Apple iPod Photo (30GB)
Manufacturer: Apple Part number: M9829LL/A
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The iPod Photo is a beautiful and versatile device with a new, affordable price. The 30GB version is a particularly good value at only $50 more than the audio-only 20GB version.
Read more
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Apple iPod Photo (30GB) price range: $299.99
- Reviewed by: James Kim
- Edited by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 03/25/2005
- Released on: 02/23/2005
The good: Intuitive photo viewing; displays album art; adds color to your iPod experience; mammoth 30GB or 60GB hard drive; lets you view photos and listen to music simultaneously; speedy performance; latest firmware update along with optional Camera Connector will allow direct digital-camera transfers of photos, which will be viewable on iPod; solid battery life.
The bad: Package doesn't include iPhoto 4.x, FireWire cable, A/V cable, or dock; slightly heavier and thicker than fourth-generation iPod.
The bottom line: The iPod Photo is a beautiful and versatile device with a new, affordable price. The 30GB version is a particularly good value at only $50 more than the audio-only 20GB version.
Editor's note: We have changed the rating in this review to reflect recent changes in our rating scale. Click here to find out more.
User reviews
-
-
One adults opinion...
by toodvs4ne1 on May 29, 2005
Pros: Fast Processor;great photo features;fantastic screen
Cons: sound quality not up to par w/ other 4g ipods
Summary: I had just recently bought a 30gb photo at Best Buy and returned it almost immediately. The sound quality was horrible. Attributing this to a possible defective unit, I went ...
Summary: I had just recently bought a 30gb photo at Best Buy and returned it almost immediately. The sound quality was horrible. Attributing this to a possible defective unit, I went back and payed the extra 100 buckes angd tried the 60gb. The sound was not much better; distortion with lows at just about any volume level. I did a little research and discovered a few message boards packed with similar stories re: the PHOTO series Ipod.(BTW,I tested both units with different headphones and song files) I went back to the store for a third time, and this time tried a 20gb (NON PHOTO) 4 gen ipod. The difference in sound quality was immediately noticable.This model sounds FANTASTIC as you would expect.Appearently, the Photo units share the headphone jack with an A/V OUT feature and this degrades sound quality. Its worth mentioning that I am not an extreme audiophile or anything, But I do expect my $450.00 top of the line MP3 player to sound better than a no name $75 flea market special. In closing, it is my persnal experience that the review of this unit is slightly off by stating that the sound quality is the same as the standard ipod. IT DEFINITELY IS NOT.If your main priority in buying an Ipod is music, you are much better off sticking to the 20GB (and saving a few bucks to boot!)
13 out of 17 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Well worth every penny, phenomenal!
by bluntedboy on May 10, 2005
Pros: Color Screen, Long Battery Life, Decent Capacity, Price Drop.
Cons: Haven't found any.
Summary: Full user opinion
I made the huge mistake of playing with a 1st Gen iPod Photo when they were released. Once I saw the clarity and features provided by the ...Summary: Full user opinion
I made the huge mistake of playing with a 1st Gen iPod Photo when they were released. Once I saw the clarity and features provided by the color screen, simply put, nothing else would do. I had to have the best. The original asking price of $399 for the 40GB Photo model was a little steep, so I just kept watching the prices. The very day the 30GB with the $349 price tag was released I put my order in. I got free laser engraving from Apple and the hardest thing about the purchase was deciding what to have engraved on the back (it's permanent). Apple shipped to me direct from the manufacturer in China, so a big fun factor was tracking the package as it made a cross country trek to arrive in my eager hands.
I've heard rumors from Mac users regarding the exquisite detail Apple packs their products but didn't expect anything special from an iPod. I will say, buying an iPod and opening it for the first time is an experience that reaffirms why you spent the money in the first place. The packaging whispers "you wanted the best, here it is".
I had two problems which were quickly solved. One of my ear buds had poor sound quality, I called Apple and they quickly overnighted me a new pair. My iPod went to sleep and I couldn't "wake it". I thought it was dead, but after calling Apple they explained the procedure for "waking up" an iPod that went into hibernation.
I bought this for the screen. Had to have the color screen. I could care less about putting photos on my iPod, I'm a music freak. I want to see my album art as I play music. I want the envy factor of having other people look over and seeing the color screen.
In my humble opinion, there is no reason to spend $299 for a 20GB iPod when you can have more storage and the better screen for $50 more. If you think this is too expensive, it's not for you. Go buy the $99 Shuffle or a portable CD Player.
Music freaks understand the iPod, others do not.9 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
iPod is So-So Gotta Have
by mouseclick on April 14, 2005
Pros: Cult status player with good storage. Sleek
Cons: Despite Apple's claim to easiest user interfaces, not so on iPod
Summary: There are some obvious nice things to the iPod. It is sleek. It has massive storage and it is the "gotta have" item of this decade so far. Despite these ...
Summary: There are some obvious nice things to the iPod. It is sleek. It has massive storage and it is the "gotta have" item of this decade so far. Despite these positives, iPod has lots of negatives. Mostly, Apple has really dropped the ball on usability and interface here. While initially it seems neat to have a toggle wheel with integrated buttons, it actually makes the iPod more difficult to use, which is not typical of Apple's reputation. They probably did short-term usability focus-groups which would result in good ratings. But after you own it for a month or two... You'll notice that hitting the FWD button sometimes also turns the volume up/down since the button is on the same wheel to change the volume. Also, and often, turning off the iPod takes several attempts, probably because the same button to turn off the player is the same one to play and pause music. You may have to click and hold the button several times to get it to work. The interface also makes it too easy to accidentally hit buttons and change songs, settings, etc. They have a "hold" switch to prevent this by locking the player, but then each time you want to change songs, etc., you have to switch the "hold" feature to off. Really could be better designed. However, despite the fact that iPod is not as good as it should be, it is still the "gotta have" item, and combining iTune's music store makes this the obvious choice in players, even if it really is only so-so.
7 out of 9 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Looks Good, but get the 40 GB with a marked-down price from online stores like amazon or buy.com!
by plecky on March 7, 2005
Pros: nice color screen (not monochrome anymore!), 15-hr battery life, nice large HD, everything already said about ipods before it time and time again, lowered prices on the old 40/60 gig versions!
Cons: no video playback, drains battery quick if color screen is constantly being used w/backlight, no removable battery, lack of bundled accessories!
Summary: Unlike most of my reviews, I will keep this one shorter then usual. I think this is a solid product and i could go on about why that is, although ...
Summary: Unlike most of my reviews, I will keep this one shorter then usual. I think this is a solid product and i could go on about why that is, although this review is more just a suggestion to any potential buyers who will no-doubt be purchasing this (not a review for the person debating on a color-HD-mp3-player, or the person still researching their purchase). Although if you know you're going to pick up one of these now with the huge price drops recently introduced, let me offer a word to the wise. If you check out other online merchants like buy.com, and amazon.com (I think) - they are selling the old 40-gig version for roughly the same price and sometimes even less then this 30-gig new player is currently selling for. Same goes with the old 60 gig compared to the newer-released 60 gigs found at mac's online store. The difference between maybe saving a few bucks buying the older models goes far beyond that though! Not only could you save a few bucks purchasing the older models, but you'd also be making a better overall purchase. Let me explain why and reason it out. First the older models from experience and reviews are pretty much similar to these ones (especially the 60 gig with identitcal HD-size). Although the 40 gig gives you 10 more gigs of hard drive for the same price as mac's site is charging for this new 30 gig! Seems obvious just for the extra-10 gigs alone. But that's not all, these new released ones dropped so drastically in price due to lack of bundled accessories that include a tv-cable so you can watch your user-created photo slideshows with music on a full-size TV! A few other cables and programs such as iphoto are also sorely missed in these new cheaper versions. Although the older versions come with more in the box, so you are getting more for your money there (whether you buy the 40 gig or 60 gig older versions). Sure you may not get a couple things, like the free-custom engraving you can get online, or the feeling of buying the newest top-brand iPod (which really is no different then their previous photo ones player-wise). Personally I reccomend going for the old-40-gig ipod photo over the 30 gig for the same price and get the included accessories just incase you use them (you probably will is my guess whether you think so or not right now). That also goes for getting the older 60-gig then the newer ones without the accessories/software bundled in the box. Although I guess if you must have the newest version, custom-engraving, getting it strait from apple's website then you'll ignore this. But if those few things don't matter to you like they wouldn't matter to me, i'd check into what i said and then make your final decision of purchasing. Either way, you'll be pioneers in a new line of ipod and mp3 players that are going the next step to color screens and photo-viewing (and more probably) capibilities. Say goodbye to monochrome because I have a feeling that color is what we can expect over the rest of 2005 leading into 2006. Just a guess, but either way hope this review helps some of you to whom it applies, and to everyone out there - hoping you a sucessful shopping experience!
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Cnet did a blind studyfor BEST sounding Mp3 Player... Who came in LAST??
by DCizzle on June 21, 2005
Pros: pro would be that I didnt buy it.
Cons: con would be me feeling bad for the people who did buy it.
Summary: Ultimately, MP3 players are about the music--so which one sounds the best? Determining the best-sounding player is a tricky task since many of the top devices utilize the same sound ...
Summary: Ultimately, MP3 players are about the music--so which one sounds the best? Determining the best-sounding player is a tricky task since many of the top devices utilize the same sound chips. In fact, unless you have the golden ears of an audiophile, it's difficult to notice the difference between devices. Still, we, the editors and CNET Labs, put them to the test using a playlist ranging from Air to Bob Dylan, comprising a variety of genres encoded at 320Kbps VBR MP3, setting equal volume levels, and disabling any EQ or sound-effects settings. Using a pair of our trusty Grado headphones, we judged sound quality in a blind sound test and came up with some consistent (and interesting) results. Described as warm and true, the sound quality of Cowon's iAudio X5 fared very well, as did the iRiver H320 right behind it. Toshiba's Gigabeat F20 had mixed reviews ("tinny," "good for techno" and "slightly processed with a hint of hiss") as did Creative's "tight" and "hiss-free" Zen Touch. But it was the brand-new Sony NW-HD5 that consistently ranked number one, delivering MP3s "with a crispy warm seal." Which consistently ranked last? Apple's iPod Photo.
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
The Best for many reasons.
by ezryder2 on June 9, 2005
Pros: Nice screen size/color; easy interface; nice build quality; shows cover art while playing songs.
Cons: No WMP compatibility.
Summary: I did tons of research on MP3 players - even bought an iRiver H10 20gb player for awhile. I strongly resisted the iPod. I don't like Apple's "closed" ...
Summary: I did tons of research on MP3 players - even bought an iRiver H10 20gb player for awhile. I strongly resisted the iPod. I don't like Apple's "closed" platform, and I didn't want to be a lemming buying a fad item. Turns out the iPod actually deserves its reputation. It blows away the iRiver in terms of color and ease of use and just plain look and feel.
The BIGGEST thing is that the iPod has become more than an MP3 player - it is a PLATFORM. This means tons of accessories and hacks and a huge community out there for support. Conside that you can install an iCruze from Monster in your car and have full control of the iPod using your car stereos controls. Try that with ANY other player. There is probably NEVER going to be an "iPod killer" - it's got too much steam. Eventually, maybe some other manufacturer will build a LINE of good players that thrid parties will accept enough to build accessories for. Very hard to imagine right now, but...
The sound is good; it has some good presets for EQ; and I hooked them up to some Logitech Z-2300 2.1 speakers/subwoofer PC speakers and it kicked buns, big time. I really like seeing the album cover art while playing music; the interface is very slick and intuitive and easy on the eyes. I haven't seen any other GUI on an MP3 player that matches the iPod - and how could they? Apple is reknown for their user interface design. This is just an extension of it.
The big problem now is sync'ing it with my Windows Media Player 10, which I use for MCE 2005 PC I have attached to my living room TV...
Just get over your fear and loathing and buy it - you won't be disappointed.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
Why by an IPod? plz explain here
by theabchotdawg on April 21, 2005
Pros: nice...*shrug* somthing to use?
Cons: apple...expensive...easy to get dirty...battery
Summary: so the hype about iPods have circulated around the nation but think about it...350 bucks for 30 GBs and color. after a year and a half...another 100 so ...
Summary: so the hype about iPods have circulated around the nation but think about it...350 bucks for 30 GBs and color. after a year and a half...another 100 so 450 for about 3 years worth. so unbelievable easy to get dirty that iPod users go nuts over smudges. I love going up to iPod users and saying...hey, can i see that? and they're just like sure...and next thing u kno...their ears are being blasted bcuz of how easy it is to raise the volume. the touchpad needs getting used to because of the sensitivity...no point of playing games or stuff...no way to adjust sensitivity...and just so expensive. what makes an ipod better than the zen micro? a circle? bcuz it'z white? bcuz there might be your favorite fruit on the back? there's not really a good clear reason. of course u can say it'z user opinion...but who has actually tried somthing else FIRST and then go to the iPod and say how awesome the iPod is compared to it. if u haven't...u don't kno better and there's no point in flaunting how awesome it is bcuz u think you kno...but you have no idea
6 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
not worth it
by dod713 on June 5, 2005
Pros: cons is its IPOD and its popular, sleek design
Cons: no fm, limited format played, no voice recording, no lcd on remote control, kinda bulky even without any added features..
Summary: i wonder why cnet always insist of having this ipod on the editors choice... if you review this system there a whole lot more to see on its cons which ...
Summary: i wonder why cnet always insist of having this ipod on the editors choice... if you review this system there a whole lot more to see on its cons which they didnt mention... something thats being said as cons on other player is in IPOD except the sleek design... the scroll wheel looks good yet its kinda annying to move your finger up and down most of the time.. the remote control wont even tell you which number of song you are or any of those in iriver or cowon, yet still it manage to get top reviews.... by the way im not an IPOD hater, i honestly have ipod U2 which is pretty cool but i regret it too much when i saw my friends i audio x5.. anyway i bought my own i audio x5 too... =) but i hope next time cnet would give any mp3 players fair reviews... no FM , no voice recording, and some other format are not available on this file.... this player could be 7 the most..
Updated
cnet always endorses this elegant looking but mediocare performance less featured player.... why? i begin to double theyre getting paid to rank IPOD CNETS mp3 of choice..... APPLE gets every endorser to make sure they dominate the market... well done5 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
not that good
by rolla88 on June 21, 2005
Pros: trendy, nice color
Cons: no OGG support, gotta use Apple software to take full advantage; no FM tuner
Summary: I dont understand how CNET can give this player an Editor's Choice rating. That is such BS! Apple must give CNET kickbacks or funding for such a rating! If ...
Summary: I dont understand how CNET can give this player an Editor's Choice rating. That is such BS! Apple must give CNET kickbacks or funding for such a rating! If this so-called editor knows anything about MP3 players, any audiophile can tell you that the OGG format is better than the MP3 format, yet the iPod fails to support it. This alone should be reason enough to not give the iPod an Editor's Choice rating. Plus, all of the other reasons under the "Cons" that I listed should be reason enough to not give the iPod the rating that CNET gave it.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
-
iPod photo -- a fine choice!
by digitalman405 on June 21, 2005
Pros: excellent sound, display, scroll wheel
Cons: scratches easily, battery dies a little quickly
Summary: It's much better than the 20 gb ipod, with a crisp, color display. A cover is needed so it won't scratch, but the sound and everything else is ...
Summary: It's much better than the 20 gb ipod, with a crisp, color display. A cover is needed so it won't scratch, but the sound and everything else is wonderful.
Have wma's? Don't worry! With the new iTunes software you can convert your wma's into mp3's to put them onto the iPod. It's the best player out there... deffinetly!2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Apple
- Part number: M9829LL/A
- Description: The original iPod changed the way you listen to music by putting thousands of songs in your pocket. Now it changes the way you see your music, with a crisp color screen. Browse playlists via vivid menus, thumb through album cover art, even play games and view calendars in color. Or sync photos and view them in color, anywhere. Your personal, portable entertainment library, iPod looks as good as it sounds. iPod incorporates the same touch-sensitive Apple Click Wheel that debuted on iPod mini. Use it to navigate your music on the iPod's 65,536-color, 220x176-pixel display. Spin the wheel to scroll effortlessly through dozens of playlists, hundreds of albums or thousands of songs and podcasts. Or highlight photos. iPod displays 25 full-color thumbnails at a time, and you can scroll through them the same way you scroll through song titles. When you see a photo you'd like displayed all by its lonesome, just click the center button and voila. No one will have to say "cheese" as long as you have iPod around. Whether you're listening to tunes or checking out photos, you're sure to be all smiles. iPod lets you play your music for up to 15 hours on a single battery charge. Imagine: you could fly from New York to Paris and still have hours of listening time left as you stroll the Champs Elysees. While you're on the move, iPod keeps you aware of its charge level, and when it's time, iPod's quick to recharge. Plug it into your computer or a handy wall socket (via the included power adapter) and you can fast-charge iPod in as little as two hours. The perfect companion to iPod, iTunes lets you easily build and manage your digital audio collection. Browse the built-in iTunes Music Store for more than 1 million songs, 11,000 audiobooks and 3,000 podcasts. Jazz, Pop or Hip Hop. Mystery, memoir or thriller. Comedy, news or politics. From reading to radio, the iTunes Music Store has it all. Download what you want, then sync everything - including full-color album, audiobook and podcast art - to your iPod using the included USB 2.0 or optional FireWire cable. Even your photos come along for the ride, either via iTunes or the iPod Camera Connector. Once you sync, everything appears on your iPod, so you can look or listen anytime, anywhere. As for the CDs you already own, iTunes makes it easy to transfer your favorite songs and albums. Just pop a CD into your Mac or PC and click the Import button. You can import music in a variety of formats, such as MP3 or AAC, and at whatever quality level you'd prefer. Choose the Apple Lossless encoder for sound quality indistinguishable from a CD at about half the original file size. And with USB 2.0 and FireWire support, you can transfer the music from an entire CD to iPod in just 5 seconds or less.
General
- Product type Hard drive
- PC interface(s) supported FireWire, Hi-Speed USB
- Flash memory installed No built-in memory
- Digital storage Built-in 30 GB Hard disk drive
- Weight 5.9 oz
- Dimensions (W x D x H) 2.4 in x 0.6 in x 4.1 in
- Color White
- Available body colors White
- Included accessories Earbud headphones, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable
- Software type Apple iTunes, Drivers & Utilities
- iPod Generation 4G
Carrying Case
- Case type Included
Digital Player / Recorder
- Supported digital audio standards AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless
- Playback modes Playlist, One track repeat, All tracks repeat, Random play / shuffle
- Edit functions Erase
- Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Supported bit rate 32 - 320
- ID3 tags support Yes
- External hard drive function Yes
- Additional features Variable bit-rate compatible
Built-in Display
- Audio system built-in display LCD
- Diagonal size 2 in
- Resolution 220 x 176
- Backlight display Yes
- Display illumination color White
- Display menu language Dutch, Danish, French, German, Korean, English, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese, Norwegian, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional)
Audio Features
- Sound output mode Stereo
- Amplifier response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Timer Wake, Sleep
- Built-in clock Alarm, Timer, Digital clock
- Additional features Notes, Calendar, Phone book, Hold button, Date display, Photo wallet, Built-in games, Upgradeable firmware, Playback speed control, Battery level indication
CD System
- Playback modes Repeat one/all
- Digital audio standards supported MP3, AAC
- Supported bit rate 16 - 320Kbps
Equalizer
- Equalizer type Digital graphic
- Equalizer factory preset qty 20
Remote Control
- Remote control None
Microphone
- Microphone type None
Headphones
- Headphones type Binaural Ear-bud
- Sound output mode Stereo
- Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Impedance 32 Ohm
- Connectivity technology Wired
Connectivity
- Cable(s) included 1 x USB cable - External
- Connector type 1 x, Docking station, Headphones / remote control / composite video
- Slot(s) provided 1 x Docking, Remote
Battery / Power
- Battery Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
- Mfr estimated battery life 15 hour(s)
- Recharge time 5 hour(s)
- Power device type Power adapter
System Requirements
- Peripheral / Interface devices USB port
- Operating system Apple MacOS X 10.2.8 or later, Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 or later, Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP2 or later
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Digital player, No built-in memory, AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless, 60 GB, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
-
Manufacturer: Apple
Specs: Hard drive, No built-in memory, AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless, 30 GB, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated
Accessories
- Belkin Auto Kit for iPod w/ Dock Connector
- Belkin Backup Battery Pack for iPod w/ Dock Connector
- Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for docking iPods
- Apple iPod Socks
- Tekkeon myPower
- Sonnet Podfreq Photo
- Apple iPod photo Dock - digital player docking station
- Apple iPod Camera Connector
- Belkin Auto Kit for iPod w/ Dock Connector
- Belkin Backup Battery Pack for iPod w/ Dock Connector
- Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for docking iPods
- Apple iPod Socks
- Tekkeon myPower
- Sonnet Podfreq Photo
- Apple iPod photo Dock - digital player docking station
- Apple iPod Camera Connector
Manufacturer info
- Apple
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Apple products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://www.apple.com
- Address:
One Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 - Phone: 1-408-996-1010
%20-%20Compare%20prices,%20reviews,%20user%20opinions%20-%20Shopper.com&srcUrl=http://shopper.cnet.com/mp3-players/apple-ipod-photo-30gb/4014-6490_9-31296983.html){kind=small}