The [New 15GB] iPod Review

posted on may 10, 2003, tag: tech

Note: This review references the first release of the 3rd generation 15GB iPod. When this review was written, the 15GB iPod was the mid-range model in the 10/15/20GB line-up. Currently, the 15GB model is the base model, and therefore no longer comes with a wired remote and dock like it did back when I bought it.

Well, it's been 8 days since I bought my new iPod, and I've been using it like crazy. What follows is my extensive review and thoughts about this wonderful little device.

The most noticeable things about the new iPod right off the bat are the size, buttons and screen. Apple has redesigned the controls, going from a single circle (dial with buttons on edges) to a circle and a row of buttons above it. Also of note is the fact that it's all touch-sensitive now, with no moving parts.

Data To and From
Moving music to and from the iPod is easy and quick, using FireWire and iTunes. I haven't used (nor do I plan to) my PC to move music to it. Moving contacts and calendar tasks is easy as well, using Apple's iSync software. It's intuitive and has all the right things built in (like the ability to ask for confirmation before making changes to either the iPod or your machine, in case you accidentally hit sync or don't want to overwrite one device). You can have your iPod automatically open iTunes when it docks, or not. I turned this off, only because usually I plug the iPod in to charge, not to move music to it. Besides, opening iTunes only takes one click anyway, so I don't think I need to have it done for me since I only do it every now and then.

Included Accessories
The new iPods come with a dock, a much needed addition, and a different version of the FireWire cable that plugs into the bottom of the iPod (or, obviously, the dock), unless you get the 10GB version, with which you'll need to buy the dock (and remote) separately. The dock works perfectly, and is a nice place to set the iPod on your desk when you're syncing or just using it. When seated, the iPod sits at a slight leaning-back angle, making it easy to still see the screen. The only drawback to the new FireWire cord is that I want another one (for work), but because they're new the cords won't be available to purchase separately until June. That's kind of stupid, but until then I can only sync my iPod at work if I bring the cord.

The wired remote is nice and fits the style of the iPod, clips easily to your shirt or coat, and offers a separate hold button. The buttons on the remote have a nice click-feel to them when pushed, and work exactly as you would imagine them to (play/pause, track next, track previous, volume +/-). The only thing lacking from the remote (and this is an overall problem with the iPod) is the ability to switch playlists (read more later in this review).

Also included in the box is a power adapter that you can use by plugging the FireWire cable into it. There's really no reason to use this when you're near your computer for the most part, though, since the iPod charges through your computer's FireWire port. It would come in handy if you were going to be away from a computer for a long period of time, however, although it would require you to carry around the adapter (2.5 inches squared and an inch thick) and the FireWire cable. That wouldn't be so much fun if you had to put it in your pocket, but tossing it in your bag would be fine. The power adapter also has a removable plug, which would allow you to use a longer power cord instead, which is nice if you have another Apple portable product (like a laptop).

The Battery
The battery takes about an hour to charge back up to full after a day of serious usage, and is supposed to last up to 8 hours (of continual playback). I'll never use the iPod for 8 hours straight, and I have a habit of charging it whenever I get home, so I can't give an honest estimation of battery times, except to say that the second day I had it I used it for about 2 straight hours, then didn't charge it, then used it for another 2 and I still had half battery status. So I guess 8 is about right.

The Size
This thing is small. Lying flat on it's back, it's shorter than two stacked CD cases, and it's about that heavy as well. It's technical dimensions are 4.1 inches (top to bottom) by 2.4 inches (left to right) by 0.62 inches (thick). It weighs 5.6 ounces. That sounds like a lot of numbers that don't really mean much, but basically, it's small and light. Far more so than previous versions of the iPod. When I wear it on my belt I can't even feel it, except when I constantly touch it to make sure it's still there (that's more of an OCD thing, ignore it).

The Buttons
Having used the iPod for only 8 days, I can already tell how beneficial it is to have no moving parts, since I've already had to blow dust off of the buttons several times. I can definitely see how moving buttons would easily get clogged with dirt. The only drawback to the touch-sensitive system is how sensitive the buttons are. I constantly find myself accidentally pushing the Menu buttons twice when I only meant to hit it once, simply because I didn't lift my finger far enough away from the button after pushing it. This isn't a completely negative thing, just something to get used to. The dial is significantly better than in the previous revision, this time it doesn't scroll so quickly. The problem with the iPod before was that any amount of normal movement on the dial would cause the menus to scroll far too fast—you couldn't move them one place up or down easily. That is fixed with this new design.

The Screen
The new screen is definitely better. It's easily readable in soft light, florescent light and sunlight now, with the same contrast setting. The new backlight (which is far, far brighter) is fantastic. One of the bad things about previous iPods was that when the backlight came on indoors, it rendered the screen almost unreadable. That's not the case here at all, since the new backlight is powerful enough to keep the screen absolutely readable in any light situation. The screen is also readable from just about any comfortable angle with the backlight on, and almost every angle with the backlight off. Text and animation is perfectly crisp.

The Enclosure
The iPod still has its famous white color and silver metal back. It's a smooth look, but the unfortunately thing is that it still has its famous inability to avoid scratches. It scratches so easily, in fact. So far I've managed to only get two tiny marks on the back, but I know this is something that will continue to happen. The good thing is that the scratches aren't too noticeable, unless you hold the 'Pod at different angles in the light. It is, however, a good idea to avoid carrying it without some sort of case (at least the belt-clip), because I have a feeling that if I put this thing in my pocket it would be scratched to all hell by the end of the day.

New Features
The ability to create "On-The-Go" playlists is one which I could never live without. I tend to be a very particular music listener, and I usually want to hear three songs from one album, one from another, and so on. With the new iPod, it's as easy as holding down your finger. You hi-light a song or album or whatever, and hold down the center button. The item flashes, and it's instantly added to your OTG playlist.

You can also now tell the iPod which options you want to see on the main menu. You can remove items like Clock and Games if you don't want them there, or add them if you do. It's not entirely useful, but nice if you want to keep your main menu clean (or complicated).

The iPod also now supports AAC encoding, which while I've heard is the greatest thing since sliced-bread, sounds pretty much like regular MP3s to me. Either way, it now supports the encoding method.

Some Quirks and Things to Improve
The most noticeable is the inability to switch playlists without using the iPod proper. Using the remote, there is absolutely no way to move to another playlist, even if you reach the end of the current one. This should obviously not be the case. If I reach the end of one playlist (or album, or group of any kind), and I hit next, the iPod should move to the next group. The same goes with previous at the first item. This doesn't happen, however, and can cause a bit of annoying when you're on a crowded subway and you don't want to hear the same playlist again. It forces you to take out the iPod, switch off hold (at least me), and navigate to the next group of songs you want to hear.

On-The-Go playlists (like everything else in the iPod) are not sortable inside the 'Pod. So you have to order them as you add the songs. Also, there's no way to remove one item from the playlist, you can only clear the entire list. That can be a problem when you accidentally add one song you didn't want after already adding twenty others. You either have to live with it or start all over. It seems like the obvious thing would be that holding down the button on items in the OTG playlist would remove them... maybe this is something that Apple will add in the future. Another drawback is that OTG playlists get erased each time the iPod connects to your computer. I'm not sure why that is.

Another noticeable quick is a digital [faint] clicking sound that happens when you rapidly switch songs with the remote. Example: I am listening to track one of a playlist, and I want to switch to track five. If I hit track next on the remote four times quickly, instead of hearing track four play, I hear a short pause of silence, then four quick faint digital clicks, then track four starts. I'm assuming this is just the hard disk drive working, but I hope it's something that can be fixed with software updates in the future. It's not terrible, but happens with regularity. It's odd, however, when compared with hitting play after six hours of the iPod sleeping, and hearing the music begin instantly. I don't see why it's capable of that, but not of switching songs rapidly. Perhaps it's how the files are saved structurally on the disk. I don't know.

Luckily, these problems are all very livable, and don't really take away from the usage at all. Fixing them, however, would really make the iPod perfect.

Final Thoughts
I can't see how I lived without this thing for so long, especially on subways. It's small, light, and works really, really well. The sound quality is great (even with the included headphones), and it's so easy to use and sync.

I'm glad I waited for this new version, since I almost bought one last Christmas. The addition of On-The-Go playlists, the dock and the new size, screen and buttons make the iPod the best MP3 player on the market. I see no reason (other than price) that anyone would buy anything else if they were looking for a solid, state-of-the-art device. Now if only it had a cell-phone, PDA and DVD player built in.

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