The New 30GB iPod Reviewed

Product:		30GB iPod
Manufacturer:		Apple
Price:		$499
Review by:		Marc Zeedar

I'll admit in advance that I'm a huge iPod fan: I bought the original 5GB model the day it was released (I actually got to the computer store before it opened and had to wait). That original iPod was awesome and did everything I needed -- I had no plans to upgrade though the idea of a larger hard drive was tempting. Apple continually released new versions of the iPod software which gave my old unit new capabilities.

But fate tempted me cruelly: I got an offer to buy my old iPod, and I had an Amazon gift certificate burning a hole in my virtual pocket... and I discovered Amazon sells iPods. The deal was done.

Package Heaven
Let me tell you, no one knows how to package a product like Apple. No one. The feeling you get as you unwrap an Apple product filled with so many thoughtful niceties is like no other.

There are three new iPod models, the 10GB ($299), 15GB ($399), and 30GB ($499). The base model does not come with the new docking station ($39 separately), wired remote ($39 with headphones), or carrying case (not sold separately). If you plan on adding those, you might as well go for the 15GB model as you'll be spending nearly that much anyway. I splurged on the high-end model figuring I'll never need more hard drive space (I barely have 10GB of music now so there's lots of room for expansion).

The iPod box is black instead of silver, but it's still the same two-halves foldout. It's full of goodies. There's a manual, quickstart guide, and CD. The headphones include an extra set of felt covers (nice touch). The details of the packaging are insane: the Firewire dock connector includes custom plastic connector covers that even has a built-in cable tie!

Apple thoughtfully provides not one, but two white plastic connector covers for the base of the unit (where the new Firewire/dock opening is located). The carrying case comes in a little cloth bag with a drawstring. The case itself is not impressive. While it does protect the iPod's screen and metal back, the sides of the iPod are exposed for scratches, and most critical, you can't use the iPod while it's in the case (except via the remote). I prefer a case that I never have to remove the iPod from -- that way it's always protected. Also, the belt clip is huge and non-removable.

The wired remote is something new for me: there eventually was one available for the old iPod, but I never bought it. The connector has two plugs -- one goes into the headphone jack, the other into a special remote connector. You then plug your headphones into the remote. The buttons on the remote are volume up/down, forward and reverse, and play/pause. I was surprised to find there's also a hold switch on the side that locks the buttons just like on the iPod. The remote itself is made of gorgeous shiny metal but it fingerprints like mad. On the back is a clever built-in clip, so you can clip the remote to your jacket for easy access. Sweet.

Marc's afraid to remove the silver remote from the foil package lest it be marred by fingerprints.

New Design
This is the third major iPod revision and the most significant. The original iPod used a physical wheel for the scroll wheel, but in an update Apple replaced that with a touch sensitive wheel that doesn't move. This is considered superior as there are no moving parts. However, the buttons -- play, fast forward, reverse, menu, select -- were still physical buttons. With the latest iPod models, however, these have been replaced by touch sensitive areas. Now the hard drive and Hold slider switch are the only moving parts in the entire device!

Even cooler, the four main buttons have built-in lights which glow red when the backlight is turned on, making nighttime operation even easier.

I wasn't sure I'd like the new touch-sensitive scroll wheel: would it really be as solid and fast as a real wheel? To my delight it works wonderfully. It's just as fast and responsive, yet there's no wheel to break and no dirt can get underneath the wheel openings. In fact, the wheel (and buttons) are almost too sensitive. While playing Solitaire (see below) I found I occasionally spun past the card I wanted because the slightest touch moved me. It might be nice Apple gave us a preference setting for the sensitivity of the wheel and buttons.

The new iPods are thinner and lighter, redesigned to make them even better. Granted, the improvements are subtle: the original iPods were so well-designed that improving on perfection is tough. Here's what's changed, however.

The original iPod was 6.5 ounces and measured 2.43 by 4.02 by 0.78 inches. The new 10GB and 15GB models are 5.6 ounces and measure 2.4 x 4.0 x .62 inches. The 30GB model I got is a little thicker at .73 inches and weighs 6.2 ounces -- almost the same as the original.

The new iPod has a thin wide connector at the base which fits into the new docking bay. You can also connect the included Firewire connector to this without using the dock (the same cable connects the dock to your computer).

I personally don't like this as well: though the cable is much thinner and therefore easier to transport than the previous heavy-duty Firewire cable, that also means it's prone to breakage and since it's a proprietary cable, you must buy it from Apple. That also means extra $19 expense if you want an extra cable -- no more using any standard Firewire cable. That means if you want your base permanently connected to one computer (like most people) but want to charge your iPod while on the road, you'll need to buy a second cable for traveling (or else deal with connecting and disconnecting your only cable).

New Software Features
While Apple's been awesome at providing original iPod owners with most of the capabilities of the latest iPods via free software updates, the new iPod does feature some interesting new features that I never had with my original model.

First, we'll begin with the important stuff: games. The new iPods come with three built-in games: Brick (just like on the old iPod), Parachute (shoot helicopters and paratroopers as they attack you), and Solitaire. I was skeptical as to how Solitaire would work on a device with limited input controls, but it works well. You use the scroll wheel to select cards and press the Select button to pick up a card. Once a card is picked up, the scroll wheel moves the card to valid drop locations. One Bad Thing: the game redeals once you leave it (turning off the iPod is okay), so you'd better plan on finishing what you start.

There's also a new Notes feature: drop in any plain text file into the "Notes" folder on the iPod and it will show up as text which you can read. Awesome! Ebooks is about all I used my Palm for anyway and I hated carrying two devices. Unfortunately, there's no way to change the size of the text, and -- really dumb -- the iPod doesn't remember your scrolled location, so you always start at the beginning of the text (bad when you're reading a 500 page novel). Lame! Also, reading with the backlight on probably sucks battery life something awful.

Then for those who've been wanting the ability to create playlists on the fly, there's a new "On-the-Go" playlist. If you click and hold the Select button on any song, playlist, or album, it adds those items to this special playlist. The "On-the-Go" playlist is reset every time you hotsync your iPod with your Mac, so it's not permanent -- but it's handy if you want to create a temporary playlist that fits your current mood.

I'm sure there are a few other subtle features I'll discover as I play with the new iPod, but these are the main improvements.

Bottom Line
The new iPods really are perfection improved. But there are a few minor negatives: the size reduction isn't all that noticeable (especially on the 30GB model), the battery life is now rated at 8 hours instead of 10 (but that could just be a terminology change), and the price is still premium. But the new models are a significant improvement over the original model -- if you're finding your 5GB or 10GB model isn't enough space, you should consider upgrading. I'd definitely upgrade to a 15GB or 30GB model over buying an old 20GB one. The old iPods are so popular you can get a good price selling it, making the cost of the new one more reasonable.

If you can't quite muster the cash for a sweet new iPod, consider one of the older models, either used or at fire sale prices from retail outlets dumping them. You should be able to find the 5GB models for under $200. They're nearly perfect and sound terrific, and while the new features of the latest iPods are nice, they probably aren't an extra $200-$300 nice.

If you are looking for iPod Accessories check out the Think Different Store

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