Choosing the Right iPod for Your Needs

Perhaps you've already received an iPod as a gift or purchased one on an impulse. If so, you can congratulate yourself; whatever model of iPod you have, you can be sure that it will revolutionize your music-listening habits to the point where you won't be able to imagine life before you had it.

If, however, you haven't yet taken the plunge and bought an iPod, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the many different iPod models available (especially after reading the previous section describing them all). Even among brand-new iPods, there are three basic models to choose from, and each of those models can be had in any of several submodels with different prices reflecting their different features.

Apple has designed the iPod product line so that there is a continuum of features and prices, ranging from the entry-level 512MB iPod shuffle ($69) to the top-of-the-line, video-playing, 60GB iPod 5G ($399). Depending on your listening habits, the size of your music collection, your desire to watch videos, and the size of your budget, the right iPod for you might come in anywhere along that line. This section should give you an idea of how best to spend your money.

The following chart lists all the iPod models that Apple is selling as of early 2006. The price range is shown on the left, and key features appear on the right, with vertical lines showing which iPod models have those features. Consider whether it's important, for example, that your iPod is resistant to scratches; if so, the iPod shuffle, with its rugged and lightweight white body, might be right for you. Count the number of CDs in your collection and calculate how many songs you own; do you want to be able to keep all of them with you at all times? If you have a large CD collection, you'll need a full-size iPod to fit in all of them; otherwise, you'll have to pick and choose which songs to put on your iPod to take with you. Use the listed song capacity to make sure you get a large enough model to suit your listening habits. Do you need to play videos? What about photos? If you enjoy showing off your family photos but you're not interested in videos, the iPod nano might be the best choice.

There are some conditions in which none of the newest iPods is the best possible choice for you. If, for example, you have an older Macintosh computer that has FireWire ports but not USB 2.0, you won't be able to use the newest iPods properly. (All the newest iPods are based on USB 2.0 and don't support FireWire.) If this is the case, consider purchasing a used or refurbished iPod G4, the last iPod model that supports FireWire; the iPod G4 can do everything that modern iPods can do except play videos.

Comparison chart showing iPod features and prices.

Note

USB 1.1, the predecessor to USB 2.0, which was featured on older Macs, runs at a much slower speed and will take many hours to fill up a full-size iPod.