iPod Reviews

To start with, we would like to brief you with what has happened with the iPod classic sixth generation so far. Steve Jobs introduced the sixth generation iPod Classic to the world on an iPod centric event on 5th September 2007. This sixth gen classic featured slightly thinner body made of different material, signature white color replaced by silver color, a cover flow with more graphics and a dramatically improved battery life. This version was released in 80GB and 160GB capacities. But then, on 9th September 2008, the thicker 160GB model was dropped in the favor of a thinner 120GB and this model also had Apple’s Genius and audio recording capabilities, but there were no firmware updates were given to the previous two models. And then, just prior to its rock and roll event in 9th September 2009, the price of the 120GB version was dropped and a new 160GB version was introduced with the same slim profile of the 120GB version.
In the following review, let us have a detailed look at this latest 160GB version of the sixth generation iPod classic.

Dimensionally thinner:

As we had mentioned earlier, the iPod Classic 160GB sixth Generation has thinner dimensions of (H x W x D) 4.1” x 2.4” x 0.41” and weights just 140 grams. The model still retains the 2.5” display of resolution 320 x 240 pixels and the click wheel is same as that of the one that we had seen previously in the iPod classic fifth generation, still made out of plastic. Though the front of the device is made out of scratch resilient anodized aluminum, the rear side of the device still has the scratch and fingerprint attracting polished metal.

The arrangement of the ports is exactly the same that you would find in the previous models. You get the hold switch and headphone jack on the top and the dock connector port is bottom mounted.

To brief about the design and physical characteristics of the iPod Classic 160GB September 2009 model, except for the thickness of the device, it has not improved by much this year. No other colorful Classic iPods have ever materialized and so, the silver and black look very dull next to the continuously evolving iPod Nano family. We feel that Apple is simply doing nothing to glamorize Classic as the only real improvements made to the device are internally with its features.

An updated user interface:

Apple had updated the user interface for iPod Nano third generation and Classic in such a way that it has more happenings than just a black text on a white background. Though the fourth generation nano dropped that and moved forward to have a new interface, the latest classic has maintained the same with no changes. The first and second level menu options are shown on the left side of the screen and its right side is used for the album artwork.

Screen:

When music, videos, photos or podcasts on the left of the screen are highlighted using the click wheel, you will be able to see the picture or the album art floating on the right. As you enter the third level of the menu, the whole screen becomes white except for the blue cursor and the black and grey text. The playlists have small grey song tallies, the artists have small artist names and art icons, the songs have artist’s names and the genres have the artist and album tallies. The videos too have the icons and appropriate summary information. The split screen menu is especially of great use in the settings menu of iPod classic. Some of the menu options like clicker, shuffle and repeat that might have confused the users of past, have appropriate explanations next to them.

Cannot adjust the EQ:

The EQ (equalizer) feature which has been long neglected by apple still does not allow the users to adjust it. However, the various presets are now having a bar style visual indicators of how they work, assuming that the users already know what the bars are supposed to represent.

New options will be kept unused for long:

Two new options have been added to the video settings menu that enables you to select alternate audio and subtitles for the video files. And these features totally depend on the kind of video you are watching to have encoded audio or subtitled data, which are very uncommon. This feature has been added in the Nano too, but not in the iPod Touch or the iPhone.

A tint of OS X leopard style:

When you go though the menu, you will be able to feel that Apple has included a bit of its Mac OS X leopard style design. The search function that was introduced in the fifth generation iPod gets a clean matte overlay bar and in addition to this the usually glassy scroll bars and volume level indicators look more solid. The now playing screen of classic looks increasingly outdated, while the new nano and iPhones use their entire screen widths for its huge album art, the iPod classic continues to feature a perspective angled album art that is inspired by the Apple TV. This screen is now less detailed. When the device is continuously playing, an odd looking clock, play icon and battery indicator appear as the screen saver.

Interface as a whole:

Though the new interface is fine, it is a little odd to use as it looks as though the menu has been cobbled together from the earlier and much more powerful products of Apple. For instance, the cover flow is the cut down version of the one found in the iPhone, but then works with more of button clicking. Though the interface is much faster than what we had last year, we feel that it is a bit slower than the new iPod Nano or iPhones.

No change in standards supported:

The sixth generation iPod Classic 160GB Black, Silver Color Media Player still plays the same audio, podcasts, video and photo that it had been playing the in the previous generations, there have been no new additions of formats or even an up-graded on-screen video. The quality of audio and video remains to be unchanged.

Addition of Genius:

The only new addition that Apple has made to the new interface is a feature that can already found in iPhone, iPod Touch and the Nano, “Genius”. As you might be already aware, Genius feature allows you to automatic playlists of similar music, just by selecting the track and holding down the center button for a second, and then choosing the “Start Genius” option. For the very first time, it is necessary for you to be connected to iTunes to import Genius data from your library, but from then on, it creates a smart playlist from the current song’s genre.

Improved audio:

In the last year’s model apple had improvised on audio by replacing the wolfson audio chips that was found in the prior iPod models with the Cirrus Logic chip. And hence, using the same high end earphones on both the models developed a noticeable difference in audio hiss; this made the new iPod Classic sound much clearer. This improvement urged apple to replace the chips of the new iPod Nano and the iPod Touch too.

Video remains to be the same:

And unlike the Audio very less had been changed in the video of the last year’s model. You have to pre-select if you have to take up the entire screen or display in a letterboxed widescreen mode. The quality of video is same as that of the 2007 model. The brightness levels in the videos are same but are a bit softer in both widescreen and full screen modes.

Worst set of image features:

Though the performances of audio and video are impressive, the sixth gen iPod Classic 160GB Capacity has the least impressive photo display quality in the iPod family. The photo thumbnails are displayed against an attractive dark grey background and they are displayed on a very easy to view 5 x 3 grid. Though you get fewer thumbnails of 15 than on the iPod nano or iPod Touch (20), but we also have to mention here that they are much larger than that of Nano’s and is a little easier to see.

The only advantage ever the classic has over Nano is that it has a bigger display and so the photo details are easier to see on the display of classic than on that of Nano. However, Nano can enjoy the benefits of the accelerometer, but the classic cannot do the same. Yet another inability is that, the Classic does not have the zoom effects of the iPod Touch and iPhone Photo applications. Not to mention, the transition effects that Classic has are the worst in the family and they include cross fade, fade to black, zoom out, wipe across, and wipe center.

Hardware changes in iPod Classic 6th Gen:

The only significant hardware change that has been made to the iPod Classic 160GB 2009 model is in the headphone port input. As in the case of the new iPod nano and the Touch, the headphone port has been changed subtly changed in order to support the latest microphone and remote control accessories.  The classic can also be used with the stereo headphones that includes both a mic and a single button for track play/pause functionality, which now can be pressed three times to skip backwards a track, or two times to skip forwards.

Voice Memos:

By connecting the headphones to the Classic, you get the Voice Memos menu option and the old dock connector based accessories continue to bring up the same menu and work. Unlike the iPod nano, the iPod classic’s Voice Memos feature offers two quality choices; low or high for the recordings it makes, creating one as a monaural 22kHz and the other as a stereo 44kHz file, both in WAV format.

Games support:

There is no difference between the previous model and this one in terms of built-in games or games support. The 160GB black, Silver iPod Classic comes with trivia game called iQuiz and a Solitaire game called Klondike, both the improvements are on the previous generation iPod games. The single best title Apple includes with the iPod classic is Vortex, an updated version of the classic game Breakout.

The extras:

All of the Extras previously found on the iPod classic remain in the 2009 model, as well. They are Clocks, Calendars, Contacts, Alarms, Notes, Screen Lock and Stopwatch. Clocks fits up to three nice-looking transparent clocks on screen at once. They are displayed on top of a gray map of the Earth, and can display the current times in countries and cities all across the world.
Huge improvement in capacity and battery with no change in price:
One of the features that got us most exited with the previous year’s 80 and 160GB models was that, these models were not only packed with the largest capacities of the iPod family, but they also had the best battery life that Apple had ever offered. Previously, you would get a 30GB classic with battery life of fourteen hours for $249 and now you get an 80GB classic with thirty hours of audio run time for the same price. And Apple has managed to do the same this year too, the $249 iPod Classic now has 100% more capacity using a single platter 180GB hard disk as a replacement for the 80GB disk.

Battery life:

The 160GB iPod classic has a battery life that is better than ever before. The built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery gives an audio playback time of 36 hours and video playback time of six hours when fully charged. Apple usually gives the minimum life in its specifications so you can always expect much higher rate than what is specified. By charging for about two hours, the battery gets 80% charged and full charging takes about four hours.

Package contents:

The package of the device is same as that of last year. It comes in a cardboard box, which is more common with the current iPhones and iPod Touches. In fact, there is one difference, the box is white instead of the trademark black and uses a foam padded interior with a hard plastic shell to hold the 160GB classic on its place. Beneath it, you will find a sealed white paper pouch with the three white colored iPod accessories (a pair of iPiod earphones, a USB to iPod dock connector cable and the universal dock adaptor), instructions, safety instructions and apple stickers.

Warranty:

Apple offers sixth generation iPod Classic 160GB one year standard warranty.

Verdict:

Frankly speaking, we would not recommend the Apple iPod Classic 160GB for now. This is not because of any new deficiencies that the iPod has, but is solely considering all the other members of the iPod family. The only two developments that this new model has got are the fair competitiveness in battery life with its predecessor and an additional 37GB at the same price. Said that, this Classic model has fallen back considerably as far as features are concerned when put into comparison with the less expensive Nano and Touch siblings. As Apple itself had suggested, Storage Capacity is simply the only main reason you could consider the Classic at this point.
The Apple iPod Classic 160GB is recommended only for those who need a large collection of music at once and cannot wait to spend on the upcoming high capacity versions of the iPod.  There is no doubt on the fact that it is a good iPod, being very fast, capacious and a long running iPod , but we also have to accept the fact that it does much lesser than ipods that were once its subordinates.

Check other Apple iPod Reviews in our website.

iPod Classic 160GB 6th Generation- Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Apple
Model Name	Apple ipod classic 160GB
Generation	Sixth Gen (sept 2009 edition)
iPod Type	iPod Classic
Media Player Type	Hard drive based digital player
Dimension (H X W X D)	4.1” x 2.4” x 0.41”
Weight	140 grams
Body Enclosure material	Anodized Aluminium
Display	LCD color
Resolution	320 x 240 pixels
Diagonal size	2.5 inches
Colours available	Silver, Black
Storage media	Built-in hard disk drive
Capacity	160GB ( can hold up to 200 hrs of video )
Supported photo standards	BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD (Mac only)
Supported audio standards	WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3, Apple Lossless
Supported video standards	MOV, MPEG-4, H.264
Audio output	Headphones - binaural
Connectivity	Docking connector Headphones Component vide Composite video
itunes	itunes 7.6 or later versions
Additional features	Genius Battery level indication hold button volume limiter playback speed control date display phone book calendar upgradeable firmware built-in games notes photo wallet USB 2.0 compatibility Cover flow
Supporting OS	Windows vista Windows XP Home or Professional with Service pack 2 or later
Battery	Rechargeable Lithium ion battery
Battery life	Audio playback: 36hrs Video playback: 6shrs
In the box	iPod classic Earphones USB 2.0 cable Dock adaptor Quick Start guide
Warranty	1 Year

The expert of MP3 player Manufacturers Apple, has again come forward with its own new style and bashy iPod Nano 16GB Fourth Generation games and music iPod. The iPod Nano 4Generation arrives in a diverse range of 9 fulgent and enthralling colors. The new model has a slim tapered body making it much easier to clasp compared to Apple Nano 3G which is small and squarish.

What is new:

The Nano 4G 16gb capacity incorporates a new tool with a tilting sensor for producing a genius playlist and the font size of the menu has been altered which makes it more legible for visually impaired. However, there was a lot of demand to upgrade the device to company’s iTunes 8.0 version software. It is doubtless that new iPod Nano 4G is exceedingly good in user-interface and software features. However, with the upgrades made to the product, it is still an affordable iPod.

The thinnest iPod ever:

Apple iPod Nano 16GB Fourth Generation is incredibly light-weighted and extremely slim in pattern with its hi-tech visual aspect. The physical changes are stark when directly compared to Nano 2G. The design of Nano 4G is not as soft as second generation model with its curved edges. It has a seamless metal finish. The Nano 4Gen feels like a dull knife in hand with radiuses better for grip but not for comfort. As in the case of Nano 2G, you cannot easily slide Nano 4G in your hand. Seeing the new model some may feel as if Apple may eventually design new models, sharp enough to create paper cuts. Now the screen has been covered with curved glass providing it improved resilience against scratches. Even though the glass is lustrous and reflective the viewing quality has not been diminished. The body housing coating is going to retain long, when compared to its plastic predecessors.

Comes in a spectrum of colors:

For the first time in Nano history, Apple has introduced 9 different colors roughly named as- black, silver, pink, blue, green, red, purple, yellow and orange. None of the color is identical to earlier models. You can select them without having to pay much for the frills.

The display, dimensions and connectivity:

Despite the changes in the new model, dimensions of iPod Nano 4G has not been altered much, as a result the viewing quality remains the same. Apple has correctly described it as the thinnest iPod and the Nano 4G measures about 3.5 inches in height and 1.6 inches in width and with thickness of 0.25 inches, which incurs that it is the thinnest, narrowest and tallest iPod to earlier nanos, each has a very minute difference which can only be recognized when kept side by side. The LCD screen measures about 2 inches, with blue and white LED back light and a one inch sliding wheel control option. At the bottom of the device the dock and headphone connections are made and sliding-hold switch has reappeared on the top of the iPod.

Change in the GUI:

The change in font size made it more comfortable to use by people with 20/20 vision. As Apple has flipped the screen on its side compared to the other older versions the user interface had renovated a lot.Now the music playback screen provides full-screen album art in default. Cover flow view is brisker than earlier model which in return offers you to view menu in alphabetical order for easy pick when you flip through your selections.

Features:

The most significant and special features on Apple iPod Nano 16GB Fourth Generation MP3 Players are the introduction of genius playlist, the tilt sensor to shuffle through your choices, the application of voice recording and the synthesized choice for visually challenged to read the text.

Even though the iPod Nano 16 GB 4th Gen has held back almost all the major features from its former models like music, podcast playback, video options, photos, calendar, alarms, stopwatch, contacts, the gaming characteristics, making notes and clocks, Apple has imparted some new features to the new model which makes it more obligating than its rivals.

Genius playlist:

To embark on, we will start with most special feature of the model which is the twinkling Genius playlist that permits you to create your own 25 songs automatically. It is very easy to use it. All you have to do is select your best-loved song and press firmly over the “Start Genius button” in the menu till it enables and the result is fun. The playlist collection can be transferred into your computer to listen if the iTunes’ Genius feature is enabled. In few instances you may find it a privacy issue, which might lead you to abort the function from computer.

Tilt sensor:

One of the other interesting features of Nano 4G is “tilt-sensor” through which if the iPod is tilted or hardly shaken the player shifts to shuffle mode and allows you to select randomly from the available playlist. We can even deactivate it by pressing the switch firmly or shake to shuffle from the settings menu in the iPod. This feature also allows the cover flow music to be activated when turned to its sides. The video playback can also be altered to the direction you turn the screen.

Easy video recording:

Another feature of concern is voice recordings that are made fairly easy in iPod Nano 4Gen 16GB Audio/Video Player. You can add headphone jack with a microphone input. But it is mandatory to make sure that the headsets are compatible with Apple. The earphones that come along with device does not have built-in microphone and are unaltered.

As we had mentioned earlier, the additional advantage of merging a new feature for visually challenged is excellent. By enabling the synthesized voice available in the device, they can hear how to use whole menu, necessary picks and other playback information. An equally important modification is made by increasing the font size, which makes reading very easy.

Audio features:

The variation of audio is not very large compared to its earlier models. There is nothing outside the master settings. Although there is no improvement in audio, certainly there is a difference in the bass and range. Surely it is good for ears.

MP3, WAV Files, AIFF, AAC, Audible Files are the audio formats supported by the iPod Nano 4th Gen Music Player and the list also includes protected files and Apple Lossless files. The player does not support WMA music but this can be easily come over by converting them to MP3 files by using software available in iTunes.

The fourth generation Nano iPod with the 16GB flash drive can store about 4000 songs and upper limit of 14000 images which are iPod viewable.

Video features:

The 2 inch LCD screen with a multicolored selection of the nano provides both portrait and landscape modes of viewing. Nano 4G screen resolution is a maximum of 320 X 240 pixels with featured 204 pixels per inch. The curved glass screen is little glowering but the picture quality is good in brightness and lucidity. This also requires specific file format like all other video playbacks. H264, the MPEG4 video format in MP4 or MOV or M4 file format with a picture resolution of 640 X 480 are the suitable video formats. There is a caption shown in a clear and visible, white and black contrast font when the video is played.

The 16GB capacity of the iPod Nano is capable of holding 16 hours of video and saves all of its data using a USB flash drive.

Some concern for other languages too:

The Nano 4G is multi-lingual and supports a diverse range of languages at its user interface. The most significant languages in the device are the English, the Russian, the Czech, the Danish, the Dutch, the Finnish, the French, the German, the Greek, the Hungarian, the Italian, the Japanese, the Korean, the Norwegian, the Polish, the Portuguese, the Simplified Chinese, the Spanish, the Swedish, the Chinese and the Turkish.

Package Particulars:

The packing is not altered from its last two models.  The Apple iPod Nano16GB 4G comes with clear plastic box with a white cardboard insert which contains the device, a pair of ear phones, a USB cable of 2.0 version, one Dock adapter and a guide for quick start. It also contains dock connector and a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack as an input and output accessory, two apple stickers, a warranty and a safety pamphlet.

Power and Battery:

Apple iPod Nano 16GB fourth generation device runs on a rechargeable built-in lithium ion battery. It has a music playback time for 24 hours and video playback of 4 hours. The iPod can be easily recharged by connecting USB to the computer or by a power adapter which is to be bought separately. It normally takes one and half hours to charge 80% of battery and maximum of three hours to charge full battery.

Verdict:

Doubling the third generation nanos 4GB and 8GB capacities to 8GB and 16GB and with the wide range color options available at lowest cost at this point, retaining all the features of earlier models, additional interesting features of the new model, its new appearance makes us feel that it is worthy having a Nano 4G. As we know nothing is perfect, the device also got some not so great features like belittled video battery life. You can also take advantage of its reduced thickness, stylish shape and use the new Nano by upgrading it to iTunes 8.0 version and its sound quality. However these issues take away only little from which otherwise an excellent mid-range music player. And it is pretty sure that it is giving good challenge to its competitors. The Nano 4G is good on eyes and wallet and even cannot be beaten in its hardware and user interface design. If you are looking for something small, colorful, full of features Apple iPod Nano 16GB fourth generation is of brilliant value.

Check latest iPod Reviews, other iPod Nano Reviews in this website.

Apple iPod Nano 16GB 4G - Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Apple
Model Name	IPOD 16GB Fourth Generation
Product Type	Digital Player
Colors	Red, silver, orange, black, green, pink, purple, blue and yellow.
Dimensions (W x D x H)	1.5 in x 0.2 in x 3.6 in
Weight	1.3 ounce
Body Housing Material	Aluminium
Memory	Integrated 16GB
System Requirements	Microsoft Windows Vista with Apple MacOS X 10.4.11 or later version, or, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 or Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition are the preferred requirements.
Compatible audio CD formats	AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible 2, 3 and Apple Lossless or AIFF or WAV format.
Video formats	H.264, MPEG-4 with a digital graphic equalizer.
Softwares	iTunes version 8.0 or later with an iTunes stores account and drivers and utilities.
Digital Features	An MPEG-4 playback with JPEG photo playback and it is also Variable bit-rate compatible.
Additional Features	A Motion sensor, a calendar with Cover flow, a volume limiter, Genius technology and built in games, Nike with iPod support, a USB 2.0 version compatibility, and a battery level indicator. It also has a built-in digital clock with alarm and stopwatch.
User Interface	USB port with 2.0 compatibility
Input and Output	1 external USB cable, one docking station and one 3.5mm mini phone stereo binaural headphone set.
Battery	Rechargeable lithium ion battery
Power	3 hours of recharge time
Warranty	One year

Apple iPod Classic 80GB (updated version) – Stores all that you have

iPod Classic, formerly called  ‘iPod video” had its fifth generation iPod released in the year 2006 that generated waves with its amazing storage bank of 80GB. Hearing 20,000 songs or playing 100 hrs of video could not get any better. This super-power gadget is designed to be trendy and the features are eye-catching.

Outlook

You have the Apple iPod classic 80GB black, all in scratch prone polycarbonate and metal enclosure with a shiny black color, thick enough as a wafer. The visually rich graphical user interface with ‘cover flow’ is a treat to users. Explore your iPod with the click-wheel to navigate, select the track and volume-control. The screen is scratch-prone and a finger-print magnet, hence, we would highly recommend a protective cover.

Design

The physical appearance of the updated version of the iPod classic 80gb has not changed from the original fifth generation. It still looks sleek with its dimensions being (H x W x D) 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.55 inches and weighs just 5.5 ounces. The iPod is having a soft and shiny plastic fascia and a metallic rear design, both of which, as we mentioned above are scratch prone. Apple can take as example a product of its own kind, the Nano which has a scratch and print proof aluminium casing. This 80GB version of the Apple iPod Classic is available in white and Silver shades.

Classic sports a LCD display of 2.5″ having a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. Another improvement that had been made was in the area of the display brightness which has been improved by up to 60 percent. The previous model had a good level of brightness but the increased brightness gives the display a better appeal. Backlights are comparably brighter for the Apple iPod classic 80GB which can be restricted only for viewing videos and photos to save up on battery. Screen brightness can be increased clicking the ‘select’ button, twice.

Enhanced interface:

One of the most impressive design improvements in Apple iPod Classic 80GB 5th Generation is the dramatically enhanced menu system with a strikingly attractive split-screen main menu which has the selected track on the right half and the picture related to the album on the left. The same split-screen magic can be viewed for other menu items too, such as podcasts, photos and movies.

The ‘cover flow’ system makes its classic debut with an emphasis on album-artwork. The noticeable lag found in the cover flow makes it quite an engaging, yet slow way to browse your music.

Features

Support for video, music playbacks, photos, podcasts and games, remain unchanged though the classic encompasses many of the features seen in portable video players. It recognizes and skips chapter-markers and can automatically resume video playback where you last left off. A small touch which is easy to miss is the newly evolved music shuffle function which helps you to randomize songs until you find an artist you enjoy.

iPod classic 80gb Fifth Gen from Apple  uses the iTunes version 7 which was initially released with a lot of bugs and then later updated with the corrections made. The iTunes store contains a huge library of audio and video entertainment which can be synced to the new Apple iPod classic 80GB. Audio-books available at the iTunes store will cater to the needs of voracious readers who wish to have their slice of reading through the iPod.

The classic is another seamless integration of various other pleasurable features which includes three interesting games, that include Tetris, Texas Hold ‘Em, and Pac-Man giving you yet another way to stay distracted and unique photo slide-shows which can be put up along with music to make one’s still-memories come alive. One enhancement that Apple has to consider in the games sector in its next iPod is that, the start-up time of the games has to be reduced; currently it is 12 seconds which is no-good.

Apple iPod classic 80GB fifth generation has a built-in search mechanism, enabling to locate the song of your choice based on any available category within the bat of an eyelid. One of the categories that you might frequently use is the alphabet style instant search which creates a list of the albums, artists and tracks with the starting letter being the first alphabet that you have entered. You would have real fun in watching the results come-up dynamically as you enter each letter. But, remember that you will have to hit on the done button in order to browse through your search results, which might at times be quite annoying.

The absence of gapless playback is one of the criticisms that Apple had to face with its previous models. This updated model of Classic has well responded by including gapless playback which is a great news for the dance music lovers.

The headphone has been enhanced and sounds good, but they found it really hard to stay firmly in ears.

Performance enhanced:

Taking ‘sound quality’ into consideration, though users do get 20 equalization presets to choose from, there can still be room for improvement. The 2.5 inches of screen is having a greater resolution, making it very impressive. Apart from the increased storage and upgraded interface, the enhanced battery life makes it a more mature iPod, many steps wiser than its predecessors.

Battery and included accessories:

The battery life has been increased largely by around 75% from its predecessor. Now you get up to 6.5 hours of video life and about 20 hours of audio life. By boosting its battery life, Apple  iPod classic has become more appealing.

Apple has done a good job by reducing the accessories that comes in the packaging. The package contents include the Apple iPod Classic 80GB itself, a set of ear buds that are newly designed, a proprietary USB cable, a soft case, and a dock adapter. You will not find a separate power adaptor which you will have to get for some extra dollars. iTunes software is also not included which will end-up as a head ache for users those who do not have access to the net.

Final Touch

Address book, built in clock, calendar and 21 languages completes the look of the Apple iPod classic 80GB fifth generation with screen-locking facility as the icing on the cake. An ultimate blend of use and aesthetics, it is a top-tier product and a listener’s dream come true.

Verdict:

Apple has given a great deal of consideration in reducing the price of this fifth generation classic with a lot of under-the-hood improvements, yet it does not completely satisfy the video lovers. The absence of any major improvements such as the FM radio, wireless recording, the small size of the display which limits the video viewing experience with a very narrow video-format compatibility, the use of proprietary USB cable and the scratch prone body are all the negatives that makes us hesitant to highly recommend this product of Apple. Some of the improvements that are most welcome by us includes the enhanced video battery life, brighter display, gapless playback, instant search and enhanced games which give the product an excellent value.

The cost of the ipod is the seller point, Apple has certainly made it very affordable.

Check latest Apple iPod reviews, Apple iPod Classic 160gb Reviews in this website.

Fifth Generation Apple iPod Classic 80GB - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Apple
Model Name	Apple ipod classic 80GB black
iPod Type	iPod Classic
Generation	Fifth
Dimensions (HxWxD)	103.5 x 61.8 x 13.5 mm
Display	2.5 inch diagonal color LCD with LED back light
Resolution	320 x 240 pixel
Interface	USB 2.0 or power adapter
Audio formats supported	ACC, MP3, MP3 VBR, audible , WAV, AIFF
Battery	Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
Battery life	5hrs video play back 30hrs audio play back
Charge time	Fast charge time - 2hrs ( charges 80% of battery capacity) Full charge time - 4hrs
Memory capacity	80 GB
Photo formats supported	JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, PSD, PNG
Ports	Stereo minijack (3.5 mm) / dock connector
Video formats supported	MPEG-4 (mp4), h.264
Play back modes	All tracks repeat, one track repeat, play list, random play/ shuffle
AC adapter included	No
Ear phones	Yes (binaural stereo)
Photo viewer	Yes
Radio	No
USB cable included	Yes
Voice recording	No
Wireless internet access	No
Special features	Metal casing, built-in clock, file browser, 21 languages, stop watch, calendar, photo viewer, address book, video playback, game function, ID3 tags support.
Body housing material	Aluminum
Colors available	Black , Silver
Included accessories	Docking station adapter
Service & support	12 months parts 12 months labor
Weight	4.9 oz or 140 grams
Box content	Apple ipod classic 80GB in black Ear phones USB2.0 cable Dock adapter Quick starter guide
Warranty	One year