iPod Reviews

Apple iPod Classic 160GB sixth generation - Black, Silver

We will always never forget to give prominence to the Classic models as they will never be on the way out. The Apple iPod Classic 160GB sixth generation is currently the most popular one in the market. The reason for its popularity may be its metal sleek design, other interesting features and battery life. The iPod classic sixth generation is very much similar to that of the fifth generation except that it is slimmer and has a richer GUI. In short, this product of apple can be said as a high - capacity version of the third generation iPod Nano.

The 80GB fifth generation of Apple iPod classic has reduced dramatically in its cost and now, you can get the iPod with double the capacity and similar features which is available in both black and silver. The nano and this model of classic has a lot of features in common such as, thumbnail artwork of the albums, podcasts in list views, the extensive information provided while viewing the list of songs and albums, cover flow view, the games such as Vortex, Klondike, and iQuiz and a number of other miscellaneous features.

Design changes:

Body:
The apple iPod Classic is redesigned in a beautiful manner featuring a sleek and an all new metal enclosure. The glossy and the all-plastic facade that was seen in the previous versions of Apple iPods is replaced by the anodized aluminium faceplate. The 2.5 inch LCD colour display is big and bright. This screen can be set to the brightness mode when you are in a dark room. However, the screen is again made out of the scratch prone plastic unlike the screen of the iPhone and Touch and the chrome back still begging smudges.

The size of this iPod is 2.4 x 4.1 x 4.1 inches which is just a fraction thinner than the 30GB version of the iPod Nano. The larger click wheel that is designed in this product makes it extremely simple to operate it, particularly if you want to operate it single handedly. The click wheel is very handy as, with the help of the wheel alone, you can adjust the volume, choose songs with playlist, artist, album, song, genere and composer. The controls seem to be sluggish and unresponsive at times.

Menu:
The most impressive design improvement in this Ipod Classic 160 gb is that of the menu system. It has a split screen main menu that displays the selections on the right half of the screen and a picture related to the selection in the left half of the screen. The result is quite beautiful.

Memory:

As we all know, the Classic is not of the flash memory type. The hard drive memory type does not deliver the data as fast as the flash memory does. This is the reason why Nano responds faster to your commands as it is of the flash memory type.

Features:

With 6th generation 160gb iPod Classic, you can put your entire music and video collection with whooping 160GB of storage. The videos can be bought from iTunes online store or import them into iTunes which can be converted for playback. Many of the video features that we look forward in the portable video players can be got with iPod classic sixth generation. It also offers you a dependable feature of resuming playback at the point at which you last left off. The closed caption subtitles can now be switched on or off for the videos which support them.

With such interesting features, it is very easy for us to miss some of the subtle but cute change made to Classic. For instance, when it comes to the shuffle feature, Apple has now made it very simple to engage and disengage this function on the fly with just a few clicks on the click wheel’s center button.

If you love reading books, then you are going to love this set too as the iTunes store is stocked with thousands of audio books along with the bookmark function.

Classic has an enhanced interface that offers a new way to browse and view your music video. The cover flow technology allows you to use the patented click wheel in order to flip through the music by album cover.

Supported formats:

The support for audio and video playback, photos, podcasts and video games remain virtually unchanged. It supports playback H.264 or MPEG-4 in MOV, MP4 or M4V file formats. These are played with a maximum resolution of 640×480 pixels at 30fps. The audio file formats supported remains the same. It supports Protected AAC, Audible 3, WAV, MP3 VBR, Audible 2, AIFF, MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless and Audible 4 formats.

The manual adding and deleting of audio and video files is possible without the hassles of playlist syncing. You also have options to view your photos. They can also be viewed as slideshows with background music which would make your photo viewing an enjoyable experience.

Some of the other useful extras of Apple iPod Classic 160gb Black, Silver include calendars, contacts and clocks.

The left out features:

Since Apple iPod classic is a top tier product, we would have appreciated some additional features like the ability to use the headphone jack as a composite video output that the photos and videos to be played in TV without the help of any third party interface. This also includes the long neglected list of apple such as FM, SD memory expansion, native support for WMA etc.

Performance:

Though the interface improvements are pleasing, the audio performance does not give you the same result. The sound quality can be said as just an average one. You get to choose from over 20 equalization presets. As a contrast to the audio quality, the video quality of iPod classic sixth generation is excellent. It is capable of playing files at 640×480 and by purchasing an additional component AV cable, you can get outputs of resolutions of up to 480p to a TV.

Battery life, accessories and warranty:

Apart from the increased capacity and improved interface, Apple 16gb 6th Gen iPod Classic’s battery life stands as one of the strong reasons on why you should be investing on it. It promises 40 hours of audio and 7 hours of video.

The most worrying fact is that it is incompatible with most of the existing dock-connector accessories and the previously purchased games cannot be used. The items included in the box are, earbuds, dock connector cable, dock adapter, quick start guide and the Apple stickers that come with each of apple’s products.

Apple iPod Classic 160GB sixth generation(Sivler, Black Colour) comes with a warranty of one year.

Verdict:
It is one of the rich looking high capacity MP3 player in the market and if capacity is your prime concern, you will surely not find a better product in the market. The production of apple is avowed all over the world. Though it does not produce the novelty of iPod touch or nano, this version of iPod Classic is certainly worth buying.

Apple iPod Classic 160GB (6th Gen) - Technical Specifications, Features

Manufacturer	Apple
Model Name	Apple ipod classic 160GB (Sixth Generation)
iPod Type	iPod Classic
Media Player Type	Hard drive based digital player
Dimension (H X W X D) in cm	10.4 x 6.2 x 1.4
Weight	162 grams
Body Enclosure material	Aluminium
Display	LCD colour
Resolution	320 x 240 pixels
Diagonal size	2.5 inches
Colours available	Silver, Black
Storage media	Built-in hard disk drive
Capacity	160GB ( can hold up to 200 hrs of video )
Supported photo standards	BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, PSD (Mac only)
Supported audio standards	WAV, AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3, Apple Lossless
Supported video standards	MOV, MPEG-4, H.264
Audio output	Headphones - binaural
Connectivity	Docking connector Headphones Component vide Composite video
itunes	itunes 7.6 or later versions
Additional features	Battery level indication hold button volume limiter playback speed control date display phone book calendar upgradeable firmware built-in games notes photo wallet USB 2.0 compatibility Cover flow
Supporting OS	Windows vista Windows XP Home or Professional with Service pack 2 or later
Battery	Rechargeable Lithium ion battery
Battery life	Audio playback: 40hrs Video playback: 7hrs
In the box	iPod classic Earphones USB 2.0 cable Dock adaptor Quick Start guide
Warranty	1 Year

Apple iPods are always launched with a lot of expectations and buzz created already, and most of the times it has always satisfied its consumers and give them a kind of “wow” factor. These quality productions of Apple have been hardly challenged by any other MP3 players. The second generation Apple iPod Touch 32gb has been launched on 9th of September 2008 with a lot of such expectations and has certainly lived up to it.  Here is a review of this masterpiece from Apple that boasts of double the features of its predecessor, ipod touch 32gb 1st generation together with an enhanced hardware, all for a lesser cost.

Design:

Talking of design, it is subtle as you will not be finding any big difference from its older version, the first generation touch. It comes with an aluminum back super-shiny finish, that takes care of the undesirable scratches of your adorable set. The screen is the same as the first touch and i-phone3G, the 3.5 inch multi-touch display of resolution 480×320 pixels. The vaguely altered rounded design together with the thinner edges, akin to the iPhone 3G, becomes apparent with holding it in the hand. An obvious addition to this model can be found towards its left edge, the volume controls, making the task of volume tweaking task extremely simple. The only thing that hits you first is, “how could have Apple neglected this with its predecessors” well, we are clueless too.

Yet another apparent addition to the hardware of the iPod Touch 32GB 2nd Gen is its speakers. A handy one if you are watching any videos with your friend. It also includes the Nike+ipod feature for the sporty ones. That said, it is rather doubtful if anyone would prefer carrying a set this large to jog. Otherwise, there is not much of a change in the terms of the dock connector, headphone jack sleep or home button arrangement.

Supported audio and video formats:
In terms of formats supported, this 2nd Gen iPod Touch looks a wee bit disappointing in comparison to the other rival MP3 players in current the market.

The supported audio formats include the following: Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Apple Lossless, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), AIFF, and WAV. It still does not offer support for the WMA files, but they can always be converted to the MP3 format using the Apple’s iTunes software. The supported video formats include H.264 video/Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio; H.264 video, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0; MPEG-4 video, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio.

Performance:

In terms of audio performance, the touch is reasonably good and nothing to complain though can not be said to be spectacular. The viewing angle of the iPod has been improved a lot. The sound was well punctuated with decent synth effects and balance. If you have already decided to get this gadget, you will have to keep this in mind. The 32GB 2nd Gen black forces you to install version 8 of iTunes. If you are not familiar with iTunes, then it would be a better idea for you to just spin through the software before you actually start using touch.

The performance by way of display is fairly good, bright, vibrant and colourful. The onscreen keyboard is simply brilliant. It just doesn’t cease to amaze you with its ability to determine how touch registers the exact letter that you are jabbing for.

Coming to the best and prominent feature of Touch, the multi-touch capability, its so exiting to see how intuitive has it been designed to be. There is yet a rival to be born to match this multi touch capability from Apple. The reaction times look to be awesome with a great eye for detail. But yes, we will have to agree that some of the web based applications may take some time to react. Appropriate labeling of icons makes it a cakewalk even for a first-timer. Cover flow helps with scrolling of album arts. The Mobile Safari is awesome too. YouTube and BBC iPlayer both look to be far better in terms of viewability than rest of the rival MP3 players.

The other features:

This 2nd Generation 32GB apple iPod packs a whole host of features that includes videos, music, Safari Browser, podcasts, mailing facility, Wi-Fi Music Store, photo viewer together with a few utilities and almost looks to be a pocket PC as against an MP3 player. Well, if you are someone who is on the lookout for just a MP3 player, this one is not for you.

The iPod touch also looks to be neat gaming device also, thanks to the Wi-Fi App store. An App store that can be accessed from both your iPod and PC is packed with loads of entertainment that can be downloaded and enjoyed. You are also allowed to access the 3rd party “Made for iPod” accessories that upgrades you to a whole host of features like audio/video docks, Bluetooth transmitters, external battery packs and speaker systems. The only hitch is that you might have to register with the i-Tune store for you to enjoy downloads. Apart from the games, the App store has a slew of pay for and free applications, which you can download. Not only does Apple allow for download of i-Tune tracks, but has also managed to cover almost all of Wi-Fi capabilities provided by Touch.

The new Genius feature:

This 2nd Gen Apple iPOd also packs something called the Genius feature, which allows you to create an instant playlist of around 25 songs, just based on the musical characteristics of a single song. If you own a first generation Touch, it only takes a few pounds for upgrading the firmware to include the other software capabilities like the Genius feature that comes in the the second generation model.

Battery life:

Similar to its predecessors, this 2nd Gen Touch also has the lithium ion battery ticking inside of it. The good news is Apple has decided to upgrade the battery life in the Touch from a previous 5 hours of video playback and 22hours of music to 6 hours of video and 36 hours of audio. Then again, this playback capability may vary depending on the Wi-Fi usage and the the brightness of the screen.

Verdict:
This style icon from Apple comes with a reasonable price tag along with boasting of almost everything like video, audio, mailing, podcasts, Browsing, Games, Nike+iPod, App Store and Wi-Fi music downloads. Though it might seem to be a wee bit pricey in comparison to the current MP3 players in the market, you might find it both attractive and reasonable when you match the features with its price.

Apple iPod Touch 32GB 2nd Generation - Technical Specification Details

Model	Apple iPod touch 32GB second generation
Manufacturer	Apple
Dimensions ( H x W x D) in mm	110 x 61.8 x 8
Display	3.5 inch (diagonal) wide screen multi-touch display
Resolution	480 * 320 pixel
Interface	USB 2.0
Audio formats supported	ACC, MP3, MP3 VBR, audible (formats 2, 3 and 4) , WAV, AIFF, Apple lossless
Battery	Built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery
Battery life	6 hours for video play back 36 hours audio play back
Charge time	Fast charge time- 2hrs ( charges 80% of battery capacity) Full charge time - 4hrs
Memory capacity	32GB
Photo formats supported	JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, PSD (Mac only), PNG
Ports	Stereo minijack (3.5 mm) / dock connector
Video formats supported	MPEG-4 (mp4), h.264
Play back modes	All tracks repeat, one track repeat, play list, random play/ shuffle
Ear phones	Yes (binaural stereo)
Photo viewer	Yes
USB cable included	Yes
Wireless internet access	Yes
Operating system	Apple Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP 2 or later
Special features	Multi-touch interface, Notes, USB 2.0 compatibility, Phone book, Genius technology, Web browsing, Nike + iPod support, Calendar, Battery level indication, Cover Flow, Upgradeable firmware, Date display
Mounting options	Arm band
Colour	Black
Included accessories	Docking station adapter Ear phone USB cable
Service & support	12 months parts 12 months labour
Weight	4.1oz
Box content	Apple ipod touch 32GB Ear phones USB2.0 cable Dock adapter Polishing cloth Stand Quick starter guide

In 2007, Apple released three models, the third generation iPod Nano, iPod classic and iPod touch. And now in 2008, all these models have been given major makeover by Apple in all minor and major areas criticised with increase in the capacities too. The 1st Gen iPod touch was equipped with some amazing potential features namely the wireless antenna, 802.11b/g, allowing it to not just play videos and music from its very own collection, but also made surfing possible via the Safari web browser and buy tracks wirelessly from the iTunes Store. But alas all of these features rich in potential were kind of crippled owing to its capacity, display issues, low battery life and most importantly the price factor. It was deemed under equipped in comparison to the iPhone. Therefore, the 2nd Gen Touch has been tweaked with substantial changes.

Design:

As this 8GB 2nd Gen Apple iPod Touch is physically redesigned, it feels pretty much light and thin with a 3.5-inch display and an attractive pixel resolution of 480 x 320. It has a chrome bezel at the front that also sports the internal speaker and the volume controls in its sides are designed in an easy to use manner. The “Home” button is in the front, “Sleep/Wake” button at the top, Dock Connector in the bottom and Headphone ports. The dimensions are similar to the first generation but there is a slight reduction in weight. Everything with the design is fine with the design except for its Wi-Fi antenna cover which is still made of black plastic.

Features and Performance:

This iPod Touch 8gb 2nd generation is pricey in comparison to its rival MP3 players in the market. The features of this iPod include the audio and video playback, a photo viewer, podcast support, a safari web browser, an e-mail reader, an integrated Wi-Fi music store and many more. The second generation touch is more of a Pocket PC than an MP3 player.

The iTunes App:
The new iTunes App feature is now integrated in Touch itself. This means that you can download a whole lot of fun stuff from this store. You can also access the third party “Made for iPod” hardware accessories where you can download a lot of iPod related stuff.

Nike plus iPod sport kit:
Apple iPod Touch 8GB MP3 player is packed with true Nike+ Sport Kit, a petit speaker giving users the pleasure of enjoying games, movies and music together with a microphone allowing users to enjoy a thrilling experience. This version is not the same one as the iPod Nano, but somewhat a close one. For example it lacks the Nike’s Amp+Watch that proves to be a support for wireless remotes which can change controls, pause playback, moderate volume levels while you workout and is a distinct absence. You can also hit the home button in middle of a workout to access any other application and then hit the “touch to return to workout” in order to continue with your workout.

Interesting speakers:
Apple iPod Touch 8 GB Second Generation Black enjoys the fact that it was the first ever iPod to include a speaker for music and video. This second generation does not use its traditional ventilation and interestingly does not create any new holes in the case for ventilation. Instead the metal surface on the rear as a speaker akin to the NXT audio system flat panel. You can feel a very slight vibration when the music is put on a very high volume, but otherwise, you cannot feel any difference.

The Genius software:
It was disappointing to note that the Touch still does not support the flash audio or video content via its safari browser. There is a lot of attention paid to even very small details. You can use your finger to scroll through the playlists, songs, artists etc. When you flip the iPod touch on its side, b a scrolling Cover Flow view of your library is shown with large album covers. Genius software creates a play list of 25 songs that has the characteristics of the song that you have currently selected. This software is real fun and you can enjoy to your best if your collection has enough songs. But this software will work only if you enable Genius in your computer’s iTunes software.

Audio:
The audio in this Apple iPod is very clear and there was no problem with it and supports the following media: MP3, AIFF, AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV and Audible. Even now Apple does not deem it necessary to support WMA files, but then allows for WMA tracks to be converted into MP3 formats within the iTune software.

Video:
Apple iPod touch’s 8 gb 2nd Generation video feature is very identical to that of the iPhone’s iPod feature. Though formats like H.264 and MPEG-4 are supported, it fails to playback high-definition video than 640×480 files. The screen quality is much superior to that of its previous version. The display of this 2nd Gen iPod is remarkably brighter differentiating colours well and is also devoid of the “negative black” – wherein the darker shades tend to become reflective with the details being washed out in that process - a most obvious problem in its predecessors. The TV-out feature is still absent in iPod touch – meaning you might have to either purchase a pricey video cable that is authentication chip-based or a similar pricey docking gadget if you prefer watching videos stored in the iPod on an external display.

The iPod Touch has a lot to offer when it comes to videos. You can load TV shows, video podcasts and iTunes movie rentals. You can also watch unlimited free video clips using the included YouTube widget.

Battery and life:

iPod Touch 8GB 2nd Generation uses the lithium ion battery which can be charged in four hours. This 8GB Apple iPod Touch is capable of providing 6 hours of nonstop video and 36 hours of audio. But this statistics may vary based on the brightness of your iPod and Wi-Fi usage.

The container:

The second gen iPod touch is shipped in a pack that is very similar to that of the packs of Shuffle and Nano, a hard plastic container. One interesting thing that was very noticeable with the container was a front sticker which would show the buyer how his new Touch would look like when switched on. And this pack contained the Apple earphones, USB-to-Dock Connector cable, and Universal Dock Adapter, an adapter of version 16, two Apple logo stickers, a safety and warranty booklet and a quick start pamphlet. Apple has a thinner and cheaper cleaning cloth, and the package also lacks the small plastic stand for viewing video. The media synchronisation software is not included and so you will have to download iTunes from web.

Verdict:

Well, this is the best iPods that you can lay your hands on in the current competition and looks to be a great choice if you have decided to go for one. But then if you are existing owner of either the iPhone or the 1st Gen Touch, then this might not be of much interest to you with just the upgrades on battery life and display.

Technical, Specification Details of Apple iPod Touch 8GB Second Generation

Manufacturer	Apple
iPod Type	iPod Touch
Model Name	Apple iPod Touch 8GB Second generation
Device type	Portable media player
Dimensions (H x W x D)	4.3 x 2.4 x 0.3 inches
Weight	4.1 oz
Colour	Black
Display	3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display
Display resolution	480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 pixels per inch
Capacity	8GB 1750 songs or 10,000 photos or 10hrs of video
Supported audio formats	AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
Supported video formats	H.264, MPEG-4
Wireless	Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) Nike + iPod support built-in Maps location-based service7
TV	Support for 480p and 576p component TV out
Input and output	Dock connector 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
Battery	Built-in lithium ion battery
Battery life	Music playback time: Up to 36 hours when fully charged Video playback time: Up to 6 hours when fully charged
Battery charge time	Fast-charge time: about 2 hours (charges up to 80% of battery capacity) Full-charge time: about 4 hours
Operating system	Windows Vista or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 3 or later
iTunes version	iTunes 8 or later
Box contents	iPod touch Earphones USB 2.0 cable Dock adapter Polishing cloth Quick Start guide
Warranty	One Year