Pros:

• It is smaller in size, light weight and slick.
• The feel and usability of the touch screen is great.
• One of the best browsers found on a portable device.
• The audio and video playback is amazing.
• A number of cool inbuilt applications.
• A very bright clear and sharp display screen.
• The hardware is efficient and reliable and devoid of bugs.
• The Flash based mp3 player.

Cons:

• Lacks proper up gradation from the 2nd Generation 8GB iPod touch; still does not have facilities and features like camera, OLED, etc.
• The battery is weaker than the 2nd generation model and thus the music playback time is also lesser  than the latter.
• Is a bit over-priced, with lack of certain desirable features.
• FM radio can only be accessed through online applications.
• A half-locked Bluetooth.

Review:

On 5th September 2007, Apple Inc. launched the iPod touch, a mobile platform with features like portable media player, Wi-Fi and personalized digital assistant. The iPod touch 3rd generation is a much evolved, redesigned edition of the same with many added features. It is no longer just a music and video playback device, as it boasts of its superior quality web browser and e-mail support and a very handy portable gaming device as well. The Apple’s third generation iPod touch is found in 8 gigabytes, 32 gigabytes, and 64 gigabytes capacity. Going by the hardware or designing modifications, the third generation iPod touch is more of an upgraded version of its second generation predecessor. But the new alterations in the hardware, along with a number of generous additions of software, and a high potential for additional functions surely makes the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation a very worthy and desirable device and is unquestionably far better than its predecessor in a number of ways.

Design:

The similar cosmetics:
The first noticeable thing about the third generation iPod touch (8 GB) is that the looks are not much modified and its appearance is more or less similar to the second generation predecessor of the same. A few etchings on the rear side of the 3rd generation iPod touch is the only distinguishable factor. Otherwise, the second generation of iPod touch and its successor are more or less mirror images of each other. The rear end of the predecessor model has four engraved text lines seated between an 8GB, 32GB or a 64GB plate along with a number of electronic certification logos. The text which is engraved is basically a serial number and has “All Rights Reserved” etched. On the contrary the previous version had a comparatively smaller badge to notify the capacity and had two lines of engraved text which states “Designed by Apple in California” and is followed by the serial number. Other than this minor difference, the two models are astonishingly similar to each other with their screens turned off.

The Casing:
The Apple iPod touch 3rd Generation (8 GB) sports a 3.5 inch glass-covered LCD screen which has a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels. Despite being a touch screen device, a few manual physical buttons have also been included like the hold switch located on the top, a volume controller button on the edge towards the left and a home button place below the screen to the anterior side. The bottom side of this iPod touch is otherwise same as its predecessor, sporting a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack port, and a universal dock port. A metallic chrome steel finish is found along the edges and covers the expanse towards the posterior surface.
The shape, design and dimensions of the iPod touch 3rd generation remain the same as its previous model. A flat glass front is well-set in a curved steel backside cover and the device is 4.3 inches tall, 2.4 inches wide and 0.33 inches thick. The curved steel surface cover gives a good feel when hand-held but is quite tipsy and wobbly when placed on another surface like a table. Overall, nothing new and thus nothing commendable about this latest edition in the Apple iPod family, which is too similar is resemblance to the Apple’s 2nd generation iPod touch.

The Screen Tint:
The screen color tint is another difference between the two models, though it is not a remarkable and reliable one as it might not be the same throughout its lifespan. On close observation we find that the predecessor model of the Apple iPod 8gb 3rd generation model has a yellowish tint on white screens, whereas the latter has almost neutral white color with a slight pink tint. “Negative Black” on the screen centre was another big problem for the first generation iPods which was subsequently changed for the better with every modification and the latest third generation model has a more generous shallow center viewing than its previous models. Thus, the screen hasn’t changed much though from its previous editions, but the color balance in the third generation iPod touch is definitely way better than the others.  The Apple iPod touch third generation definitely has a brighter, sharper, and high quality display better than its predecessors, which makes it very handy option not only for video playback but also for gaming purpose.

The Pack-ins:
The Pack-ins vouch for another difference in the iPod touch 3rd generation and its previous version. The Apple iPod touch 3rd Generation (8 GB) features Apple’s earphones and also includes with Mic and Remote, which are absent in the 2nd generation model. The earphones of the iPod touch include a hardened plastic plug shell and are greasier and more slippery than the previous version’s thick and soft coating of rubber. Other than this small change, look wise and function wise both the versions are similar with two volume buttons one for increasing and the other for decrease. There is also a multi-functional central button, with the help of which user can play, pause or skip a track and a microphone is also provided which is useful when it comes to voice recording and it also serves a few other purposes. Though, in the previous edition the usage of the same was pretty limited, in the newer edition of the iPod touch, it is capable of doing quite a bit more with some changes in the hardware and software which are discussed later.

Features:

Hardware Changes:
Over the past year, Apple on its every iPod touch release gives an opportunity to cash in twice on the changes in hardware- once when the device is sold to the users, with its specifically mentioned features, and then again later, Apple offers a paid $10 “software update”, which unlocks the disclosed features and capabilities of the device. Apple, for the iPod touch 3rd generation, has promised to provide the users with just two specific hardware changes which includes a 50 percent acceleration in the performance and speed and a far better and hi-quality graphic detailing with the OpenGL ES 2.0. This iPod touch is definitely better than its other members in the family with a replaced high performance CPU and graphics processor with newer features and faster counterparts, thus enhancing the devices speed to approximately 800MHz and it also adds a handful of new features and special effects in its graphics interface.

Gaming:
These changes might not result in critical consequences, but they do give a boost to the newer edition to quite some extent. For example, when using the iPod touch for gaming purposes, users will notice a difference in the loading time for a game in both the models, which might range up to quite a few seconds. Thus, the 3rd generation device is truly much faster and when loading a big game this time difference might mount up to several seconds- result is while the game is still loading on the older model, a user will already be playing it when using the newer version.

Even if we forget the loading time difference, still the game performance also varies a lot in the newer iPod touch and on the brighter side. Even those games which push the second generation iPod touch’s graphic hardware to the threshold run smooth on the third generation device. It has a better frame-rate, greater speed and is smoother in the interface and also takes less installation and loading times. Thus, the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation is a way better portable gaming device than its predecessor though in certain cases the noticeable difference in the gaming experience is quite marginal to the users.

Graphics:
Another credential that the 3rd generation iPod touch from Apple can boast of is that it is the second pocket device launched by Apple which sports a hardware support for the OpenGL ES 2.0, a latest graphic technology which was first introduced in the iPhone 3GS. Due to the presence of the OpenGL ES 2.0, developers were able to use programmable shaders, which present a more optically realistic and impressive visuals and effects which is way better than what the previous versions of the iPod touch used to generate. The only problem is that not many games will be compatible enough to run in this device, other than a few handful mediocre games. But on the brighter side, the games that run and the future games to be released will be way better in quality and display and will give users an exciting gaming experience.

Performance:

Operating System:
The second generation version of the Apple iPod touch featured a 2.0 version OS, which has been upgraded to a newer OS of version 3.0 in the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation Media Player, which keeps it one step ahead in terms of software features and performance. Because of the presence of the newer 3.0 version OS, the iPod touch is now compatible with a huge range of software, and as a result of which it was possible to include Bluetooth in this device, which is capable of audio streaming in stereo and also supports multiplayer gaming when two iPods are interconnected using the Bluetooth feature and caters a cool experience of wireless gaming. Moreover, the device is now capable of including an application for Voice Memos, which is beneficial when it comes to voice recording via an external microphone. Other than this, a search feature which can intervene the whole system, Google street view and maps, and a widespread touch keyboard is present which is capable to mete out every keyboard compatible application. And on top of that, the iPod touch 3rd generation can also mould itself to work as a keyboard or as a remote control for Apple TV and the device also supports plenty of other features which can be enabled by a number of downloadable applications.

The Touch-Screen Interface:
Apple’s iPod touch 3rd generation is quite advanced in terms of usability and touch screen performance and is better than most other devices of its league, and this uniqueness has been maintained by Apple from the very beginning. Even when the first generation models were released in market, they were much better than its other rivals. Although now, other manufacturers who deal with touch screen featured devices like Microsoft, Sony or Samsung, have narrowed the gap between them and Apple in terms of designing, interface, speed and usability of touch screens. But still, the fluidity, easy and snappy operations and the impressive and captivating touch screen and usability and interface of the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation has kept it way ahead of its competitors in the international market.

Better Gaming Experience:
Moreover, to retain this high position, Apple is doing their best to modify, alter and re instill latest hardware and software modifications to enhance the performance, and are also pushing the speed barrier as far as they can to provide users with best experience in gaming. The Apple iPod touch 3rd generation claims a 50 percent processing power increase and also sports a latest Open GL graphic processor. Thus, the responsiveness and the loading and installation time for a game has been dramatically increased and quickened. A game that would take around 14 seconds to 15 seconds to load on the iPod touch’s 2nd generation model, takes a mere 7 seconds to 8 seconds loading time in the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation device. So, users who love gaming and prefer a handheld touch screen device which caters a great graphic quality and speed in gaming must have the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation in the priority list automatically.

Voice Memo:
The Apple iPod touch sports this unique feature which was not included in any of the previous editions of iPod by Apple, and this is really a worthy bonus application. The Voice Memo application is basically a voice controlled operational software, which enables the user to speak commands which the device detects and executes the demanded operation automatically. This feature can be enabled by pressing and holding the central button of the included earphones only and cannot be accessed from the iPod touch’s Home button. This will activate the Voice Memo feature and then when the user speaks command, the device will detect it and will follow the commands automatically. However, it is not absolutely perfect and efficient in detecting voice commands and analyzing it and in the initial stage it might seem to be quite awful. All the user has to do is follow the syntax and speak commands properly, and the device does a really appreciable job with the command analysis and execution of the same. The only drawback is that the dial command is not included in this device, but anyway, this special feature is really cool and chick and it places the 3rd generation iPod touch in a very high position amongst its competitors.

Accessibility:
This is another bonus feature included in the Apple iPod touch 3G device. This feature provides certain special software introductions, like the magnification option and the screen colour inversion option. Moreover, there is a Voice Over feature, which reads out the on screen texts, which is a very beneficial factor for the visually disabled users and there is also a mode called Mono Audio down-mixing, which merges both the left audio channel and the right audio channel into both headphones. This is useful to hearing impaired users, who can hear through only one ear. Pressing the device’s home button thrice enables the inversion and/ or the voice over mode, but not the magnification feature. The drawback of the inversion mode is that it reduces the clarity of the home screen, that is makes it less readable, but it enhances the working  of all other applications. This might be a problem as the small pixel size are already a problem for a number of users and the decrease in clarity will be highly dissatisfactory for them. But other than this, overall, the accessibility function is a great one and is surely unique.

The iTunes Factor:
The iPod touch 3rd generation allows users to browse, view, download or purchase content from the iTunes Wi-Fi store. All the users would need is to make sure of an available Wi-Fi connection and then they can access the iTunes Wi-Fi store, and once they are connected to it, they have a wide range of contents to download and purchase. Ranging from TV shows, to movies, podcasts, music videos, audio books, music, and educational content, users have a wide range to explore. One can browse through or search for any song, album or artists in the music catalogue and can browse through a wide variety of movies. In order to purchase a content from the iTunes Wi-Fi store, users will have to provide their iTunes password as a default security measure. Downloading any content is very easy and even if a download is interrupted, it picks up from the same point once the device’s Wi-Fi connection is established. When a download is completed, it is instantly accessible in the iPod touch and the downloaded media files automatically transfer to the computer’s iTune library, when a user synchronizes it with his PC. The iTunes Wi-Fi store is a handy feature and downloading and purchasing contents are also very convenient and the best part is that this user friendly feature has no drawbacks as such.

Nike + :
The iPod touch third generation is not complimented with the Nike + application features that were altered in the Fifth generation device. But it is still capable to link up to the Nike’s application called Nike + Sensor, which tracks the users movement while in running motion and can also be used for music playback control in the later versions. Though there is a doubt regarding the fact that the application called Heart Rate Monitor would be included in the software update by the manufacturer, but the possibility of that happening is high. Other than this, the Apple iPod Touch does support a number of other fitness applications, which are not developed by Nike. Thus, the iPod touch third generation device definitely offers more software upgraded stuffs than other such prevalent devices in the market.

Audio:
Considering the amount of effort that Apple has made in rendering the graphic quality and the processor speed and performance, the quality of the audio device and enhancement is not much developed or enhanced. It is the audio quality, where other manufacturers like Samsung and Sony leave behind Apple’s latest devices and that too with a sharp contrast, even with the marginal list of preset EQ featured by the Apple iPod touch. The device has a built in stereo speaker and also has a built in digital clock with timer and alarm. Though in general terms, the balanced audio quality with smooth sound will be satisfactory to most users, many of them would be dissatisfied with the 3rd generation iPod for this drawback. Though like most other iPods in the market, the Apple iPod touch 3rd generation also supports most audio file formats like MP3, WAV, AIFF, AAC ( along with the protected files ), and Apple Lossless, but still it does not support WMA files. Although, Apple iTunes software is provided in the pack which can convert the WMA files to MP3, but still, the lack or the limited audio controlling scope is surely a bit of disappointment.

The Bluetooth:
The Touch 3rd generation’s one very long awaited feature is the A2DP stereo Bluetooth audio streaming capability which is complimented with a OS 3.0 modification. The Apple iPod touch’s Bluetooth device can be very easily and conveniently paired with other Bluetooth accessories, which includes a speaker system, stereo headsets, and car stereo. Moreover, the device stores all previously paired Bluetooth devices record in its database, which can be found in the Settings menu of the iPod touch. The wireless range, which is approximately around 30 feet, and the audio quality of the Bluetooth device is quite appreciable and another interesting factor is that even the audio from the video playbacks applications are quite easily and conveniently transferred over the Bluetooth almost as easily as transferring a music playback. But, the Apple iPod touch’s Bluetooth device disappoints us when it comes to the AVRCP control. Apple has not fully implemented the control of Bluetooth AVRCP, whose function is to allow user to use other AVRCP compatible devices for audio playback remotely. The strangest part is that the Apple iPod supports play or pause functions over a AVRCP compatible device, whereas, other controls for the same, like volume increase or decrease, and the skip functions are not present. Another crucial factor is that, keeping the Bluetooth device on harms the battery life of the device greatly. If the Bluetooth device is on for quite sometime, it decreases the battery life to quite an extent.

Video Features:
The iPod touch is a perfect partner for a user who is looking forward for a device which is portable and sports numerous features and has a quality video playback. The Apple iPod touch is highly compatible with most video formats and users have unlimited access to video playbacks. Users can load  TV shows, video podcasts, iTunes movies, which are on a rental scheme or can also watch endless number of free videos offered by the YouTube widget in the iPod or can include any other third party applications in the device. The angles of viewing might not be as good is it was in the 2nd generation model, but still is not worth a mention in the negative side, because it is still good enough for its purpose. And moreover, the minimum angular problems in viewing are well justified as a counterpart to the iPod touch’s notable improvisation and improvement in the contrast and the colour balance. The colour balance modifications are really cool are worth mentioning as it is way better than its predecessor and moreover, the colour balance is less prone to wash out when the device is subjected to high brightness settings.

The Battery Life:
Comparing the Apple iPod touch 2nd generation and 3rd generation device, the battery life for the latter is slightly diminished. This might be an effect of the faster, performance oriented and more efficient processor or the fact that newer software have been included, like the Bluetooth. Software applications as well as the high powered processor demands more charge, and maybe because of this reason, music playback hour rating has been reduced to 30 hours which in case of the 2nd generation model was 36 hours. However, video playback rating has not been whittled down and it stays steady like its predecessor at an estimated 6 hours.

The Touch 3rd generation is advanced and has a provision which interrupts video playback when the battery charge is low. Thus, it is tough to claim the actual video playback time for this device, as to check it, it is required that the video has to re-picked a number of times, which makes it inconvenient to judge the exact video playback time.

Box Accessories:

The Apple iPod touch 3rd generation (8 GB) device comes along with a few packaged accessories: USB 2.0 cable, a dock adapter, a pair of earphones and a Quick Start Guide.

Warranty:

The Apple iPod touch 8 GB third generation device comes with a standard one year manufacturer’s warranty.

Verdict:

A very portable, handy and user friendly device which boasts of quite a number of features and hardware and software modifications. Though, going by the design, there is nothing remarkably different in the Apple iPod touch 8GB third generation model from its predecessor of the second generation, but comparing the speed, efficiency, usability and performance, this device fares far better than the others of its league. Moreover, the accessibility features are worth mentioning . There are some notable upgrades in the software features and it sports a very good interface. Moreover, the graphic quality is also a plus point which will be a source of attraction to the hardcore gamers. With a weight of 4.05 oz it is not very bulky and is comfortable for grip. Though, it has a reduced audio playback time of 30 hours, whereas its previous version had 36 hours of playback time, and the audio quality is also the same without any improvements, still is quite good enough for its usage. The display is also bright, clear and sharp. And the iPod touch 3rd generation flaunts a Bluetooth device which is capable of audio streaming and comes handy in a number of things and also supports wireless multimedia gaming. The Wi-Fi connectivity is also very strong and browsing, viewing and downloading is a very convenient. The only big drawback of this device is the lack of camera, which is something disappointing for users.

Basically, a user looking forward to a portable device which will give him access to a horde of entertainment within the basic limits, the Apple iPod touch 8 GB is a very good option. If a user is not desperate for a camera in the device and is content with storage of 8 GB complimented with a remarkably high quality graphic system with a very good Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection and most importantly a very speedy, efficient and powerful processor, then the Apple iPod Touch 8 GB ( Third Generation ) is probably the best suitable option.

Check latest iPod Reviews, Ratings and Exclusive Apple iPod Touch 32GB Second Generation Review in our website.

Apple iPod Touch 3G 8GB - Technical Specification Table

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

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

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

The second generation of iPod touch has almost sealed the gap between the iPods and the iPhone. If you are a technology lover, then ipod-touch 32GB might be just the right one that you are searching for. The volume control and the internal speakers were the two desirable features that were available in the iPhone and that has now been included in the iPod Touch.

The first generation iPod touch which was released along with the fourth generation Nano was just seen as an MP3 player for people who could not afford the iPhone 3G. But, this 2nd gen iPod Touch, looks just identical to the iPhone and has most of its functionalities except for the ability to make calls or surf the web using 3G. But, if you are looking only for a MP4 player and not a phone, then the good news is that, the music played in iPod touch sounds better than the one played using iPhone.

Little design tweaks:

The design tweaks done to the second generation touch are very minimal. The iPod touch 32gb has a very slim and extremely compact design with its dimensions being 62 x 110 x 8 mm. It has an all metal and glass design with its new stainless steel back and feels very expensive as it looks to be. One factor that can easily spoil the reputation of a MP4 player is if it sports a bad screen. But, Apple wisely has employed the same scratch resistant 3.5″ screen that is found in the iPhone. However, we would advice you to buy a protective case as the body of the iPod is still glossy which means scratch and smudge magnet but this time around, it feels less fragile than its previous model. Apple seems to have known it previously as it has included the cleaning cloth in the package. Viewing angles on the second-generation iPod Touch seem better than the previous model, while color balance and brightness seem about the same.

Physical controls:

Coming to the physical controls, there is a button in the front face of the Touch that calls the main menu and it also sports a deactivation button found in the top left edge of the Apple iPod Touch 32gb 2nd generation. There is a volume rocker available for you in the right side of the Touch that enables you to adjust the volume on a fly. Touch has the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which means, you can use any standard minijack headphone connection. The speaker that is included in Touch is not visible form outside.

The incredible interface- seller point:

As we all know, the main selling point of both the iPod Touch and the iPhone lies not only on its incredible load of features, but also on the interface. There are a lot of other devices that offer a better load of features with better audio and video features, but Apple’s multi-touch interface of the Touch can never be matched by any other device. The menu is predominantly icon based as is the case of the iPhone, but since Touch is basically a player, the emphasis is placed more on the music, photo and video playback. Apart from the physical volume control, you can bring-up an onscreen volume slider with a double click over the main menu button. The volume screen thus appearing can also be used for playing, pausing and skipping your music. When you flip the iPod touch on its side, a scrolling Cover Flow view of your library is shown with large album covers. Zooming of the pictures with a pinch of your fingers and gliding through your music cover makes you realize that you are certainly in the 21st century. A lot of attention has been paid to even minute details.

Ambient light sensor:

The ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness to suite your ambient light in your surroundings. And as a result of this feature, you can save your battery life efficiently.

Features:

The biggest blunder that an iPhone owner can  ever make is to invest on the iPod Touch as it is simply the same. If you do not own any then lucky you as you can get all the exquisite features of the iPhone without any costly contracts. The list of features that touch offers, makes it more of a pocket PC than a player.

PDA like features:

Apart from audio and video playback, the other features that iPod Touch 2nd Gen from Apple offers you are, a photo viewer, Safari web browser, email reader and an integrated Wi-Fi music store. The other miscellaneous features available are, calendar, weather, maps, notes, stocks, contacts, clock, calendar and notes. The iTunes App store is the new feature that allows you to download in install a wide range of applications such as games, voice recorders, radio players, social networking tools and much more. This feature can be accessed either form your PC or the iPod touch itself. If the list of features that Apple offers you for the iPod touch is not enough for you, you can also opt to use a lot of other third party accessories known as, “Made for iPod” which include Bluetooth transmitters, battery packs, speaker systems and audio or video docks.

The genius software:

The 32gb Apple iPod Touch Black also has the Genius feature that allows you to create a play list of 25 songs that have similar characteristics of that of a single song. This is a real fun feature for you to enjoy on if you have a really large database of songs. The play lists that you had created using the genius software can be saved in your touch if you like the collection and they get synced automatically with your iTunes in your PC. But for this, you have to remember to enable the genius feature in your computer else, the play lists would not sync.

Upgrade worthy?

If you ask us the question if it is worth an upgrade from your first generation iPod Touch to this Second generation model, here is our answer. By spending just over 20 dollars, you will get all the software that is included in the 2nd generation Touch. But there are still a few things that you cannot get unless you spend on the Touch that is, the built-in speaker, Nike plus support, the GPS capabilities, camera and headphone jack microphone input. The inclusion of Nike plus proves Touch to be a good companion to the regular exercisers.

The external speaker and audio:

Apple iPod Touch 2G 32gb Black enjoys the fact that it was the first ever iPod to include a speaker for music and video. The sound from the external speaker is good but cannot be said as spectacular. The amount of attention that had been paid to the design has not been shown on the audio quality. The sound enhancement options form its competitors like Sony Walkman are far beyond the reach of iPod Touch which has only the average EQ presets included. The audio though is smooth and balanced and does not suffer from degradation which would satisfy most of the listeners. This second generation does not use its traditional ventilation and interestingly does not create any new holes in the case for ventilation. Rather, it is using the metal back surface of the iPod touch as a speaker, sort of like an NXT flat panel audio system. You can feel a very slight vibration when the music is put on a very high volume, but otherwise, you cannot feel any difference.

With the addition of the external speaker, games are going to be more fun. One disappointing fact is that the Touch still cannot stream flash video or audio content through its safari browser.

Video quality:

If you are a video freak, Touch has a lot to offer you. You can load you iPod Touch with video podcasts, music, TV shows, and even watch ever-ending amount of video using the included You Tube widget. Apple iPod touch’s video feature is identical to that of the iPhone’s iPod feature. The screen quality is much superior to that of its previous version. This second generation iPod display is brighter and differentiates the colors well and also does not suffer from the “negative black” (the dark colors become reflective washing out the details in the process) problem that was experienced in most of the previous Apple iPods. The TV-out feature is still absent in iPod touch. This means that you have to either buy an expensive authentication chip-based video cable, otherwise a similarly overpriced docking device in case you want to watch iPod-stored videos on an external display.

Supported formats:

The supported audio formats are, MP3, AAC (including protected files), Audible, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless with no support for WMA. The MPEG-4 and H.264 are the video formats supported, and it still does not play back hi-def video than the 640×480 files.

ITunes WiFi:

The iTunes WiFi store allows you to view, purchase and download music. Only music is allowed and no movies, pod casts or games. In order to purchase you will have to enter your iTunes password for the sake of security. Once the download is complete, it is instantly available for you to listen and the next time you sync your iPod, it is transferred to your PC. This feature is almost flawless as even interrupted download continues when the WiFi connection is re-established.

Regarding the iTunes, as you know it is the music software exclusive to Apple iPods with the most number of both pros and cons. You will need the iTunes 8 to use the iPod Touch. If you are new to apple iPods and hence to iTunes, then just have a go through before you actually use the product.

Battery life:

Coming to the battery life, the iPod Touch has 36 hours of audio playback and 6 hours of video playback. Yet, the performance is mode when the WiFi is turned off. The battery performance has been increased considerably from the pervious version which had 22 hours of audio playback and 5hours of video.

Box contents:

The box contents include Apple earphones, USB-to-Dock Connector cable,  Universal Dock Adapter, an adapter of version 16, two Apple logo stickers, a safety and warranty booklet and a quick start pamphlet. Apple has a thinner and cheaper cleaning cloth, and the package also lacks the small plastic stand for viewing video. The media synchronization software is not included and so you will have to download iTunes from web. Apple iPod Touch second generation comes with one year warranty.

Verdict:

Apple iPod Touch 32gb second generation is one of the best iPods in the current market. If you are planning to buy one, then this would be a great choice for you. But if you already own the first generation touch or an iPhone, then this may not impress you much with only upgrades in display and battery life. The new apple ipod touch  makes you feel good but its price may not please you much.

Check the reviews of  iPod Classic 160GB, Shuffle 1Gb, Nano 4GB 2nd generation in our website.

Apple iPod Touch 32GB 2nd Generation - Technical Data

Design:

This Apple iPod Nano 4GB has avoided its simple white colour of its previous generation and has come in black and four other vibrant metallic colors like green, pink, blue and silver. The casing is similar to that of iPod mini. Its body casing is made of smooth anodized aluminium. Hence this case the iPod will not only be less scratch-prone, but also very hard-wearing. This Nano model has the click wheel control, the “hold button” is at the iPod’s top. This click wheel is very sensitive to touch. Above the click wheel is the small 35mm screen. This player’s bottom edge sports the headphone jack and a proprietary dock connector. Second generation Nano is only slightly thinner and taller than the first gen Nano.

Features:

Display:
The display in iPod Nano 4gb 2nd generation 40% brighter than the first generation. This display uses a new video technology that not only gives a lustrous picture, but also allows for the most brilliant pictures available. Though the screen is very small, it is perfectly adequate for providing sharp and colorful arts of the album cover and the text is also very easy to read. The artist and the track player is also displayed in the screen which was absent in its previous generation. The battery life status is displayed in the screen, a very welcome feature. If it indicates green, it requires no charging now but if it glows red, then you will have to charge soon. If you press the center button when the track is playing, the screen displays the track time line, and when you press it once more, a clear, bigger image of the album artwork is presented to you. The backlight provided is handy when in low-light areas, but do not keep it on for too long as it might eat up your battery backup.

Navigation:
Apple iPod 4gb Nano is easy to navigate, yet the first time users may take some time to get used to this model. The main menu has options for settings, photos, music, extras and shuffle songs. The search function is available and hence if you do not remember the location of it, you can just make use of this handy function.

Some handy features:
This revamped Nano still lacks FM tuner and so, in order to listen to the FM radio in Nano, you have to get a radio remote of Apple. For recording, a different accessory has to be picked like the Belkin’s tune talk. This iPod Nano supports photo viewing and album art. You can view the photos in a 3 x 3 thumbnail preview grid. The absence of video playback is prominent and this is because many of Nano’s competitors offer it. Even if apple has included the video playback feature, Nano’s small screen would have not complemented it. This unit has included some handy features like the contact book, calculator and a locking feature to keep you iPod away from prying eyes.

The iTunes:
As the CD is omitted with the package, the itunes has to be downloaded from the web. This is not a complicated task. All you need to do is, just follow the on screen instructions and agree to a couple of user agreements and then register your iPod. Then connect the dock connector to one end and the USB side to a port on your PC. From then on it is a long wait for you as the player takes around 4 hours to get fully charged. Once the charging process is over, you can then set up an account with the itunes store and begin to transfer songs to your player.

Apple iPod Nano 2G is now capable of playback sans any hesitations found in the previous generation, but it must be delegated to iTunes 7 to be break-free. This upgraded version of itunes has made the usability of this iPod excellent. Once the iTunes software is installed, all you need to do to get set is, just connect the phone to your PC and the syncing can be done either automatically or manually. Manual syncing is necessary only if you are intending to sync with more than one library.

Compatibility:
Apple iPod 4gb Nano is compatible with the protected AAC files, AAC lossless, MP3, WAV, AIFF and Audible files.

Performance:

Apple iPod Nano 4GB has doubled its battery life to a respectable 24 hours. The sound quality has not changed from its previous version and has continued to do an excellent job. Since the processor is very fast, the navigation was speedy and the photos also loaded quickly. Selections are snap with the single click mouse wheel. The games menu is still loaded with the four games that the previous generation contained.

Package:

The tiny clear see-through plastic casing of 2G Nano includes everything that you may be requiring for the basic usage. These include a dock adaptor, a USB cable for syncing/charging, a pair of white ear buds, quick start guide, a user agreement with warranty information which covers the product for one year and two apple logo stickers. Though the head-phone provided is clumsy, the external speaker attached to the headphone jack does a great job. IPod Nano 4GB comes with 1 year warranty.

Apple has not brought about any new drastic features in this competitive world of the MP3 players, but a few advancements from its previous generations such as the brighter display, longer battery life and gapless playback are definitely welcome. With its new design and performance enhancements, this generation Nano is recommended for sure.

Technical Specification Details of Apple iPod Nano 4GB - 2nd Generation

Design:

Apple’s shuffle can be said as a visual master piece though lacking LCD. You can wear this product anywhere around you. It is so light that you will even forget that it is there. iPod Shuffle 1GB weighs as low as 15.6 grams. It measures just 41 x 27 x 10mm, smaller than probably your mobile phone screens. Ipod shuffle 1GB comes in colorful lines of anodised aluminium finish. It has the “play/pause” button in the middle followed by the volume and the skip track controls around its sides. The edges are also thin, just 0.84cm. One of the edges contains a small on/off switch, a LED and a button to switch between random shuffle and looping in the order they appear in the player. The other edge you have the 3.5mm headphone jack. In this iPod shuffle, the syncing is carried out by the docking cradle that is provided that fits into the headphone jack easily and hence there is not any separate ipod connector. It includes a built-in USB. The battery indicator lights up green, red and orange depending on the status of the battery. It lights up green if good, orange is moderate and red is you are very near to the null mark.

Usage:

When you plug-in it on your computer and click a button, the itunes uploads a random selection of songs. You can also have a selection of the highly rated tunes or even manually pick them up. You can experience a surprisingly pleasing quality of audio. The given headphone also does justice to the music. But it has to be accepted that certain depth in the details of the music is not reached. Finally it is limited to playing only MP3, AAC and AIF files. Though there is no dedicated hold switch, when you pull the headphones out of the socket, the player pauses automatically. Apple iPod shuffle 1 GB capacity can hold up to 250 songs.

Lack of LCD - Disadvantage?

Well, the lack of LCD display just cannot be put in to the category of disadvantages because it does not require one. You can listen to it just as a walkman. You can pin-point the song or just play it in random.

Battery, warranty and box contents:

The battery life is around 12hrs. This can be said as a welcome feature for such a budget. As the other Apple ipods, Apple shuffle 1GB also comes with one year warranty. The box content includes the ipod shuffle, earphones, dock and a quick starter guide.

It is the easiest digital player in the market at use. The design is tiny, compact yet stylish. Apple ipod shuffle 1GB can not be said as just the right kind of ipod to everybody. It suites the one-day travellers and those who would like to listen to music while exercising.

Apple iPod Shuffle 1gb Technical specification table

Design:

Apple iPod Classic 160gb is only slightly thicker than the 80GB version. The display screen is a 2.5inch LCD color screen, with an LED backlight. This display is the best ipod display screen you must have ever experienced. It has a very good resolution of about 320 x 240 and equally brilliant brightness. It is having a matte finish metallic body making it look at its best. But its back is annoying by easily taking the smudges and scratches. It has the headphone jack and hold button on its top and the bottom edge for the proprietary connector as in the previous generations.

Setup:

iPod Classic 160GB is nice and simple. There are no demo music, pictures, videos or any other PMP bloat-ware installed. The software CD is not included hence; either you must be having the itunes preinstalled or at least, internet access in order to download it. Connecting the ipod to the PC is easy.

Usage:

The top-level menus have been divided in to two, one containing the menu options and the other containing the icons or background images. This change is a very impressive one. The cover flow system for browsing through has made its debut in classic range. But there is some noticeable amount of lag while using the cover flow, so if you have a large number of albums, you may prefer to use the search function.

Video performance:

Apple iPod Classic’s support for music playback, video, pod casts, photos and games remains unchanged. It supports H.264 or MPEG-4 video in MOV, MP4 or M4V file formats at a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 at around 30 frames per second. The video playback capability of classic is very impressive. Videos can be bought from itunes. But Apple ipod classic 160 gb requires itunes7.4 or higher versions in order to be compatible with your PC. It also has the capacity to automatically resume video playback from the point at which you last left off. The sub titles can also be switched on and off by option for the videos that support them. Apple has integrated in classic, three interesting video games. The recently released Apple ipods incompatibility with a number of 5G video accessories is disappointing.

Audio performance:

The audio quality can be said to be as unchanged. But the better quality head-phones made a difference making classic 160GB a little classier. This product allows for manual addition and deletion of music and video files without the hassles of the play list syncing.

Battery:

With the increased storage capacity and improved interface, the performance of the battery has also been upgraded. It has about 40hrs of audio and 7hrs of video playback where as the Apple iPod Classic 80GB version had 30hrs of audio and 5hrs of video. This is a very good upgrade attempted and achieved by Apple.

Box contents:

Apple gives their consumers the best out-of-the-box experience. The box itself gives you an idea about the richness of the product. It contains a quick starter, warranty, disclaimer notice and accessories that include ear bud head phones, USB sync, wall adaptor and a docking station adaptor.

Warranty:

Apple’s ipod classic 160GB comes with 1 year warranty.

In short, ipod classic 160GB can be said as one of the rich looking, high-capacity MP3 player in the market. Ipod classic is the one to own if your prime concern is on capacity.

Specification Details of Apple iPod Classic 160gb