Apple iPod Video 5th Generation White (30 GB) MP3 Player

As a bit of a gadget freak, I was excited when the Apple iPod video player came out. I like the thought of being able to have something that I can take with me when I travel and have more than just music. Now, with the new device, I have both.

I had a few concerns before making a purchase. First of all, how good is the battery? So many great devices come out, but they are immediately undermined by a battery that does little to excite. The new iPod has a pretty good battery. The claim is 14 hours of use and, though I cannot vouch for that many, I can vouch for around 10 hours of use. Of course this was a mix of music and video- mainly music. I have heard that you are looking at two hours max if playing just video. Another thing to note: The iPod does not come with an electrical charger. You now have to purchase that separately. A full charge will take four hours, but you can get 80% in about two hours. So, you can get to Europe with music without a problem, but you better have a charge nearby if you plan on watching video.

I was also concerned about actually finding one. These things are flying off the shelves and they get a great deal of positive press. For good reason; they are groundbreaking and the future all rolled into one. I was able to get my hands on one and have been pleased that I was able to do so.

Thirdly, I was concerned that I would not be able to enjoy viewing anything on such a small screen (Heck, the entire device is just 4.1" x 2.4" x 0.43"). I think we have all gotten so accustomed to viewing things on such large screens that viewing on such a small screen would be difficult. Alas, I was pleasantly surprised that I do not have a problem viewing on the screen. The screen, though small, actually does provide a pretty good picture and tends to seem larger than it actually is.

Finally, what about the scratch factor? I was concerned that the screen would easily scratch as the device is pretty easy to drop or bump up against things. I have mixed emotions. You do have a case that provides cover from the everyday things that can scratch the screen, but the screen is also very easily scratched. My advice? Unless you need to see the screen, keep it covered. You will be thankful for the scratches that you avoid.

What did I like? To begin with, there is more memory with the iPod 30gb than you can imagine. I will never use it all, though I am sure there are people who can and will. You can store 7,500 songs, 12,000 photos, and up to 75 hours of video. I listen to a lot of different music, have plenty of photos of nieces and nephews and the like, and an hour and a half of videos stored and I am using just about 14gbs. I will never come close to using all of the memory. If I do, I can backup on my laptop or think about the 60gb version for an extra $100.

I like the simplicity of everything. Just like the older iPods, the device could not be much easier to use. There are not too many buttons/functions and they are easy to understand. This is a big plus as I like to buy and use immediately, rather than having to spend hours trying to figure something out. In addition, the users guide is laid out smartly and is easy to understand. Again, a huge plus in all regards.

I am glad that the new versions continues to support podcasts and audio books. I am fairly new to the world of podcasts, but am becoming a big fan. For those who are not familiar with the term, they are basically internet radio broadcasts that cover a variety of topics. They are becoming more and more popular all the time as people seek out different views on a variety of topics. I am glad that they are supported on the new iPod, but if they were not this would not have been a deal breaker for me. I am also a fan of audio books since I do a lot of driving. I can store and play more books than I can even begin to listen to on the device.

If you find a more sexy, stylish devide let me know. I am past the stage of worrying about looking cool, but I feel like I am a teen again when I have my iPod. The thing is just so cool. You will not look like a dorky businessman typing away on his PDA while trying to look important. You will not look like a harried mother with a bluetooth headset on. You will look cool. The device comes in black or white finish and I am asure that Apple will eventually branch out to other colors, but if they do not it does not matter. The iPod is still the coolest thing going.

All of this stuff is nice, but if performance is not there I could really care less. So, how is the performance? As far as the MP3 player performance goes, everything is wonderful. The sound is crisp, clear, and could not better. The downloads are simple, the itunes website is wonderful, and the process is painless. However, the video player is not quite as great. I would give the MP3 player a grade of 99 and the video player an 87. Why? Well, though I am not too annoyed with the small screen, I am still not thrilled with it. Though I like the picture and think it is quite good, it is still not as good as what I have become accustomed to. This is not a negative, but just something to point out. Though very good, you will not see something as good as on the new TVs that are on the market.

What about cost? You can spend as little or as much as you want on the iTunes website. They will hit you up for charges per song and per video. The per video charge is $1.99. No too bad, but then again I am already paying for cable so a little annoying. Now I did not expect that I would get video for free, but at the same time I think Apple needs to do a better job of letting you know ahead of time the costs involved.

Apple also tends to do a good job of letting you know that you can view popular shows such as "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives". What they fail to mention is that this is about it. You are not going to be able to view more than 99% of the shows on TV. Annoying and something that they do a great job of not making obvious. Hence, be aware that you are going to be very limited in what you can view. Also, be aware that if you want to view a video that you have made, you will need to purchase a separate application in order to do so.

So, what is the bottom line on the new iPod 30gb Video Player? Quite frankly, I think it is a good start, but at this point the video capabilities are not good enough to warrant purchasing. The picture itself is fine, but the options are just not varied enough to be worthwhile at this point. If they offered Sportscenter, CNN, CNCB, and a host of other shows (Laguna Beach, the OC, etc.) I would be more positive than I am. However, until then I think the marketing genius at Apple have done a great job of selling something that they are not quite ready for. So, I believe that at this point you are basically looking at a high end MP3 player that has a little bit of video capability and storage/viewing for photos. Not that this is a bad thing, but it just is not really what you see when you are reading and hearing about the new iPods.

I like the idea, but think Apple needs to provide more video options before I would rush out to purchase the new iPod. I purchased one and am glad I did, but I also do not use the video option much. I essentially spent $300 to upgraded my MP3 player.


Specifics:

* Size 4.1" x 2.4" x 0.43"
* Weight 4.8 ounces
* 30GB storage
* MAC or PC compatible
* MPEG-4 and H.264 video compatible
* 2.5" color LCD display
* 320 x 240 pixels
* Ports include- dock connector, stereo minijack,
composite video and audio through minijack
* Audio Support - AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC
(from iTunes Music Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3
VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, WAV,
& AIFF
* Photo Support - syncs iPod-viewable photos in JPEG, BMP,
GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), and PNG formats
* Date, time, sleep timer