“One of the tougher decisions for gadget buyers this year is which iPod to purchase,” Eric Benderoff blogs for The Chicago Tribune. “The problem is at the high-end, where buyers can choose between Apple’s slick iPod Touch ($399 for 16 gigabytes of storage) or the massive capacity of the iPod Classic ($349 for 160 gb of storage).”
Benderoff asks, “It raises a key question, one that I know several people are pondering: do I opt for style or storage?”
“That doesn’t mean the iPod Classic is not stylish in its own right. It has a new software interface, can play movies, show your photos and hold your contacts. Plus, it can double as a back-up hard drive,” Benderoff explains. “But the Classic is not nearly as much fun to use as the Touch.”
In the end, Benderoff chooses storage. Full article here.
If you’re buying an iPod, which model (iPod touch, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle) would you choose (or would you choose to own more than one model) and why?
The Classic is hands down the way to go if it will be your only iPod. Up to 160GB of storage? That will hold all your music, a ton of videos, and STILL have space left over. If you want the cool touch UI, get an iPhone.
Which Apple i-POD should you buy? That’s easy. NONE of them. A much better question would be ‘Which Zune should you buy?’
If you want to be free of Apple’s typically clumsy interface, tyrannical proprietary formats and burdensome DRM polices get a Zune. The colors are great and purchasing content at Zune Marketplace is a blast because you get to use points, not currency, so it’s like a game. Microsoft gets it. I don’t know why Apple doesn’t get it. The new Zunes are really great. I love mine. I finally settled on the Zune jr. MACs Suck ‘Cause They’re Expensive & They Can’t Play Games Edition Zune.
Suck it i-POD lemmings.
Your potential. Our passion.™
I thought Zune Tang was that artificial orange flavored laxative that NASA recommends. In space no one can hear you squirt.
Buy the iPod that best fits your common usage. Or buy more than one and use them for different purposes. I still have a fully functioning 5 gig first-gen iPod that I mainly use with an iTrip adapter for listening to podcasts in my car. I’ve got a 2005 2nd-gen iPod mini and use that with an adapter for music on long trips, since it also has the charger. Since radio basically sucks these days, putting the mini on shuffle gives me my own personal radio station and keeps me sane on the interstates. If I’m in a mall or some crowded place I’ll clip the shuffle on my shirt under my jacket and block out the piped-in mall or store music. Otherwise my iPod touch goes with me since it can also access things through Wi-Fi and I have my calendar (editable now) and contacts with me. It’s also my main video iPod.
Finally there’s my new iPhone (early Christmas gift from family) which I mainly use as, well, a phone, and also use when away from home for e-mail.
If someone wants just one iPod, though, for music and video, the Classic would seem to make the most sense.
Touch. Simply because of the other features… Large screen, Safari, etc. It’s worth the storage sacrifice for me. It don’t use my iPod as an external HD though, so I am fine with 8 or 16 GB. I have no problem with interacting with an iPod once in a while. I don’t need 8,000 songs and 15 full length movies on me at all times.
Going on a plane trip? But a movie or two on it… I think a lot of people carry around way more music than they actually listen to.
People that have CDs and copy them onto their iPods usually copy the whole album but only listen to a few of the songs on the album. I think as more people use the iTunes theory, and only download the songs they want, they will treat their iPods storage space a little more efficiently.
That will of course stunt their “discovery” of new music a little, but at least you can preview the other songs on iTunes.
If you own an iPhone the question is easier. I have an iPhone so I would only consider the 160GB classic or a fat nano. Won’t upgrade until current iPod is out of storage (approaching fast). I will always prefer having all my media on one player. Its just too bad they couldn’t combine the storage of the classic and the interface of the touch.
re: Touch. Simply because of the other features… Large screen, Safari, etc. It’s worth the storage sacrifice for me. It don’t use my iPod as an external HD though, so I am fine with 8 or 16 GB. I have no problem with interacting with an iPod once in a while. I don’t need 8,000 songs and 15 full length movies on me at all times.
Going on a plane trip? But a movie or two on it… I think a lot of people carry around way more music than they actually listen to.
People that have CDs and copy them onto their iPods usually copy the whole album but only listen to a few of the songs on the album. I think as more people use the iTunes theory, and only download the songs they want, they will treat their iPods storage space a little more efficiently.
That will of course stunt their “discovery” of new music a little, but at least you can preview the other songs on iTunes.
—-
A agree, this is why Apple put playlists in iTunes.
No one needs to carry around 20,000 songs and god knows how many hours of video all the time.
My 8gb iPhone has replaced my 40gb iPod and I have never looked back.
I use itunes how Apple intended iTunes to be used. Everytime I connect my iPhone I just replace the songs, videos and podcasts on it on my iPhone playlist.
I stayed with the Classic – my 3rd – as I need the storage to use it as a backup drive. 30 gigs would have kept me happy so I’ll look at the iPhone when it hits 32 gigs and there are 3rd party apps I would want on it. Probably WWDC 09 with my luck!
I choose the iPod Classic over the Touch because of the 80gb hard drive. I only have about 900 songs but I’ve imported them at 320 kbps AAC and some using apple lossless. The “small” screen doesn’t bother me because I’ve been using my ipod nano for the last 2 years so the Classic’s screen to me looks like the IMAX in comparison. I also have a ton of video podcasts and about every episode of Monk I watch(when I have the time) so I need 80gb. I believe the reason why most people are buying the touch is for the web browser, pda stuff and the occasional full length movie which looks great on the touch. If they had a 80gb ipod touch or a 80gb iphone on verizon I would consider it.
I got the 16G Touch. I justified it (and wrote it off) as a tool in my video production work. I might have been able to make do with the 8 gig, but the wife encouraged me to go ahead and get the 16 (how often does that happen?).
Of course I already owned a slim nano 4 gig and a 40 gig iPod photo. Then there’s the original Shuffle I inherited when my wife got her nano….
The slim nano is very nice when I want music only, but if I had to pick just one, it would be the Touch.
I LOVE the Wi-Fi!
(but miss not having “Notes”, which would be very useful with the Touch keyboard.)
iPod Classic 160GB & an iPhone.
Simple!
Which iPod to buy?
The one with the most storage that fits within your budget.
Music and video collections tend to grow over time.
Your going to want to carry all that content anywhere to respond to any need you have for entertainment or trading.
The web can be entertaining, but if you use it a lot away from your main machine, a laptop is much better investment than a iPod Touch.
With smaller capacity devices, your synching more often to change the content.
With larger capacity devices, the content is already there, just changing the playlists.
It depends on what you want to spend.
The iPhone is fabulous but I live in Canada.
The iTouch is just too expensive for what I need.
And 8 Gb of storage is perfect.
LOOK at the price of SD Cards for your Camera.
Compare the price of 2 X 4 GB CARDS and you will see WHY
iPod is SUCH a deal!
Same goes for iTouch… wish it had memory expansion slot.
The new iPod Nano (video for everyone) is my preference.
And I remain strongly in saying it will be the best selling iPod ever.
I love the New 160 Gb classic iPod for it’s SIZE, form factor & styling and it’s interface THAT won the world over. The only thing I dislike is moving parts. Devices for people on the move shouldn’t have a micro hard drives inside these days.
Micro drives were a COST effective solution FOR the MANUFACTURER. The real solution is now in Flash Memory.
Which are used in iPhone, iTouch, iPod shuffle and iPod Nano.
So – again. iPod nano is a superb device with video at the right price that NOT even the competitors can touch.
Look at the price of San Disk verses Apple. They are priced higher for last years models.
The cost of Flash Memory, plus the cost of Nanos higher resolution screen, add in the the cost of the Lithium Battery – HOW CAN APPLE SELL IT SO CHEAP?
And you’re getting Apple, styling, software, interface… blah blah IT’s an insane product… it’s the one to buy.
dougless
You all don’t get it!!!!
There should be choice to make!!!
Everyone should own at least one of each ipod model, that way just like clothes, you have a choice of which ipod to accessorize on the day.
So if you are going to the gym, jogging, marathon, Football, Soccer, baseball or any sporting event you know what to wear without being told.
If you are on your way to work, depending on whether you are inputting data or you are a salesman, it will either be a classic for extra storage or back-up or an iphone for when you are in the field, or an itouch if you are delivery driving.
So why choose when you can have them all?
You know what’s funny, Apple is offering a lot of choice for small portable devices, but when it comes to their computers the hardware choices suck.
From the REAL® ZuneTang – buy them all! Plus, the iPhone…
Great Story –
Saw a dozen Zune’s on the clearance rack unprotected at Office Depot two months ago..
For $16.00 a piece.
I laughed figuring MS had already given up on them.
Had I myt druthers – I would have bought all of them and EBAYEd them to suckers.
My wife, after my obvious hints, is getting me the 16GB iPod touch for the holidays. The WiFi and large screen are irresistible.
the iPhone is my first iPod, though I have had a mac since my SE/30 (IIc before that, TRS-80 before that!). I have 45g of music in iTunes, and 2g or so on the iPhone and so far have not gotten bored with the selections… So, it’s going to take a long time to get to that point for me where I need more storage.
All of them!
-AAPL Shareholders
Seriously, I have a black 8GB nano that lives in the car full-time, and an iPhone that I use primarily for movies and TV shows. A classic 160 would, at last, hold my entire music collection in one place. I think a person really needs a minimum of three iPods.
(of course, I also think that you should never have fewer than 5 motorcycles)
“And I remain strongly in saying it will be the best selling iPod ever.”
Totally agree with that. That is the sweetest sweet spot yet
I’ve got a Shuffle and love it. For my purposes it’s exactly what I need: small, light, non-obtrusive, long battery life, and has a built-in clip.
I use my Shuffle when I’m out running. It’s literally the perfect music player. For instance, today was a 16 mile run and I loaded new music onto it in a matter of seconds, clipped it on, tucked away the chord under my shirt, and off I went. It’s easy to skip songs and to use in general. I love the Shuffle.
For everyday use I have an iPhone which covers the rest of the bases: movies, video podcasts, and of course phone calls.
i´ll buy all,its a piece of history,period.
touch is the way to go
The answer is simple. Choose one or more iPods based upon YOUR needs (priorities) and income. The is no one size fits all solution for everyone (yet).
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Peace.
And an iPod user since 2001.
Currently, between my wife and I, we have a 60 gig iPod Photo, a 8 gig Fat Nano, a 1 gig Rev 2 Shuffle and an 8 gig iPhone.
Waiting to be sold on eBay, a 4 gig Mini (Rev 1) and two Rev 1 shuffles (1 gig and 512K respectively) and a 4 gig rev 1 Nano.
I tend to favor to storage and features. My wife leans toward portability. And we don’t wait for Christmas to get Apple goodies.
I’m delighted with my new iPod classic (160 GB).
With Shure 500’s and everything in Apple lossless, the sound is quite breathtaking!
I’ve got a few hundred CD’s on it – classic, jazz, blues, rock etc.
It’s amazing, quite amazing! The best answer to the Berlin winter.
Gavron
“The best answer to the Berlin winter.”
Better than lots of schnapps and a horny sweetheart?
I received my iPod Touch, including sweet “belongs to…” engravings, from the Apple store about a week ago and…I can’t remember the last time I was so blown away by techno device…ever!. Okay, I didn’t see the the phone part of the iPhone being as mature (read: kick-arse) as my BlackBerry 8800 (beside the GUI of course) so the Touch was a no-brainer. Yes I know, it’s all been said already but this device is so completely out there compared to anything else on the market. I’ve never had such a weird feeling of “future tech” ever (including OSX). Okay, there are some things that I’d love to see being “fixed” or added:
• Why on earth am I not allowed to access movie trailers from within the iTunes menu? (I know I can access them by going through safari – but talk about inconvenient.)
• There are still NO downloads for the iPhone/iPodTouch resolution…which sucks royal donkey nuts.
• How can I access podcasts? (plus downloading them of course)
• The lack of Flash support sortof feels very medieval in a hightech device like this. I bet this is Adobe at its best.
• Not being able to DL/save anything from the web or YouTube is sortof ridiculous.
BTW, I still haven’t figured out how to make audio tracks crossfade, is it possible at all? Anyway, I’m really looking forward to the next couple of updates of this ultra gem…not to mention the forthcoming release of 3rd party stuff – post Feb08. Oh and finally, I sure would’ve loved to get some games for this thing…native ones, that is.
yaddayadda.
Sorry for rambling about…but I can only say to those who need an iPod – get the Touch…it will most likely blow you away.
cheers
for feedback or distortion
http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipodtouch.html
Welcome back, Ampar!
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(Still happy with my original Nano)
“@rdbvideo” Dude, just jailbreak it… It rocks.. Notes, mail, hell I even have Game Boy Advanced on it.. I love it…..I own every iPod ever made (collect them), and this is by far the most useful.. On a side note, if you are just going to use the iPod for the gym, then the shuffle is the way to go. I Just cannot say how pleased I am with the keyboard on the touch. It is fast and quite accurate, if you just trust it….Cheers!
buy 2 of them.
1) iPod Shuffle for workouts etc. Great “no-weight” device.
2) iPod Touch because it is a great device, especially once you jailbreak it, then add the iphone apps that apple neglected to put on the iPT: mail, maps,etc. and use ‘Installer’ to add other great apps. The iPT is truly a peek at the future of handheld computing. There is a new iRadio streaming app from Conceited that picks up shoutcast-type feeds. Very nice over wi-fi. Already helped me source some music to buy.
I wish there would be an easier way to scroll through movies on the iPT. The GUI is all that but if you want to scroll 4-5 secs backwards in a 2hrs movie, you might get pissed. Even cooler would be the ability to frame step in movies. I know, not everyone is a movie nerd or director, but still.
Thanks, Des Gusting!
Has anyone found a decent dash mount for the iPhone?
(And no, I don’t use it while I’m in motion.)
I have an old Pod. I really have a quandary.
I went with the iPod touch. Didn’t need a lot of storage and definately wanted a better browsing experience.
classic would be great for me.
one wonders why steve wouldn’t allow it to work as a backup drive for time machine… ; (
once you use the touch or iphone for a while….. Every thing else seems like a step back.
For canny shoppers the answer is easy, a refurbished ipod, any one will do which you can buy from Apple’s website. You can save hundreds of dollars and still have the normal warranty protection. Eventually I’ll purchase a top of the line classic model…when the price gets much lower.
Touch for sure.
If you can afford it, the 16GB Touch is amazing. Worth getting a shuffle in addition if you spend any time jogging or at the gym, though.
i have to agree with Jacob on the final point, the shuffle is amazing. yes, i have other iPods, and my wife has an iPhone, but knowing that my favorite 245 songs are in one VERY tiny place i can wear anytime is very cool.
choose a model that suits you well…… and then throw in a shuffle too. trust me, you can thank me later.
The real question is, which Zune Tang is funnier:
Zune Tang® or ZuneTang
Only time will tell.
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Classic 160 GB. I already own an iPhone, and I put on it selected things to watch/listen to when I’m running around during the day. But when I travel by car or plane I want to have EVERYTHING with me … plenty to listen to or watch. Hence, I need a classic.
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My iPod video is the prior generation, and it is lovely and I don’t need to replace it (yet). But, when i do, I’ll be going for the largest capacity I can get.
The ManPink Zune2 is HOT! – Pink is the New Black!
Microsoft is blazing the way here, pink is seen as gay, weak, sissy, ….etc.
But they are all wrong! When I was a kid I had to hide my love of pink, but we have realised that it is just another color, pink is good! Powerful! SEXY! So we introduced the ManPinK Zune. Let’s take pink back guys!
Think about it, some of my favorite things are the same color as this Zune!
How can that be bad? Unmanly?
Oh yeah!
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
ChrissyOne had it right!
I have a iPhone, an 80 Classic, and a Shuffle. Covers just about every circumstance.
And a boatload of AAPL stock.
I was somewhat sad to get a Silver 8Gb Nano.
Black was what I intended to get, since the control wheel matches the casing. It’s the only model that does.
However, once I got it home. I realized it complimented my iMac aluminum 24″ so wonderfully well. Black was slick but most times it sits in my pocket while I work.
___
A NOTE on choosing the amount of capacity / size if you are buying.
Dare I say I once owned a Benq 130 with a SD slot. Internally it had 512 Mb of space so SD cards were needed.
Still, it was perfectly suitable for me as a mp3 player. Having a SD slot was so cool, acting like cds I could slip in on any given whim. I have six 2 Gb cards that I had to carry around so could exchanged in and out. (lose one and the world stops). Nevertheless, it was rather nice. And no itunes interface to add songs… just mount and load.
Unfortunately I damaged the unit. Rather cheap plastic case with a 0.05 mm gauge metal face. Orange. It lasted me 3 years of joy. If Apple ever decides to put an SD Slot in any of it’s entry level iPods I would buy another one in a second.
HOWEVER, 8Gb is far exceeding my expectations.
Because, I think there is a limit in general of how much we need to port with us. Everyone will be different. But… iPod was general a device to CONNECT back to your digital hub.
It part of the FUN just to add and remove new stuff into your device.
I don’t want everything with me all the time. Maybe I missing something here… and maybe one day I will wish I got 16 Gb.
I just can’t imagine so far… since you CAN delete things too.
And by doing so… you have ENDLESS space.
I really love this iPod nano. Specially for video. Something I didn’t have before. I love it – video that is. As I have been downloading the University Seminars from Apple-U and watching a HUGE array of different things. Also I am using Handbrake to convert some of my favourite movies…. and believe me… even subtitles are perfectly readable on this small screen.
With Music on my iPodNano, I generally reload each week a different selection – simulating what I did with my Benq. Music only puts about a 20% consumption rating on my device… and as for video. I never have had the 8 Gb full yet. I believe 8 Gb is plenty of space. Pour moi.
One day Rogers Canada (fingers crossed) may show me what I really needed was the iPhone. It is the ULTIMATE device. And I mean that in all honesty for everyone. But for the time being. This NANO… it goes everywhere. Excellent, excellent product.
Apple should win a many award for this device.
Oh, and thx ChrissyOne
MDN should really do a poll.
I vote for the Touch even though I have an iTunes library over 50GB.
Dock and sync new content every night for movies, tv shows and music. Keep my full iPhoto library always loaded for pics of the family.
Or wait until early 2008 when Apple ups the Touch to 32GB or makes that option available for an extra $$.
This is a tough question, but I’d vote for Touch or iPhone over Classic. It’s just slicker and has way more features. It’s closer to a PDA than the Classic. If you are looking to bring your entire iTunes collection with you or are looking for huge storage, the Classic may fit the bill, but (1) do you really need your entire 80g or 160g collection with you? and (2) if you need storage get an external drive.
FM
Two words: drive failure.
Get a touch.
A nano for the Nike+ feature and a Touch because it is one cool ass device that will illicit drools from all within viewing distance of its wi-fi web surfing goodness.
When the Touch and iPhone join the Classic in offering decent storage capacity, then I’ll buy one. In the meantime my black 80gb classic holds it all. But hey, keep buying those expensive yet pretty Touches and iPhones, my retirement account isn’t fat enough yet.
Even though a longtime Apple nut, I won’t be buying an iPod until they add radio to it. In all other ways perfect, what’s wrong with wanting to hear the news when I’m out and about or ‘I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue’ (probably a reference lost on US readers but you know what I mean) when I’m walking the dog?
You can buy fiddly little add-ons to plug into your iPod to give you radio- the lates even offers DAB- but why should we? Inferior players offer radio reception- even mobile phones do- so why desn’t the best?
I was thinking of Classic, but it’s quite outdated. The new Nano svcks because they come back to the mirror back. The only choice left is iPod Touch.
Classic sucks, it’s your grandfather’s iPod, no real reason to upgrade if you already own any HDD iPod made in the last few years. Shuffle sucks, if you want a cheap minimalist MP3 player, there’s better options for half the price. Nano Sucks, too small a screen for watching video, so why waste time making it a larger, clunky and awkward design? Touch Sucks, not enough storage. What’s needed in the lineup is a high capacity iPod Touch.
The writing is on the wall for the Classic: big storage but yesterday’s interface. So I’m holding on to my old iPods until I can get today’s interface with big storage.
Whenever that’ll be. For gifts, the nano of course. For the rich, one of each in different colors with different loads. MW: “several” – as many as possible.
Less is More
Hello…? What happened to “Anonymous”? And I thought every1 registered….
I still only have my G3, 30 GB iPod. Not much of a movie buff, so I can still resist the temptation of the latest iPods… but I’m not sure for how long!
“Which Apple iPod should you buy?”
How about all of them? I’ll rebrand them as Zunes and then we might be able to shift more than 25 a quarter.