Apple iPod 5th Generation White (30 GB) MP3 Player

After having an iPod Nano for a few years, I figured it was the time to make the jump to a full-sized iPod so I could have more storage space and so I could watch videos on the iPod. Yeah, the price was quite a bit higher than my old Nano, but I was getting 28 more gigabytes of space, a larger screen and the opportunity to watch video on the iPod.

After hemming and hawing for a while, I took the plunge and purchased my 30 gigabyte, black video iPod. I m glad I did I ve enjoyed it ever since.

All about the Video iPod

While compared to my older Nano, this iPod does seem large (and heavy), it really still is small enough to easily carry in your pocket or in your hand without any real effort.

As for the basics

In the box
I knew from my earlier iPod purchase that the packaging, instructions and set up of Apple products is pretty easy. The new iPod didn t disappoint in this regard. Basically, just about everything you need to get going with your video iPod is in the box:
- The iPod
- The White Pod headphones
- USB 2.0 cable to connect the iPod to your computer
- A docking adapter
- A slip-on case
- Quick start guide

I was actually surprised that there was no CD in the box that included the iTunes software and the setup info for the iPod. Instead, the guide directs you to Apple s website where you can download the iTunes and installation software. I understand that this reduces packaging and costs (you don t need to make all those CDs), but if someone has a computer that isn t connected to the internet (a growing rarity these days), it could be difficult for them to get iTunes and the installation software to get things started.

Setting it up
I already had iTunes set up on my computer so I simply opened up iTunes, plugged in the video iPod and within a few minutes Windows Vista had identified it and installed the software for it and iTunes begin synching the iPod with the music on my computer. I was able to quickly synch up the music on both my main machine and another computer I have networked in the house.

The entire set up for me took about 5 minutes and then it took probably about 20 minutes for the iPod to completely synch with all my music (there was a bunch). I did discover that the standard setting for the synching is to synch everything in iTunes, even if you have it unchecked. I didn t exactly want all the Christmas music along with some other stuff on there, so I had to go into the settings for iTunes and change it so that unchecked music isn t also synched.

Compared to setting up some other devices I ve had in the past, the set up for the video iPod is easy and straightforward even if you ve never used an MP3 player before. The only real issue is getting used to the layout and functionality of iTunes. I imagine if you ve never used it before, there may be some trial and error in getting exactly what you want.

Size and Shape
The 30 gigabyte video iPod is a little over 4 inches in length, almost ? an inch in thickness and just about 2 ? inches wide. That s small enough to sit comfortably in your hand or in a pocket. The whole package weighs just less than 5 ounces. That s heavier than a Nano, but is still pretty light however you re unlikely to forget that you re holding it or have it in your pocket like the Nano.

There s a 2.5 inch, 320x240-pixel color screen on the iPod. Compared to the Nano this looks like a film screen! The screen displays information on the music you have on the player (or what s playing) and can also let you view photos and videos. The display is crisp and clear and is significantly brighter than the older iPod displays. It makes it easy to navigate through the menus, play your music and watch a movie.

The front of the iPod is a shiny black, while the back is stainless steel. The black front collects smudges pretty easily and it s not too difficult to scratch either so you should be careful with it and make sure you get some sort of protective shell for it.

Controls & Navigation
The video iPod has a click wheel for navigation. It s easy to fast-forward, rewind, play and access menus though it does take some getting used to if you ve never used it before. After a few minutes of playing around and reading up on the navigation, it is quite intuitive and easy to use for most people.

Since I was already used to the navigation I didn t have much trouble with the video iPod. I did notice there are a few more menu options since this iPod has the video capabilities along with some other features. The search function is also nice, letting you type out the name of a song you are looking for with the click wheel. The volume is also adjusted through the click wheel along with just about all the other settings and functions on the iPod. It makes for a sleek and fairly simple to use device once you have the navigation down.

You also have the opportunity to customize your menus, change your default language and adjust the audio settings. In addition, besides the basics there are some extras in the iPod that can come in handy for some people. There s a calendar, contacts and world clock functions and there s also a screen lock function that lets you set a code and lock your screen so that others can t see it while you are listening to music or get into your iPod if you ve left it on your desk or something like that.

Battery Life
Apple advertises that the iPod, on a full-charge can play music for about 14 hours and straight video for about 3 ? hours. Over time I ve found that claim to be fairly truthful though I ve never kept it going for 14 hours straight. Instead I ve used it here and there as I ve gone to the gym or used it elsewhere. I ve also watched several different videos of various lengths and it s obvious that viewing them uses more battery life than the music.

Sound
The new video iPod sounds as good, if not better than my older Nano. Even the newly redesigned ear buds are more comfortable and do a better job at staying in my ears than the ones from my Nano (which I quickly replaced). The earbuds provide clean sounding music that sounds good throughout the volume spectrum. I ve never been terribly picky about how my music sounds but overall I thought it sounded really good.

You can also adjust the equalizer settings in addition to the volume, which lets you change the way that the iPod sounds. I ve fooled around with this a bit, but I usually just leave it on the default setting and I am happy with the way it sounds either for music or video.

Since my truck has an MP3 adapter plug, I have used the video iPod there. It sounds great, especially since there is a direct connection between the iPod and the car stereo.

Video
The whole video thing was fairly new to me when I got my video iPod but I found that it was very easy to download shows from iTunes and synch them up to the iPod. While the screen is small, it s easy enough to watch and the video is crisp and clear on the screen. The sound is also good and I ve enjoyed the videos that I have watched.

Photos
In addition to music and video, you can also upload photos to your iPod to view. I haven t really used this functionality all that much, but it can be handy if you have some photos that you want to show to people who may not have internet access (say you re going to visit family or something). With the appropriate adapter you can connect the iPod to a TV and do a slide show of your photos.

Capacity
This video iPod holds 30-gigabytes worth of data. That translates to about 7500 songs, thousands of photos and/or several hours of video. Video takes up the most space, so the more videos you have on your iPod, the less space you ll have for other items.

Durability
The iPod can easily stand up to normal use. The standard wear and tear shouldn t have much effect on it. However, you can t be throwing it around, dropping it all the time or sitting on it all of which are things that are fairly easy to do considering how small it is. If you do these things, you increase your chances of scratching it or breaking it completely.

The black facing of the iPod does collect smudges very easily and if you re not careful, can be easily scratched. That s why I would suggest getting a protective case or sleeve for the iPod, just to give it that extra layer of protection.

iTunes
iTunes is both the music management software for the iPod (where you can manage your own MP3s and videos) and a marketplace that lets you browse and purchase music and videos. It adds untold potential content to your iPod for a fairly insignificant price (at least per item) and the iTunes store is definitely worth checking out, even if you don t purchase anything.

iTunes navigation and use is much like other MP3 player programs, though it does have the added functionality of the iTunes store where you can purchase music and videos. As for the MP3 management, it took me a few tries to get it right when I first started using iTunes, but nowadays, I don t have any problems with it. The overall design is pretty intuitive and most people after a bit of play, should easily pick it up.

Experiences

I didn t have any trouble setting up my video iPod. In fact, I was actually kind of surprised at how quick and easy it was (even on Vista). I basically opened up the copy of iTunes I already had on my computer, plugged in the iPod through the USB port and then within a few minutes the device had been recognized, Vista installed the drivers and iTunes began to synch all the music between the computer and the iPod. Honestly, I don t think you can ask for something much better than that, especially on a PC.

Since I ve gotten the iPod I ve used it at the gym, at home to listen to music while reading, in the car through my truck s adapter port and at work. I ve also taken it along on some longer drives where my partner has been able to watch a few shows while I ve been driving. In all those circumstances, the iPod has worked well. It remains easy to use and for someone without any iPod experience (aka my partner), I was able to quickly show him how to navigate and use the iPod to watch the videos.

I had started to get frustrated with the small size of my Nano (2gb capacity versus almost 10gb of music) and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to upgrade to a larger iPod. I m glad I did. I can now have my entire mp3 collection on the iPod. Through the menus and search its easy enough to find a specific song or a group of songs that I want to hear. I can also create my playlists so that I have groups of songs for various activities.

All in all even though it did cost quite a bit of money, I am happy with my video iPod. I got it mostly for the increased capacity for my music, but watching videos and showing off pictures is fun and its really cool to have so functionality.

Final Thoughts

My first iPod showed me why people get so excited about the iPods and this video iPod has reminded me that this excitement is well placed.

While you will pay a premium for an iPod, I believe in general, it s worth it considering what you get when you have your iPod.

The 30 gigabyte video iPod offers music, video and photo playback, a large amount of storage, a crisp viewing screen and easy navigation controls in a sleek, good looking, small, lightweight package that shouldn t disappoint anyone.

Basically, I don t really think you can go wrong with this iPod.