Apple iPod mini 2nd Generation Pink (4 GB) MP3 Player
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- Number of Songs: 1000
- Usage: Music
- Interface: Firewire USB 2.0
- Screen Size: 1.67 inch
- Main Storage Type: Hard Drive
- Storage Capacity: 4 GB
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If You Thought Second Generation Meant Used, Read This: Apple iPod Second Generation Mini
Pros
Wears well, great sound quality, perfect for teens
Cons
Gray and black screen, 4 GB may be too little memory for some
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Overall, the mini seems to wear better than the nano and the added bulk is not necessarily a con. I'm happy with my purchase.
I purchased the second generation pink Apple iPod Mini about seven months ago as a gift for a very sweet and responsible 12-year old who wanted it so badly for so long (which, in 12-year old time, means about a month). Please be aware that Second Generation does not mean "used," which is explained later in this review.
The truth is I wanted to get it for her not only because she rarely presses the adults in her life to buy her gadgets with hefty price tags, but also because I was wondering whether or not I might like to have one of my own at some point down the line. I've always been hard on my walkmen and wasn't sure whether or not this little mp3 player would be durable enough to take the daily abuse it would inevitably receive in my bag or at the Y. My logic was that if this little unit could handle the abuse of a decidedly NOT anal retentive 12 year-old, it could definitely handle mine.
Seven months later, both she and I are still very happy with our purchase. I would go so far as to say that the folks who bought the mini might have made a better decision than the folks who ran out to buy the nano. I own a nano and am also happy with that unit, but the mini is not nearly as scratched up as my nano and the ear buds are a little bit more comfortable (even though they look exactly the same?!?). That could be just be the same phenomenon that happens with drinks and food – someone else's somehow just tastes better than your own. I'm not sure about that one, but I'm very sure that the mini has worn better over time. Neither of us use iPod cases, but she does use a clip. I slip my nano in my pocket.
Her clip (the one that came with the unit) has proven to be very durable over time. She's spent many hours walking around the neighborhood, playing with friends, etc. clipping and unclipping without any problems. She wears clothing that's fitted to her body, so this means the clip is flexible and gripping well.
The click wheel on the mini is significantly larger than the one on the nano, which makes for far fewer accidental slips and clicks. The quarters of the click wheel are easier to discern and manipulate, and while the mini is quite a bit heavier than the nano, the upside is that it's far more difficult to misplace.
The pink mini wasn't the prettiest color choice of the minis in my opinion when we bought it, but I do like the fact that the click wheel symbols are also in pink as opposed to boring old gray. The screen is larger than the screen of the nano, but it's a boring gray and black interface. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other in terms of screen readability when comparing these two products though, because while the black letters and symbols are larger on the mini screen, the beautiful full-color display on the nano does a fine job of making even the smallest print legible. I would imagine that the new video iPods with color screens are the cream of the crop, but bulkier than these minis.
Our pink Apple iPod mini holds 4 GB which is just fine for most users. The child has over 100 songs on her mini and still has nearly the entire memory left to fill. She's not using the contacts feature or the files feature of the unit, which allows you to upload your contact cards from Outlook Express and any other files you wish to access on your iPod. I don't know many users who do use their precious iPod memory for these purposes, but I'm sure they're out there. Most people would rather consolidate contacts to their cell phone, and store files on USB memory sticks. It makes sense to keep as much memory on your iPod for music as possible, particularly if you're considering buying speakers for your iPod at some point.
She connects her mini with the adapter that came with the unit, but I also purchased a wall charger for her. The part of the adapter that connects to the mini is, of course, a bit larger than the one used for the nano, but the use of the adapter is exactly the same. You have to be careful to squeeze the sides of the adapter on the end that plugs into the unit when disconnecting it. You also need to make sure that your operating system is up-to-speed, particularly if you're running your unit on a Windows platform (as we are). Windows 2000 is a minimum requirement for the successful installation of iTunes.
I have had a few of my songs (all from CD's) skip on the nano, which was incredibly frustrating. Running the unit on a better computer has helped that, but the mini NEVER skips. Ever. She listens primarily to R&B on her mini and the bass and vocals are very clear. She's right at that age when you want to hear your favorite song over and over and over again, and I'm happy to report that she does this safely. When I listen to her mini (which I've been doing frequently this month), the loudest volume remains clear and doesn't blow out my ears.
You can hear what she's listening to if you're in the room with her while she's playing songs on her mini, so don't think that long car rides will be completely silent if someone in the car is listening to one.
Now I'd like to get to the tech specs, but I do think it's important to note that Apple is no longer selling new minis. The iPod, the shuffle and the nano are all she wrote. I hope that the user experience I've provided comparing the 2 will help someone who is either thinking about purchasing a new nano or getting a used mini on eBay or from somewhere else. Keep this in mind when making your purchasing decision. The mini seems to have gone the way of the do-do (but feel free to comment here if I'm wrong). Also, if you're looking to buy a used mini, be aware that "second generation" doesn't mean "used." Second generation minis were introduced in February of 2005 and are differentiated from earlier minis by the following:
*Available GB (Second generation comes in 4 and 6 GB; standard mini is only available in 4)
*Playback time (8 hours for standard; 18 hours for second generation)
*Laser etching on back (only on second generation)
*System requirements and included cables
As you can see, the second generation units are more desirable than the standard minis. If someone is telling you that they're selling you a second generation mini, visit the following website which gives a nice side-by-side comparison to ensure you're getting what you're paying for: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300850 You can also tell from the picture of the front of the mini. If the clickwheel letters are pink (or match the casing color), you know it's a second generation.
The operating system requirements for the second generation minis are as follows:
Mac OS X
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or 10.3.4 or later, and built-in FireWire or USB 2.0 port
iTunes 4.7 or later
Windows
Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, Windows XP Home, or Windows XP Professional
Built-in FireWire or a FireWire card installed, or
Built-in USB 2.0 port or a USB 2.0 Card installed
iTunes 4.7 or later
The second generation mini comes with the standard menu options for shuffling and repeating songs, playing playlists and podcasts, and so on. It has the HOLD button on top of the unit which allows you to disable all buttons on the click wheel while jogging or turning the unit off. To turn the unit off, you simply hold down the MENU button on the click wheel for a few seconds. Then, slip the HOLD button on so that you can see the orange light. This will prevent the unit from turning on accidentally. The second generation also "remembers" how often you listen to particular songs and allows you to rate them. It has the standard games, like the iPod music quiz which takes bits of songs and asks you to identify them by using the click wheel.
Supported file types include:
* AAC (M4A, M4B, M4P) (up to 320 Kbps)
* Apple Lossless (a high-quality compressed format, available using iTunes 4.5 or lat er)
* MP3 (up to 320 Kbps)
* MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR)
* WAV
* AA (audible.com spoken word, formats 2, 3, and 4)
* AIFF
Music imported from iTunes is automatically encoded as "Apple Lossless" so that it will have CD-quality sound, but will only take up half the space of a file that is not encoded in this way. I buy iTunes giftcards which are available via the Apple store but also at Best Buy and our local grocery store. This way I can be sure that an overzealous pre-teen won't suddenly go on a spending spree to test out how many songs her mini can really hold! I believe that Apple claims it can hold about 500 songs, but it seems as if it could hold a heck of a lot more judging from the amount of memory she has left with over 100 songs downloaded.
Charging the battery does not take very long – a few hours at most – and playback time is 18 hours. Also, if you receive your mini and can't read the screen, chances are you just need to adjust the contrast with the menu accessed with the click wheel. The manual is available on the Apple website and includes tips for these kinds of situations, as well as instructions for completely reformatting your mini if you need to. To view a .pdf of the manual, please visit http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iPod_mini_(2nd_Gen)_User_Guide.pdf
I want to insert a quick note on installation and set-up here, as one epinionator was miffed that they had to install software before using the mp3 player. When you first buy your iPod, you'll have a partial battery charge. You must install iTunes on your computer (via the CD provided or online) in order to create the communication between your mp3 player and your computer. This is a given for some, but not all users. You will probably only have a problem installing iTunes if your system does not meet the minimum requirements listed above.
I hope that this review has been helpful to you, particularly if you're considering buying a used mini. We still love ours, even if it isn't a massive 60GB with video capacity. They keep getting better and better, but luckily the year-old models still seem solid.
My full review on the Apple iPod Nano can be found here.
The truth is I wanted to get it for her not only because she rarely presses the adults in her life to buy her gadgets with hefty price tags, but also because I was wondering whether or not I might like to have one of my own at some point down the line. I've always been hard on my walkmen and wasn't sure whether or not this little mp3 player would be durable enough to take the daily abuse it would inevitably receive in my bag or at the Y. My logic was that if this little unit could handle the abuse of a decidedly NOT anal retentive 12 year-old, it could definitely handle mine.
Seven months later, both she and I are still very happy with our purchase. I would go so far as to say that the folks who bought the mini might have made a better decision than the folks who ran out to buy the nano. I own a nano and am also happy with that unit, but the mini is not nearly as scratched up as my nano and the ear buds are a little bit more comfortable (even though they look exactly the same?!?). That could be just be the same phenomenon that happens with drinks and food – someone else's somehow just tastes better than your own. I'm not sure about that one, but I'm very sure that the mini has worn better over time. Neither of us use iPod cases, but she does use a clip. I slip my nano in my pocket.
Her clip (the one that came with the unit) has proven to be very durable over time. She's spent many hours walking around the neighborhood, playing with friends, etc. clipping and unclipping without any problems. She wears clothing that's fitted to her body, so this means the clip is flexible and gripping well.
The click wheel on the mini is significantly larger than the one on the nano, which makes for far fewer accidental slips and clicks. The quarters of the click wheel are easier to discern and manipulate, and while the mini is quite a bit heavier than the nano, the upside is that it's far more difficult to misplace.
The pink mini wasn't the prettiest color choice of the minis in my opinion when we bought it, but I do like the fact that the click wheel symbols are also in pink as opposed to boring old gray. The screen is larger than the screen of the nano, but it's a boring gray and black interface. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other in terms of screen readability when comparing these two products though, because while the black letters and symbols are larger on the mini screen, the beautiful full-color display on the nano does a fine job of making even the smallest print legible. I would imagine that the new video iPods with color screens are the cream of the crop, but bulkier than these minis.
Our pink Apple iPod mini holds 4 GB which is just fine for most users. The child has over 100 songs on her mini and still has nearly the entire memory left to fill. She's not using the contacts feature or the files feature of the unit, which allows you to upload your contact cards from Outlook Express and any other files you wish to access on your iPod. I don't know many users who do use their precious iPod memory for these purposes, but I'm sure they're out there. Most people would rather consolidate contacts to their cell phone, and store files on USB memory sticks. It makes sense to keep as much memory on your iPod for music as possible, particularly if you're considering buying speakers for your iPod at some point.
She connects her mini with the adapter that came with the unit, but I also purchased a wall charger for her. The part of the adapter that connects to the mini is, of course, a bit larger than the one used for the nano, but the use of the adapter is exactly the same. You have to be careful to squeeze the sides of the adapter on the end that plugs into the unit when disconnecting it. You also need to make sure that your operating system is up-to-speed, particularly if you're running your unit on a Windows platform (as we are). Windows 2000 is a minimum requirement for the successful installation of iTunes.
I have had a few of my songs (all from CD's) skip on the nano, which was incredibly frustrating. Running the unit on a better computer has helped that, but the mini NEVER skips. Ever. She listens primarily to R&B on her mini and the bass and vocals are very clear. She's right at that age when you want to hear your favorite song over and over and over again, and I'm happy to report that she does this safely. When I listen to her mini (which I've been doing frequently this month), the loudest volume remains clear and doesn't blow out my ears.
You can hear what she's listening to if you're in the room with her while she's playing songs on her mini, so don't think that long car rides will be completely silent if someone in the car is listening to one.
Now I'd like to get to the tech specs, but I do think it's important to note that Apple is no longer selling new minis. The iPod, the shuffle and the nano are all she wrote. I hope that the user experience I've provided comparing the 2 will help someone who is either thinking about purchasing a new nano or getting a used mini on eBay or from somewhere else. Keep this in mind when making your purchasing decision. The mini seems to have gone the way of the do-do (but feel free to comment here if I'm wrong). Also, if you're looking to buy a used mini, be aware that "second generation" doesn't mean "used." Second generation minis were introduced in February of 2005 and are differentiated from earlier minis by the following:
*Available GB (Second generation comes in 4 and 6 GB; standard mini is only available in 4)
*Playback time (8 hours for standard; 18 hours for second generation)
*Laser etching on back (only on second generation)
*System requirements and included cables
As you can see, the second generation units are more desirable than the standard minis. If someone is telling you that they're selling you a second generation mini, visit the following website which gives a nice side-by-side comparison to ensure you're getting what you're paying for: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300850 You can also tell from the picture of the front of the mini. If the clickwheel letters are pink (or match the casing color), you know it's a second generation.
The operating system requirements for the second generation minis are as follows:
Mac OS X
Mac OS X 10.2.8 or 10.3.4 or later, and built-in FireWire or USB 2.0 port
iTunes 4.7 or later
Windows
Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, Windows XP Home, or Windows XP Professional
Built-in FireWire or a FireWire card installed, or
Built-in USB 2.0 port or a USB 2.0 Card installed
iTunes 4.7 or later
The second generation mini comes with the standard menu options for shuffling and repeating songs, playing playlists and podcasts, and so on. It has the HOLD button on top of the unit which allows you to disable all buttons on the click wheel while jogging or turning the unit off. To turn the unit off, you simply hold down the MENU button on the click wheel for a few seconds. Then, slip the HOLD button on so that you can see the orange light. This will prevent the unit from turning on accidentally. The second generation also "remembers" how often you listen to particular songs and allows you to rate them. It has the standard games, like the iPod music quiz which takes bits of songs and asks you to identify them by using the click wheel.
Supported file types include:
* AAC (M4A, M4B, M4P) (up to 320 Kbps)
* Apple Lossless (a high-quality compressed format, available using iTunes 4.5 or lat er)
* MP3 (up to 320 Kbps)
* MP3 Variable Bit Rate (VBR)
* WAV
* AA (audible.com spoken word, formats 2, 3, and 4)
* AIFF
Music imported from iTunes is automatically encoded as "Apple Lossless" so that it will have CD-quality sound, but will only take up half the space of a file that is not encoded in this way. I buy iTunes giftcards which are available via the Apple store but also at Best Buy and our local grocery store. This way I can be sure that an overzealous pre-teen won't suddenly go on a spending spree to test out how many songs her mini can really hold! I believe that Apple claims it can hold about 500 songs, but it seems as if it could hold a heck of a lot more judging from the amount of memory she has left with over 100 songs downloaded.
Charging the battery does not take very long – a few hours at most – and playback time is 18 hours. Also, if you receive your mini and can't read the screen, chances are you just need to adjust the contrast with the menu accessed with the click wheel. The manual is available on the Apple website and includes tips for these kinds of situations, as well as instructions for completely reformatting your mini if you need to. To view a .pdf of the manual, please visit http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iPod_mini_(2nd_Gen)_User_Guide.pdf
I want to insert a quick note on installation and set-up here, as one epinionator was miffed that they had to install software before using the mp3 player. When you first buy your iPod, you'll have a partial battery charge. You must install iTunes on your computer (via the CD provided or online) in order to create the communication between your mp3 player and your computer. This is a given for some, but not all users. You will probably only have a problem installing iTunes if your system does not meet the minimum requirements listed above.
I hope that this review has been helpful to you, particularly if you're considering buying a used mini. We still love ours, even if it isn't a massive 60GB with video capacity. They keep getting better and better, but luckily the year-old models still seem solid.
My full review on the Apple iPod Nano can be found here.
