Rating: 
Summary: Love my Ipod
Review: Ok not a 5 but nothing is perfect. Not real thrilled with the musicmatch setup but it worked fine. I just didn't want to keep paying money for the updated version to buy my songs. So instead I downloaded I tunes and it worked great. I can't believe how easy it is to transfer my songs from my cd's I love it. It is small and easy to carry in your pocket. The learning curve for use is minimal which is what makes the Ipod so great. Nice Job Apple!
Rating: 
Summary: Love my Ipod
Review: I received my 20 gig IPod for the holidays and after some speed bumps setting it up (Windows users follow the instructions don't just try to plug and play or you may have to get your windows CD out and put some .dll files back on your computer) Read you must format your Ipod correctly for Windows or you put Windows back on your computer. I am an XP user (till I buy a Mac!)Other than that I cant be happier with my Ipod, its fast, easy-heck its intuitive with the functions both on the Ipod and Itunes. I am starting to wonder how I ever got along before Ipod. Side note my partner has had his Ipod from the first roll out and has loved it. Count me as a Ipod carrying Mac convert.
Rating: 
Summary: Beware Windows XP Users
Review: After three days of sitting in front of my PC attempting to install my 20GB iPod, I finally got it to work. I uploaded about 40 songs, took it for a spin, and convinced myself that in spite of the stress of the installation, it might turn out to be a good Christmas gift after all. Then I tried to reboot my computer. iPod had crashed my hard drive, forcing me to reinstall Windows. All files not backed up have been lost.
My computer runs Windows XP, a system that, from a glance at the online forum ipodlounge.com, is not 100% compatible with the dubious iPod, despite claims of the iPod owner's manual to the contrary. In this chat room, you'll find dozens of Windows XP users who have suffered hard disk crashes, frozen workstations, etc, as well as optimistic cheerleader types (surely Apple employees or advocates) who offer such encouraging comments as "You're almost there!" "Just disable iPod Manager," or "Time to reinstall Windows!!!" This comes as a shock to the customer who trusted the simplicity of the instruction manual, to wit: "1) Install the enclosed CD-Rom; 2) Plug in iPod (music is uploaded automatically); 3) Listen to music!" So I visited Apple's website (from my work computer, my home computer now paralyzed by Apple's sinister invention), where the infuriated customer is delighted to learn that he can CHOOSE THE COLOR OF THE IPOD ADVERTISEMENT HE WISHES TO VIEW in pink! green! violet! (Conjure up Apple's ad campaign with dreadlocked hipsters rocking out, as your own iPod sits impotent, flashing "Do Not Disconnect" for 8 hours straight). Apple's troubleshooting pages are of the order, "Can't turn on iPod? Be sure to charge iPod!" Helpful information for the mouth breathers among us, but if you're seeking to analyze the deeper (and as yet uncharted) problems between the diabolical iPod and its bumbling accomplice, Windows XP, you're out of luck. My rule being, Anything that costs more than 100 dollars and crashes my hard drive gets returned right away, I have done so. Meantime I'll be waiting for someone to turn out a music server compatible with Windows XP. Neat idea, Apple. Now go make it work.
Rating:
Summary: Get Another MP3 - This one is Poorly designed
Review: I read it everywhere - the IPOD is supposed to be the coolest best designed MP3 - What a joke. 1. Let's start with the pathetic battery life. 2. Then move on to the fact that it is too cool to let you know how to turn it on, or more importantly turn it off - considering the pathetic battery life, this is not helpful. 3. Then you have the silly design for syncing to the PC computer. It uses the same cable as the power supply. So if the battery is too low - guess what you can't sync with the computer for an hour or so, while the too cool gizmo charges. Nope you can't charge it and connect it to the computer at the same time. Maybe the cable charges it from the Firewire port - I don't know - but if it does, it apparently isn't enough to turn it on if the battery is low -- can it get lamer --- Yes it can... 4. Next my daughter connected her IPOD to Itunes. There's the marriage from hell. She purchased and downloaded two songs, then synced. After Itunes had synced with IPOD, it announced that the songs from Itunes weren't compatible with the IPOD --- Really? Why not? They were in MP3 format and legally purchased. Next we noticed that all the songs in the IPOD (about 1 Gig) had been erased. Thanks Itunes, that was helpful. Now there were no songs on the IPOD at all. The latter was remedied by erasing Itunes with my fantastic GoBack software, and re-syncing with MusicMatch, which restored the songs to the IPOD. But what an unbelievable hassle. One final note. IPOD uses MusicMatch 7.1. MusicMatch has improved its software considerably and is now up to version 8.2. But, one last gotcha from IPOD is it won't work with a more recent version of MusicMatch than 7.1. I have an ARCHOS MP3 -- definitely not as cool - but works like a charm - battery lasts for 11 hours of continuous play, and for months when not in use. May not be cool, but it works and sounds great - the ARCHOS that is. If we could return the IPOD, we would in a heartbeat. But we can't, so that's that.
Rating:
Summary: Wow this little thing have many problems!
Review: Ok this is my story. *A TRUE STORY* Once opon a time a 15 years old want an ipod! he said:
-is cool one week of music! yey ipod ipod! The teen went to best buy ,and buy the 20GB and he said:
-wohoooo ipod ipod! yey! , and when he go to his home he read all the manual and he insert the apple disk to install it.
- Ipod Ipod! wooohoooo! , i only need the usb connection,
NO USB CONNECTION
-omg i need a firewire!
He go directly to best buy and buy the firewire connection , $59.99 :( Ok he go directly to his home and he install the firewire.
And then he try to install the ipod. <1 error occured> , he reset his laptop and then try again , he install it , -FINNALLY! Wow i have itunes! yey! itunes! (later) WOW THIS IPOD IS GREAT THE MUSIC! THE BATTERY! THE GAMES! IS COOL!
<error occured>
NOOOOO the ipod freezed! (later-when he read the "tips and troubleshooting" and when he spend 2 hours finding why on www.apple.com/support/ipod) The ipod don't work and the poor 15 years old(me) is sad because he spend all his money of xmass on that $h!+
Rating:
Summary: I fell in love with the box
Review: So if, like me, you got a sexy black box emblazoned with the words iPod 20GB as a gift from Santa this year - you too are probably foaming at the mouth to get a review out there. I'll start this by saying the iPod I'm using is synched to an iMac via FireWire and is using iTunes as its library- optimum spec basically.
The Box : The box itself is a miniature work of art - unfolding to reveal the words ENJOY in that oh so simple Apple font before opening origami style to reveal its contents - a 20GB hard-drive, earphones (to be immediately thrown away), a very nice docking station, a less than nice belt clip, AC adaptor, firewire connector and wired remote (yes - wired, anyone else think Betamax when they saw it?). Anyway it's all beautiful, it sets an expectation, offers a tactile and visual representation of the Apple brand and should be studied in every business school in the country. Apple get it - people have an innate appreciation of beauty - stimulate that appreciation and you forge a bond. I've bonded with my iPod before I've even held it - how cool is that?
The look of the thing : As you'd expect from Apple (or at least from anything going through Jonathan Ives at Apple) the unit is sleek, simple, well designed and desirable. The stainless steel back comes engraved with the inscription of your choice (a service offered free if you buy on-line from Apple) whilst the front is that familiar from a million and one 'Product of the Year' wins 2" LCD, above the Apple White touch sensitive wheel that allows you to jog through menus, turn up the volume and generally find your way around quickly, easily and in a method reminiscent of the old Sony Jog-Dials.
Navigation : If it all seems very simple that's pretty much because it is. Four buttons, a big wheel and an enter key. Press Play and the iPod springs into life, starting up exactly where it left off. Hit Menu and you're given several choices, the outer wheel allows you to scroll through those choices, the centre button acts as an ENTER key. And that's it. Click, swivel, click - it's thumb operational and pretty much idiot proof. Well almost idiot proof - the controls are extremely sensitive and the slightest knock sees them springing into self-selection action. Luckily there's a HOLD switch designed to stop this happening - use it, because if you don't you'll end up listening to the Captain and Tennille at a most inopportune moment.
Battery Life : So far my batteries have lasted about five hours between charges (Apple claim 8 - to get that you'd need to press play and leave it there, don't skip, don't use the backlight, don't get it too hot, too bothered or too involved). That's okay because recharging via the cradle is a piece of gateaux.
Recharging : To recharge slip the iPod into the docking cradle (where it will remain semi-reclined) and relax. That's it. The iPod is recharging, it will automatically update itself too - downloading your latest purchases from iTunes and your latest lists whilst juicing up. Dock it and leave it basically. If you just want to recharge that's no problem either - as well as a DISABLE SYNCH function you also have the option of connecting the dock straight to the iPod power adaptor and charging from there.
Formats : Downloading software is easy - you can simply copy the tunes straight out of iTunes or you can play with the format some. You see iPod is format agnostic. It's compatible with ACC, AIFF, WAV and VBR-MP3. What this means is that you can happily listen to songs ripped at 192 on MP3 - or you can switch to AIFF files and attempt to spot the difference vs. the original. Doing this is gonna cut the number of songs you squeeze into that 20GB but you could still add a song a year for the next couple of years without much trouble.
Sound Quality : You read very little about sound quality in most MP3 player reviews. That's because the players have generally been more abut fashion than function until now. They played back roughly what you intended them too and lack of quality was the price you paid for being ahead of the curve. The iPod is different - in AIFF mode it's simply superb, stepping up to any challenge thrown at it. Headphones, expensive speakers, delicate and sniffy audio-equipment, it takes them all in its stride and holds its own. Seems that all that memory isn't about more songs after all, it's about sound quality
Why I love it : The iPod looks the part, sounds the part, is easy to use day to day, versatile enough to carry my files as well as my music home from work and genuinely handy to have. It also costs too much, which just tips it over the edge from wanna-have to must have.
Rating: 
Summary: Do NOT waste your money on this piece of Crapple
Review: Awful, AWFUL, overheated, battery can't hold a charge more than an hour, won't install properly on my brand newish Dell laptop; doesn't like my USB drivers in XP; can't use it on my 98 machine without buying a Firewire card which may or may not work, since hey, I may need non-98 compatible drivers....Apple website USELESS. Don't get this. Get the iRiver instead. Stop giving money to a company with closed standards, faulty products, and a terrible additude! You're not doing friends, family, or yourself a favor if you get them something that's defective, and takes 24 hours and over $100 of additional software and cables to set up (hey Apple--if you sell it as "Windows compatible" how about giving away the freaking CABLE in a $400 item?)!
Rating:
Summary: Get an IPOD if you only want it for 18 months
Review: I was ready to shell out $500 for a 40 GB iPod until I found out that the battery is not replaceable and it lasts approximately 18 months. Then you have to send the unit back to Apple and they will "refurbish" it for $250 + shipping. $500+ for the unit and a a year and half later another $250? Maybe if you just won the lottery! What was Apple thinking? There is a group of very disgruntled iPod owners that are starting a class action suit against Apple over this issue. There is also a site with an enlightening video at http://ipodsdirtysecret.com/
Instead of the iPod I bought the Creative Jukebox Zen 40 Gb for $320 (That's $180 less than the equivalent iPod) and it has a battery that I can replace for $50 (the unit comes with the battery in a separate bag). It is not as small as the iPod, but after two months of using it daily it has been flawless in all respects.
If you really want an iPod, wait for the new models that are coming out soon and see if they address the battery problem.
Rating:
Summary: The the one thing I'll buy from Apple
Review: I've always been a skeptic of Apple, and I'm the kind of person who would never buy a Mac. All the same, I must admire the iPod.
First, let me say that I was very glad to learn that Apple issued a firmware fix for the iPod that corrects the infamous battery problem.
That said, on to the review.
Asthetics: 4.5/5 A sleek look with a mirror-like chrome backing out weighs any problems I have with the fact that the face plate of the iPod is plastic. Speed: 4/5 The longest delay I encountered while using the iPod was the load time of the games. However, it should be noted that the iPod wasn't made for USB 1. If you have more than 1GB of music, consider a firewire or USB 2 card for your pc. Storage: 5/5 It'll take me well over 3 years to fill my 20 GB. Navigation: 6/5 Nothing could be better than entirely touch sensitive buttons! Battery: 3.5/5 On optimal settings you'll get 8hrs of music, and that's about 2 hrs less than the Dell DJ. Sound: 5/5 I am no audiophile. That said, I find the iPod's built in EQ, remote, and headphones wonderful and above my expectations. Compatability: 2.5/5 My biggest problem with the iPod. I was really annoyed that the only way to get songs to the iPod was by transferring all your music and ratings to iTunes (even though iTunes is a fine program). Also, no included USB cable (though one is available for $20 on apple.com) and no support for wma delayed my use of the iPod by about 4 days. Accessories: 5/5 I was completely wowed when I saw what you could add to the iPod. FM transmission, use as a hard drive for your digital photos, and about 10 more hrs of battery are all available as hardware accessories. Also, using special software, you can copy eBooks, contacts, appointments, notes, news, and weather to your iPod. Overall: 4.5/5 The iPod isn't perfect, and it's a hassle if you have an older computer or if you have all you music in wma. However, it is pretty close to perfect. Overall, I'd definitely recommend it, though it's steep price might drive some people to ask for it as a gift.
Rating:
Summary: iPod, Simply the best player out there...buts
Review: The iPod music player is the best product out there. It is easy to use for music, a spare disk drive, a clock, a voice recorder, it has several games on it, and a day planner. It is munu driven and you can reorganize the menu's for your own taste. You can shuffle the songs by album or single song. It's software can be upgraded from your computer when they come out with a new music format. It also has a switch to disable the buttons on it so they aren't accidentally bumped in your pocket. They thought of everything.
I have an iPod 2.0 and have put all my favorite songs on it and just let it randomly pick what songs to play. It came with a utility to create and manage playlists as well. I am using it on a PC and using the latest iTunes. I like iTunes better than Microsofts Media Player. Now the buts. I have a firewire connector on my PC but many don't. If you want to use the much slower USB interface you need to buy another cable. My suggestion is by yourself a firewire card instead because it downloads 10 times faster at about the same price. The next thing you will run into is that the manual is far from complete. You may have to buy one of the many iPod books on the market or spend a lot of trial and error time. The third but is accessories. You would think that for the price it would come with everything you need but it doesn't. The earbuds give you great sound but to take full advantage of the iPod you need speakers. By the way if you don't like the earbuds the jack will work just fine for headphones. There are several ways to get speakers. The easiest way I found is the Belkin Cassette adapter. It looks like a cassette and works in every cassette player I've tried with good sound including the front loads, side loads in cars and the doors on cassette recorders. There are other brands out there and I've read that they don't work as well. I've also read about problems with the FM transmitters. I haven't personally used any. Altec Lansing makes inMotion Portable iPod Speakers with great sound. The speakers are small and have a battery powered amplifier inside. They were spacifically designed for the iPod, but the speakers are expensive. Power is another consideration. If you use firewire and the base that come with your iPod it will keep it charged for you. You can also plug the supplied firewire cable into the bottom of the iPod and the other end into a supplied wall plug adapter to fully charge it in about 4 hours. They also make a series of attacments, optional, to the wall plug adapter so you can charge it any where in the world. They also make a plug for a car cigarette lighter to charge your ipod and also power your cassette or FM transmitter to give them better sound. The iPod is well designed and with an optional memory reader store pictures from your digital camera memory while you are on vacation. My iPod has 20 GB of memory so with 1000 songs, about 2 days without repeating it will still have plenty of room for other things like audio books, pictures or whatever else I may want to save on it. It is great on long car or plane rides. It's expensive but could very well replace your CD player, your palm pilot, and your radio.
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