Digital Trends

Apple iPod Video 30GB October 19th, 2005 | by Ian Bell

Apple stays true to their design heritage with the new iPod. It looks similar to previous product offerings, but with a slim new build and look. From a design perspective, the new iPod succeeds in some aspects and fails in others. It’s truly remarkable that Apple can manufacturer a player this thin considering its large storage capabilities; it’s a cue that others in this market can learn from. Yet on the other hand, Apple took the easy way out by widening the existing screen rather than invent a whole new design concept. For video playback, this form factor just isn’t ideal. We would have preferred a horizontal screen like the Creative Zen Vision, with the controls on the side. The headphone jack should still be positioned in the center of the player too; we always thought it added to the uniqueness of the iPod. Overall, the latest iPod is still one of the best looking players out there. When we first got our hands on the new iPod video, we thought it felt wider than it should have been. But after comparing it to the Cowon iAudio X5, it turned out to be the same width. Its slim design just fools you into thinking this player is wider than it really is. 

So what makes the new iPod better than previous versions? Well for starters it includes a larger 2.5-inch QVGA color screen and is capable of video playback. The player is slimmer as well, measuring in at less than half an inch thick – that’s 45 percent slimmer than the previous model. Despite its thin size, Apple has added a larger battery to this years model which promises five more hours of playback when compared to last years. That means up to 20 hours of total audio play time before this baby runs out of juice. Available in 30GB and 60GB flavors, you can store up to 150 hours of video, 15,000 songs, and up to 25,000 photos (all on the 60GB version) – that’s a lot of media. Included with the new iPod is a set of ear buds, the latest iTunes (version 6) and a USB cable for charging and syncing the iPod with your PC. Apple decided to cut some costs by leaving the wall charger out which really puts a cramp on things when you are traveling. You can buy a wall charger, but it will cost you $29 dollars. Other accessories which are worth mentioning include the A/V cable, which will run you $19 dollars and lets you output photos and video to your television, and the Universal Dock which doubles as a stand and lets you output photos and videos to your television. One of the coolest accessories available is the $29 dollar Apple Remote which lets you control your iPod without getting up from the sofa; great for slide shows while the family or friends are over. The remote control requires that you also have the Universal Dock before you can use it though.

The 2.5-inch screen that’s on the new iPod is capable of displaying photos and video at up to a 320x240 resolution, either on the iPod's own LCD or when output to a television. The touch-sensitive click wheel we have all come to love is still present to ensure easy and intuitive navigation. Mysteriously though, there are no contrast or brightness controls on the player. The new iPod can play podcasts, music videos, audio books, and display photos in addition to simply playing music. Other features include a built-in calendar and contacts list, world clock, stop watch, notes, and a few games. With all of these cool features, the iPod stays a dear companion for your everyday journeys. 

As with every good partnership, the new iPod is helpless without its companion; Apple's iTunes software. Announced at the same time as the new iPod, iTunes 6 allows users to download music videos from a library of more than 2000 titles. Apple has also partnered up with Disney and ABC so you can download your favorite television shows to your iPod – commercial free. Both the music video and television shows currently cost $1.99 per video. We’ve heard rumors that some folks in Hollywood are upset with Apple over the price of their television downloads, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see in the future either the iTunes video downloads increase in price, feature some sort of timed playback, or include advertisements. Television shows available for download as of the time of this review include LOST, Desperate Housewives, Night Stalker, The Suite Life and That’s So Raven. You can also download some Pixar short clips and movie trailers, making for a well-rounded collection of video content. We expect to see a lot of video podcasts, or vodcasts if you will, hit the web with the introduction of this new iPod; so this should enlarge the number of content available for your new iPod.