Okay, this is a great player. In fact, I am one of the people who don't necessarily like ipods because they are so expensive and you get so little features and such. However, this is much better, the same price as the origional 20GB music player (4th generation) and it now plays video, views photos, and has 10 more GB of space. This is an excellent value player, but there is one major flaw that makes me skeptical.
The battery life on this is horrible. The audio is decent, but 2 hours for video? That is less than some movies! And what happens if you are on a flight or car trip and you watch a movie and then want to listen to some music, but you only have a few minutes left because the movie ate up all the battery life? I think that apple should either use the technology to make the player thin, but then keep it the same size (Not many people that I know of had a problem with the size before and I imagine they would still be surprised if they gave it 10GB more, double the battery life, and video capability and still kept it the same size as before) and use the rest of the space for a 24+ hour audio (5-10 hour video) battery life. If they did this, the ipod would be a TON better.
The only other complaints I have is the absence of FM tuning and voice recording, but I guess those can be solved because my car has a tuner in it and you can buy an attachment to record audio.
If they made an ipod that was equal to this except a little thicker (about as thick as the origional 20GB 4th generation) and doubled the battery life for audio and tripled it for video and gave it voice/line in recording, it would be almost the perfect mp3 player. I would be willing to pay $350 for it.
Okay, so to cut through all the bull, I think overall that the 5g iPod is great. My 3g got stolen this summer, and I have been bummed the entire time (until December). I used my iPod in my car, it held my entire library, and it was crucial when taking BART to my classes at SF State. I never bought a iPod photo because I'm a practical person. Spend $400 to have color menu's and look at tiny pictures? Why? Now that the iPod has video and is only $269 with the student discount, it seemed like a better purchase. I use my iPod for what it's meant to be: Music. Like I said before, photo viewing isn't something I NEED. It's an added convenience. Watching video is something I will use from time to time, especially if they start getting more shows on iTunes. I actually downloaded an episode of LOST when I moved since Tivo missed it, and I watched it on my new iPod yesterday. It looks great- the only thing I don't like is the black levels...it looks foggy when different blacks are shown. Aside from that, it drains the batter fast...but that's okay, it's only something that I will use from time to time. They don't call it the iPod video for a reason...there is most likey something better coming along in the near future. I don't personally care, I bought this for the music, and that's what it's getting used for. i really wish they had left the finish the same as the older, fatter iPods. I like it to look nice, but it looks so nice that you almost don't want to use it because you will ruin the nice display. I also don't like the controls for shuffling playlists...you have to click shuffle songs, then go to the playlist. It would be nice to have a playlist menu where you can do that stuff. All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase, don't hesitate to buy one if you are thinking about it. Just make sure to get some better headphones (Bose Tri-port are $150 and sound really good, theyre a step down from the Quiet Comfort 2's) and a good case.
That's what I feel like... this is really not a video iPod as it surely is not being called one. This one is just a regular iPod that "does video" but how it does video on a 2.5" screen, I am not able to comprehend. I can't imagine seeing much detail in any type of video on a tiny 2.5" screen no matter how good the resolution is. I don't really see the point of this upgrade to 5G.
From what I can see, this is just one baby step towards a future video iPod that will likely have a bigger screen (at least 4or 5" & maybe wide-screen like PSP), better video handling capabilities, ability to transfer more video files (home-video, dvd, tivo-captured programming, etc) and perhaps even gaming capabilities to go head-to-head with PSP. If I were to buy an iPod with video, the first thing I would want to do is carry some of my dvd collection around on it plus some of my vacation video that I could play on my friends' tv. Although this iPod "does video", it only does video playback and offers no way to transfer your video collection. Though I do believe sometime in the future, we will get that capability.
I have been in the market to buy an MP3 player but was waiting to see what all the buzz was around this so-called video iPod. But now that it's here, I will be buying my personal favorite iPod Nano for now and wait till the REAL IPOD VIDEO comes out.
I had been waiting for this for a long time but was hoping for an 80GB to put all my high bit rate music in.
I have a visceral hatered for 128kbps mp3. The only thing I can tolerate is 192kbps AAC. I have over 12000 songs ripped from CDs.
I am going to use this only for music but won't be able to fit all my music in one place.
Hopefully, Apple will get to an 80GB soon (Toshiba already has the drive for this) for those of us who want lossless playback or high bit rate play back.
I bought this item before it was released in stores. I spoke to a few Apple reps on the phone, who told me that the Nano scratching issues were remedied before the release of the 5G. Given my past experiences with Apple products (previous IPods), I felt like rolling the dice on this one and going for it.
I bought it in black and received it a week ago. At first glance, it looked great. I had already coverted some avi's and mpeg's, and loaded it all up no problem. Television programs looked great on it, and for a few days I was watching videos on my commute. As a "free" add-on to the IPod, the video function surpassed my expectations.
Another overlooked benefit of the wider screen is the ability to see all the music in a more organized manner. More other features were identical, but looked great on the beautiful screen. Altogether as far as functionality goes, it was a great upgrade from my fourth generation 40GB model.
As I moved closer to the end of the week, I noticed a few hairline scratches on the surface of the IPod, which was a surprise given that I always kept it in the case provided by Apple. While I planned to purchase a skin as soon as they became available, I assumed that the pleather case provided by Apple would suffice.
A week after I received the IPod, the surface was covered in scratches. I was again surprised, as it had been in the Apple case, and I had only cleaned the surface with a microfiber eyeglass cloth. While most of the scratches were faint and could only be recognized in the light, one scratch was across the screen and significant enough to dampen the picture quality.
After a number of calls to Apple tech. support on this, I had little to no luck. I was simply told that "this was the first time
they heard of problems" and that "it is not covered under the warranty". Needless to say I expected tech. support to be more understanding given the lawsuit against Apple for the fragile Nano surface.
I latered scoured the net to find that a number of other consumers who recently outlayed a good $300-400 were also upset about the scratching. At that point, I had made a decision. After reaching an understanding service rep. in Apple's sales department, my 10% restocking fee was waived and my 5th generation IPod was on its way to Apple's return center in California.
I did really like the video capabilities and beautiful screen, so I'll be holding out to see how Apple addresses this issue before potentially buying either a new video IPod (and skin), or a competitor's product. It also explains my rating of 6. Features are great, but the lack of durability is simply not acceptable for a MOBILE audio/video device. So what's the moral of the story?
1)At this point, your 5th generation IPod WILL GET SCRATCHES even when using the case provided by Apple
2)If you buy this Ipod, don't customize it so that it can be returned within 14 days.
3)Always push to get the restocking fee dropped
4) Don't bother with tech support
5) Buyer beware (even with a strong brand such as Apple).
Let me start by saying that I'm not an Apple hater. I think they are a smart company and make a decent product. What I'm trying to understand is... Why there is so much hype surrounding this "video capable" IPOD ?
I think people should do some research before they shell out hundreds of dollars on a unit like this one. I know I did before I made my decision and I couldn't be happier.
I own an Archos Av 420, and have for over 6 months now.
I have thousands of songs on the unit, numerous photos and a bunch of TV shows. And Yes folks, the shows I have were free. I didn't pay $1.99 for each show. The Archos AV420 allows the user to set it like a TIVO. I have my unit turn on several times throughout the night to record numerous shows on different channels. I then watch those shows during my commute into NYC the next morning. Try doing that with the new IPOD. Hey, If I get tired of my TV shows and I don't wat to listen to any of my Mp3's, I can listen to FM radio on the Archos. I guess Apple forgot to include that feature too. The Archos AV 420 has a 3.5 inch screen and a user serviceable battery. Do I need to keep going ?????
There are options out there people Apple is not the only game in town.
Apples recent product, the Ipod with a video feature struck my attention. I recently purchased the 60gb version of the ipod the day it came out (Oct 12th). The Ipod is great. The larger screen is very nice for photo viewing and some videos. I understand that 2.5" isnt very much room to watch a movie on, but look at it this way. Apple's Ipods main purpose is for MUSIC. Video is second.
If you are buying a video player for watching videos, buy the archos or creative. Even buy the psp. They have the larger screens, but the Ipod is for music, and with that in mind they designed it with a form factor of having a small portable device to listen to music. The reason I prefer this over the archos and creative players is that this is smaller than those. It has the ability of giving you the movie feature with not all the space. If you are looking for a great music player, this is your choice. Apple's Ipod is known for MUSIC. The video feature is like another person said "The icing on the cake."
I gave this review a 10 to make up for the bashing that the new Ipod is getting. I would most likely have given the product a 9.
Overall, the Ipod is a superb music player. It has great features and it can play video.
I give it my approval.
This is an elegant addition to the iPod family. The widescreen, the brightness, the fact that you can choose black or white, and the price is the same as the previous Gen iPod color. I don't have a use for watching Music Videos on a 2.5" screen but they look great, if that's your thing. If you miss the real MTV, where they actually played videos, this may be the gadget for you...
Downside: How Apple could not include Firewire (which they own) is beyond me. If you are transferring 30 or 60GB of info, FW is much faster as far as real-time transfer goes. I assume that is how that were able to make it so thin. It's sad to see, again, that the battery is not removeable.
All in all, I am pleased with the Video iPod. Every product on the market has flaws and they may not be considered flaws because each user will have different needs. FireWire and a removeable battery may not matter to some users. This is close to perfection...
This is the best ipod that I have owned yet, which includes the nano. It has a great battery life(20+ hours), Great Clear Screen. It is thinner than the 20 Gb photo 5th generation. Furthermore, I really like the music videos and tv programs on Itunes, which are affordable ($1.99 each). Bottom Line, Apple just keeps outdoing themselves. Only complaints that I have is the screen is a little on the small side for watching movies and videos, and there should be more of a variety of videos on Itunes.
I just bought a 5G iPod yesterday and while I'm not blown away, I'm pretty happy with it. Now in the pro and con section above I mentioned the design is both a pro and a con, let me explain way. The device is arguably the best looking MP3 player on the market; its impeccable. The glossy finish, stainless steel backside, and huge screen is nothing less than capitvating. But, that also means you're going to be afraid to take it places unless you have a case. While the player comes with a case, its more of a "I forgot to get a case when I bought it so I have to use this until I get a real one" case. Its a simple slip case that will prevent scratches but your screwed if you drop it. So, if you're somebody who is paranoid over their electronics and deathly afraid of messing them up the iPod may not be for you.
The sound quality, while good, didn't blow me away. Make sure to turn lower the treble when you first open it up, or else you'll get annoying hissing sound. One nice aspect though is the warmness of the music I didn't notice on my previous iPod--the mini.
I have yet to test out the video capabilities on it, but the screen is really bright and I expect it will be nothing less than breathtaking.
Overall, the player is just as easy to use as any other iPod, sounds good, has more features than other players, and is a great value. Remember, even if you don't plan to use the video, its still a great value for $299. Remember, this is 30GB we're talking about. I still maintain, however, that this iPod isn't for everyone. If you put a lot of wear and tear on your electronics I advise getting the Sony HD5. I hope that helped!