Apple iPod 5th Generation Black (60 GB) MP3 Player

I have long been indifferent to the iPod craze. When the iPod Video came out I finally decided to pay some attention, and I was impressed. I soon opted to abandon my perfectly good Dell Digital Jukebox 20GB MP3 player in favor of a new iPod Video 60GB. So far I am very glad I did.

Before I get in to the particulars of the iPod Video I would like to quickly run down what I like better about it than the Dell. First is size. It is both smaller and has more storage space. I love the color screen/video abilities. I love being able to cycle through some pictures of my daughter or a vacation whenever I get the urge. I liked the interface a bit better on the Dell, but perhaps I will come to like iPod video's better as I get more used to it, and to be fair the Dell had raised buttons and a scroll wheel that make it bulkier.

My Purchase
iPods, and specifically iPod Videos, are some of the hottest items moving these days. They, along with Xbox 360, were pretty much the "it" gift for this holiday season. Given that they are so popular it seems that few people are willing to offer discounts on the normal $399 price. In fact at my local Circuit City they have half a row of shelf space dedicated simply to iPod accessories. Docking stations, cables, headphones, iTunes cards, but no actual iPods. Apparently their popularity along with their portability make them too much of a risk to leave out on the shelves. I was able to find a slight discount on the 60GB variety at DBuys.com bringing my purchase price down to $377.77. Combine this with the fact that DBuys did not charge me sales tax and I was able to save about $45 or so. I was tempted to run out to a store so I could start playing right away but was able to resist thanks to the $45 difference. Since I am reviewing the 60GB model I obviously opted for the 60GB over the 30GB. Basically I didn't want to spend all that money only to end up fretting over space.

Looks and Specs
One of the greatest selling points for iPods is their size. Many manufacturers can offer similar features or similar size, but no one seems to be able to combine features, size, and style like iPod. The 60GB iPod measures 4.1 x 2.4 x 0.55 inches (only 1/16 of an inch thicker than the 30GB model) and weighs 5.5 ounces. The front half of the case is black. The upper half of the front of the unit is the video screen sized at 2.5 inches. Below the screen is the control wheel. This wheel offers a menu button, a play/pause, forward, and reverse buttons. The center of the wheel is a select button. The rear half of the iPod Video is chrome, or polished metal in color.

Setup
Initial setup out of the box is really quite easy. The box includes the iPod, software CD, white earbuds, USB cable, two sets of earbud covers, instructions, and a sleave. To use your iPod for the first time you should first install the software on the CD before you connect your iPod to the computer. This takes only a couple of minutes. After your software is installed it is time to connect your iPod. Connecting will launch iTunes. iTunes will prompt you asking if you want to sync your iPod with your entire music and picture library. I opted for music only and chose only certain folders of pictures later. While the iPod was initially charging it synced over 2,000 songs. The directions recommend that you charge the iPod fully the first time before disconnecting it. The iPod should be about 80% charged after two hours and the last 20% should take about 1 to 2 hours. The iPod charges through your USB 2.0 port. The directions caution against using slower USB ports or the USB port in your keyboard since they will be underpowered as well as slower. As far as getting the iPod Video to a useable state, that was it. It had all my songs and a full charge and all I did was load the software, plug it in, and click a few buttons. There is one question I have that the instructions did not answer. What if I want to connect my iPod to a computer without the software just to charge it? They say to install the software before you connect your iPod but since you don't get an AC charger with your iPod it seems kind of limiting to only let you recharge it on your computer. If anyone knows the answer please feel free to comment.

I have a few other ideas related to use right out of the box. I had read the warnings about how easily iPods scratch and I can say, OH yes. The very first thing I did out of the box was put on the Marware Sportsuit Convertible Case I had purchased. Right after putting on the case I noticed some minor scratches through the clear plastic front, and I was being careful! Just the act of putting on the case caused minor scratches. So be careful with it and get a good case for it right away. While the unit was charging initially I spent some time on iTunes looking around at videos that were available and podcasts. There are some video podcasts that are free that are perfectly good for testing the screen and showing it off if you aren't ready to purchase videos yet, or if you haven't figured out yet how to transfer your own videos to the iPod. Additionally there are some incredible podcast radio programs available for free. I chose to subscribe to several NPR and Discovery Channel Radio programs all for free.

Use
I think the labeled buttons on the scroll wheel are somewhat self explanatory and they function well just as they are labeled, however, using the wheel itself is not quite as intuitive. The iPod will be on if plugged in, but if not press and hold the menu button on the wheel. To turn off the unit just press and hold the play/pause button. When you first fire up the iPod (After setup that is) you will be treated to the main menu which offers the following selections; Music, Photos, Videos, Extras, Settings, Shuffle Songs, and Now Playing. The button in the center of the wheel activates a selection while moving your finger around the wheel moves through the options. Clockwise motion moves down through the options and counter clockwise to move back up. If you want to move back to a previous menu just press the Menu button. You also use the wheel to adjust the volume while a selection is playing. I find the use of the wheel to be a touch tedious and I often pass my selection and reverse directions only to pass it again. It isn't a huge minus, but a touch clunky in my opinion.

Music, Pictures, Video, and more
One the biggest reasons I purchased the iPod Video was my trial in the store. I popped on the headphones attached to one of the samples and hit play and I was blown away. I know I was being set up. They had a big base heavy song ready to go and some $250 headphones plugged in to it, but still. The music quality is awesome. I had no problems with the sound quality on my Dell Digital Jukebox but the iPod is simply better. Even at home with the supplied earbuds this little box puts out big sound. The video feature is what really knocked my socks off and is the biggest reason I decided to make the purchase. Initially I didn't see myself watching much video on a 2.5 inch screen. I have changed my mind. The video podcasts I have downloaded are crisp and clear and very easy to watch. I am very anxious to get some tv shows on there as well as some home movies. I synched over 500 pictures with the iPod last night. I now have vacation photos, pictures of my daughter and anything else I care to see or show people right in my little iPod. The picture quality is as astounding as that of the video.

Along with most people I think, I bought the iPod for the music, video and picture features but it does offer a bit more. Although I have not used these features yet, the iPod Video offers a world clock, several games, and an alarm clock.

Battery Life
Battery life is difficult to nail down since it varies depending on how you use it. If you activate the menu a lot, less. If you just start a whole mess of music and let it play, more. If you watch video the whole time, much less. Apple claims up to 20 hours. The toughest I have been on it is all day at work. I listened to music all day, frequently activated the menu, and showed several curious people several minutes of video. After a day of what I would consider heavy use the battery meter was drained by about half. I have been told that if you strictly watch video the battery life is more like 4 hours.

Conclusion
I am thrilled with my iPod Video. I have over 2100 songs, over 500 pictures, a few podcasts, and a couple of videos and I am only using a little over 10GB of storage. No it is not perfect. It is kind of ridiculous that it scratches so easily, I think the scroll wheel is a bit clumsy, and it is a bit silly that for $400 they don't give you a few more accessories. Other than that I am doing backflips. The sound quality, picture quality and video quality are all excellent. $400 is a lot of money but the iPod Video does deliver quite a punch.