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Summary: PCs are the problem here
Review: Ever notice how Mac users are always raving about how fabulaous the latest new mac products are and how PC users are always saying how much they hate their machines?The fact is that Apple should never have made a PC version. I've used both Mac and PC versions and use Macs and PCs daily. As ever the mac product is more powerful and more user friendly. itunes is a fabulous piece of software, musicmatch is not great - and nothing to do with Apple. Case proven. If you must use a PC get a Mac OS iPod and use Xplay for the PC - nowhere near the simpicity of ipod and itunes, but you get to use win media player and dual mac.pc compatability for your ipod. Just be brave and ditch the PC once and for all.
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Summary: awesome if it works
Review: When I first plugged it in to my Windows PC, it just worked. It was incredible. Then it stopped working. Apple tech support said my firewire card was bad (even though my Sony handycam worked with it), so I replaced it. I then plugged in the iPod and it did not work again, the iPod just kept saying "do not disconnect" forever, well after sync was complete. When I finally disconnected, I could not get the iPod menus to even work. I'm still dealing with Apple tech support to try to resolve this....
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Summary: Love / Hate it
Review: I love the product, I hate the product. 90% of the world's installed base of Wintel PCs, and about half of Apples installed base work with USB, if they have any high-speed serial connection at all. This unit will not work with USB, it requires Firewire. All the jabberwocky aside, it would have cost 25 cents more to add the capability. Speaking of quirky marketing, it took them how long to figure out to offer PC interface software? .... It's not that big of a draw. It is not even worth installing Firewire on my PC, because it already has USB II. I would however, buy an iPod if you made it work with USB.
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Summary: very happy ipod owner after some initial problems
Review: I recently bought the ipod (win). I initially had trouble using the firewire card on my laptop but I have heard that there is sometimes difficulty with built in firewire cards on laptops. I am still not sure if this was the case with my laptop. I have since then installed a firewire card on my desktop computer which works fine. The supplied software is lacking in many respects. I ditched it all together and am now using Xplay. I have taken the ipod running and to the gym and have not experienced a single skip yet. The ipod is by far the best on the market.
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Summary: Ipod versus Creative Jukebox III
Review: I purchased a Creative Jukebox III in June, 2002. I have had nothing but trouble with it. It crashes the Creative Playcenter software which came with the jukebox everytime I connect it to my Dell 8200 computer with Windows XP. I've sent it in and got it back with absolute no improvement. I have spent hours and hours of unloading software, reloading software, downloading new drivers, new firmware, new software, reformatting the Jukebox and other things recommended by Creative's support. Then I bought the Ipod 20 gig for Windows. I love it. I have it almost full. I prefer using the Musicmatch Jukebox software over Creative's. Just be sure to use the version 7.1 which comes on CD with the Ipod and do not download a newer version. Musicmatch does not support the Jukebox III.
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Summary: The ground shook, thunder roared..and there was Ipod
Review: Ipod Rocks. Simply So. Apple did a wonderful job on this product from packaging to design..everything is flawless. I use my PC Ipod everyday. The bundled Musicmatch software is buggy but I recommend Ephpod, its free too. I love my Ipod so much, and I own the Nomad 3 too!!! There is no comparison, the Ipod is much better designed.
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Summary: Well Worth the Wait!!!
Review: I'm a gadget junkie, but this is the first MP3 player that I've owned. I decided it was worth waiting for Apple to come out with a version that is Windows-compatible rather that purchase a similar, but inferior, product from one of Apple's competitors. Also, I wanted to make sure that the battery life would be sufficient to make the trip to the the West Coast and back with a reasonable expectation that the battery life would be long enough to make it 8-10 hours. I have not been disappointed and am really glad that I waited to buy the iPod. Currently, I have loaded about 150 of my CDs onto the iPod, and this translates to 2,650 songs at the best recording setting. I still have about 35% of the available storage space available, so the estimate of 4,000 songs is spot on target. Aside from the well-documented headaches associated with the MusicMatch software, this thing is simply terrific. By the way, I highly recommend that you check out the great line of iPod cases, particularly the new ones for the 20GB model, at vajacases.com. I came across vaja's PDA cases here in New York City, and they're simply the best that I've found in the aftermarket. Ditto for the cases for the iPod.
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Summary: A life-changer
Review: Who would have ever thought an MP3 player could be such a life-changing device? But, when you can pack 20GB of sound into the palm of your hand, and take it with you anywhere, the possibilities are limitless. I bought my first iPod when the 5GB model came out over a year ago. It kept me company on the four-hour drives (one-way) that I frequently had to make for a few weeks. That alone was worth the cost of the iPod, considering the drive was in an area where there are no radio stations. Since then, I have upgraded to the 20GB model, and bought my wife a 10GB iPod. She loves hers, and the independence it gives her to have her music available in the car, while she exercises, in the shower, etc. My 20GB comes with me everywhere. I work in law enforcement and drive around all day in a service area covering several hundred square miles. I have "myPod" (as our three year-old son calls it) loaded with not only all my favorite music (about 3800 songs), but also radio programs I like to listen to, downloaded from the internet. I also happen to be a fan of Old Time Radio shows, and have been able to listen to hundreds of old shows while driving around on duty. The iPod has allowed me to enjoy songs I forgot I had, listen to current radio shows that my schedule doesn't allow me to hear live, and to enjoy my collection of old radio shows. I honestly can't think of a better "gadget" to have. It's not just a gadget, it is a truly revolutionary device. I read a story online of a man who digitized his elderly father's record collection, loaded it all onto an iPod, and gave it to his dad...letting his dad once again enjoy the music from hundreds of old records, with no need to shuffle through the LPs, dust them off, put on the phonograph, etc. Instead, the iPod gave this gentleman the freedom to enjoy all those memories again. Indeed, the iPod is about more than just music. it is about FREEDOM. It is about YOUR LIFE.
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Summary: IPod for Windows - after two weeks
Review: The data from Apple to accompany the iPod was very brief, and little emphasis was put on the necessity of using the MusicMatch version that came with the device. Having overcome that and now using the correct version the iPod is performing very well and transfer of songs to and from it is simple and easy plus extremely quick with the Firewire connection. I currently have about 2.9Gb of used space and about 750 songs on it - so the capacity is there. The downside:
1. Instructions on what to expect on the iPod screen when connected to the PC would have helped. 2. There is a drain on the battery and constant recharge is needed. On a timed run down from 'full to 1/4' a straight replay lasted 6 hours, with the volume set to 50%. Thats good but not realisable in practice as, when not in use, it will loose some power on internal mechanisms such as the clock and calendar. 3. The battery indicates fully charged when connected to one of my PCs when in fact it is not charging. On the other PC it charges and shows the correct animation on the small icon. This mus be the Firewire card, however the 'full' indication must be an error with iPod. I am using S/W Version 1.2 and believe versions 1.2.1 or 1.2.2 are available but do not know what these correct yet, I will investigate. In summary; I am extremely pleased with the device as it does exactly what I wanted from such a machine. The above criticisms are minor in comaprison with the good side.
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Summary: Do not buy it if you plan to jog or run with it
Review: It is a great gadget, incredibly practical to bring your music everywhere. If you want to bring it jogging, forget it. It freezes each and every time and you'll end up just carrying it along. Get something else. At Apple, they say it wasn't built to be used as an excercise companion.
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