Apple iPod (80GB)

This new 80GB model measures 0.6 by 4.1 by 2.4 inches and weighs 5.5 ounces—the same size as the discontinued fifth-gen 60GB model. The 30GB version measures the same old 0.4 by 4.1 by 2.4 inches and weighs 4.8 ounces. The screen is still 2.5 inches (diagonal) with an array of 320 by 240 tightly packed (0.16mm dot pitch) pixels. The headphone jack and hold switch are on top, while the dock connector is on the bottom. As before, the back casing is stainless steel and the front is covered in a fingerprint-prone polycarbonate, both of which have a tendency to scratch and scuff when put in contact with hard objects. I strongly recommend keeping the iPod in the sleeve that came with it or a third-party case.

The iPod's now-legendary integration with iTunes and the iTunes Music Store has been the key to its success. (This is why Microsoft is now spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a similarly integrated system.) Check out our review of iTunes 7 for a gander at the software's newest iPod-related features.

For audio formats, the iPod supports WAV, AIFF, AAC, protected AAC, Apple Lossless, and MP3. It can also play Audible audiobooks. Images can be viewed if they are stored in JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, or PNG formats, as well as PSD files if you're using a Mac. Video compatibility is far more limited; basically you are limited to MPEG-4 files, H.264-encoded video with the .mp4 or .m4v extension, and MOV files. Videos can be up to 30 frames per second, at VGA quality with maximum bit rates of 2.5 Mbps for MPEG-4 or 1.5 Mbps for H.264. The audio format for videos is AAC-LC at up to 160 Kbps. I'd love to see broader video format support, specifically for the AVI file format and for videos with MP3 soundtracks. Most videos not acquired via the iTunes Store need to be converted in iTunes or with a third-party video transcoding utility.

Pros (+) :

• Bright screen.
• Excellent interface.
• Seamless integration with iTunes.
• You can transfer purchased music from iPod back to PCs.
• Very good sound quality.
• Long video battery life.
• Supports lossless and Audible formats, as well as gapless playback.
• Supports fun games.

Cons (-)

• Audio battery life could be longer.
• FM tuner and recording capabilities require optional accessories.
• Video-format support could be broader.

Check this out at www.apple.com, see full review at www.pcmag.com