When Apple launched the original iPod in 2001, it was universally hailed as the ultimate MP3 player. Its hard disk offered huge capacity, it was streets ahead of the competition in terms of style, and unlike its hard disk based rivals it could fit into a jacket pocket.
The latest version is available in three capacities - 10Gb, 15Gb or 30Gb. Looks wise it’s now even more likely to turn heads and at four inches high, less than three quarters of an inch thick and weighing only 158g, it’s significantly slimmer and lighter than the original. The 15Gb version, at £299 with a wired remote and the new docking cradle included, will be the sweet spot for many. For those who want more capacity, the 30Gb version adds 18g to the weight and £100 to the price. Navigation The four buttons and the scroll wheel are now touch sensitive, which does away with the wear and tear issues that sometimes afflicted the control system on the old modell. However I found that it was far too easy to accidentally brush against a button and skip or pause the track I’d just selected. To counter this it’s worth sliding the hold switch on the top of the iPod each time you select some music.
Holding down the menu button brings up the backlight which also makes the four buttons glow red. This not only makes the buttons visible in the dark, but looks very, very cool. Navigating through hundreds of tracks is simple and speedy thanks to the wheel. You can brows by artist, album, song title or even genre. Pressing the select button at its centre enables you to move within the track, while pressing twice gives you the ability to rate the track out of five. However, this feature is relevant only for the Mac-only iTunes software and is superfluous for Windows users.
More useful is the ability to create playlists on the fly. Hold down the button on a track or album and it gets added to a playlist. Unfortunately all playlists are lost the next time you sync your iPod with your computer. The minimalist design does at times hinder ease of use and the device would benefit from more dedicated buttons. For example if you want to apply one of the many EQ settings while playing a track, you may have to move through as many as six menus and make several buttons presses before arriving at your destination
