Apple iPod 30 GB Video U2 Special Edition Black MA664LL/A (5.5 Generation) OLD MODEL


it rocks!5

Okay so this is my first ipod which means I may be somewhat easily impressed. Regardless I'm VERY happy with my purchase. My only complaint would be that I don't think the battery lasts nearly as long as advertised. Other than that it rocks!More detail ...

Apple iPod 30 GB Video U2 Special Edition Black MA452LL/A (5th Generation) OLD MODEL


Brillant5

The new Ipod Video U2 Special edition is simply brilliant. The reason? Well there are more then just one solitary reason:



The first is of course the amazing Ipod itself. With 30 GB of storage (thats about 10 more gigs then the original Ipod U2 SE) you have plenty of room to upload pictures videos and music. The video quality of the Ipod is crystal clear and has everything you need to make a pleasureable viewing experience. However if you have given the Ipod a minimal charge expect the battery life to DROP significantly while watching videos as movie viewing eats up battery life. And of course Itunes makes uploading multiple songs and videos a breeze;perfect for your average joe techie. The screen itself has been given an upgrade with a larger and cleaner screen. The screen is noticably bigger and creates a better viewing of the current movie being played. The video Ipod also is slimmer then the older versions (1g 2g 3g and of course 4g) and although on paper is marginal difference(compared to the 4g) in your hand you feel it's thinner robust body. The headphone jack has been switched to a different position posing troubles with your pre-5G accessories. If you have accessories that you really need i recommend keeping your older Ipod or consult someone to see if the location will work out. The outside box appearance has also been greatly slimmed down on all Videos making it easy to take around or great to show off with in tight corners. The lackluster accessories included with the Ipod(a dock connecter USB cable and headphones) pose a disappointment as the majority of users WANT a wall charger which was included on prior versions of the Ipod. However you may purchase one from Apple $29.00. The specs are nice but what really makes this one really SPECIAL...



Appearance



Apple finally released a U2 version of the Ipod video which is in my opinion a beautiful move. The U2 SE stands out beautifully from the other 5G Ipods (black and white) with the prominent red click wheel dabbed right in the center. Yes the click wheel is the smallest version yet regardless it has the same slick red finish. The front finish to the Ipod is beautiful with a more glossy black used to gather MUCH more gleam then its older 4G model. The front side also is less likely to gather scratches compared to the 4th G. However being with a black finish means scratches are inevitable so i highly recommend a use of some type of protection. Finally unlike its predecessor the 5G U2 SE has been giving an ultra-nice touch; a black chrome finish on the backside. This one simple touch is utterly amazing with each of the band members signature shown crisply. Compared to the chrome finish of the 4G U2 the signatures are easily seen and perfectly distinguishable. The black rear finish also gives more protection to minor scratches which would overtime destroy the appearance of the older Ipod itself. However the black finish can hide most of the small scratches yet once again a case is needed.



Closing:



On a finishing note this is the best looking Ipod to ever be assembled. The small touches make this more distinguishable and can garner more head turns. The Ipod also can recieve less scratches which is a GREAT thing as my old 4G U2 got mutilated in a matter of days. This is a must buy regardless if you want to stick out or if you are a huge U2 fan. Along with the package comes a certificate for a free 30 minute documentary of U2 which is a good deal as we get at least ONE thing free(the older U2 SE only came packaged with a certificate giving us 50 dollars off an Itunes definitive collection that was priced at around 250.) All in all a great buy and if you think about it its not THAT pricey; only 20 dollars more for an overall better looking Ipod that sticks out and has more value. Also two more Tid-bits: CHARGE THE IPOD;and oh yea when you dont need it turn off your backlight it saves a lot of battery life as the majority of the battery sucking comes from the light itself.



Pros:

-Amazing playback with crystal clear sound

-Beautiful display with vibrant color for both movies and photos.

-Excellent finish with black chrome rear and a more glossy black front.

-The great click wheel which still maintains perfect control(regardless of the toned down size).

-Great movie playback

-Perfect interface for Itunes giving the addition of music and video playing a breeze.



Cons:

-More easily scratched compared to the white Ipod.

-Battery life tends to have a mind of its own going from quick die-out to long lasting.

-Again battery life seems too dull and can die out quickly if not given a full charge.

-Video playback can desperately cut into battery life.

-For first timers there is no manual included so the optional use of a text-type maybe required.

-No wall charger/lackluster accessories More detail ...

Apple iPod classic 160 GB Silver (6th Generation) OLD MODEL


The New Firmware seems to have ironed out A LOT of the bugs others have talked about!4

**Before you read some of the negative reviews please consider this was BEFORE the new firmware update 1.0.3 came out so unfortunately they had unresponsive clickwheels itunes messing up etc. Also some people simply did NOT upgrade their firmware for whatever reason but A LOT of those problems have been fixed with the new firmware so UPGRADE YOUR FIRMWARE AS SOON AS YOU GET YOUR IPOD! It will make a BIG difference!**



Ok on to the review..I just got my 80 gb ipod classic recently with a 3 year extended service plan immediately got itunes version 7.5 and upgraded the firmware immediately to 1.0.3 which seems to have taken care of A LOT of bugs people have been reporting. It must have because I am not getting ANY of the problems other have reported such as laggy clickwheel itunes freezing etc. The clickwheel is VERY responsive only a light touch is needed and scrolling through cover art was very quick! No problems whatsoever with the clickwheel. I also have had no problems copying files to itunes and transferring them to my ipod. The ipod itself is a thing of beauty love the non scratchable surface but the back of the ipod is where you can see all the fingerprints etc so get a good cover for it. The slimness of it is very sleek and heck this ipod just looks cool. I got the ipod up and running in no time after I transferred my music over. Love the search feature as well. There is a lot of features settings and extra's. Heck I even like the clock.



PLEASE NOTE:TURN OFF & DON'T use the EQ (equalizer setting)if you want normal distortion free sound. I was using the EQ and wondered why a lot of my songs had distortion. I thought it was due to the bad sound everyone was talking about until I turned OFF the EQ. Upon turning the EQ off the distortion vanished completely the sound was just fine pretty good in fact. It's a shame that you have to turn off the EQ settings to get good sound. Hopefully Apple will fix this with a firmware update.



I almost got one of the itouch ipods but the very limited space is what kept me from doing so. 80 gb is plenty of space for my music a bit of videos etc. It might not have wifi or a touch screen but it's got tons of space for my music and that's what counts! I love my ipod classic can't find much to be picky about except for the sound when EQ is enabled. It does exactly what it's supposed to is easy to navigate videos look crisp/great on it and most of all it holds a crapload of music. Just remember to upgrade your firmware to the newest version disable EQ and invest in a good pair of headphones. One of the best things about the ipod classic is that because it has so much space I don't have to worry about how many mp3's I put on it. I've never downloaded so many mp3's in my life! I literally put my entire collection of mp3's on it and still have tons of space left. Overall I rate the ipod classic 80 gb (black)...absolutely superb.More detail ...