Apple Ipod for Windows
The 10GB iPod for Windows adds most of the stuff that we missed in the original iPod, although some Windows users might want to look elsewhere.
It's an understatement to say that we loved the original 5GB and 10GB iPods; at the time, they were the best-designed MP3 players that we'd ever seen in terms of size, interface, and software syncing. But they weren't compatible with Windows, except via occasionally sketchy, third-party software. Plus, the original iPods lacked a remote control, a carrying case, and full sound controls. The Windows iPod works just as well as the Mac version once you get the files on the player, but syncing is not quite as elegant as it is with a Mac.
Design
In terms of hard drive-based MP3 players, this iPod leads the portability race. At 10.16 by 6.1 by 1.83 centimeters and 185 grams, the new model is a shade thinner than the earlier versions, and noticeably smaller than Creative's Zen. A shiny, stainless-steel back and a thick, Lucite front give the iPod a clean, modern look, while the large, 3.18-by-4.01-centimeter screen enables you to easily view the device's straightforward menu structure. The new, static scroll wheel works just as well as the original iPod's rotating scroll wheel, which we suspect wasn't as durable as it could have been. But the static scroll wheel still allows for the same effortless menu navigation, enabling you to quickly find a track by song name, album, artist, genre, playlist, or composer. Finally, Apple adds a well-advised cover to the FireWire port to help keep out debris (the original iPod lacked a port cover).
In true Apple fashion, the company has developed a remote that's worthy of the elegantly designed iPod. While it lacks a display, the flat, silver, in-line remote looks great and accesses playback functions easily. The only slight issue that we had with this remote was with its cleverly designed toggle clip, which can detach from your shirt or your bag strap when you press a button on the right side of the remote. A sleek, black carrying case with a sturdy belt clip and a square, folding power adapter also share the iPod's high-style design.
Features/connectivity
Thanks to the iPod's FireWire connection, files transfer at 5.31MB per second, meaning that filling up all 10GB takes a mere 32 minutes. The Zen offers this and USB 1.1 connectivity, but performing the same feat via USB would take at least 10 hours. When we plugged the iPod into our newly installed FireWire card, it took the included MusicMatch Jukebox Plus software about a minute to start up and find the iPod. Once the PC recognizes the player, you use the Sync button to trigger the transfer of songs and playlists to the device--very smooth. Even better, you can have MusicMatch normalize all songs to the same volume and specify that the iPod autosync to all the new songs in your MusicMatch library upon every connection. If you set MusicMatch to watch a directory for new music files, then every new song you rip or download gets sent to the iPod automatically every time you sync.
One other notable feature is the new PIM software, which integrates calendar and contacts with Microsoft Outlook, Palm Desktop, and Eudora. According to the short owner's manual, contacts can be imported via drag-and-drop vCards from Outlook into the Contacts menu, although this approach did not work for us. However, if you choose Save As while selecting a contact, you can save the file as a vCard directly into the Contacts file. The same process works for saving calendar items as vCalendar files, although the manual does not mention that capability. Unlike the Mac iPods, the Windows iPod does not play Audible files.
Performance
Some people complained that the original iPod didn't get loud enough to drown out external sounds, especially in urban settings. Apple took heed to this gripe--the new iPod gets so loud that testing the maximum volume caused a slight headache. Another issue with the original iPods was that the EQ options were too few and didn't add enough bass to the signal. This problem has also been remedied; Apple includes 30 equalization presets, some of which add sufficient bass. In all our testing, we never noticed a single skip, but we still don't recommend jogging with any hard drive- based device.
On a critical note, our first review unit had a faulty connector and wouldn't sync. The second unit that Apple sent had a broken headphone jack and played out of the left channel only. Hopefully your iPod won't have these problems, but if it does, Apple's warranty covers both issues.
When we finally got the unit connected to a PC, songs blazed over the FireWire port at 5.31MB per second, which is faster than the Mac iPod transfers files. All compatible file types-- SBR and VBR MP3, WAV, and AIFF--transferred without a hitch.
Sonic imaging was clear, and all frequencies were crisp through our Sony MDR-V600 test headphones. The included earbuds sound great, too, and the in-line remote worked fine when the player was stowed away in the included carrying case. Battery life remains the same as with the original iPod: 10 hours on a charge, either from your PC's FireWire connection or via the small, square wall adapter.
Don't fool yourself--the 10GB Windows iPod doesn't come cheap at AU$845, and Apple resellers tend not to cut too far below the retail price. Configurations vary so much between Windows systems that the iPod worked perfectly on some machines and not as well on others. If you want to ensure that your iPod will work perfectly with your computer, you should pick up a Mac desktop or a notebook. Against the Creative Zen, though, the iPod still comes out on top.
Apple 10GB Ipod for Windows
Company: Apple Australia
Price: AU$845
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 133 622
