Apple iPod Mini (6GB, silver)
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"Acceptable, but overrated" on by ce_reviews
Pros: Small, Looks good
Cons: headphones are junk, only works w/ ITunes, rotating menu doesn't seem to work well, no radio
Summary: This product is pretty average, and exemplifies the standard Apple strategy of non-compatibility.
I picked this up because I got a great deal via audible.com (Which is a GREAT way to listen to books, check 'em out).
This is by no means a bad player. However, there are a few things to be aware of if you're open-minded enough to consider that Apple doesn't have all of the answers.
1. You will HAVE to replace the ear buds. Even if they're more comfortable in your ears than mine, the sound quality is VERY poor. And I'm not an audiophile.
2. I hope you like ITunes. So far, I have been unable to get windows media player to work w/ it. It copies the files over, and they're there in Windows Explorer, but I can't seem to play them. I HATE THAT. It's not that Itunes is so bad as much as it is that I am from a Windows world where I can find other options. Plus, setting up a media library takes a lot of work. I don't feel like going through it again. Additionally, the auto-import feature has crashed on me once, and has some errors as well.
3. The circle scroll idea is pretty good, but I find that it only works smoothly on the very outtermost part of the circle. So far, I've been unable to scroll smoothly with 1 hand with any consistency.
4. You have to eject the ipod using either ITunes or Windows' hardware wizard before you disconnect it. If you're using ITunes, I guess it isn't that big of a deal.
5. Volume is decent, but not fantastic.
6. I want to be able to replace the battery. Planned obsolescence is very irritating.
7. For this much money, I can't get a radio?
8. I want BLUETOOTH!!!
Ok, lest you label me as a close-minded apple-hater, there are a few cool touches.
1. I like that it detects whether your headphones are plugged in or not, and pauses automatically when you unplug them. You'll do this a few times in the beginning while wondering if those earbuds really sound that bad, or is it the song.Updated
A few things I forgot or didn't know the first time:
1. Below is a link to how to reset your ipod when it locks hard, which in a few weeks of light use, it has now done twice.
http://www.activewin.com/tips/tips/apple/ipod/7.shtml
2. One other thing. It doesn't play wma files. I just found that out when trying to put a radio program on. You're not hopelessly lost, ITunes will convert to mp3 for you (if it doesn't crash, which happened to me a few times), After that you just have to go figure out where ITunes put it, which it doesn't really tell you.
3. Sometimes it gets really slow. This seems to happen most often with my Audible content, but's it's pretty aggravating when you listen to books on a number of devices and are trying to seek to where you left off elsewhere.
4. I'm not sure, but I don't think it supports high-bitrate content either. Is 192kpbs the limit? It seems to convert my music before putting it on. Not too big of a deal so long as it doesn't leave the low bitrate versions lying around on my machine. -
"Great product, except for the price" on by mp3guy1984
Pros: see below please
Cons: see below please
Summary: PROS:
-Best sound quality I've heard out the sony NW-HD3, 4th Gen iPod and Creative Zen Touch
-TINY
-I have blue, looks great
-BATTERY LIFE. Mine came out of the box with only half a charge, and it played for 13 hours before dying.
-Seamless integration with iTunes
CONS
-EXPENSIVE. For $250 you are only getting 6GB of storage
-No more firewire ( which ACTUALLY IS slower than USB 2) included. You have to buy firewire and the power adapter seperately
All around, a great product.
I have owned the SOny NW-HD3, Zen Touch 20GB and 4G 20GB iPod, this is the best one of them all: good battery, great sound, and small.
If you aren't worried about paying ~$42 per GB of storage, and want a small player with great sound, get this. -
"Excellent improvements, but Apple missed some of the main wants and needs of iPod customers." on by MP3_FREAK
Pros: Greatly improved battery Life, brighter colours, and its still got all the great features of an iPod, i.e. the clik wheel and sleek style.
Cons: Still no removable battery, FM tuner, or voice recorder. No longer includes firewire cable or AC adapter.
Summary: Like many other excellent products, it is almost the perfect product in its category, but still has imporements that could be made.
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"Most popular but not the best..." on by supplanter64
Pros: Touch wheel, AAC song format
Cons: No user def eq, no radio, battery, not ready for "to go" services
Summary: I bought an iPod mini and a Creative Zen Micro to compare. The iPod isn't a bad little player and the only reason I wanted it was because of the superior AAC song format... but that wasn't enough for me to keep it. I also wanted a user definable eq setting and didn't care for any of the iPod's presets, not available. Creative Zen's sound quality is rich and full and it has user definable eq. The iPod was a bit dry and cold sounding. iPod's wheel is cool, but Zen's touch pad is almost as good and Zen offers a more advanced user interface with popup menus and clearly defined pad areas to access them. I like the Zen's recording and FM radio feature's which are not on the iPod. The Zen Micro came with extra accessories and above average ear buds. The iPod came with a cable and some horrible sounding ears buds.
But when I discovered Yahoo Unlimited for $5/mo. and unlimited downloads that work with Zen Micro, that was it, I took the iPod back.
The iPod will no doubt out-sell all the other players, but it isn't the best player feature or performace-wise. -
"The cream floats to the top" on by DarkWatcher23
Pros: Better battery larger storage
Cons: Channel seperation for volume controll
Summary: I have gone thru most of the cometitions players. I refused to be a lemming... but when the last HD player went south. I decided to give the Ipod a chance. Guess what, Now I know what all the fuss is about. The Ipod is simply the better player for music. I've had the other featurs offerd by he competition, Thought I couldn't live without them, never used them.
I now owne 3 Ipods. The others sit unused in a box.
My only complaint is that I have slight hearing dammage in one ear and channel control would be a big plus
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