Apple IPOD, ... Options

[xD_toooften]

i'm thining about either buying myself an ipod/ipodmini or asking for one from my parents.
from past experiences, which one would you all prefer? iPod or iPod mini...

[gothicvengeance]

Get an iPod mini, unless you're willing to spend the extra money or somehow have over 1000 songs you need to copy into your mp3 player. Do NOT get the creative zen player. Before I wanted to not be like everyone else, like x juicy, but I went through several reviews on each "iPod competitor" and none of them were as good as the iPod. In my opinion, the creative zen player comes closest...it's far easier to scratch or damage the iPod and it's completely international, meaning it can easily play songs in foreign languages, something the iPod can't. It's also pretty small, even though slightly heavier and larger than the iPod. The music transferring is quick and easy, and the battery can last up to 24 hours, I've heard, whereas the iPod only has 12. It's also a bit cheaper than the iPod.

But despite all that, the iPod is still better. So my advice is to get a mini.

||edit||

Oh yeah, and I got this really good review from amazon on the good mp3 players out there:

Reviewer: Ronald Cronovich (Henderson, NV)


Since getting my new 4th generation iPod, I've spent a LOT of time with it. I also have MP3 players by Creative and iRiver, and I will compare the iPod to them.

DESIGN AND EASE OF USE:

The iPod has always been the most elegantly designed player on the market, which is why people pay the iPod premium. This is my first iPod, and using it is really a joy, moreso than the other players I've used (not that they are bad).

Using the iPod is easy and intuitive. Within an hour of opening the box, you will have installed the software on your computer, transferred a dozen CDs to the iPod, and be comfortable using most of the features and commands on the iPod. To learn more advanced features, like how to create a playlist on your iPod on the fly, you'll need to read the manual. But, the manual is very well-written, and makes it easy to find just the thing you need. (The manual is supplied only as a PDF file on the CD-ROM, though you get a printed GETTING STARTED guide in the box.)

To transfer music to your iPod, you must use the iTunes software, which doubles as a store that sells downloadable music and audio books. I like the iTunes store, and find the prices reasonable, but please be assured that you needn't ever visit the music store if you don't wish. The software is a very nicely designed manager of your iPod's library.


SOUND QUALITY:

I compared the iPod with my other music players by plugging them into a high-end stereo, which is better to distinguish subtle differences between players than just comparing through headphones.

The iPod sounds very good. Not quite as good as the Creative player, but as good or a little better than the iRiver (which CNET rated highly for sound quality). The difference in sound quality between the iPod and the Creative players is probably too small to affect your purchase decision unless you are a very picky audiophile.


PERFORMANCE:

The iPod puts out enough volume to power any headphones.

File transfers are very, very fast, whether using USB2 or FireWire (and the iPod comes with both cables, a nice bonus). It takes a second or less for each song to be transferred to the player.

I haven't tested battery life, but CNET's independent review reports battery life at 13 hours. (Apple advertises 12 hours - how refreshing to see the actual time be LONGER than advertised!!)


DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 20GB AND 40GB iPODS:

The 40gb version comes with a dock, is a couple millimeters thicker and a half ounce heavier than the 20gb version. This extra size & weight is too small to be noticable, unless you have a scale or are extremely sensitive.


OTHER THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

If you are concerned that the 20gb version doesn't include the dock, don't worry - you can live just fine without it. Connecting the iPod to your computer using either cable works great, and the iPod's battery will charge while the player is connected to your computer (or plugged into a wall outlet using the included adapter).

However, the dock makes it a little more convenient to connect the iPod to your home stereo (and charge the iPod at the same time).

(Note: to connect the iPod to a stereo, with or without the dock, you will need to buy a separate cable with a standard mini-jack on one end and two standard RCA plugs on the other, about $10 at any Circuit City or Best Buy)


NEGATIVES:

The iPod is more expensive per gigabyte than other players, and the battery is not user-replacable. (The competitors - Zen Touch, Karma, and iRiver IHP 120/140 - do not have user-replacable batteries, either.) For a price, Apple or 3rd party vendors can replace the battery for you if it ever dies.

The player doesn't accept WMA format. If you already have a lot of music in unprotected WMA format, the iTunes software will convert these files to Apple's proprietary AAC format so that they'll work with the iPod. However, there may be some loss in quality, which is inevitable whenever you convert a compressed file from one format to another.

The real problem is when you have a bunch of PROTECTED WMA files, such as those you buy from MusicMatch. To get such files on your iPod, you must first burn them onto a CD, then re-insert the CD into your computer (as if it were a regular music CD) and use iTunes to rip the songs to an iPod-friendly format like MP3 or AAC. This procedure is time-consuming, and may result in a small loss in sound quality.


THE BOTTOM LINE:

I recommend the new 4th generation iPod very highly.

Still, I encourage you to check out the iRiver iHP 120/140, the Rio Karma, and the new Creative Zen Touch. If you buy the Creative, be careful - it only comes with a 90-day warranty (compared to the iPod's one year). My Creative player died shortly after the warranty expired, and Creative charged me over $100 to fix it!

If you want the iPod but hesitate because it's more expensive than the competition, keep in mind that you're probably going to use this player for a good long while. An extra 50 bucks spread out over three years or so is well worth it to get such a great player.

If you are learning toward the 20gb iPod because you don't think you'd ever need 40gb, I ask you this: Have you ever purchased a laptop, and then a year later kicked yourself for not getting a bigger hard drive with it? It's good to take the long view.