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I was thinking it was about time for an update with my review.
Intro
So, I got the ipod in a really nifty little cube style box. I really liked the packaging and the way it was setup. I had to charge the ipod for around 4 1/2 hours to get it full (it runs for around 17 hrs even though it only says 15). I then hooked it up to my pc and had all of my music (24gigs) and pictures (~2000) on it in about 25 minutes. My initial thoughts on the ipod were that it is slightly larger and heavier than other ipods I have held. The size difference really isnt that significant (just a little bit deeper) but the weight difference can be noticed easily.
Sound
I ran the ipod through 4 sound tests the first being listening to it with the headphones provided. I personally found the headphones to be pretty weak and uncomfortable though the sound quality was decent. Next, I ran the ipod through my stereo using the provided stereo cables. I was actually surprised by the quality of the sound, it was pretty damn clear and full even though I found the eq settings did very little. Next I ran the ipod through my Philips SBC HP170 headphones. Again I was pleasantly surprised by the results. I listened to a number of tracks on each of these setups that ranged from the Doors in full 44.1/16bit wav, to Drum and Bass (mp3 at 192), Choral music (mp3 at 192), Classical (wav 44.1), Sting (wav 44.1), Trance (AAC at 128) etc. Once I was done doing this I decided to hook up the itrip and run it through the car speakers and my handy dandy alarm clock. In my truck I have a 7 speaker infinity setup (not as nice as it sounds). I found that the itrip needs to be pretty close to the radio to be reasonably clear. The sound quality of the itrip is definitely less than that of the headphones or stereo cables and this deficiency in sound gets worse in some parts of town where there is more radio interference. Still, you get the benefit of listening to a jam on your headphones while walking out of class then popping on the itrip and continuing the jam on your car speakers. As most can guess the worst setup I listened to the ipod on was my alarm clock. I had expected this since I never use the radio and intentionally manhandle the unit at early hours of the morning. I was surprised to find that the itrip would work clearly almost all the way across my room from the clock.
Photos
The first time I uploaded photos on the ipod it took about 15 minutes to get them all on. I uploaded them from itunes using the function where you choose a folder. A benefit to this function is that you can seperate the photos into smaller groups by adding more folders into the main folder. As for the ipod I have to say I am pretty impressed with the colors and strength of the backlight. The ipod screen is not too small and pictures are very clear though not as good as one would see on a cameras screen. The layout for looking at the pictures is pretty easy to navigate because you get to look at a bunch (50 I think) at a time and can scroll through them just like the music. A click on a picture takes it up fullsize (though this doesnt always mean full screen since itunes manipulates the photo to make it work with the screen). A click on a fullsize picture starts the slideshow which involves transitioning between pictures that is controllable to an extent. You have the ability to set the amount of time that each picture displays and the music that is playing during the slideshow. You can also set a shuffle for the pictures so that you dont look at the same pictures each time.
The slideshow can also be played on a tv but I havent tested this out yet since my tv doesnt work with the cables provided.
Final thoughts: Good vs Bad
Good:
This unit is small and definitely totable in a pocket
sound quality is surprisingly good even in AAC format
Pictures are sharp, clear and easy to go through
Music is easy to go through as long as you have more than one tag filled out
Battery length is great (17 hrs as opposed to 15 hr claim)
Controls are smooth, easy to use, and quickly go through 2,500 songs
Bads:
Itunes is not my favorite program and I would have preffered a drag and drop program (this is possible using sharepod or others though)
The plastic on the front of the unit is easily scratched
No replaceable battery
Cameras can quickly download photos into ipod but itunes needs to manipulate them before they can be seen
shitty headphones provided
lack of control on slideshow (only one transition type)
EQ doesnt do much
Slideshows shorten battery length
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