I had to get one. No, I actually had to get one. After a day-long clicking seizure, my 4G’s failing hard drive was no more. So, naturally I picked up a 5G iPod as a replacement (Portable Music Withdrawal is powerful stuff…I had no idea.) Anyway, the headline should read, “Love at First Sight, Again”, which is of course completely predictable. It’s sort of like cars or even cats: the only iPod better than an iPod is a brand new iPod.
THE GOOD: The screen is underbilled – it’s shockingly sharp, and immediately changes the way I feel about the device. My photos look bright and crisp – it’s nice having them in my pocket. The video and album art functionality is a nice bonus, but I’m not really focused on that. The PSP-user in me knows the iPod has moved way past the typical DAP, but all the things I loved about the music part are still there. My favorite enhancement is the recognition of Compilations – Thank-you! Managing Podcasts – that I like. It’s smaller, yet more powerful; vibrant, yet longer-lasting – these are all good things.
THE BAD: I’m not sold on the flat front yet. I like the rounded bevel of the 4G – it mades the whole thing feel like a flat pill, and that is strangely appealing to me. The button on the 5G is flat, making it hard to find. When I navigate quickly, the firmware transitions slowly and sometimes get stuck for a moment.
TAKEAWAYS: You can’t go wrong with an this iPod. White or Black, 30 or 60, this thing will do what you want it to. It works well, looks great, and brings with it all of the collateral value of iPodding. Unlike what a pre-bugeye-glasses Bono once recorded, in this case you have found what you are looking for.
