Cool, Very Cool (Apple iPod 5 GB)

Member Name: johnnyho

Product:	Apple iPod 5 GB
Date:	29/01/05 (661 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Looks, Ease of use

Disadvantages: Battery life, but not too bad, Awful included earphones

I have wanted to get an iPod for ages and ages. I remember looking at the 2G one, but thought that they were too overpriced and battery life was another turn-off! When the 3G ones were available, I still thought they were very expensive. Also, the battery life had not improved. So when the 4G version became available, I wanted one more than ever. I searched for a long time looking at places to buy, many had no stock and still did not want to pay £229 for one. Until I came across nusonline.co.uk. The Apple store for Education were offering a discount to all students or anyone involved in higher education. The link on the nusonline webpage took me to the Apple store and there it was - the 4G iPod, 20GB and for £200.93 with free delivery and free custom engraving! I jumped at the chance and ordered one straight away.

I took about two and a hlf weeks from order to receiving my iPod. I was so excited when it finally came. The box was so perfect and the iPod was lying inside so beautifully. It took a while to go through the installation of iTunes, formatting the iPod for Windows (I am running Windows XP) and transferring the music. But when that was done, my iPod was ready to go. This whole process took about 45 minutes. (I had roughly around 1500 mp3's encoded at different bit rates, varying from 128 to 320 kbps). This was all done through USB 2.0. I have a Firewire port on my computer, but it is a 4-pin socket. The cable included with the iPod is 6-pin, and so therefore an ad

At first, I was very disappointed with the sound quality from the iPod. I had not even opened the earphones that came with the iPod, as I had already knew that they are absolutely awful. They are actually one of the worst pair of earphones I had ever owned in my life. I don't know how Apple get away with this, but somehow they manage it! I was using a pair of Sony earphones that I had had for a couple of years, which were used with my Minidisc player (remember those???!!!). The sound quality was no way near what I expected. I am quite 'picky' though when it comes to sound quality, however, I would not consider myself an audiophile.

The controls of the iPod are very, very straightforward. I love the touch wheel - it is such a pleasure to use, I cannot imagine using any other method now! Selection of songs or playlists is very easy indeed. You can also make your own 'On-the-go' playlists by holding down the central select button on a song or playlist you want to add to your 'On-the-go' playlist. You can then save it or clear it, or just listen to it! One thing though - the EQ settings are not very good to be honest. There is a whole range of them available, but there still seems not to be one that agrees totally with my music. I have found the 'Latin' setting the best though. You also cannot make your own EQ settings.

One thing that I do not really like about the iPod is iTunes. I find this program, not difficult, but fidgitty to use. It does things in its own way, and takes control too much. I suppose that it is easy, but I would rather have something that gives me more control. I do, however, like the fact the the iTunes music store is 'built-in' to iTunes.

Now the more I listen to my iPod, the less the first impression of bad sound quality bothers me. It is not actually that bad, but there are certain songs that still sound slightly distorted no matter at what volume. The sound quality has also increased since I took the EU volume limiter off with goPod, a program that allows you to remove the sound or volume limiter that is place on all iPod's sold in Europe.

Now onto battery life. I really don't have a problem with it. It lasts long enough for me to play it as regularly as I like during a day. It seems to last about three days with regular use. But I try to charge it as little as possible as I heard that the battery life of the iPod impairs quite rapidly. I have also recently purchased an iTrip - an FM transmitter for your ipod, so you can tune in to the frequency and listen to your iPod in your car without wires. They are however illegal, and if caught, you can face prosecution! (Damn British broadcasting laws!).

Overall, I am plesaed that I have chosen the iPod. At the time, I was strongly considering the Sony 20GB hard disk player, but it did not play mp3's. Sony have now actually sorted their lives out and allowed mp3 playback on their new player. To be honest, the only competition that the iPod has I think is the Sony. The iRiver players are just too big and ugly. If looks is what you are after, then I would suggest the iPod. But size, battery life and probably overal quality, then the Sony. Saying that, I have never really been impressed with Sony mp3 (or should I say atrac) players. Thinking of that, the iPod is not so bad afterall! In fact, I do truely love my iPod, although it is slightly bigger and heavier than I would like it to be.

Summary: