Among other improvements, the fifth-generation iPod sports a whopping 80GB hard disk. In media terms, this relates to around 20,000 songs or 25,000 photos or 100 hours of video, although you actually only get 74.37GB to play with.

Looks-wise, the iPod hasn't changed much. It still comes in either black or white and has its iconic scroll wheel for navigating through tracks and the menu system. This 80GB version is about the same size as its predecessors, measuring 10.35cms tall, 6.18cm wide and 1.4cm deep. It weighs 157g.

After receiving a battering in the press about its battery life, Apple has upped the iPod's life to around 20 hours for music and 6.5 hours when watching video. Of course, this will vary depending on the file being played.

Apple claims the 2.5in screen is 60 per cent brighter too, however we didn’t see much difference between this and the fourth-generation model. It still plays video at a 320 x 240 resolution and at 30 frames per second.

There's also a new feature within the menu system that allows you to search for a song, album or artist by keying in letters, like you would a mobile phone contacts book. Considering the iPod can now hold thousands upon thousands of tracks, this is a logical step.

The new iPod is still pretty good in the audio-quality department but there are definitely better-sounding players out there. It's also still lacks the features of competing media players, such as an FM tuner, a line-in port for recording from analogue sources and WMA compatibility.

However, with iTunes at its side, there's no denying that the iPod still uses the best, most versatile and most easy-to-use software around. And with new games costing 79p each, there's more for iPod fans to get excited about.

The 80GB iPod costs £259 while the 30GB version goes for £189. Pitching the gigabyte against the pound, both offer exceptional value and the battery life is a welcome improvement too.

Also consider
Sandisk Sansa e260
Only a 4GB hard disk but brimming with enough features to put Apple's design team to shame

All mp3 player reviews