Product Description

Apple iPod Digital Music MP3 Player M9282LL/A - Includes: Rechargeable Battery, Earbud headphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, USB 2.0 cable, iTunes software, Electronic documentation, getting started guide, 1-Year Apple Warranty The iPod is becoming a reigning icon around the world. It's no wonder. This 4th generation model is thinner, easier to use, more energy efficient, and a greater value than ever. It can simply work with Apple and Windows computers. iPod now incorporates the same touch-sensitive Apple Click Wheel that debuted on iPod mini. Without lifting that trusty thumb of yours from the wheel, you can easily select playlists, scroll through thousands of songs, and start the music playing. Save multiple On-The-Go Playlists Adjust speed for Audiobooks Enjoy seamless integration with iTunes Use as a portable hard drive ? take your files with you Remind yourself with Text Notes Play games Keep appointments using the Alarm clock/Sleep Timer Stay organized with contacts/calendars/to-do lists Sync and charge with FireWire or USB 2.0 cables As for all of those CDs you already own, iTunes makes speedily transfers your favorite songs and albums. Just pop a CD into your Mac or PC, and click the Import button Voice Recorder (when used with optional microphone) - perfect for seminars and lectures About 4 hours (2-hour fast charge to 80% capacity) yields up to 12 hours use Unit Dimensions - 4.1 by 2.4 by 0.57 inches / 5.6 ounces Audio support AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, Apple Lossless and WAV

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2384 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: White
• Brand: Apple
• Model: M9282LL/A
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .57" h x 2.40" w x 4.10" l, .35 pounds

Features

• 20 GB model holds up to 5,000 songs; supports AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 (32 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, AIFF, Apple Lossless and WAV
• Up to 12 hours battery life when fully charged (typically 4 hours); fast-charge in as little as 2 hours
• Mac OS X or Windows 2000 and XP compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• Feature upgrades from previous version include new Click Wheel, slimmer case, and easier navigation
• Comes with earbud headphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, and USB 2.0 cable (dock not included)

From the Manufacturer
From the Manufacturer Incorporating the fabulous Apple Click Wheel that was first introduced on iPod mini. Offering up to 12 hours of battery life. Weighing in at just 5.3 ounces. And getting slightly thinner with each new generation. iPod continues to define the perfect digital music player for Mac and Windows.

A musical dream come true, the fourth-generation iPod offers huge capacity, letting you easily slip up to 5,000 songs into your pocket. And enjoy it wherever you go. In the car. On the treadmill. At the office. Around the house.

In fact, the new fourth-generation iPod includes features that make it even easier to access -- and have fun with -- your music. Take, for example, the Apple Click Wheel. With the Click Wheel, you can select playlists, scroll through a long list of albums or artists and choose just the song you want to hear without ever lifting your thumb from the wheel. Feel like mixing things up? Now you can choose "Shuffle Songs" right from the main iPod menu. We think you'll also enjoy iPod's long battery life -- up to 12 hours. And with the 25 minutes of skip protection iPod provides, you can jump for joy and the music will keep playing.

A Click in the Right Direction iPod now incorporates the same touch-sensitive Apple Click Wheel that debuted on iPod mini. Without lifting that trusty thumb of yours from the wheel, you can easily select playlists, scroll through thousands of songs, and start the music playing. Want that song to play from the beginning again? A single click will do the trick. Do the iPod Shuffle You can put the Apple Click Wheel to use the next time you want to set your music to shuffle. Right there on the main menu -- where it’s very easy to find -- you’ll find a new option --Shuffle Songs. Everyone’s favorite option for mixing things up, Shuffle Songs randomly plays songs in a selected playlist or your entire music collection. You’ll never guess what’s coming up next, so you’re always surprised by startling juxtapositions -- like a melodic Coldplay song setting up an aria by Caballé. Play Your Music for Hours…and Hours And you can shuffle your way through a lot of songs now that iPod lets you play your music for up to 12 hours on a single battery charge. Imagine: you could fly from New York to Paris and still have hours of listening time left over as you stroll the Champs Elysée. While you're on the move, iPod keeps you aware of its charge level, and when it's time, iPod's quick to recharge. Plug it into your computer or a handy wall socket (via the included power adapter), and you can fast-charge iPod in as little as 2 hours.

Music and More
But, guess what -- iPod lets you do more than listen to music. Much more. iPod provides you with up to 40 GB of storage. True, you're likely to use a good portion of that storage capacity for your music and audio books, but you're bound to have a little space left over. You can use the FireWire or USB 2.0 cable that comes with iPod to connect the iPod to your computer and copy files. Word documents. Keynote presentations. Excel spreadsheets. Photoshop files. You name it.

Apple's fourth-generation iPod features song shuffling from the main menu, as well as Calendar, Games, and Alarm functionality.

Where am I at 2 p.m. Tuesday? If you've ever forgotten a dental appointment, you'll be pleased to hear that iPod also lets you take your calendar with you. Many applications -- iCal, Microsoft Entourage and Palm Desktop, to name a few -- export calendar files in vCalendar or iCalender formats, both of which iPod supports. Sorry, Wrong Number Little black address books are so last millennium. Thanks to its support for industry-standard vCard files, iPod lets you store and access all your important contact information -- names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses -- with the spin of a Click Wheel. Play Games You know what they say about all work and no play. Navigate to Extras and you'll find Games: Music Quiz, Solitaire, Brick and Parachute, four popular games you can play anywhere (like when you're waiting for the movie to start at the multiplex). Store Text Notes You've got playlists. You've got To-do Lists. And you can carry both with you on iPod. iPod's Notes Reader lets you take text-based information such as news downloaded off the web, stock tips, your workout regimen, restaurant reviews, directions, your shopping list with you on your travels. Just transfer it via FireWire or USB 2.0 to iPod from your computer (Mac or PC).

Rise and Shine
Did you know that iPod has a sleep timer that lets you fall asleep to music? It's true. And if you like to wake up to music or to the sound of an alarm clock, iPod is just as accommodating. You'll find settings for the Alarm Clock and Sleep Timer in the Extras menu. Both features work very well, by the way, when you connect iPod to a pair of portable speakers.

See a comparison of the different iPod music players

Customer Reviews

Incredibly pleased with my 20gb iPod
First I'll preface this review by saying that I have gone through several MP3 players and CD players, and I have no bias towards specific companies. Next I'll present you with a list of Pros and Cons:

Pros:
- very sexy and clean look.
- incredible sound quality, even mp3's almost sound CD quality, those little earbuds are incredible.
- good battery life, the 12 hours suggested by Apple is a little bit optimistic. I usually get about 11-ish hours after a full recharge and without the backlight on and at medium volume.
- very fast battery recharge.
- seamless and fast transfers, and although Apple says that it won't work with USB 1.0, it does work (albeit at a slower transfer rate).
- comes with everything you need
- the click wheel is very functional and I have yet to have any problems with it.
- very very slim and lite, I keep it in my pocket all day at school and don't notice it being there at all.
- very easy to conceal, watching a boring movie in Biology? Just pull out the 'pod and run the earbuds up the back of your shirt, it works very well actually ;). Yeah that's right Ms. Grotewiel, I don't watch your pathetic films, you dolt.
- easy to navigate menus.
- the games are a nice addition, but I never really play them.
- if you hold the menu button, the backlight will come on. This is an incredibly handy feature.
- if you order online from apple.com you can have 2 lines of text with 27 characters each laser engraved on the back, as well for a limited time their is free/one day shipping.

Cons:
- it scratches pretty easily (I personally don't have a problem with it, but some perfectionists might).
- yes it does have a high price.
- although the internal batteries only last 18 months, you can buy a warrantee from Best Buy and just say that the batteries are not functioning correctly, and they'll give you a new one. As well Apple is in the middle of a lawsuit for it, so you can count on a refund from them pretty soon if your batteries are worn out.
- as the saying goes 'white earbuds = mug me'. I've never heard any stories about having an iPod stolen, but I'm sure they're fairly desirable.
- iTunes is a little bit clumsy, but you don't have to use it to listen to music on your computer, I just use it to transfer music to my iPod. Also you can download a free plug-in for Winamp 5.0 (also free, and a better music playing program) that allows winamp to sync with your iPod. I have yet to use the plug-in for winamp, but I've heard positive things about it.


So when it comes down to it, the Pros far outweigh the Cons (some of the cons aren't cons at all!). Sure it is fairly pricey, but almost all 20gb mp3 players are around this price range, and the extra money is worth all of the advantages. If you're considering buying an iPod Mini, I would recommend the 20gb fourth generation over it any day. 16 more gigabytes for only $50 more is definitely worth it (and the 20gb is a better shape and isn't a lame metallic color). In conclusion, I strongly urge anybody in the market for a good mp3 player to buy a 20gb iPod, you WILL be pleased.

Take The Plunge
First, let me start off by saying, I know this is a lot of money. But if you've tried the other 20 Gig players, you'll know that none compare to this. I can run with mine on an armband and still screw around with the songs and volume while running.

iTunes kicks major ass over any other download service with free videos, iMixes, and 30 seconds intros to over a million songs. It also has a billboard feature where you can go to any city over about 50,000 and see what songs are on the top playlists for that area. It also shows the top downloaded songs in each genre updated constantly.

But back to the iPod -- I really can't find a bad thing with mine yet. Batteries still going strong...one charge lasts twelve hours. I did get the plan to replace my batteries if they ever die from Best Buy. Recharge takes about 2 hours to 80% then another 2 hours to 100% and then you are good for 12 hours. I just plug in every night. Comes with earbuds, charger, Firewire connector, and USB2 connector. Only thing you really should buy is an armband neoprene protector since back stainless steel can scratch. Have 11 hours on now and only about 695 meg used on the hard drive. I'd tell you more, but just trust me, you'll love it.

It's only fabulous while it lasts.
We bought this iPod in early December as a holiday gift and loved it dearly. Yet, six short months later, it died and Apple has washed its hands of us. The hard drive went. The Apple employee at the Genuis Bar lectured us that the unit is quite "fragile" and we were foolish not to have laid out the money for a hard protective case. The young man explained to us that the hard drive lies just inside a fairly thin shell and that it doesn't take that much pressure from books in a bag or briefcase to destroy the hard drive. And, that's what has happened.
We had a similar, less disastrous experience with my teenage son's iPod mini. One month after purchase, he apparently dropped it a short distance and, also having no hard cover, the top strip buckled where the earphone plugs in. It still plays but Apple won't fix the outside of the unit for us. Once Apple sees any scratches or dents on the iPod, they refuse to help because they blame all problems on rough use.

So, the iPod is wonderful but it's more expensive than you think because you really need to buy the hard protective case. In the long run it will be worth it. These machines are quite delicate and Apple really should explain these pitfalls up front.