Rating: 
Summary: All I want is a CASE
Review: Pros:
I love the little thing. I love it's fast load times, the sound quality, the whopping *huge* capacity. I regret *nothing*. It's great. My non-Mac contacts are jealous -- though I just read an article saying that a product is in the works that would allow non-Macs to use an iPod as well. Ehh.Cons:
But I wish the wee bugger came with a case. Just a case. You know, for working out and stuff. Otherwise, it's just great. I might like to peruse by genre, but I can make another playlist and it works as well. Also, the view is slightly grainy, and I'd prefer something a bit easier on the eyes -- as long as I'm asking, in blue: it stands out well in most lighting situations.
Rating:
Summary: iPOD now Windows Compatible thanks to XPlay
Review: I was so mad when I first learned that the iPOD was MAC Compatible only. After looking around for a while, I found some great 3rd party software (XPlay) that allows for compatibility between the iPOD and my PC. As soon as I found that......I ran right out and got mine, I'm loving it.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the BEST MP3 Player on planet earth
Review: I am in love with my iPod... I am so glad I resisted the urge to buy lesser mp3 players... I kept holding out for one that was easier to use and held more music... here it is. Firewire is 100 times faster than USB... and you never have to buy batteries for an iPod... it charges either via your Mac or via the included AC charger. iPod works seamlessly with the free iTunes program that Apple keeps updating and improving with more features. Via iTunes, you can program each song (or many at one time) to use one of many pre-selected equalizer settings, or you can create your own and save custom sets... when you play songs on your iPod, those equalizer settings are honored. Not only can you hold over 1000 songs on the iPod, you can use it as a portable 5gig drive and hold anything you want... you can hold songs and have it play anything you want, then mount it on the Mac desktop and drop & drag files at will. The tiny ear buds that are included have phenomenal sound and are the best ear buds I've ever heard. A sliding lock switch keeps buttons from accidentally being depressed when exercising, running, etc. The controls are easy to use and instantly intuitive and need almost no instruction whatsoever. There is even a hidden "Easter Egg" on the iPod that lets you play "Pong" on the screen using the jog wheel. As fantastic as this MP3 player is, I do have some major criticisms: 1. Scratches when you look at it too hard. Seriously, after one day of it being in a shirt pocket, it looked as though I had been rubbing it with steel wool for a week. 2. This should have come with a DC car charger and a tape adapter so I could play it through my car stereo. I have heard that a third party has come up with a solution for this in a separate kit, but at nearly 400 bucks, Apple should have included this. 3. Because of the easy manner in which it scratches and because it IS a hard drive that could be damaged if the iPod was dropped on a hard surface, this should have included some sort of protective case. Despite the small shortcomings, this innovative mp3 player deserves far more than 5 stars...there is simply no comparison in the functionality, capacity and speed of download (an entire CD in just 10 seconds) between the iPod and other mp3 players. Hands-down, it's the best there is. If you're a Windows user, the iPod alone is worth the OS switch... especially since you can run Windows (via VirtualPC) on a Mac. There are many good reasons why Apple's FireWire technology won an Emmy Award... and the iPod is just one manifestation of this superior data transfer technology.
Rating:
Summary: the coolest thing ever
Review: My young son thinks every new thing he finds is the "coolest thing ever", and in the case of the iPod, he just might be right. It's everything you wished your portable cd player was: small enough to fit in your pocket, skip proof enough to work out with, a huge song library, and unbelievably easy to use. If you want portable music, I have yet to see anything that comes close. Stick a cd in your Mac, and Itunes automatically rips it for you. Plug in your iPod and it simoultaneously recharges and updates anything you've dragged into your iPod icon. You can even give your iPod a cute name, and off you go to music nirvana! Once plugged in, you can sort your music by cd, artist, song title, or your own specially created playlists. You can shuffle and repeat to your hearts delight, and should you tire of headphones, might I add that for those with a tape cassette adapter for their car, welcome to the roadtrip of your dreams. Now for the downsides. Unless you love earpods, buy some real earphones; theirs are stylish, but uncomfortable. No, it doesn't record, yes, it's ridiculously expensive and unfortunately, it does have specific Mac hardware compatability requirements. Lucky me, I already had an iMac, OSX, and someone who spoils me mercilessly. But I would still say that if you had the means (and that's a lot of means) it would almost be worth it to buy the whole setup just for the music. For someone who already loves their Mac and OSX, it's just the perfect accesory to an already fabulous system. All the music you could ever want tied up into an easy to use, super convenient, pocket size cutie. I still think it's one of the coolest things ever, but my son might just be wearing off on me.
Rating:
Summary: Sour Grapes
Review: I just received my new iPod, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Not only did it download my 650 song library in seconds, but I love the synch function when I plug in. I also like not having to change batteries all of the time like I did with my Rio. However, the kicker was its second function as a Firewire Hard Drive. I plug in, drop on a folder of pictures, walk away. FAST! This has not only become my primary mobile entertainment system, but a time-saving tool at work. Don't tell me [the price] is too much to pay for all of this. A 5Gig Firewire hard drive alone costs almost that much. The only bad reviews you will hear are from Windows users whining about compatability. ...
Rating:
Summary: I Love It... But I'm afraid to drop it!!!
Review: I really dig this thing! It has great capacity, ease of use, and terrific sound quality. It does need some kind of case, or belt clip, or something, and the headphones do not perform as well as my Sony's in the lower ranges, but they're smaller, so what do you want??? Sync with my Mac is a breeze, and organization with iTunes is excellent!
Rating:
Summary: small is beautiful
Review: I knew that I would Òhave to haveÓ one of these the first time I read about one, several weeks before it was released. Well now that itÕs here IÕm not at all disappointed. ItÕs intuitive ease of use is one of the best features Ð but Apple is known for that. IÕve come no where near filling it with songs, and recently created a 6 hour playlist for a Holiday party. This is as much fun as when Walkmans first came out. Sure itÕs expensive, but the fact that you have a 5 gig hardrive in the palm of your hand is nothing to take lightly! If you own a Mac and love music youÕll love it!
Rating:
Summary: Taking MP3 players to a new level
Review: The iPod is sweet. It's worth every penny. It will change the way most people will approach their music collection. It allows a maxium amount of storage with the minimum complexity to get at it. On top of that it looks great. Yeah, it get scratches, the stainless steel smudges, but so what?? You can still read the display, see yourself on the back, and the selection wheel spins effortlessly. Oh yeah, and if you go into the about menu and hold down the center button there's a little suprise.
Rating:
Summary: The coolest toy you can buy!
Review: There are adequate solutions, and there are elegant solutions. Elegant only begins to describe the iPOD. The designers at Apple have outdone themselves on this one - even opening the Cube-style box it came in was a joy. IPOD holds a huge chunk of my music collection and is my constant little companion. Those of you old enough to remember hand-held transitor radios will recognize the feel immediately - small and a little heavy for its size, with a dial you can work with your thumb. The sound is amazing and it can replace a stereo if you add a set of external speakers that plug into the earphone jack. The display is easy to read, the light works well and it even has a sleep timer, which saves your battery if you like to listen to music at bedtime.
The reviews I've read seem to go out of their way to find fault with iPOD, and I have to disagree. The complaint that it lacks of an OFF button is misleading. All you have to do is hold the bottom button down a few seconds to turn it off. As for Fire Wire, most Macs come with Fire Wire ports now, and frankly, I'm glad I finally have a peripheral that uses one. Compatibility is only an issue if you use a PC, and I can't imagine why anyone still does. Packing my messy CD's away in a drawer made iPOD well worth the money. The iPOD has given me new flexibility and portability in listening to music at home and on the road. As usual, once you know Mac, you'll never go back.
Rating:
Summary: Digital Music to go... anywhere, anyplace, anytime
Review: Apple has more often than not come up with the coolest designs for the personal computer world (iMan, G4 Cube, etc.) and they don't disappoint with the iPod. Portable mp3 audio is a near-must in these time-crunched days filled with bland radio rotation. It's greatest assest is the battery charge time - a good 6 to 8 hours! Air travel has become all the more leisurely; flights from NY to Paris are blissful with one's custom music selection. For work-outs it's almost indispensible. Some could argue that because there's no balance control or record feature, but how many Walkmen have those features? The iPod is amazing, and it will only get better with future updates. Another added bonus is that you can store other data files on the ample 5 gig drive that is the heart of the iPod.
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