How to Choose an iPod

1. Buy an iPod shuffle if you want something durable or are worried that your iPod will get too scratched up. They do not have screens, but work very well for music, podcasts and the like. The new iPod shuffles have a built in clip on the back to clip onto clothing. With three settings (shuffle, play through and off), they are available as a 1GB (240 songs) model for $79 USD in 5 colors: silver, blue, red, light green, and lavender.

2. Buy an iPod nano if you like having a screen, but still something that's smaller. The 3rd generation iPod nano can play video, (although you can still download a version of Linux to access this feature) and downloadable iPod games (but if you download Linux you can play ROM's such as the original Doom or Sonic 2), but they do have every other feature as the full sized models. They come in 4GB (1000 songs), or 8GB (2000 songs) for prices $149, $199, respectively . The nano comes in silver for 4GB, There are colored editions available for the 8GB model: green, blue, black, pink, red, as well as silver. Recently Apple has also released special (PRODUCT)RED editions of the iPod nano in 8GB to support AIDS relief in Africa. The newer iPod nanos are extremely durable and scratch resistant, much more so than the previous generation as they are incased in aluminium.

3. Get a iPod Classic if you would like a bigger iPod with more features. The iPod can hold up to 20,000 songs, 25,000 photos, or 100 hours of video (depending on your model, of course). They can also play games downloaded from the iTunes Music Store. They are available in 80gb (20,000 songs) or 160GB (40,000) for $249 and $349, respectively. The iPod comes in black or silver. This is a good choice if you want to download a lot of movies or videos which take up a lot of space on an iPod.

4. Decide if an iPod Mini is right for you. If you are looking for something smaller than a full size iPod but are unwilling to put up the money for an iPod nano and you want a screen. They came in 4GB or 6GB editions. They have a monochrome (black and white) screen and can't display videos photos or album artwork. They were available in blue, pink, silver, and green. You can't buy an iPod mini brand new as they aren't made anymore, but they are available online on sites such as Amazon and eBay for various prices.

5. Get the iPod touch if you want an iPod with the latest features and no annoying scroll interface. This is virtually identical to the iPhone besides the loss of the phone and camera functions. It can hold 8, 16 or 32 GB of data, for $299 and $399. It has Wi-fi connection and Youtube built in, allowing you to download music to your iPod without a computer. The screen, like the iPhone, has a touch interface, and is slightly smaller than the iphone with a 3.5 inch wide screen and 8 mm wide device. Later versions of the iPod touch include software that can recognize songs when the user walks into a Starbucks coffee shop. If you but it after January, it should come with the update that gives you widgets including Weather, Stocks, Mail, Notes and Maps. Along with a customizable home screen which allows you to move around the "icons." Also you can add a section of a webpage or just a whole web page to you home screen too. If you bought the iPod touch BEFORE January, you can get the update off of iTunes for $20. 


Tips:

Buy a cover or skin for your iPod to protect it.

• The iPod Shuffle is very good for athletics.
• The 80gb iPod Video is slightly lighter and thinner than the 160gb iPod Video.
  The iPods disks can also be used as a flash drive, so you can use it to store other things if you don't plan on filling it up with songs anytime soon.
• All new iPods come with headphones from Apple
  All iPods are able to be freely engraved with messages when purchased from Apple
  If you purchase an iPod nano, you can also (for $29) purchase a Nike+iPod Sport Kit to use your nano as a pedometer
• Software is included in older ipods, all ipods build later than september 2006 will not come with required software, therefore a computer with internet connection is required.
• Even if you don't have an iPod yet, download iTunes. It works very well and you can download podcasts, listen to internet radio, and organize your CD library. Every week there is a 3 featured songs or videos to download for free.
• You can get most iPods for much less if you buy them refurbished from Apple.
   
  For tweenage children pestering you about an iPod if you are a parent, consider buying the iPod Shuffle, Mini, or Nano for a cheap price. 
  
  Warnings
• The Old iPod nano and the newest ipod video are both targets for scratches, so buy a cover or skin when buying your iPod.(the newer nanos are MORE durable but they DO still scratch.
• The mini cannot hold videos - the mini has a black and white screen
• You can no longer purchase new iPod minis through Apple.
• A computer running Windows XP or Mac OS X series is desirable when getting an iPod. Linux is not officially supported by Apple but is supported through third-party plug-ins. Please note that this may void your warranty. Also, Linux does not work with the second generation iPod Nano and Shuffle.
• Be certain that you're not sucked into buying useless accessories, ie, iDog (It totally stinks, there's only one speaker) iCat (same.)
• Be careful about downloading Linux or other 3rd party software. There have been cases of iPods being turned into $300 paperweights.
• To get iPod Linux, go to ipodlinux.org.
• iPod speakers are usefull
• If you open your iPod box, and bought it from an Apple Retail Store, Apple will allow 14 days for return. If it is not in need of repair, you must pay 10% restocking fee.
• The iPod shuffle is tiny, you will fill it up faster than expected and it may get lost.