[shawnc]

OK gang, my wife wants an Ipod and her birthday is in October. My problem is that I know very little about them. Specifically, I think there are different "generations" and I'm worried about getting a discount only to find that I've got yesterday's technology. So my question is what do I look for? Also, what is the difference between the current and previous generation? Battery life, size, color, etc? The 20G model will be plenty for her and though she denies it, my hunch is that she will eventually enjoy storing pictures on it as well.

Do they discount these things or should I not even waste my time? It seems as though most retailers are selling them for pretty much the same price.

I love my little 6G Rio Carbon but I must admit that the accessories available for the Ipod make me green with envy. Connecting them to a home stereo (and getting QUALITY sound) seems to be much easier with the Ipod.

So I guess what I'm looking for is advice/suggestions on what to look for and whether these units are discounted, and generally anything else the community wishes to share.

As always, thank in advance for any help.

[shawnc]

OK gang, my wife wants an Ipod and her birthday is in October. My problem is that I know very little about them. Specifically, I think there are different "generations" and I'm worried about getting a discount only to find that I've got yesterday's technology. So my question is what do I look for? Also, what is the difference between the current and previous generation? Battery life, size, color, etc? The 20G model will be plenty for her and though she denies it, my hunch is that she will eventually enjoy storing pictures on it as well.

Do they discount these things or should I not even waste my time? It seems as though most retailers are selling them for pretty much the same price.

I love my little 6G Rio Carbon but I must admit that the accessories available for the Ipod make me green with envy. Connecting them to a home stereo (and getting QUALITY sound) seems to be much easier with the Ipod.

So I guess what I'm looking for is advice/suggestions on what to look for and whether these units are discounted, and generally anything else the community wishes to share.

As always, thank in advance for any help.

[DarkHelmet]

OK - here's the view from my perspective...

Apple currently sells three types of iPods

1 - The iPod Shuffle - a flash memory based player (512 Mb and 1 Gb) - it does not have a display and plays tunes in playlist order or in a random oder (shuffle mode) - connects via USB and comes with iTunes software. Priced between $ 99 and $ 129 USD - not usually discounted - purchased through "Authorized Resellers" only.

2 - The iPod mini - currently a 4 or 6 Gb mini hard disk based player that connects via USB or FireWire. Comes in a variety of 4 colors. Has a display and navigational controls for tune / playlist selection selection. Small size - overpriced (IMHO) at $ 199 and $ 249 USD - not usually discounted - purchased through "Authorized Resellers" only.

3 - The iPod - currently in it's fourth iteration (hence 4G) - a mini hard disk player in 20 Gb or 60 Gb - available in white only - and featuring a color display. This is (IMHO) the best value for the money - available at $ 299 or $ 399 USD - not usually discounted - purchased through "Authorized Resellers" only.

Typically you would want to buy the unit new, from an authorized reseller, for warranty coverage reasons.

Hope this helps!

p.s. All iPod products work with Mac and Windows computers.

Good luck...

[dean_shan]

I think the only way to get a discount is if you are a student. When I bought my 60GB iPod they knocked off $60 as a student discount.

[Janak Parekh]

Originally Posted by shawnc

So my question is what do I look for?

In addition to what others have said, another tip is to check out Apple's site and compare the specs against whatever you're getting. The additional thing is that rumors have been flying around that Apple is releasing something new this September (during Apple Expo Paris on September 20), so you might want to keep your eyes open for that.

Do they discount these things or should I not even waste my time?

Not much. Apple tightly controls its distribution.

--janak

[shawnc]

Thanx guys. As always, very helpful stuff.

Originally Posted by Janak Parekh

The additional thing is that rumors have been flying around that Apple is releasing something new this September (during Apple Expo Paris on September 20), so you might want to keep your eyes open for that. --janak

.

Any idea on what they may be releasing? All I could find is a rumor about a new sleeker model with 3 or 4 different color options (excluding white)?

[Janak Parekh]

Originally Posted by shawnc

Any idea on what they may be releasing? All I could find is a rumor about a new sleeker model with 3 or 4 different color options (excluding white)?

Lots of rumors. Some of them include:

1. 80GB or 100GB iPod high-end model
2. Video iPod
3. Flash-based iPod Mini
4. Larger iPod shuffles

I have no idea if any of the above are remotely true. Apple's pretty good at keeping secrets.

--janak

[Willmonwah]

First off, don't go crazy over pricing, but definitely look online at deals sites like techbargains.com, slickdeals.com and dealnews.com. You can browse or search for discounts and there often are some out there, either for older models (non-color 20 GB iPod) or just from resalers.

I agree with others here that the 20 GB color is a good deal, especially because it's not that old. Also, download iTunes and getting used to the software doesn't hurt. I wouldn't recommend the shuffle unless you're willing to sacrifice FM radio, voice recording, etc. at a similar price for the benefit of the iTunes ease-of-use/protected music.

[shawnc]

20G Color it is! Thanx again to all for the help/advice.

[Janak Parekh]

Shawn, I'd strongly suggest you wait a couple of weeks before ordering anything:

http://www.macworld.com/news/2005/08...cial/index.php

It may ultimately not affect your purchase, but unless you need to, it doesn't hurt to see what transpires that day...

--janak

[Willmonwah]

I suspect it's an announcement related to the Motorola iTunes phone, but Janak's suggestion is wise. It doesn't hurt to wait a couple of days for big news.