface. *ouch* So be careful.
Personal Experience
Now that we've got all the technical mumbo jumbo out of the way, let's get to the good stuff. So as I've said, I've already used the older 20GB iPod and the small changes in the design of this 15GB iPod are what allowed me to give my husband back his. I love the touch wheel. If for no reason other that the "coolness factor" ;) The illuminated display and button allow for ease of use during low light situations. If you're taking a run at night, you'll be able to change tracks or check the time in a snap. It's because of this, I never really had to use the remote.
To sync music with the iPod is a snap!! Simply plug it in and it will do its thing. Everything you have in your iTunes library will be magically transferred in the iPod. Practically in the blink of an eye. But, keep in mind one thing. Only sync with YOUR iTunes library otherwise you'll lose it all.
I do have to admit however, after the novelty of portable music wore off, I began to use the iPod less and less. Instead, I've grown to depend on it to back my computer. There are many a time I've had issues with my PowerBook and I wasn't going to waste time and resources burning all my data to DVD. Nope. With the iPod handy, I didn't have to. It has served well as an external hard drive.
Also, since I already own a PDA/phone, I don't find much use for the built-in calendar or alarm functions. I would imagine though, this would help out someone who is new to the PDA scene.
Conclusion
After the initial "wow" factor has worn off I can see how unnecessary it is for our household to have two iPods. It just doesn't make sense. If, on the other hand, you don't have one ... I strongly suggest you get one. It's quite versatile in use and easy for even a novice to figure out.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300
Recommended for: Beginners - Easy Enough for Tech Newbies
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Epinions.com ID:
ivy-rose
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Location: california girl
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
.. girly girl, but tech/gadget guru at heart ..
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