Apple iPod Mini MP3 Player Review Author: Daniel Topler Date Posted: February 25th, 2003 SLRating: Bottom Line: If you liked Apples iPod but would like something smaller then maybe you need an iPod Mini, its the size of a credit card, sleek, has a top-notch design and one of the best user interfaces around. Memory size is limited and can be a tad expensive to upgrade. We put the iPod Mini under the microscope, find out what we found in our official review....... Article Navigation Introduction Design Using the iPod Mini Functionality In the Box Battery Life Conclusions Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> Discuss This Article

Design

At first sight, the iPod Mini looks significantly smaller then its big brother, the iPod. This is because, well, it is smaller! Actually measured up, it’s about 85% of the size of the iPod, which does not sound significant, but when it is actually in your hand, you clearly see the difference. It’s also slightly thinner then the iPod, measuring out at half-an-inch.

The biggest difference between the iPod and iPod Mini size-wise would have to be the weight. Even the newest iPods weigh 2 ounces more then the iPod Mini, and the older generations’ way even more. 2 ounces can be quite a lot when carrying a device like an MP3 player. The iPod Mini could easily be described as feather-light. I actually forgot I had it once and frantically looked in my backpack to make sure I had it, only to realize it was in my pocket. It’s really that light.

What is the biggest difference in looks between the iPod and iPod Mini? The colors, of course! The iPod Mini comes in five colors; silver, green, blue, pink, and gold. What was surprising to me was the fact that Apple did not release a white iPod Mini, despite the fact that the standard iPod only comes in white.

I chose the Silver color for my Mini. Truth be told, I did this because all the other colors were sold out. The demand for the Mini has been huge, and you’d actually be lucky to find one at all, much less in a color besides silver. When the iPods were sent to the Apple stores, the majority of the shipment contained Silver Mini’s. Therefore, those are the most widely available.

Don’t get me wrong, the Silver model looks great. Its nice shine matches well with either the Powermac G5 or the Powerbook, but looks great complimenting any system. Unlike the standard iPod, the Mini does not scratch very easily.

I have to give Apple credit, it changed the best thing about the previous iPods; the touch wheel. Instead of having the buttons separate from the wheel, it combined it all in one, making the Click Wheel. The buttons are actually on the wheel! The wheel still works just great, and moving up and down is fast and easy. Don’t worry, although I thought this would happen, it is almost impossible to accidentally press a button while scrolling up or down. I didn’t think the wheel could get any better, but it has.

The screen has gotten smaller because of the decrease in overall size. Because of this, one line of text has been lost, and when playing a song, the Album is no longer shown. This isn’t a big deal, and the screen does look clearer. The backlight is also a nice whitish-bluish, which looks very cool.

Using The iPod Mini

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Article Navigation Introduction Design Using the iPod Mini Functionality In the Box Battery Life Conclusions

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