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Apple iPod 4 GB mini M9436LL/A (Blue)
By: Apple Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 505
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 On: 2008-09-07
The ipod is just like the one i use to have. its great. came with a charger and earbuds. came just as it said in a few days. i did have it upgraded to quicker shipping, but it came faster than what was said.
 On: 2008-02-17
I swear if I wasnt just getting my newer ipods as hand-me-downs from my brother I would never buy a single ipod ever again. I did buy this mini, and it is just terrible. I take fairly good care of my stuff (about as good as the above average consumer), and this piece of junk has only 2 working buttons after 1.5 years. I really wish electronics would last about 3 years, but with Apple and their line of Ipods, you get about 1 year of decent workability.
Even after a year, the battery charge was terrible, lasting about 3 hours out of the advertised 8. As of now the thing just turns on, last about 40 seconds then the battery dies the second I select a song. When i received a newer ipod from my brother, i didnt even bother keeping my old mini ipod as a portable storage drive, much less a music player, and took a hammer to it. What a piece of junk.
On: 2008-01-07
I love my ipod mini and was heartbroken when it broke. Bought this one online and received it in the same broken condition. Contacted seller and she refunded my money promptly. Bought a ipod nano 3rd generation and it is even better than the mini.
 On: 2007-12-20
After just 2 and a half years the battery went. It was never dropped or wet. The battery just went. They want $189 to install a new battery. I could buy a new one for $179.
Tom the unhappy.Apple 4 GB iPod Mini Blue M9436LL/A
On: 2007-10-02
This is one of the best iPods, if you ask me. I own one and it is great for just a nice, easy to understand simple music player. it has a couple of games, like brick, parachute, and music quiz. the only problem is that if you press buttons too fast, then it may freeze up on you. if that happens, hold the menu and center buttons down together for 6 seconds. this will restart it. other than that, it is great! i would recommend this product.
On: 2007-09-06
If you want a simple device that just plays music, then the Ipod Mini is a great buy which you can pick up on Ebay now for Under $100.00 that can hold 1000 songs.
Thanks to the constant improvements with the endless Ipods, prices have dropped dramatically. If though your interested in video at all I would pass this device up and buy the video ipod.
On: 2007-09-03
I loved my iPod mini. But it broke only a year and five months after purchase. Since it was out of the warranty period, Apple refused to do anything about it. Many other Mini owners had the same problem occurring at the same time, but Apple refused to acknowledge that these particular models might be lemons.
Buyer beware! They are great machines, but only last a year or so on average.
On: 2007-04-04
Item works perfectly fine. A little slow on the shipping, so I suggest getting the faster shipping with the purchase of your item. My experience could not have been better. Excellent job thank you very much. Great experience.
On: 2007-03-09
This was the worst electronics puchase Ive ever made. When I first got the mini it was great, looked nice and sounded great. Within about 6 months battery life started to go way down, after a year it was down to nothing, didnt work properly, would show a full charge and not last more than 20 minutes. If youre going to take a chance on an iPod, definitely get a newer different model that may be of better quality than this one.
 On: 2007-02-23
This MP3 player is a good basic unit. The controls are a bit touchy. You have to get the hang of skimming you finger around the touch circle. You also have to remeber to lock the controls while you are listening, or a slight brush on the control surface will change settings. The iTunes software is nice. The autosynch feature is easy to use. Overall, a good unit for the price.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-02-15
I had my Pink iPod mini since Feb. 2005. It was fine until it died the next year on the exact day I got it, and the warranty ran out. I got it repaired at an Apple reseller, and then it died again on the warranty expiration date. What is it with the iPods? Its like they have a self destruct inside! ):-(
On: 2007-02-14
I had my Pink iPod mini since Feb. 2005. It was fine until it died the next year on the exact day I got it, and the warranty ran out. I got it repaired at an Apple reseller, and then it died again on the warranty expiration date. What is it with the iPods? Its like they have a self destruct inside! ):-(
On: 2007-02-12
You cant beat the siza and the weight, not to mention the storage capacity of the 4MB iPod. Ease of use is also wonderful. Only concern is that controls sometimes stick or freeze.
Alan Safani
by: Anonymous On: 2007-02-11
I got a Green iPod mini for my birthday in July 2005. I loved the easy to use clickwheel, and the shiny green color. But around October of that year, it started to have glitches and it would freeze up after being on for only 2 minutes! I took it to Apple and they gave me a new one because of a problem. Then in February 2006, the replacement mini died. It wasnt recognized on iTunes, and it finally showed the sad iPod icon. I put it in Diagnostic Mode (Press Select and Previous) and I did a HDD scan. The scan failed and when I reset it, it turned on to the sad iPod again and the hard drive started clicking and it sounded like it was abour to explode. I went to Apple again and they gave me another one. When I got home (thankfully Apple store only 15 minutes away from me) I charged it, and it worked fine. Now its February 2007, and the warranty expired today. When I turned it on when I woke up, it wouldnt turn on.
What a waste of time. This is the most UNRELIABLE iPod out there. And Apple says they can only repair it for a fee of $[...]. Thats how much I paid for it in the beginning! Im just going to buy a new iPod nano.
by: Anonymous On: 2006-12-29
When I first got this pink iPod mini for my birthday last year I was thrilled. The battery life was never ending, it was easy to use, and it looked cute and withstanded constant torture. However, a year later I am deeply dissapointed in this Apple product. I started noticing during the summer it downloaded songs very slowly and constantly froze on itunes. After disconnecting it from the USB it would freeze, just simply switching from song to song froze it. I noticed that the batter was much less than the promised hours and after a full charge the battery would go down after about 5 minutes of use. If I was to leave it alone a couple of days after a full charge when I would turn it back on the battery would be half gone. The earphones that are included with the iPod, just forget them, they are comeplete crap, they crack and break open, and the sound comes through all fuzzy. If the battery was to be completey gone and I would plug it into the computer to charge it would freeze right there and not chrage at all. I would suggest moving on to the more new and improved iPods that work better and last longer. iPod minis last a year, two at the most.
On: 2006-10-14
The Mini was the first iPod that came in colors. So, it was the first iPod I bought--It was pink. I could not resist.
When I first got the iPod, it was flawless performance and exactly what I wanted. The earphones work fabulously, I had all my favorite music, it was small and durable. Some people talk about glitches in it, and yes, mine had some. But my Applecare free warranty was still intact, so I sent it back and was sent a brand-new iPod in 2 days. That works for me!
The screen is old-fashioned nowadays, yes, but its low-key and still fabulous. Sadly my Mini got stolen, so now Ill be needing a pink Nano.
In conclusion, an amazing machine with plenty of memory and good looks to go with it.
On: 2006-06-29
I loved it when it was working right, but 6 months after I first got it, Itunes crashed while updating the ipod and the hard drive got corrupted.
Luckily, you can still buy the AppleCare protection if its been less than a year so I got it and they sent me a new Ipod.
That worked great for almost a year but then my battery life got really short (1 hour or so). I sent it back again, since I was still covered by AppleCare, but they told me they wouldnt cover it because it was caused by abuse! I never did anything "abusive" to it, I dropped it maybe once or twice, and I dont see how that would cause it to work fine except for the reduced battery life.
I realize they dont make this model anymore, but Im definitely goign to look around at the other makers before I get my next MP3 player. And apparently its barely worth getting applecare for the battery issue alone.
On: 2006-06-03
I know that everyone else seems to love this, so perhaps my complaint is more about Apple in general. My Ipod Mini (pink)is a lemon. The battery has never worked properly. It takes longer to charge than to discharge, and my current playing time per charge (no changing settings, not backlighting, nothing but hitting play and waiting till the battery dies) is about 2 hours. Apple will gladly sell me a new ($70) battery, but other than that tough. It is apparently my fault thet theyre selling shoddy products. Im not saying dont buy it. There arent realistically any better choices out there than the Ipod, but buy it when you have a week to sit around and evaluate it and when they get around to opening a store near you. As for me, I think Im going to dig out my old discman.
On: 2006-05-16
It was nearly one year ago when I first recieved a Green Ipod Mini for my birthday. Since then I am rarely without it. Id been warned by a number of people that the batteries broke easily and that they got scratched like anything, but even so I decided it was the gadget for me. The risk payed off.
Holding 1,000 songs makes for a great deal of hours listening to music or podcasts. I am absolutely addicted to music and this lil gem changed my life forever. The sound has stayed crips and clear, the volume is great and I havent needed to replace the earphones. For me, this is absolute perfection.
The battery lasts for a LONG time and charging is simple and quick. Scratch wise, I invested in a good quality cover which stays on it all the time, so I have had no problems with scratches. The iPod is sturdy, (I admit to dropping it a couple of times) and the buttons and menus are easy and quick.
Downloading songs is also a piece of cake. Just plug your iPod into your computer or laptop and with iTunes I have been able to simply change around my songs, delete, add more, to my hearts content.
If you want something cute, colourful, stylish, easy-to-use and very VERY reliable, then go for an iPod mini. And with music downloading being so easy, its more than likely that it will replace your CDs forever! So buy one, you will not regret it.
On: 2006-05-07
IPod quality and design is unbeatable. Just a few cons, the sound quality of the included headphones is regular to bad, battery life is very short, the surface of the body is easy to scratch so you better get and IPod skin. I bought the Sennheiser PX 100 Headphones, the sound quality now is superb. Go for it !
On: 2006-04-01
I got my mini about nine monthes ago right before they were discontinued (which, in my opinion, was a big mistake on Apples part) and I absolutely love it! Mine is pink, and the color is so nice, the design sleek and seamless all around. Its smooth metal casing is really nice and different. The clickwheel is smooth and I have had no problems with it.
It holds a little less than 1,000 songs due to different formatting, but its still a good amount; iTunes is easily understandable and functional as well. The ipod mini is approx. 1/2 of an inch think and slides into pockets easily, while not being as flimsy as the nano feels to me. The clickwheel is a great and fast way to scroll through hundreds of songs, raher than, as on my brothers mp3 player, needing to press "next" everytime you change the song. The backlight is fine, and does its job; my one complaint on that would be that, as I mainly use it on the bus at 6:00 am, it is quite bright and hurts my eyes.
Another huge plus to owning a member of the ipiod "family" is the countless accesories that have become availible exclusively to them. I myself have a case, an iSkin which I have come to adore, high quality headphones and the iBass, which is another great speaker product for ipods. Ive actually invested waay more on accessorites for my mini than it cost itself, but thats how much I love it!
For having so many great features, this is priced very reasonably. Even when I got it and it was $200, I still felt that it was well worth the money. BUY THIS NOW!!!! its amazing!
by: Anonymous On: 2006-03-02
I was very pleased with my ipod mini and the only comment I would make is that it is hard to set up at first.
On: 2006-03-01
I was very pleased with my ipod mini and the only comment I would make is that it is hard to set up at first.
On: 2006-01-22
I had my ipod mini for almost a year. I got it on my 18th b-day, I have a pink one. I love my ipod mini, but it has some cons. Ipod mini is very easy to mess up, so if your a clumsy person you might want to get another mp3, another thing it freezes or cuts off every now and then and the battery life isnt all that good. I love that the ipod mini can hold a lot of music, it comes in nice colors, and has many accessories for it, you can put numbers in it, used it as a organizer, and play games on it, etc. Overall I give it 3 stars cause I just adore it and a lot of people are jealous of me cause I have one,and plus its pink.
On: 2006-01-05
The ipods definitely outrank any other mp3 player in quality. I know because I have had 3 mp3 players before this one. But the fact of the mattter is that the ipod mini is a hard drive player, meaning it has parts that move inside of the thing. Therefore, significant force will cause the hard drive to work improperly. But the ipod mini is incredibly strudy, so if you get one, dont TOSS it in your purse, or run 1o miles with it like these other idiots and you should be fine in the event of minor tremors. They wonder, "oh why is my ipod not working," well thats because you treat the thing like a frickin baseball. If you want an mp3 to accompany you in an activity that will require a LOT of movement, then get the flash based ipod nano or shuffle, where there are no moving parts, but a smaller storage. But if you have a huge assortment of songs, then hard drives will sure as hell be able to hold all those songs. And thats the difference between flash based mp3s and hard drive mp3s. So, if you are willing to buy the mini, you have to understand that difference and the fact that the mini, despite how sturdy, will crash if you disrupt the hard drive inside by slamming it, trhowing it, dropping it every ten minutes, etc. And the batery, just get the third gen. minis that have an 18 hour battery life, and if it dies for good, buy a battery pack for about 30 dollars. Thats all there is to it. Just treat your mini like you would a child and distrust these people who say theirs doesnt work. That is only because they make it not work, not Apple.
On: 2005-12-30
I think that iPod mini and all other iPods are the best of all MP3 Players! My iPod works fantastic and I love the color and size! iPod nano is amazing as well and the iPod regular but iPod mini is beautiful to hold! If you like smaller iPods ipod nano is for you! But if you like medium the mini is for you! I love love love iPod mini! I got it for Christmas and all my friends have iPods as well! Keep up the good work Apple!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-12-30
Ipod Mini is awesome! I love the click wheel and all the colors! I have the Pink Mini and I get so many compliments! Everyone out their considering an Ipod get the mini if you want a small iPod to carry on the bus or in the gym! If you want a large iPod then choose the big one or the nano ipod! All of the Ipods are amazing! My battery has had no trouble and there are so many assecories for my little Ipod! If you are thinking about buying an Ipod then buy one!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-12-22
This Ipod is soo awesome!!
It is totaly worth saving your $$$ for. I know i will be saving my money as long as it takes!!
~Audri S.
On: 2005-12-21
This Ipod is soo awesome!!
It is totaly worth saving your $$$ for. I know i will be saving my money as long as it takes!!
~Audri S.
On: 2005-12-19
This iPod holds an average amount of songs.It is a decent size.Not to big like the regular iPod,not to small like the nano(which can brake easily).So it is balanced basically.But it would be a lot better if it can hold more songs.
On: 2005-12-18
This iPod holds an average amount of songs.It is a decent size.Not to big like the regular iPod,not to small like the nano(which can brake easily).So it is balanced basically.But it would be a lot better if it can hold more songs.
On: 2005-12-10
I got a pink iPod mini for my birthday in April, and the only problem I had was this: On the way to Florida on the plane, my ipod just started skipping through songs and wouldnt play anything. So we got to Florida,I charged my ipod up (the battery was dead, too) with the wall charger, and it worked fine.. until the flight home. Same thing happened. I reset it with holding down the menu and select buttons, and it worked fine. Until about 2 weeks ago. I left my ipod mini in my glove compartment of my car for about an hour (I live in Wisconsin and its really cold right now in December). I got back in my car and tried to get it to play, and no luck. I reset it and figured it would be fine, but I looked and the battery was dead even though I charged it before I left. So I recharged my ipod for a few hours when I got home, but ever since its been working half the time and just freezing up the other half. Im so fed up Im thinking about buying a new iPod.. maybe the nano but I hear the screen cracks. Hmm.
On: 2005-12-09
I got a pink iPod mini for my birthday in April, and the only problem I had was this: On the way to Florida on the plane, my ipod just started skipping through songs and wouldnt play anything. So we got to Florida,I charged my ipod up (the battery was dead, too) with the wall charger, and it worked fine.. until the flight home. Same thing happened. I reset it with holding down the menu and select buttons, and it worked fine. Until about 2 weeks ago. I left my ipod mini in my glove compartment of my car for about an hour (I live in Wisconsin and its really cold right now in December). I got back in my car and tried to get it to play, and no luck. I reset it and figured it would be fine, but I looked and the battery was dead even though I charged it before I left. So I recharged my ipod for a few hours when I got home, but ever since its been working half the time and just freezing up the other half. Im so fed up Im thinking about buying a new iPod.. maybe the nano but I hear the screen cracks. Hmm.
On: 2005-11-23
Let me start by saying, I am a Mac nut. I have an iMac, iSight, an iPhoto, iPod and two minis. I had the company I bought my car from, hook up my iPod in the glove compartment, oh how happy I am! I have never had a problem with the iPod and my car...never! I recently swopped my iPod with my sons mini as he has ten times the amount of music. Since I hooked the mini to my car, it has frozen more then 20 times. What a pain, it takes a good 5 minutes to unfreeze the silly thing everytime I get in the car!!! So I would recommend spending that bit extra on the iPod as I have never had a bit of trouble with that model.......... I shall be taking the mini back to the store. Another thing I can say is that Apple have good cust.serv.
So mini freezes in cars, get an iPod!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-11-19
These mini ipods are awesome! It is like having a mini radio in your pocket, but listening to whatever song you want to.
Keyword:
AWESOME AND GOOD MUSIC!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-10-29
i got an ipod mini last year and i love it ive been using it ever since buy the blue one
by: Anonymous On: 2005-10-25
I got an iPod mini last in 04 for Christmas. It was so awesome then!! So pretty and good-working. Then about 2 months later i carried it around with me in my backpack in a special little makeup bag type thing and it didnt hold up very well even though i didnt move around a whole lot. Well i opened the bag up to listen to it on the bus and the entire screen looked awful!!! There was a HUGE crack line down the front and the screen had an awful weird blackish line down it and a few tiny black lines too. I was shocked because i thought it would hold up better! So luckily I got a replacement. But then about 4 months after i got the replacement, the battery life slowly dwindled down to about 1 and a half - 2 hours! I was on a plane for vacation and it died halfway through the flight! I brought my charger with me and charged it at the hotel, though. But i turned it on to listen to it, only to find that it only played 4 songs!! The 4 songs just happened to be the only ones on my iPod that i didnt buy and my friend later told me (after i got home) that i needed to plug it in the computer to fix that problem. But i didnt have my PC with me on vacation, obviously. And i dont have a laptop. So yes. I did that and it was all better! But as soon as i plugged it in my other charger and took it off after it was fully charged, it did the same thing again!! So unfortunately i have to live with it that way and take off my purchased music, otherwise, its just wasted space.
So Ive ended up with an iPod that:
- Can only last for 2 hours
- Skips over all my purchased music and plays only non-purchased music
- Takes 4 hrs to charge but only plays 2 hrs!
So its pretty much obsolete in my mind. I am sort of weary to buy the Nano, seeing as how it has had lawsuits filed on account of it, because of the easily crackable screen and itd probably snap in my pocket. I am kinda leaning toward the video iPod even though its huge and ill never need 30 GB of music. But if i bought a battery pack for my iPod mini, itd cost me an extra 80 or 90 bucks and itd be double the size it is now, so why dont i just get a brand spanking new one?
I dont know. Apple is just sort of.......mmm.
So many problems!!! and since Apple makes you pay like 100 bucks for insurance and warranties and stuff its like whats the point? Im basically banking on the fact that itll blow. Oh well.
I dont know what to do. I have a useless iPod on my hands!
Whoopie!
On: 2005-10-24
There is no doubt that it is an ingenious device, designwise or judging from its size. However, for an artist like me, it lacks some features, none of them a big deal.
- Lack of recording options.
- So so Bass quality of sound.
- Tightly tied to Itunes, which is a great software, but for one who needs some flexibility, well...
Anyways, still a great product. No Doubt to be Recomended
by: Anonymous On: 2005-10-10
ipod minis are really neat and cute. theyre also small and fit in my pocket, as well as being relatively lightweight. i like the way they come in a variety of colors because it makes them much more interesting than if they were just plain white. the sound quality is decent and i can hear my music just fine, even when the volume is turned down. i like the way im able to organize my songs and create different playlists made up of certain songs. its very costly to purchase songs from itunes, though, and the battery life could be better. mine is the older version and is meant to have a battery life of 8 hours. i skip around a lot and battery life for me is more like 4 or 5 hours. overall, the ipod mini is a decent mp3 player, if thats what you would call it.
On: 2005-10-10
I got an IPOD mini in February 2005. Overall I have no complaints except for the battery life. I have had five replacements since I bought the IPOD mini earlier this year. The batter slowly looses charge incrementally, so by 2.5 months the batter time is down from its best of 4.5 hours down to 30 minutes. When I brought the IPOD mini back to an APPLE STORE at the Genius Bar, I was told I was using the IPOD mini incorrectly, that it had to be my computer, which I bought in January 2005 (DELL), or it is my outlet socket, or that I am not following instructions. The deal is this, they know that they have a defective product with IPOD mini with a 8 hour battery life, when I bought it they never told me that the upgraded IPOD mini was to be marketing very shortly with an 18 hour battery life. In any event, they replaced the battery depleted IPODS, with refurbished IPOD minis that had the exact same problem and stated, and they clearly stated that there is no problems with the battery life. My question is why do they have such a huge stock of refurbished replacement IPOD mini units, if there is no problem. One replacement was a complete disaster, the wheel did not work, it was broken although it had been refurbished. So yesterday I went back for unit number six, as its battery has died over 6 weeks this time. Well IPOD minis are no longer being sold as new by Apple, they have replaced with IPOD nano, etc, etc this month. Poor folks who bought they IPOD mini last month and have defective battery problems also. In any event, they replaced my IPOD mini again yesterday with a IPOD mini with a battery life of 18 hours, because they are no longer selling them. So far, the battery life is much improved with the first trial with the 18 hour battery - but I cannot speak for 1 week to six months. SO BEWARE if you are going to spend money on a new or refurbished IPOD mini, THINK TWICE, THREE TIMES, FOUR TIMES, and how ever long it takes to give up on this foolish idea. I cannot speak for the newest IPODs - nano, photo, etc. But I am sure the batter problem continues. There is no way to get the battery out yourself and replace it. There are other brands of MP3s with replaceable batteries, you open the case, by a new battery for around $45 dollars, replace the battery and go on into the night with an MP3 player that works. Apple please design units with replaceable batteries, and top lying to your customers. Also there has been a class action suite filed against Apple whichshe lost, because of defective batter problems, and overclaims of battery longevity on early IPOD versions, that supposedly preceded the IPOD minis.
On: 2005-10-09
I just got one for my birthday. its awesome. now i know why so many people love this thing so much
1) Its beautiful to look at.
2) It feels great on your palm and the User Interface is easy
3) Apple iTunes couldnt be easier to download music from and paying ONE DOLLAR / song instead of buying a whole with a load of crappy songs in them
4) Apple ipod is like an extra hard disk that you carry with you and you can store anything you want.
5) 4GB is more than enough for any average non-geek
6) The backlight is pretty nice
7) The earphones provided are pretty good quality, although you could always buy more expensive ones at a retail
APPLE rocks this planet with aesthetics in technology design. looks DO matter in this world we live in :))
On: 2005-10-09
ipod minis are really neat and cute. theyre also small and fit in my pocket, as well as being relatively lightweight. i like the way they come in a variety of colors because it makes them much more interesting than if they were just plain white. the sound quality is decent and i can hear my music just fine, even when the volume is turned down. i like the way im able to organize my songs and create different playlists made up of certain songs. its very costly to purchase songs from itunes, though, and the battery life could be better. mine is the older version and is meant to have a battery life of 8 hours. i skip around a lot and battery life for me is more like 4 or 5 hours. overall, the ipod mini is a decent mp3 player, if thats what you would call it.
On: 2005-10-09
I treated myself to the IPOD mini and have had ot for about a week.
I LOVE IT!!
It is a great compact size. Holds a great amount of music.
Shuffle feature is probably my fav!
The only minor negative
the earbuds are a bit annoying at times, they want to fall out easily. Thre earbud foam covers as well. One set was lost in a few days.
I use this everyday and can take it anywhere!!!
On: 2005-10-04
My third generation iPod has been having some problems with playing audiobooks lately, so I requisitioned an iPod Mini that has been sitting around neglected in my dads office (with his permission, of course).
I never even came close to filling up all 20GB of my iPod, so the space constraints of the Mini are no problem at all. In fact, all I ever really keep on my MP3 player is whatever audiobook I happen to be listening to, unless Im going on a long trip or something. On to my impressions:
This little gizmo is tiny! I dont know why that makes me like it so much more, but Im sure were all subconsciously aware that small equals cute. That, coupled with the nice silver cyberpunk finish, simply delights my aesthetic senses. For some reason, just having it in my pocket is a nice feeling. Oh, and the click wheel! Since Im used to the 3G iPod, it comes across as marvelously innovative.
Sure, the same criticisms that have been leveled against the iPod can be leveled here. Mainly, the short battery life and the non-user replaceable battery. Features like an FM tuner are also missing, but I dont particularly care about listening to the radio when I can be my own DJ.
On: 2005-09-29
When it works, it works great, but Ive had to restore the software three times since I received it for my birthday two months ago. And I dont use it very often, because Ive had nothing but problems with it from Day 1.
I had trouble installing the software originally (went through that annoying "Do not disconnect" Catch-22). Then I had trouble keeping the battery charged, even though I rarely use it! Today was the last straw: I plugged it in to download my latest purchases and was told to "update it." When I tried to update it, I got a "disk write error" message. Then I completely lost the ipod option on my itunes menu. I had to shut down my computer just to disconnect. Then when I turned on the ipod, I received that lovely folder with the exlamation point error message. So I went back online, followed all the help information offered on the ipod website, and finally got the dang thing to connect enough to get the "need to install and update" message again. Of course, once it initialized for the "update," the only option it would allow me to use was the restore one that wipes off everything! Then it tells me it couldnt even do that, due to another "disk write error"! What a lovely piece of dog-poo.
It turns out it did clear everything off, and Ive reloaded all my music, etc., but the next time this happens, Im calling Apple and demanding my money back. (I know, consider me delusional.)
I know I probably got the only "lemon" out there, but I could not possibly, in good conscience, recommend this thing. At least I can listen to the itunes music on my computer, which has much better sound anyway!
On: 2005-09-10
People choosing iPod mini mainly because of its smaller size compared to the regular iPod. If you are planning to buy an iPod and choose iPod mini because its size, you may want to reconsider it.
The newest member of iPod family will be released to the market soon. It is iPod nano. It comes with two color, black and white. You will be surprised by its size! Yes, it is smaller than iPod mini! It is very slim, comes with color screen, and sexier design. The iPod nano will be available in 2GB or 4GB size.
Although its price is a little bit higher than the reduced price of iPod mini, there are some features that you would not find in iPod mini; completely free-skip feature. Because of its flash memory based storage media, it is not affected by movement. You can wear the iPod nano on your arm or just use it as a necklace.
There are lots of reasons for you to choose iPod nano and I cannot write it down here. I will write them down on the iPod nano review. So, will you consider iPod nano?
* You wouldnt find green iPod nano. So, if you are choosing iPod mini because of its color, you may stick at your choice.
On: 2005-08-09
I consider myself to be fairly electronically inclined. I can read directions with the best of them. But this? The iPod mini? Man it gave me the blues. I bought it on Sunday at 1PM, by 3PM I was still goofin around with it, by 4PM I decided to take it back to the store, at 7PM I let my husband take a stab at it he finally figured it out after about an hour+, but by then I was through. I returned it to the store on Monday afternoon.
So whats the problem? The instructions are not very clear. The icons that are supposed to show up on your computer screen once you have downloaded the iTunes software, may not always show up, and you cant figure out why. I have about 1500 songs on my computer, at this time I only wanted to download about lets say 200 of them. But the iTunes program took in all 1000+ songs and put a check mark next to each of them as if I wanted to download them all onto the iPod. I had to individually "un-check" over 1000 song titles in order to deliniate between those that I wanted and those that I did not want. There needs to be a "check-all" button and an easy way to undo it.
Also, I was not real thrilled with the actual buttons on the iPod, I suppose with time I could have gotten used to them, but they were just too touchy, although there is a hold button so you cannot inadvertantly push the buttons.
I think that for the money they could have also put in an FM tuner.
Bottom line is I needed something more rugged that is quick and easy to download, light for when I am running and working out. I had a Rio Sport a few years ago, it got stolen, Ill be buying a new one. The iPod is not for me.
On: 2005-08-08
I consider myself to be fairly electronically inclined. I can read directions with the best of them. But this? The iPod mini? Man it gave me the blues. I bought it on Sunday at 1PM, by 3PM I was still goofin around with it, by 4PM I decided to take it back to the store, at 7PM I let my husband take a stab at it he finally figured it out after about an hour+, but by then I was through. I returned it to the store on Monday afternoon.
So whats the problem? The instructions are not very clear. The icons that are supposed to show up on your computer screen once you have downloaded the iTunes software, may not always show up, and you cant figure out why. I have about 1500 songs on my computer, at this time I only wanted to download about lets say 200 of them. But the iTunes program took in all 1000+ songs and put a check mark next to each of them as if I wanted to download them all onto the iPod. I had to individually "un-check" over 1000 song titles in order to deliniate between those that I wanted and those that I did not want. There needs to be a "check-all" button and an easy way to undo it.
Also, I was not real thrilled with the actual buttons on the iPod, I suppose with time I could have gotten used to them, but they were just too touchy, although there is a hold button so you cannot inadvertantly push the buttons.
I think that for the money they could have also put in an FM tuner.
Bottom line is I needed something more rugged that is quick and easy to download, light for when I am running and working out. I had a Rio Sport a few years ago, it got stolen, Ill be buying a new one. The iPod is not for me.
On: 2005-08-02
My fiance bought me the iPod shuffle for my birthday. We tried it on THREE different computers and it didnt work on ANY of them! So, we tried to return it and bought an iPod Mini. What a mistake! Within the first couple of hours the screens contrast went to nothing-- and we even had it on the darkest setting. Then, the next morning the screen decided to be visable again. BUT, on the fourth day, the thing just froze! I couldnt turn it off or anything! So, it made me feel like those days back in college when I had to use Apple computers and the disk drive would freeze. They never had a disk drive eject button. Why does Apple do this stuff-- doesnt make sense. So, this one is going right back to the store. I would like a digital player, but just wont buy an Apple one again.
On: 2005-07-12
The biggest choice youll have to wrestle with is size. Not the 3.6 inches long, or 3.6 ounces it weighs... rather the storage size. This model is 4GB - which will hold approx 1000 songs. The 20GB might be overkill, but its fun to think about the possibilities. The Apple iPOD is easy to use - easy to add songs in, take songs out. The battery charge lasts approx 8 hours; takes 3-4 hours to fully charge again (80% charged in 2 hours I read). Unit comes with earbud headphones (delivering excellent full-bodied crisp sound), a belt clip, AC adaptor, as well as the hook up for your PC. Capable of playing MP3s. Very customizable: main menu features; playlists; shuffle songs or albums; repeat functions; alarms and sleep timers; 20 different equalizer settings; displays (date/time/etc); sound checks; etc. The size is amazing - the mini fits in my pocket with my cell phone and I almost dont notice it. In the dark, the display reads nicely. Only bad comment is that during the daylight hours, I wish the LED backlight was brighter. Max operating altitude is approx 10,000 feet (the thin air definitely effects the playback - found this out on our last Colorado vacation in the mountains). Overall an outstanding iPOD/MP3 player. Available in several colors (blue/gold/silver/pink/green). Apple still makes the best unit in 2005 and everyone and their brother is now trying to copy them. Toughest choice youll have to make is whether to get the 1GB (250 songs), 4GB (1000 songs), or 20GB (5000 songs). Stick with Apple and you wont go wrong. Great unit!
On: 2005-06-23
I bought a crappy mp3 player ages ago (somewhere around 40 dollars) my brother gave me his daily planner that could play mp3s.
Frankly I was tired of the both of them running out of battery power in less than 4 hours.
So today I ran into the store and decided to check out the ipods. I saw this beauty for $195 and thought "Why not"
I am most throughly impressed. My other mp3 players could not get even near as loud as this one (I like blasting my ears). The headphones that came with it, while deceptive looking, are actually very good.
I was completely startled by the great sound quality, and how loud this little machine can get.
The touch interface is gorgeous, it responds to nary a touch. No more fumbling around to get to the next song or change the volume!
On: 2005-06-21
Seriously Apple!!!
My iPod fell of my computer table in a protective case and when i listen to music ON FULL VOLUME it has scratches and you can hardly hear the music!!! Save TIME and MONEY and buy something else!!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-05-22
The iPod Mini is great! The sound quality is excellent, the colors are bright and fun, and you can store up to 1,000 songs easily and on the go!!!!!! I love it!
On: 2005-05-21
The iPod Mini is great! The sound quality is excellent, the colors are bright and fun, and you can store up to 1,000 songs easily and on the go!!!!!! I love it!
On: 2005-05-13
Generally speaking, the mini ipod is great. Im not an apple user, so I was hesitant to purchase it. Plus, the price is nothing to laugh at. Its very durable, and the user interface is pretty cool and easy. If your thinking of buying the 4 gig, I recommend springing for the extra cash to get the 6 gig. The ipod can hold a lot of songs, but mine is already full (4 gigs). Youll be wishing you had more space like I do.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Small/compact
- Easy to install (some people had problems, but my install was easy)
Cons:
- You HAVE to use itunes (which comes with it) for this to work. Not a big deal. But I was so used to Windows Media 10, I thought I wouldnt like it, but itunes makes things pretty easy. It will automatically catalog and convert songs if you want it to.
- There arent many other worthy competitors out there right now, so if you want lots of storage with a simple sleek design, ipod is the way to go.
- The sound quality has something to desire. With all the hype and the price, I was expecting a brilliant sound system. Ive tried different earphones, but the sound is a bit tinny (metallic, harsh on the high end). This can suck when you crank it up and your ears are shattered by the high-end. The ipod does offer some preset EQs, but they shouldve offered a band EQ for those of us who really want to fine-tune things.
- The navigation wheel takes some time and skill to get used to. Its definitely designed for the nibble-fingered, and not for big chunky hands. So, youll get used to it and get the feel of how to make this baby sing.
- TERRIBLE stock earphones that come with it. Throw those out and buy some new ones right away.
Overall, I recommend, but be prepared to spend some money on the ipod itself, and another small investment in some quality earphones. I hope future models will include a detailed manual band EQ. That will then make this an ideal product.
On: 2005-05-08
The next big (little?) thing to take the world by storm is the Ipod Mini. Im not sure what it is about small electronic devices that puts a giant smile on everyones face, but this one definitely gets the job done. As soon as I heard about it, I knew that it would eventually be mine. A few days later I found myself standing in the store with a new blue Mini in my hand, ready to be paid for.
The Mini is great for people who need to move around a lot at work and cant stand near an outlet all day, just clip it onto your pants and crank the volume. Chances are, you wont even notice that its there due to the almost non-existent weight of the thing.
My one gripe about the Mini would have to be the earbuds. They tend to hurt my ears after only a short amount of time with them in. However, Im thinking the fit of them might just take a while to get used to since I stop feeling the pain after a certain period of listening. Then again, maybe my ears had just gone numb by then.
After all is said and done, the Ipod Mini is an amazing product that will hold your attention for countless hours. It becomes addicting very quickly, especially when you take notice of all the skins and other accessories out there for it. I think even moreso than loving minimalistic gadgets, people really love add-ons. Its an obsession.. why else would The Sims exist?
On: 2005-05-07
Im glad I waited to get my iPod Mini cause the newer version of the 4GB is the best investment I have made. The Mini is compact enough to wear on your pants pocket or belt without much thought to it being there.
It has many uses, it can be used as an alarm, to hold contacts, important dates and so on...I was very impressed and not to forget it holds music too! I will probally not have more than 500 song on it but Im glad I made the purchase I used it at work for the first time today and my ears did not hurt to much after 6 hours of constant wearing (make sure you used the ear pads included!).
Accessories:
Grab a dock and iPod case (I like the Belkin Pink case), thats about all you need!
Battery:
Make sure you go to Apples website and check out the info on battery life and the to dos and not to dos it will truly help you and the life of your battery.
Warranty:
I purchased mine at Best Buy and my advice is to go with their 3 year warranty cause they can replace your battery in store without having to wait 6-8 weeks for AppleCare to get back to you and Apples cost twice as much as Best Buys. Trust me it will be worth it!
Enjoy!
On: 2005-05-03
I received the 4gb iPod mini as a Christmas gift, and I must say I was ecstatic to get it. Shortly after, however, I started noticing problems with it. On certain songs it would play about 10 seconds into and then either freeze or pause and then skip to the next song. At first this was only a minor irritation, but it soon grew into a nuisance. It turns out Apple had sent me an iPod with a corrupt hard drive (which from what I understood from online forums and the tech support at the apple store is not a uncommon occurance). I was rather impressed with the speed at which they replaced it (especially since mine is a personalized one and I wanted to keep the personalization). I have recently encountered a new problem: the display is broken. It is, for the most part, blank (as if the iPod was turned off), when it is on and even playing music. This is most frustrating as it makes it very difficult to select the music I want to listen to. What makes it even more difficult is that the best way to get the display to turn on is to push the menu button (making attempts to select music even more frustrating as its sets me back a step). I have not yet visited the apple store in regards to this problem, but I will be incredibly irrate if they do not replace it, as I have done nothing to it to warrant such a malfunction. (I have also tried reformatting it and resetting it) Now dont get me wrong--the iPod is a very addictive device. Unfortunately it is this very quality that makes it difficult to live without it during repairs.
Apple also has horrendous tech support; the only way to get any useful information (i.e. anything besides make sure the hold button is not on if the it is not turning on) is to go to the apple store (an hour drive for me). Apple also charges 50 dollars for a call to their phone support after 90 days from the purchase. They do offer a support package (I believe it extends the warranty and gives you free phone support) but it costs somewhere around 70 bucks. Apple can also charge up to a 100 dollar diagnostic fee for iPods sent in for repairs that are not covered under warranty. I do not know if they would actually charge someone that, but I do no have enough money to risk it. I am then left with only the option of driving to the apple store, which is rather frustrating.
In conclusion, the iPod is a wonderful product--when it works. I also think that if Apple is content to sell such a shoddily constructed product, they should make their tech support a lot better. I would reccomend that anyone who is interested in purchasing a large capacity mp3 player look to other similar devices by other companies (i.e. dell).
On: 2005-05-01
I adore my iPod! I update it and charge it every day and Ive become so protective of it that Im ashamed.
The sound quality is stunning- the iTunes that it comes with manages to improve upon the digital music files. The touch wheel will keep you amused for hours. Plus, it comes with a calendar, a contacts list, and four games (solitaire, javanoid, a quiz on your own music, and "parachute"), as well as an alarm clock and sleep feature that I use every night.
If you are hesitant because of the amount of songs it holds- "only" 1000, let me tell you that I have had my iPod for almost 8 months now and Ive only filled it halfway. If you are a HUGE music buff, you MIGHT exceed the 4 GB limit, but I have a friend who is forever downloading music and has over 30 CDs, and she still hasnt reached 1000 songs. The color never fades or scratches off, and now laser engraving is free on the Apple site. (Buy it there- its totally worth it!)
On: 2005-04-25
I recieved the ipod mini as a Christmas gift from my parents and have really enjoyed it. I am in the process of preparing for a spring musical program and decided to try using the ipod mini instead of the cds. With a little rigging (running the ipod mini through an inexpensive wireless karoke mic) I can move around the cafeteria as we rehearse on stage. I am no longer having to run back to the stereo to stop the music to fix a problem which allows me to better hear the students from all areas of the cafeteria for sound and balance. I have complete control over songs and volume and am very mobile with the ipod mini on the armband. I also like the fact that the song titles are on the ipod mini so I do not have to worry about accidentally playing the wrong track. It is also a good way to introduce technology to elementary students as they all are curious about the box strapped to my arm. The only problem is that when I am driving my car and listening to the songs on shuffle as I like to do, these songs pop up and they are not quite what I want to hear on the weekends and afterschool but I can bear with it for a few weeks then the program songs will be removed. Ideally it would be good to have one for home and one for work as I am really seeing posabilities in the classroom and the best part is that I no longer have to haul my boombox from my classroom to the cafeteria and back everyday. Everything is on my arm. I just unplug and go. Plus, it would be nice to have all of my CDs in one place in order to save time, as I said all sorts of possabilites for classroom use. The sound is great too, I hear things in songs Ive never heard before.
On: 2005-04-23
Ive seen some bad reviews on here, none of which the Ipod Mini deserves. I got mine for christmas (6 months ago) and it hasent broken since, ive even dropped it a few times with no case! I take mine everywhere. Everything about it is perfect, i love it, everybody should own one.
On: 2005-04-23
I got an iPod Mini a few motnhs ago and loved it from day one. The best part about it is obviously its whopping 4GB of memory, and the slim, sleek design. The screen is also very easy to read, and ClickWheel navigation is also very simple. Heres a short overview of my opinions:
PROS:
- sleek design
- lots of memory
- you can put lrics on your iPod and read them on your iPod screen
- worth the money
- make your friends jealous
CONS (a surprisingly large amount):
- poor battery performance. the box says that it can go for 18 hours on a single charge, but they really mean about 5 hours if youre lucky
- annoying iTunes is the only way to put songs on - not the simple click and drag method i used for my previous mp3 player
- cant delete songs directly on the iPod - have to connect to your computer and sync it
- VERY DIFFICULT to install software onto Windows computers
but overall, iPods are really cool!
On: 2005-04-20
I love my ipod, there are only a few things I didnt like. I had to re-install the software because the first time it didnt go right and itunes couldnt recognize my ipod.. no problem.. un-installed, re-installed, that time it went fine.. so it took some time for all this but its ok because the manual said to charge it for 4 hours anyway.. it is easy to organize my songs on itunes, i have several playlists so it makes choosing songs on the ipod simple. the earbud quality is ok, not fond of them because they can fall out easily. the wheel is very sensitive and i accidently turned up the volume too loud, gave myself a shock! so I learned to use the lock feature so that wouldnt happen. love the smal size and easy to use, you can get lots of accesories for it. ive used it for 3 days now and still am halfway through the battery life bar. I like not having to eat through so many batteries. thumbs up!!
On: 2005-04-16
Like most people, I saw the ads and wanted an iPod mini, too. I liked the design, controls, and size. Then I did a little research, and Im really glad I didnt rush out and buy one like I wanted to. Something none of the commercials tell you is about having to have an iTunes account and pay for the music you put on your iPod mini.
Second, iPod has that battery that you cant remove... when your battery goes dead and you need to replace it (as rechargeable batteries do from time to time, such as in your cell phone or cordless home phone) guess what? You have to go to an Apple store to get them to fix it. Ugh.
So while it may look cute and come in those nice colors, iPod is not the machine for me.
On: 2005-04-16
My ipod broke 2 times! 2 different ways, the 1st time there was a technical problem, i had 2 drive all the way 2 the only mall i know of that has an apple store (30 minute drive, an hr together). May i remind u, this happened 2 times. Now the second time it broke, it was my fault, i dropped it, but it should be durable enough for that. I love my ipod completely, and have since the day i bought it, but i am gonna take a hammer and smash it 2 pieces if i have 2 returned 1 more time. So i dont recommend this product to clumsy people, teenagers who arent very sharp, and people with short fuses. And 2 ppl who already have 1 and are having problems, go 2 the support website. The website was SO helpful, and i promise SOME ONE has had the same problem, and will help with the problem. so good luck 2 some, beware 2 others.
On: 2005-04-15
Like most people, I saw the ads and wanted an iPod mini, too. I liked the design, controls, and size. Then I did a little research, and Im really glad I didnt rush out and buy one like I wanted to. Something none of the commercials tell you is about having to have an iTunes account and pay for the music you put on your iPod mini.
Second, iPod has that battery that you cant remove... when your battery goes dead and you need to replace it (as rechargeable batteries do from time to time, such as in your cell phone or cordless home phone) guess what? You have to go to an Apple store to get them to fix it. Ugh.
So while it may look cute and come in those nice colors, iPod is not the machine for me.
On: 2005-04-15
I overall love my ipod! The only problem is the rechargable battery when it goes dead cannot be replace with out sending it to the factory and me having to pay for the ipod again because they have to take it apart. Ipods are a rip off, dont buy on, by a better iRiver or something! Ill check back if something changes!
On: 2005-04-15
I got my mini recently and LOVE IT!! Ive had it playing at work now for 2 days straight and havent had to recharge it. So far it is on hour 12!! The sound quality is great and I love the controls. I would recomend this to anyone.
Before I got my I was anticipating its arrival so I downloaded Itunes and put all my songs in there, so when my ipod finally arrived all I had to do was connect it and it downloaded all 625 songs in a matter of minutes. I did let it charge overnight before using so maybe this helps with the battery.
On: 2005-04-14
The ipod mini is by far the best ipod of them all, the best mp3 player out there, actually! The ipods sleek metalic look is much better, I think, than the other ipods. The 4 gig hard drive is also enough for most peoples music, and with the new 6 gig, thats plenty.
For me, the best features are:
Great Interface
Great sound
Click wheel
Fast download to ipod
As with all products, there are the complaints. I have one: The earphones (though they have great sound) SUCK. They really hurt my ears, and I dont know about other people, but that gets annoying! I can keep them in my ears for a few minutes until they just really hurt. Now you may notice that I put 5 stars, what I really mean though, is a high 4. If it werent for the headphones, it would be a high 5!
I recommend the ipod to anyone and everyone who wants lots of music on the go.
On: 2005-04-12
Well, I finally gave in and bought an iPod. I decided to go with the mini because its 100 dollars cheaper than the cheapest regular iPod and its nice and small. So far Ive been very impressed, the sound is great even through the little ear bud things. Very easy to navigate. I also think the mini is better constructed than the regular ipods, I prefer the aluminum construction, it doesnt show every little scratch like the shiny plastic and its durable. I also like the longer battery life of the mini. Setup was fine, Im using Windows XP, a little bit of confusion because of the need to format the ipod for windows use, but overall it went well. As long as you follow the instructions, you should be fine. Battery life is nice and long, no problem. The only issue, not a big one, is that the touch wheel takes a little bit of getting used to, sometimes it seems a tad too sensitive. Make sure your hands are clean when using it, it works best with clean dry hands. Ill check back in a few months to report if everything is still good. Overall I think its an excellent product and a pretty good deal for $199.00.
On: 2005-04-12
Ive only had my iPod for a few days, but so far its great. The sound is wonderful and the interface is easy to use. The touch wheel is a bit sensitive... I nearly rendered myself hearing impaired after accidentally turning the volume way up. I primarily use it at the gym and its nice and light. When Im running, I can use the clip it comes with to clip it to the machine, otherwise, I can clip it onto my shorts and it doesnt bother me at all.
I had some problems installing, however. Im using windows XP and the cd that came with the ipod didnt have the most current software for formatting the ipod, whereas I had the newest version of iTunes already on my computer. After downloading the newest software updates, everything worked just fine.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-04-10
For all you people out there wondering about Ipod, You should get one. There really great for people always on the go like me. I was hopeing for a 20 gig Ipod but parents said it was pointless. But there is a huge problem with the battery life. It says that it is 8 hours but my was slashed in half. Tested it only 4 hours until it died. Sucks. But hey I might just get the normal Ipod for my birthday. The thing is really portable so thats awesome.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-04-10
One thing that everyone hears is that when you first get the ipod you have to charge at least four hours. Wrong. If you buy it at amazon, then yes, its true. But i bought one at circut city and when i opened the box and turned it on, it was fully charged. The sound is good depending on what type of earphones you are using. The earphones that came with the ipod have great sound, but after 5 days of having them, my left earphone no longer works. The menu is easy to navagate and easy to read. The touch wheel on the mini is not as easy to use as it is on the 10, 15, 20, and 40 gb ipods. The complaint almost everone has is that their ipod locks up (freezes) too often. It only does that is you push a button twice really fast by accident or if you make a weird movement on the touch wheel. I can swear that they said that the ipod has 8 hours of battery life, it seems like mine gets about 6. The color of the mini seems to fade away if you use it as much as i do. The ipod dock is cool but its not worth the money, and i suggest you get some type of case for your mini.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-04-09
I learned the hard way about the bogus "get-a-free-iPod" deals that are continually being posted here!
Just say no! After signing up, I received 500+ spams and a dozen telemarketing calls in less than 24 hours. What a nightmare.
I guess the saying "you cant get something for nothing" is an old chestnut for a reason.
iPod minis are great gadgets. Its too bad (...) are using them for bait.
On: 2005-04-08
Just bought mine here on Amazon - tried to install the iTunes software on my Dell XP system - got an error message "cannot find or create required iTunes folder in My Music. Called Apple support, after discussins with two tech support folks, answer was "windows problem". Have to return to Amazon.
On: 2005-04-08
This is my first MP3 player and Im in love. I-Tunes is very user friendly and I was able to copy the majority of my favorite cds into i-tunes with no problems. I was amazed that it only took about 30 minutes to transfer about 300 songs to my ipod.
I ended up buying the dock and the Logic3 stereo speakers, but found that the charging dock was a waste of money. I use the Logic3 (which has incredible sound output for something so compact)at work, but it also does double duty as a charger.
The only problem I have is that i-tunes doesnt recognize my ipod as soon as I connect it to my computer. It usually takes me tinkering with the program software before it responds.
Overall, Im very happy with the features and I show it off everytime someone stops by my desk.
On: 2005-04-08
I learned the hard way about the bogus "get-a-free-iPod" deals that are continually being posted here!
Just say no! After signing up, I received 500+ spams and a dozen telemarketing calls in less than 24 hours. What a nightmare.
I guess the saying "you cant get something for nothing" is an old chestnut for a reason.
iPod minis are great gadgets. Its too bad (...) are using them for bait.
On: 2005-04-07
Things that are good about it:
1. Good sound quality
2. Good organization with your music catalog
3. Right size to run/work out with.
Things that make it not worth the hassle:
1. Have to use Itunes to upload songs. Other music software wont work. Itunes also is expensive to buy songs.
2. Battery life is reported to be 8 hours, but Ive found it to be more like 4 hours. Plus, the battery drains while the Ipod Mine is in standby when youre not using it.
3. Less than 2 months owning and using the Ipod Mini, my harddrive crashed.
- 1st call to Technical Support gave me local service centers to go to, but when I talked to them they said theyd only work on it if I had bought it from them.
- 2nd call to Technical Support said they would allow me to return it to them for free repair but theyd charge me $30 for shipping. Also tried to upsell me the service plan for $50 instead.
- 2nd Call Part two: Transferred to Customer Relations who said, no charge for shipping actually, and recommended I do all the service requests online. (Good to know). Apple Wouldnt refund the product because I bought it from Amazon.com. And Amazon.com wont accept it for a refund unless its within 30 days of purchase (nevermind the fact that it took 10 days to get here after i bought it). Either way, Im stuck with it. Just hope they can fix it the first time.
by: ladyvalour On: 2005-04-06
I received my iPod Mini just days ago, and am already hooked on it. Since Im a Mac user setting up the iPod and getting it running is as easy as 1-2-3. Ive easily loaded my favorite songs from over 30 different CDs. Im amazed at the sound quality it delivers. My only complaint is:
1. The unit does not come with earphones, which seems like buying a car without a steering wheel.
If youre a pseudo techie youve gotta got an iPod. Make mine green!
On: 2005-04-05
I received my iPod Mini just days ago, and am already hooked on it. Since Im a Mac user setting up the iPod and getting it running is as easy as 1-2-3. Ive easily loaded my favorite songs from over 30 different CDs. Im amazed at the sound quality it delivers. My only complaint is:
1. The unit does not come with earphones, which seems like buying a car without a steering wheel.
If youre a pseudo techie youve gotta got an iPod. Make mine green!
by: Anonymous On: 2005-04-04
This is the coolest little thing!its worth the money my dad paid for it. i admit it im not very fond of the color pink but i got used to it when my dad bought it everyone who lives at my house has one except for my mom. not i jus gotta get a iPod Shuffle!
On: 2005-04-04
My latest technology acquisition is the 4GB iPod mini, which arrived a few weeks ago. Ive transferred a whole bunch of music (good stuff, and a few guilty pleasures) onto it already, and its already seen good use: its helped me get to sleep many times when I was feeling not so well, or could just not relax. I ordered it just after the prices dropped, holding off thanks to a tip from one of my co-workers, who heard through the rumor mill that a move by Apple was afoot.
Ive been traveling a lot, and I figure this was a much more compact way of transporting music for the next time I go on the road. I knew the iPod mini was small, but I wasnt really expecting it to be as small as it is. Hopefully, there are no issues, and it turns out to be a good investment!
Some practical stuff: my order arrived promtly. The device is easy to use, and interfaces easily with iTunes for Windows. Ive not tested the battery limits yet, but the limits appear to be much greater than 8 hours, so I suspect the 18 hours advertised is possibly quite true. Im glad I paid the extra money over the iPod Shuffle, as I cant see having such a device without a display.
On: 2005-04-01
I am very disappointed with the product manufacturing quality as well as Apples customer service for iPOD MINI. I purchased the MINI less than 3 months ago. Whithin three months, the central area of the LCD blacked out. When product was returned to Apple for service, Apple insisted customer cracked the LCD, and refused to service the product that carries 1 year warranty. The unit wasnt ever dropped on the floor, or compressed in unusual manner, but Apple described the issue as "abusive use". To me, it is a toal rip-off for a product short-lived within 3 months. An expensive product with sleek look, but poor manufacturing quality. Apples "customer relationship" department worths visting, when you want all the BS, and excuses to shut you off. I hope there is good product out there to replace it soon.
On: 2005-03-31
I am very disappointed with the product manufacturing quality as well as Apples customer service for iPOD MINI. I purchased the MINI less than 3 months ago. Whithin three months, the central area of the LCD blacked out. When product was returned to Apple for service, Apple insisted customer cracked the LCD, and refused to service the product that carries 1 year warranty. The unit wasnt ever dropped on the floor, or compressed in unusual manner, but Apple described the issue as "abusive use". To me, it is a toal rip-off for a product short-lived within 3 months. An expensive product with sleek look, but poor manufacturing quality. Apples "customer relationship" department worths visting, when you want all the BS, and excuses to shut you off. I hope there is good product out there to replace it soon.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-03-28
I have a silver mini iPod and I think it is the best. You can download a lot of song if you are a person like me. The Pepsi music also helps you save $ on iTunes. If you buy the iTrip (see apple website) beware because if you add more radio frequencys then it takes up space.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-03-28
Lets face it, you cant get something for nothing!
The San Francisco Chronicle recently exposed the real story behind the so-called "offers" that are continually being posted here.
Do a search on Google or on sfgate.com for "iPod not really free David Lazarus" and you will see what the con artists running these programs are really up to.
In a nutshell, its just another way for spammers and other sleazy people to steal your personal information.
On: 2005-03-25
Well, I got the ipod mini for Christmas, and for the first 3 months, everything went smoothly. However, I dropped it on a wood floor (the first time Ive dropped it), and the screen broke completely! So now, its useless. Blehhg.
On: 2005-03-24
Well, I got the ipod mini for Christmas, and for the first 3 months, everything went smoothly. However, I dropped it on a wood floor (the first time Ive dropped it), and the screen broke completely! So now, its useless. Blehhg.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-03-24
Dont get sucked in by the "get it free" scams in the fake reviews posted here. Spammers are just harvesting email addresses for their ridiculous products.
Think about it for a moment. How can somebody afford to give away expensive gadgets just for signing up for some trial offers? Answer: they cant!
The San Francisco Chronicle confirms says these offers are bogus. Search sfgate.com or Google for "David Lazarus Free iPod not really" and youll see what the jokers running these programs are really doing.
On: 2005-03-23
Dont get sucked in by the "get it free" scams in the fake reviews posted here. Spammers are just harvesting email addresses for their ridiculous products.
Think about it for a moment. How can somebody afford to give away expensive gadgets just for signing up for some trial offers? Answer: they cant!
The San Francisco Chronicle confirms says these offers are bogus. Search sfgate.com or Google for "David Lazarus Free iPod not really" and youll see what the jokers running these programs are really doing.
On: 2005-03-22
I got my green mini through cingular rewards. I work for Cingular and get points for sales, etc. The mini was 9,196 points. Well worth it. Some people have said theirs locked up on them. Mine has been great. Its one of the few things ive gotten in recent years that wasnt made shoddy and just a piece of junk. The finish looks really nice, the belt clip holds it very sturdy, its so easy to use, and it sounds great. Ive bought a couple different headsets for them and found the sony pair the best (I have no idea what model they are. They just sound great.) Ive put 716 songs on it so far (about 60 cds) and sometimes wish I had more room. I have over 2000 cds. But then id just be loading it up and not listening to most of the stuff on it. With only 4 gigs of space, it gives me plenty of music but makes me erase some stuff every now and then to put something new on it. Its not annoying in the least simply cuz I love to play with the thing.
Some advice for anyone just getting the mini: If you start to import a cd, sometimes youll get a very irritating click at the beginning of track one. Ive noticed if you just play the cd for about 2 seconds BEFORE you import a song, it wont put the click. Im guessing its because the disk is already spinning at full speed when you begin importing, rather than it having to spin it and then begin. Its worked perfectly for me so far.
Anyway, I love this thing and constantly recommend it to all my friends. Im definately getting another one (pink) for my fiance.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-03-22
Dont fall for the "get an iPod for free" scams in the fake "reviews" posted here. Its spammers harvesting email addresses for their ridiculous products.
Think about it for a moment. How can somebody afford to give away $250+ gadgets just for signing up for some trial offers? Answer: they cant!
The San Francisco Chronicle also says these offers are bogus. Search sfgate.com or Google for "David Lazarus Free iPod not really" and you will see what the people running these programs are really doing.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-03-22
Dont fall for the "get an iPod for free" scams in the fake "reviews" posted here. Its spammers harvesting email addresses for their ridiculous products.
Think about it for a moment. How can somebody afford to give away $250+ gadgets just for signing up for some trial offers? Answer: they cant!
The San Francisco Chronicle also says these offers are bogus. Search sfgate.com or Google for "David Lazarus Free iPod not really" and you will see what the people running these programs are really doing.
On: 2005-03-21
As with most high-end products, youll hear both good and bad things about it, in equal quantity. I held off buying the iPod mini until the price went right down, and with that time now here, I went online and bought one right away. I chose the green one, in case youre interested. Overall, I am very pleased with it, and the pros definitely outweigh the cons.
With that in mind, here is my breakdown of my iPod experiences thus far. Keep in mind that I have had it for about one month at the time of writing this.
PROS:
- Excellent build quality and durability. It is almost like Murphys Law with me, that the most expensive gadgets I buy will always be the first to get dropped. I have dinged my iPod around, and it has sustained absolutely no damage. The nice finish doesnt attract smudges and fingerprints like the regular iPods do, and the tactile quality of the click wheel (much better than on previous models) is excellent.
- The sound quality is excellent, and I have compared it against many other jukebox MP3 players, as well as many flash-based ones.
- The iPod and iTunes supports AAC, which offers good compression of your songs without the sound quality suffering.
- 4 GB may not be on par with the 40 GB model, but I found it to be all that I need, and I am a big music collector. I have no need to take ALL of my music with me.
- The iTunes software is much better than Windows Media Player or the proprietary, copyright-protected nightmare that is Sonys burning software. Importing and transferring has been relatively hassle-free. Loading songs onto your iPod is simply a matter of drag and drop.
- The "Cool Factor." This is an iPod after all.
CONS:
- The battery life. This is a common complaint, and the only real caveat I have against the iPod Mini. The player boasts "up to" 8 hours, but that is under ideal conditions. Ideal meaning that you do not use the backlight, the EQ, or skip through songs too much. On average, I get around 6 hours total...but I am a song-skipper, and I like to have the volume cranked right up.
- Make sure your thumbs are clean while using it. The white click wheel can get dirty rather easily.
- The songs will transfer super-fast over USB 2.0 or Firewire, but dont even think about doing it on a USB 1.1. Most computers dont have the aforementioned ports as a standard, so you will probably have to shell out more money for an expansion card for your PC.
- Those trademark white headphones might make you a tempting target for muggers. Use generic ones instead.
Despite the few drawbacks, I am happy with my purchase. Some other reviewers have commented on everything from bugs, skipping, to downright freezing or dying, which I have no experienced despite heavy use so far.
On: 2005-03-21
Gave me a couple of scares when the songs started skipping and it wouldnt turn on, but strangely enough when I took off the volume adjustments on the songs, they stopped skipping. And as for it not turning on, it was out of batteries, because I hadnt listened to it for a couple of days, but Ive learnt my lesson and always plug it in to the charger if its not being used. Ive also dropped the unit a few times without the skin, but apart from the little scratches, its fine.
PROS:
-very light, I put it in my pocket and I thought I lost it at the end of the day, I guess this is sort of a con.
-feels very VERY nice in your hand (small, compact)that anonized stuff around the mini feels like a nice kind of cold crisp
-sound qualitys alright its mostly the quality of the mp3 file youve gotta worry about
-decent colours, but would like to see orange replace gold
-4 GBs is more than you think, just put only your favourite songs on it, if you want to put your whole music library into it, i suggest one of the other iPod with larger capacity
-USB capabilities
CONS:
-easy to break, COUNTLESS # of ways to screw up an iPod mini
-after a while you can hear staticky noises at loud volumes
-after the first time the scroll wheel loses its aura, then it gets dirty and sometimes selects the song that comes after the song that you actually want
-the earbuds are crap, the wires can stick out and it can shock you (Ive been shocked before), its more than a con, its dangerous!
-you have to baby it if youd like to see it last more than a year
OVERALL: These things arent "hip" anymore now that everyones got one. They even stopped showing the iPod commercials on TV. Now they have the 5GB mini with the coloured font on the scroll wheelydealy. The regular 4GB is down to $199. My 5 month old mini already feels ancient. I say buy one if you want, the pros and cons cancel each other.
by: Anonymous On: 2005-03-21
I just got my silver iPod Mini yesterday at Circuit City. I wanted one so bad, after seeing my brothers regular iPod work so good. One HUGE problem I had with the regular iPod, though, was the touch wheel and buttons. It just doesnt feel natural, hardly even touching something, and then it be activated. The click wheel is much better. I was about to get a 1GB iPod Shuffle, but my mom and I decided that its much smarter to get something with a screen and that can hold over 4x as much songs. It was a very good investment. I already have 12 songs on my iPod, and I already love iTunes. iTunes is very easy to install if you have a good, up-to-date computer-Mac or PC. an iPod is a huge step to the perfect iPod.....it might even be the perfect iPod - perfect price, perfect size, perfect storage size. Dont miss out on the fad and get an iPod Mini, or any iPod for that matter (they all sound pretty good to me.) P.S. You dont have to have a Shuffle to play songs randomly - you can do the same thing with other iPods.
On: 2005-03-20
I bought a green ipod mini a few months ago when it was selling at $250. I wasnt sure at first whether I wanted a mini or an ipod with more capacity, I have about 25 cds and like a ton of music. Currently I have 249 songs on my ipod and Im no where near to filling it. I figure,that by the time my music collection got bigger there would be a better music player out.
I have seen the bigger sized ipods and they are much harder to use, the buttons on them are more like indents where you sort of have to rub your finger around to get the ipod to react. With my mini ipod the click wheel is very easy to get used to and the buttons on it react instantly to your touch.
Its incredibly easy to find music on itunes, you can type in the names of the artist, album , soundtrack, song Etc. They also have lists of the top 100 songs for many categorys of music. The one problem I found with itunes was that THERE ARE NO BEATLES SONGS!, a slight problem which Im sure you can solve by talking to your parents or your parents friends. Just put the cd in your computer and it loads teh songs.
The sound gets VERY loud and the quality of it is good. Great price, buy it now
On: 2005-03-19
I had my doubts about the Mini iPod. I decided that carrying around heavy, bulky CD cases were out of the question. After Id invested in a Sony MD player I became painfully aware of the discs I had to carry around... not to mention having to remember which songs were on what disc. I had to find an easier way to carry my music around.
So I bought my iPod today... and I dont know how I ever lived without it. Everything is so organized and easy to use. I have 1500 songs at my fingertips 24 hours a day.
The only downside: It doesnt come with a charger... but it charges when hooked up to the computer by the USB cable.
Other than that its great! Its small and sturdy... and very lightweight. They come in adorable colors and have very customizable features.
On: 2005-03-19
I have had an Archos Recorder V2 for about a year now & it has been great. Recently I bought into the Apple ipod hype & got an Ipod Mini
When I say that Archos is better sounding than Apple Ipod, I know it our of experience. Unless you haveused other mp3 jukeboxes, you might think that ipod has great sound. However, there are other better sounding products out there.
Ipod for all its hype sounds flat; no bass or depth. Archos sounds fuller when playing the same songs. Ipod surelay has a great look & definitely a great interface. No doubt. Howver, at the end of the day I need a great sounding jukebox.
Although Apples Ipod looks great & is snaller in size than Archos, I care deeply about the quality of the music. And even with the best headphones & numerous tweakings, Ipod is flat. And, yes, I have tried all the EQ settings & with Seinheiser earbuds.
Serves me right for buying into the hype.
On: 2005-03-18
about 4 weeks ago the price to get this same thing (ipod mini)was $180. Now its $205. are you nuts apple makes their ipods for a little less than $30 and their selling them for $205. Its a total rip off. i would not get an ipod mini unless the price is below $150. Sure its great with all its songs and extra features but, its not worth the money. Id wait for the price to drop before you buy an ipod mini.
On: 2005-03-17
ipod mini is the best...super light, super small, great for running and biking.
On: 2005-03-13
I am in love with my iPod Mini. It really is a great investment, and is definitely worth every penny. But boy did it put a dent in my bank account. Eh, small price to pay for something so wonderful. I recommend it to everybody.
On: 2005-03-12
I am in love with my iPod Mini. It really is a great investment, and is definitely worth every penny. But boy did it put a dent in my bank account. Eh, small price to pay for something so wonderful. I recommend it to everybody.
On: 2005-03-12
First of all Id like to say how very impressed I am with amazon.com! I ordered the super saver shipping and got my i-pod via UPS the next day instead of in 10 days like it said! Unfortunately, we dont have windows XP or ME on our crappy computer so I cant even use it until we get a new one. But Im sure itll work nicely.
I just have one reccomendation for amazon-I didnt want to enter my entire credit card number over the internet, so I just entered the last 5 digits as prompted, but never got a phone number to tell them the rest of it! It was very inaccessible and very hard to find, and it drove me crazy searching for it for hours. Im sure it can be made easier-to-find.
Overall, very happy with my first order from amazon.com, and will definitely be ordering again!
On: 2005-03-11
First of all Id like to say how very impressed I am with amazon.com! I ordered the super saver shipping and got my i-pod via UPS the next day instead of in 10 days like it said! Unfortunately, we dont have windows XP or ME on our crappy computer so I cant even use it until we get a new one. But Im sure itll work nicely.
I just have one reccomendation for amazon-I didnt want to enter my entire credit card number over the internet, so I just entered the last 5 digits as prompted, but never got a phone number to tell them the rest of it! It was very inaccessible and very hard to find, and it drove me crazy searching for it for hours. Im sure it can be made easier-to-find.
Overall, very happy with my first order from amazon.com, and will definitely be ordering again!
On: 2005-03-09
I borrowed this item from a friend and used it for a cross country trip. I also got an FM modulator to plug it into my car cigarette lighter so I could hear it through my car stereo. It sounded pretty good and was great when I couldnt pick up any good radio stations.
On: 2005-03-06
Nice. Everythings great, but theres too many accessories to buy. I spent more money on accessories than the iPod mini, itself. And, now theres a 4 GB and a 6 GB starting at $199 with a longer battery life.
On: 2005-03-05
Nice. Everythings great, but theres too many accessories to buy. I spent more money on accessories than the iPod mini, itself. And, now theres a 4 GB and a 6 GB starting at $199 with a longer battery life.
On: 2005-03-05
I just got my blue ipod mini today from the apple website. It took me about 30 minutes to install all the software and register my ipod at the iTunes website. I dont plan on buying any music at the iTunes store, I just wanted to transfer my favorite songs from my vast CD collection to my ipod. The color is very rich and vibrant, it looks great and works with ease. My only gripe is that they dont give you a USB power adaptor for an electrical socket. Since they dont include one with your ipod mini, you have to charge it buy keeping it connected to your computer. Also, the computer has to be kept ON while the ipod charges. I hate having to leave my computer on for 4 hours while my ipod is charging. I recommend that you also buy a power adaptor so that you can charge your ipod from an electrical socket. I know Ill need one for when I go home, and am not able to take my computer with me.
On: 2005-03-04
I think the mini ipods are great however, I would recomment buying them from apple.com until Amazon gets the new version in stock. Its the same price if you use a student discound otherwise the price is $20 more. However then newer model has 18 hours of battery life vs. 8 and the scroll button is illuminated
On: 2005-03-03
I think the mini ipods are great however, I would recomment buying them from apple.com until Amazon gets the new version in stock. Its the same price if you use a student discound otherwise the price is $20 more. However then newer model has 18 hours of battery life vs. 8 and the scroll button is illuminated
On: 2005-03-02
I bought the mini Ipod in the Dubai Duty Free and am resident of India. The product has been a nightmare to use - Copying songs from my windows XP pc has resulted in requests getting timed out all the time. Especially for big files. And it gives a firm ware error all the time. Also service for Ipods is bad with the service centre staff being slow to respond and completely apathetic. Also I found that the problem with Windows XP is endemic and they suggested I move to a Mac. Also the service centre told me that the money back guarantee does not work in India. Itunes does not work in India either.
To make matters worse the speakers started squeaking after a couple of weeks of use. Please suggest how I can get my money back. Forget the time wasted trying to repair it!
On: 2005-03-02
And thus I fully expect it either not to appear at all, or to be swiftly deleted. But, in the hope that someone at Amazon.com will actually read this, I only wish to make a suggestion to the Amazon.com management: Would it be possible to institute a policy under which any review that contains any variant on "And heres how to get one free! Just go to [site] and sign up to do a few surveys!" would result in the account being barred from posting reviews, possibly for two to six months? Just a thought.
On: 2005-03-02
Remember that prices on this Ipod have gone down significantly because it is the old 2004 model. Spend a little more, and instead buy the newly released model, which supposedly an 18-hour battery life as opposed to the first-generations 8-hour battery life. I have the new 2nd generation Ipod Mini, which I bought this weekend, and it is terrific. I havent been able to clock the battery life, but I charged it for the first time on Saturday, and today (Tuesday evening) it is at about half of its original charge.
On: 2005-03-02
My sister bought my father an iPod. I have been setting up my fathers iPod for him, and it is easy to see why the iPod is so popular. "Ripping" CDs to your computer hard drive and transferring them to your iPod is tremendously easy, and the iPods menu is intuitive. One of the best compliments I can pay? I found my father with his eyes closed, kicking back in his easy chair, the iPod earbuds hooked up to his ears--he had the biggest smile on his face. I have found the device to be frustrating in some ways, though. First, while it is easy to transfer music TO the device, new users should be forewarned that it takes much more work to transfer music back FROM the device to your computer--and regenerate your playlists (in case, for instance, your computer hard drive crashes, or in my case, when I tried to copy my Dads music files from his C: to his D: drive and accidentally corrupted the files; I had to completely rerip scores of CDs). You also can share the music between your iPod and only ONE computer.(Apple limits how you transfer your files to make it more difficult for people to pirate music, but it also limits legitimate use of music you legally own). Secondly, the iTunes music store is not available in Asia, where my father lives. (Again, because Apple is afraid that people in this region might pirate music), which unfortunately limits my fathers ability to legitimately buy and download music. Those are severe limitations, so I can only give the device three stars. I will not buy one fo myself, but overall, it has been a great gift for my Dad.
On: 2005-03-01
And thus I fully expect it either not to appear at all, or to be swiftly deleted. But, in the hope that someone at Amazon.com will actually read this, I only wish to make a suggestion to the Amazon.com management: Would it be possible to institute a policy under which any review that contains any variant on "And heres how to get one free! Just go to [site] and sign up to do a few surveys!" would result in the account being barred from posting reviews, possibly for two to six months? Just a thought.
On: 2005-03-01
Everythings better in pink!
Seriously, I had it for two days before I brought it back. There were no problems, I just didnt want to be greedy, since I already own a 15GB 3G and a 20GB 4G. But for the two days I had it, I fell in love with it.
Battery life: Never had to recharge it in those two days. I didnt use the equalizer - since the equalizer setting you use in iTunes transfer to the iPod, I didnt have to.
Look and feel:
This thing is really cute! And if you get one in silver, I guess its cool. The functionality of such a small device is unbelievable. The brushed metal look is even better in color, and the click wheel interface makes it really simple to use one-handed (but you still shouldnt use it while driving - dont learn that the hard way).
Functionality:
I transfer a lot of files back and forth, which is why this is less useful to me than the 15 and 20GB models I now have. As a design student, I need to move large Photoshop documents from home to school and back on a semi-weekly basis, and its so easy to just drag and drop them once you enable disk mode.
I also bought my first audiobook at Audible.com last week. The iPod places bookmarks where you leave off, so you can just pick up the story whenever, and not miss a beat. And the wheel makes it easy to back up in case you feel youve missed something.
Cost:
With the recent price drop, the 4GB model is now priced at what it should have been. Its good, also, that the 6GB model is only $50 more, since having nearly 4 times the storage at a $50 price difference didnt make sense. Perhaps Apple could look over their pricing again? Its still $299 for a 20GB, so if youre not really into the colors, you get a lot more storage for a little more money.
All in all, this is a really good player. And since I won an incentive contest at my job last week, I will soon be the proud owner of another brand new iPod mini! I guess it was meant to be.
(I think the only drawback is if its really true that they dont include the wall charger with the 6GB models... That kinda bites.)
On: 2005-03-01
Ive listened to several different mp3 players, including the Dell Jukebox. The Jukebox sound cannot compete with the iPod minis. The colors are fun, and you can customize your equalizer settings to get the sound you want. It holds a lot more songs that it seems and has games to play while waiting in Restaurants. (seriously)
by: Anonymous On: 2005-02-28
I know this is supposed to b a review, but i had a question. I might get this except 4 1 little thing. On the technical description they say a minijack is the headphone jack, so is the headphone of normal size for my W. ear Sony headphones or wat.
On: 2005-02-28
I got my ipod mini approx. a year ago. in the first three months of having it, it died,but i contacted the ipod website, and sent the nonfunctioning ipod back to them. within a week they sent me a brand new ipod. i have had no problems with my new one, and i must say the customer service was fantastic. anyone whos ipod is not working, DO NOT RETURN TO THE STORE! SEND IT BACK!
On: 2005-02-28
I had long wished for my own Mp3 player, and my wish was granted last summer. As soon as I saw the iPod mini, I knew that that was the one I wanted. I got my iPod and spent many hours listening to my tunes and buying songs off the iTunes Music Store. However, my happy and perfect time with my iPod mini did not last long when I was pummelled by one of my friends while I had my iPod in my pocket in a tarmac parking lot. My precious iPod was flung to the ground and got stepped on by accident and now has about ten scratches on it (thankfully on the back). I had read in a review of the iPod mini that it was scratch-proof "even if it was placed face-down on a rough surface;" I have now cleanly disproven this statement.
Besides that, the iPod is the ultimate pocket companion for the road. I took my iPod with me on vacation and helped me get through the long hours on the plane. The "Music" section sorts songs by artist, album, genre, composer, and audiobook. My favorite part of the iPod mini is the On-the-Go playlist feature, that allows you to create your own playlist, well, on the go, so you can play your favorite songs continuously without looking for them, and then clearing it again the next minute. The Click Wheel is totally functional and a lot better than the touch wheel and buttons on the old models of the iPods.
Overall, the iPod mini is fun, innovative, and the ultimate Mp3 player!
On: 2005-02-27
I know this is supposed to b a review, but i had a question. I might get this except 4 1 little thing. On the technical description they say a minijack is the headphone jack, so is the headphone of normal size for my W. ear Sony headphones or wat.
On: 2005-02-26
Wow! Got the e-mail from Apple (Since I own the a 10 GB 1st Gen. and a 40 GB 4th) on Tuesday about the release of the new players, ordered it, and had it today, Thursday! 2 days!
Anyway, I ordered the green and I have to say its a much richer green than the previous 4 gb. Looks awesome and, as usual with the other ipods I have, the setup and installation was a breeze. Sound quality excellent! Ease of use excellent! Just excellent period!
I own, and have tried players from other manufactuers like iRiver, RCA, and most recently, Creative. All of them have their own set of problems and nothing comes close to the ipod. The iRiver I own has inferior sound quality, the RCA Lyra locks up frequently, and I dont even want to get started on the Zen Micro. It froze up so many times I returned it to Amazon within 2 days. I thought it would be an ipod competitor since it came with an FM radio and a removeable battery. But, oh man, what a piece of junk! Im just hoping Apple will one day put an FM tuner in their ipods. I think if they do, everyone else can just close shop. I could care less about a removeable battery because there are always new players coming out so frequently, I usually purchase the latest one.
The only small beef I have, which almost made me give it 4 stars, is that they took away something that used to shipped with the previous ipods. A "wall outlet" charging cord. The only accessories that ship with this new mini are: a USB cord that goes from the player to a USB port, headphones, a carrying case/clip, and the documentation/CD. Thats it. No charging dock or wall plug. The only way you can charge this player, with what ships, is to connect it to a USB port on your computer. On the Apple website, the wall "power adapter" is $29.00. Personally, I think they should just scrap the crappy headphones that most mp3 players ship with, and include the power adapter.
This new 6 gb is just another fine example why Apple has over 90% of the portable player market.
I just cant wait to see what they come up with next!
On: 2005-02-26
I dont know a great deal about everything, however Ive been a huge fan of every iPod model since my very first purchase. I kept notes from that first purchase and every upgrade purchase Ive made since then. After finally getting my Apple 4GB iPod Mini Silver M9160LL/A, I decided I would take the time to pass on my thoughts in the form of a review on Amazon.com.
I didnt ever think I would become a member of this sort of "technology cult", however Apple has just blown my mind away with their ability to consistently improve quality and impress me with style and functionality. Apple really pushed the envelope with their design and choice of color schemes.
Perfect? Not perfect, but pretty close considering Ive only had a few problems with it-all of which can be taken care of with a sort of "Re-Boot"-all you need to remember is to hold down the SELECT and MENU buttons for just under 10 seconds. It seems to take care of any small issues Ive had. Ill bet that most people dont put their machines through the sort of consumer testing that I do. But if you ever DO run into any problems, you can "Re-Boot" or go to the Apple website and locate your particular situation and theyve convered all basis with great responses. If for any reason at all you cant locate your problem ,or if a "fix" doesnt work, simply email Apple and youll likely have an educated response within just a few hours or less.
You will be extremely impressed with the quality of sound youll hear on your iPod Mini. You will also notice an increase in volume as well. A salesman told me that I could expect a difference in sound but Apple wasnt really advertising each facet of this great device. He also informed me that this model will not likely have problems jumping around or skipping-improvements were definitely made and I cant imagine what any future models will have to offer!
Remember to enjoy your iPod and to not worry about anything going wrong. Its likely that youll never run into a problem. Be certain to follow the instructions and charge for 4 hours. The rest is all about enjoying great music and being able to depend on awesome sound quality and volume improvements.
I hope this review helped and Ill be sure to keep in touch with any future developments along the iPod line. Its hard to believe all of this coming from a PURE-PC Person. That was before I discovered Apple and especially the iPods!! The truth is that Ive been converted! Thanks APPLE!
Enjoy!
Pete Cannice
from Scottsdale, Arizona
Email: Horsepete@aol.com
by: Anonymous On: 2005-02-24
This is a really great player, but dont get this, apple just came out with a new player that is the exact same thing with extended battery life and is 50 dollars cheaper. Or, if youre willing to pay the full 250, get the apple ipod mini 6GB, which stores 1500 songs. For more info, go to www.apple.com.
Thanx
On: 2005-02-24
**** LATEST update to iPod family ****
- iPod & iPod photo lines merged; no more iPod photo 30 GB
- iPod comes in two capacities - 20 GB ($299), 60 GB ($399) with color screen & photo support
- U2 iPod (20 GB) down to $329 from $349 - with color screen & photo support
- iPod shuffle 1 GB down to $129 from $149
- iPod 60 GB down to $399 from $449
- new version of iTunes (4.9) that support podcasts
***************************************
Apple announced a major upgrade to the iPod lineup today (23 Feb 2005) and here is how it affects the mini:
The biggest advantage is the reduction in price ($ per GB) and improvement in battery life. Another significant change is that USB 2.0 is being emphasized although FireWire continues to be supported. AC adapter is USB based instead of FireWIre and the FireWire based AC adapter still sells as a separate product for $29.
> A new model, iPod mini 6 GB is introduced for $249
> iPod mini 4 GB now priced at $199 ($50 down from earlier price)
> Change in colors - now mini is available in new shades of Silver, Blue, Pink, and Green (the Gold color is discontinued)
> Major improvement in battery life - up to 18 hours (was 8 hours earlier)
> AC adapter ($29) and firewire cable ($19) no longer ship with mini (have to be bought seperately if you need)
> iPod mini 4 GB and 6 GB now ship with only three things: earphones, belt clip, and USB 2.0 cable
> The indicators on the click wheel now match the color of the iPod mini
Also, the higher models of iPod have been upgraded:
> iPod 40 GB is discontinued
> iPod photo 40 GB is discontinued
> iPod photo 30 GB (new product) replaces the 40 GB iPod photo and the regular iPod 40 GB
> iPod photo 60 GB now costs $150 less -- $449 instead of $599
> iPod photo 30 GB costs $349 ($150 less than iPod photo 40 GB and $50 less than regular iPod 40 GB)
> iPod dock ($39), AV cable ($19), carrying case ($29), and firewire cable ($19) do not ship with iPod photo (you may not really need them)
> Now we get three things with iPod photo: earphones, USB based AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable
> In additon to the above, a firewire cable continues to ship with iPod 20 GB & iPod U2 edition
> iPod photo Camera Connector is introduced - this can be used for connecting your digital camera directly to the iPod
With these changes, there is an interesting $50 gap between:
> iPod 20 GB and iPod photo 30 GB
> iPod mini 6 GB and iPod 20 GB (as earlier)
> iPod mini 4 GB and iPod mini 6 GB
> iPod shuffle 1 GB and iPod mini 4 GB
> iPod shuffle 512 MB and iPod shuffle 1 GB (as earlier)
I am sure iPods are going to win more and more friends.
On: 2005-02-24
When Apple launched its aggressive marketing campaign for the iPod, I reacted with a degree of resistance. Why bother getting an iPod? I own hundreds of CDs, and the disc player I already have is fine as it is. But once I got my hands on the mini, it instantly changed the way I listen to music. The iPod mini is a nice way to listen to/store your favorite tunes, and it deserves both praise and criticism.
THE PROS?
Its easy to install. All you have to do is recharge your iPod mini, connect it to your computer, transfer your music library on your hard drive to iTunes (which you will need to install either from the website or the enclosed CD), and youre ready to play your iPod. Its that simple. If a dolt like me can operate this thing, so can you.
Store up to 1,000 tunes. But that figure assumes that the average song you load is 4 minutes long. B | | |
