Rating: - A really nice ipod
Pleased with the quick delivery time and that it was well packaged.

Looked at lots of iPods before deciding to buy this one and am not disappointed.

Having read the reviews beforehand on seeing that it is likely to get scratched, have bought a nice case to go with it. I have bought the i-nique Tuff-Luv Exec soft napa leather case which looks just great.

Would agree with most people that it is nicer to invest in a better pair of earphones as the ones that come with it aren't great and are just the basic type. I have bought the Creative Labs EP-630/A earphones which are really good.

I would also agree with other people that you also need a charger to go with the ipod which is ideal for charging when away from home. I bought the iPod classic mains charger to go with mine.

Would highly recommend this product as great value for money. I bought from Amazon as they gave me the best price compared to everyone else.

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Rating: - Ruined by itunes
I upgraded from a Creative Zen Touch - not sure why I did really because that had served me so well. I suppose I was seduced by the 'brand'. Some of the features are great, the battery is surprisingly strong and it looks fantastic.

I have 2 issues, however, which have tarnished what should be a great little product:

- The sound isn't overly loud. I bought a pair of top-of-the-range headphones to go with my new ipod and I was slightly disappointed that - even when it was at its loudest - it didn't really reach the heights I was expecting.

- itunes. Although not technically part of the product, this program has utterly ruined my experience of using my ipod. Seems to take delight in deleting songs from my ipod and I advise you to only use it if you are completely confident with autosyncing songs. There must be a better program out there that allows you to manage your songs and not be dictated.

Oh, and it scratches quite easily, so get a case for it.

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Rating: - Non-Technical Review
The Good:
First things first - it is sexy. I bought a mirrored case which protects it well but I wanna have it so I can see it cos it does look great (although I will be devastated with the inevitable scratches!).

Space and speed really is impressive considering the size. Picture quality is awesome. Coverflow is pointless but cute for novelty value. I don't use the contacts or calendar so no comment on that. Sound quality is fab, with the right earphones.

The whole package of iTunes and the iPod itself are super easy to use.

The Bad:
The click wheel is a bit slow to respond. I also think that the volume just isn't loud enough. It's okay for music in most circumstances (but not all) but for things like podcasts which aren't always great quality it just doesn't cut it for me and I have pretty good hearing. But saying that everyone complains about the apple headphones and they are a bit poop (I am currently choosing alternatives). But it is def significantly quieter than the older 30gb.

The Ugly:
I already told you - it is far from ugly - it is super sexy!

In conclusion ...
In my humble opinion, you can't get a better value for money mp3 player with regards to size, weight, quality, looks and reliability, I searched for a while as I hate to be persuaded by hype and apple have plenty of that. And ... Yeah mine has crashed a couple times but every bit of technology does from time to time - don't moan ... that is life!

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Rating: - iPod Classic - serious audio
I've owned an iPod 3G, U2, 5G and now a Classic. The 5G is significantly better in sound than the 3G, and the Classic is even better. The ability of it to play tunes and articulate detail easily matches audiophile cd players. BUT you can only hear this on decent 'phones, like the in-ear Etymotic ER4Ps - the Apple earphones that come with the iPod are rubbish. You need to spend at least as much as the ipod itself on earphones to get what it's capable of.

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Rating: - I'm pleased with it...
I owned one of the old iPod Mini's before this one and was looking to upgrade to this superior model.
I am extremely pleased with this iPod indeed, and despite the cost, I'm glad that I invested in it. After all, I would rather a bit too much for an excellant product than anything on a product riddled with flaws.