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Apple iPod 30GB - Apple Needs To Learn Economic Thinking
Date of Review: Jan 7, 2004
The Bottom Line: The Apple iPod is a superb MP3 player, but that comes at a very cost... Too high.
The other one of the popular iPods that is commonly purchased is the 30GB iPod. The 30GB model has obviously three times the capacity of the 10GB iPod which lets you store, much, much, much more songs! However, the difference between the 10GB model and the 30GB is a very high price increase! So, how does the 30GB iPod stack up? Here's what I found.
-Price-
*Apple obviously doesn't know how to effectively sell products at equilibrium price (Market price where most profit is made). Apple's products, whether it be computers, notebooks, or now MP3 players have always sold for more money than the competition. The 30GB iPod comes in at about $500. That's a hell of a lot of money to put down for an MP3 player. The storage capacity is mostly what you pay for, and the huge hard drive provides enough space for thousands of songs! Now don't get me wrong, the iPod is an absolutely superb product, but you can get devices with the same storage or even more for much less money! Archos for example makes many devices, and some that exceed the iPod with 40GB hardrives, and even some larger than that! There are variants with 40GB that cost much less than the iPod (Archos AV140 @ $400). However, not many come to be as high of quality or small size of the iPod, but they do provide much more bang for the buck. If you're very happy with Apple products or want a very small highly reliable MP3 player with a lot of space and you're willing to pay a ton of money, then go ahead with an iPod with 30GB. If you don't require so much space, go with a lower HD variant or go with a Dell MP3 player since they offer more space for the buck alongside exceptional performance. Unfortunately Dell doesn't exceed 20GB.
-Size-
*The iPod is a very slim machine that fits in anyones pockets very easily. It's so small that you might not even notice it! I know people that find the iPod convenient for many different purposes, such as working out in the gym, jogging, and using it for travel. Many of Archos' products are larger in size and definitely less convenient to carry around.
-Ease of Use-
*The iPod has a very easy to use interface. Apple products are known for having very user-friendly interfaces. I don't find Mac OS all that easy to use, but at least the iPod definitely is. If you're very technologically illiterate, no sweat! Just about anyone can use the iPod! It uses four primary buttons to play the music, and the jogwheel with the button in the center to search music and make it louder. Many people love this design, and I sure enjoyed its simplicity.
-Durability-
*An issue that I have with the iPod is that it's a device that can dent and scratch very easily. It should be carried around in a case for the best possible protection. I know how people react when they scratch electronics. However, when it has a sticker of $500, you might just get a little more upset... Other than that, it's a stable device when it comes to the software. You shouldn't expect that iPod to bail on you, it's a high-quality device.
-Sound Quality-
*The iPod provides very good sound quality. Well, you get what you pay for at $500. However, the iPod isn't hundreds of dollars better than competition such as that from Archos which offers almost as much space, the same space, and even more space for a much better value! The headphones that come with the iPod aren't exactly the best that you can use. I'd recommend switching to better headphones. Large noise-cancelling headphones provide amazing sound quality so you should consider them to compliment your extremely expensive MP3 player.
-Battery Life-
*The iPod's battery life is adequate. It gets a few hours of playing time with no trouble. It's not one of those horrible devices that sucks away the batteries like there's no tomorrow. You should get plenty of enjoyment for a long time before you run out of juice.
-The Verdict-
*Apple's iPod is a superb portable device. There are only a few things that I don't like about it such as the fact that it's easy to dent up. The biggest thing, however, is the fact that it's extremely expensive! That's why I can't give it anymore than a Three-Star rating. The point of these devices is to play lots of MP3s. You can get the same amount of space from an Archos, and pay a lot less money. The iPod might look better and be smaller, but is it worth so much extra money? You decide.
