Is it Worthwhile Investing in an IPod Classic?

The first thing one notices about an iPod is how attractive it looks. Sleek, shiny, and far better looking than most other portable media players. It is advertised as being able to hold 80GB (Giga Bytes) worth of music, videos or even TV programs. With such attributes, no wonder everybody wants one!

However, this item is not without its flaws. Rather than flaws, I would call them shortcomings.

In the first place, while the iPod is supposed to be a portable media device, it isn't really portable, because it's quite heavy. I don't mean in the kilogram range obviously, but it weighs a significant amount more than other media players. This doesn't matter if you're not planning on taking it about with you, but then you may as well just listen to a CD player.

The next issue is the battery. After being fully charged, the iPod will lose its charge in about 1-2 weeks, without ever being used. If you're listening to music it will last several hours, and if you plan on watching videos it will last even less time. The worst part is that you need a computer to re-charge this device. No other charging options are provided. You could buy a portable charging unit, but it seems to me that such a device should be a basic utility that ought to be provided with the iPod itself.

The last thing is the User Manual. Certainly, most teenagers are able to figure out electronic devices in an instant. But that does not mean that a good User Manual would not be appreciated. The iPod Classic User Manual tells you about the basic operations: switching it on and off, accessing the menu, song selection, etc. However, the iPod offers many other features, such as being able to classify videos as 'Movies' or 'TV shows', such that they appear in the relevant place in the menu. Unfortunately, the User Manual doesn't tell you how to do this. Fortunately, the Internet is a wealth of information,and you can find the details from there, but it would have been so much better if all instructions came with the device itself.

But for all, the iPod is an ingenious device. So, if you are an avid music fan and none of the above matter to you, then you will most definitely want to get your hands on this item. Otherwise, a cheaper device with fewer features may be better for you.