31 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
Apple iPod Classic (Silver) 80 GB - Flashier, But Not Better
Date of Review: May 5, 2008
The Bottom Line: The iPod Classic gives you more stuff, but keeps it pretty much the same. Though the click wheel doesn't work as well as it used to.
My iPod career started about 3 1/2 years ago after receiving a 40 GB (audio only) one as a gift from work. It wasn't too long before it became a part of my lifestyle. I have always had a long commute and soon enough, the iPod became essential for my drive.
To quickly synopsize, an iPod is Apple's version of a MP3 player and owns most of the MP3 player market. It's known for being easy to use for even the least computer prolific, works with Windows machines and Macs, and comes with ear buds, which seem to be the most used style of headphones in the land (even if they are nearly too big for my ears).
In the box, your $249.99 gets you the iPod unit, ear buds, a USB 2.0 cable, a dock adapter, and the manual. Out of the box, the new classic is beautiful. With the outside shell now made of aluminum instead of plastic, the new classic model is sharp and looks better than any other comparable model out there, based on my Best Buy window shopping experience. It's so nice that I worried immediately about scratching the face and bought a case for it soon there after. But there is a dilemma in making that decision. When you buy a case, the iPod doesn't look as sharp any longer. But you do want to get full use out of it and that includes protecting the video screen. The main difference between my old 40 GB (fourth generation) iPod and the new one is the video screen. The old iPod was monochrome and didn't display cover art or any of the things the new one displays. And what a beautiful video screen it is. Apple gives you a few free downloads so that you can check out the video. Though only 2.5 inches, the screen has great resolution and the colors are very bright. It's really a treat to watch video on the iPod. Though it's not conventional, Apple makes it work.
One of the gripes with the iPod in general is that it doesn't have a long shelf life. I've heard stories of iPod's lasting 2 years before battery failure and mine lasted about 3. I was actually anticipating it when the new "classic" model came out. In the sixth iteration, the new iPod Classic comes in 80 GB and 160 GB versions and purportedly nearly double the battery life versus the fifth generation. The 80 GB units were supposed to run for 30 hours (audio only) and 5 hours (video only). The 160 GB version was slightly better. Much of this review is going to be based on my experiences with my old 40 GB model and the new 80 GB model.
As with every iPod that I've owned (40 gig classic, first and second generation shuffle), the killer application is iTunes. It's designed specifically to work with the iPod and work well with it, it does. After using iTunes for the last four years, I can't imagine using anything else. Once you sync (plug into your computer) your iPod, iTunes goes to work and through iTunes you manage your song library, video library, and also purchase music and purchase and rent movies. Maybe even more importantly for the average consumer, especially if the consumer is a Mac fan, is that photos and videos imported into iTunes also sync into the iPod. And those look beautiful as well. The resolution is specifically fantastic with images.
One of the issues I have with the new iPod Classic is the click wheel. It's not as responsive as it has been with older models. The click wheel is a circular piece of rubber that is in the middle of the unit, and it's used to circle through your music. It's made of a very thin piece of rubber and there are times where I think I'm going to tear it because of trying to get the click wheel to go. I think some of the unresponsiveness has to do with waiting for the album art to display on the screen. Apple uses a technology called Cover Flow that allows you to cycle through album covers in order to find your music. Though the album art is very beautiful, it seems to slow down the processing speed. I am a podcast fiend and it's frustrating getting into the car and trying to put on the latest podcast only to find that the click wheel isn't working or is delayed for a good 5 seconds.
Also, now that the iPod Touch has been around for over a year and the iPhone as well, the iPod Classic is deserving of some wireless feature, even if it's only to sync songs wirelessly. I wouldn't expect the Classic to be able to browse the web because the entire interface would have to change, but the technology is there to be able to download music or sync without having to be docked or plugged in.
The iPod Classic isn't perfect, but it's a very nice gadget. It works fundamentally well, looks fantastic, and has a great looking and working color screen. If the click wheel worked a little better, the battery life (which is improving) lasted longer before it died, and one or two new features were added like being able to sync wirelessly, this would be near perfect. As it is, while it's a much better bang for your buck, my old 40 GB worked just as well and in same cases, even better, though without the new perks. Saying that, you can't really go wrong with Apple's iPod Classic.
