Okay, have had my 15GB 3G iPod for a little over a day now and just had to post. If anyone out there is still debating wether or not to drop all that skrilla on a mere MP3 player (like I was for a looooooooooong time) then maybe this can ease your suffering:
First of all, I was really worried I would be instantly struck by the familiar feeling of buyer's remorse as soon as I got home and realized I had just dropped $400 on a toy. (not saying the iPod is a 'toy', just that it is not a necessity... or is it?) But unlike many other experiences, I do not feel in anyway let down, or that my money was wasted. Every time I look at it I smile and think how freaking bad ass it is to have all my music with me at all times in such a cool package. Which brings me to my first topic: Appearance:
I think the iPod is one of the best designs apple has ever come up with. The simplicity of the interface, the bizarre, yet comforting combination of white, reddish orange and silver make it a stunning piece of hardware, which IMO, is much more attractive than the complicated and button covered interfaces of many other MP3 players and other portable audio equipment. I am a little uncertain how I feel about the mirrored silver finishes on the back/headphone control jobby... can you say "finger prints"? Oh well... I think Apple is currently stuck up in the air between all the different design schemes it has had for its product lines... (wonder how long till an aluminum iPod? or if they will go another direction and incorporate jell-o and Plexiglas next time...) Anyway, I still love the design. I went for the 15 mostly because of the slimness of it, and the fact that 30GB is overkill for my needs. (I dont have anywhere near that much music, but I know friends who do, so I understand the demand for a beast like that. In any case, I think the iPod is sort of heavier than would be optimal for a pocketable device. But sometimes the weight makes it feel cool and solid in your hand... still I hope the next gen can find a way to reduce weight a bit.
Okay, next I suppose would be the operation of it: I do feel that in apple's constant strive for simplicity they often cut out intuitive features because they limit their interfaces. I don't like how you have to select the shuffle play from the home menu, and then it applies to the whole of your music. iTunes lets you keep some playlists randomized with others (like CD rips) in a standard play mode. Next, the "on the go" playlist is just stupid. It erases each time you connect to your computer. Another victim of the inability to sink iTunes to your iPod (rather than vice versa). But I suppose that's okay... Making playlists ahead of time isn't to big of a deal. And If you use iTunes a lot you probably have a lot of playlists you like already anyway. Other than that, I think the operation of the ipod is smooth as silk. Once you get used to the scroll wheel and button layout it becomes second nature to hunt down a particular song you feel like hearing. And the uh... buttonless buttons are so cool feeling when you touch them... it is a joy to use... love the little click noise too... and the fact that the buttons can only be operated by fingers, and not the insides of your pocket make them not only cool, but also extremely beneficial.
Finally, I just have to comment on how cool it is to be able to "build" onto your iPod's capability using other (albeit expensive) 3rd party accessories. I personally took the base that came with my pod and affixed it to a spot inside my car with double sided tape. Then used the belkin car adaptor to give it juice plus an extra line out that runs into the auxiliary inputs on my Kenwood Excellon deck. so now all i do is put the ipod in the dock and it plays through my stereo, which in my opinion is the single greatest thing ever in the history of the world, and possibly the universe. I can finally get rid of all my cases of scratched CDs, and have all my music with me when I go drive. YES!
In summation, the iPod's shortcomings are far outweighed by its strengths, and it is one of the best purchases I have made in a long time. If anyone is still wondering wether or not to buy, my opinion is that you should not hesitate to run out to your local apple store/online store and throw your money at apple with a big smile on your face. Unless you owe considerable money to local mafia figure heads or support 10 children with eating disorders, this is money well spent, and I cant imagine any music lover being disappointed with a product like this. I would give it a score of 4.5 out of 5 on my own, cool-shite-o-meter.
Feel free to comment with your disagreements/ comments!
~later!
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