Apple Ipod

Apple has finally released an Ipod for the PC and, while Creative's Nomad Jukebox is the leading MP3 jukebox for the PC, the Ipod is superior in a number of ways.

Most important is that the Ipod is the only truly portable jukebox. It is considerably smaller and lighter than its competitors, measuring about the same size as a deck of cards and weighing 185g. It's available in 5GB, 10GB and 20GB versions.

We tested the 10GB version, which is roughly enough to store over 2,500 MP3 tracks at 128bps.

It can only play MP3 files, so if your music is stored as Windows Media Audio (wma) or Advanced Audio Coding (aac), you'll have to convert it before transferring.

Tracks are transferred to the Ipod using Firewire. It took us one hour 43 minutes to copy our collection of 2,391 MP3 files, which is impressively fast.

Apple supplies a copy of Musicmatch Plus 7.1 to rip and transfer songs.

This version has been specially written to support the Ipod and, although it isn't the easiest to get to grips with, it contains more features than many of its rivals.

The software automatically copies over newly ripped tracks to the device.

Windows Explorer sees the Ipod as a removable drive, so you can also use the machine as a backup device. Plus you can export Outlook contacts as Vcards, so it doubles as an address book too.

The Ipod's navigation menu is simplicity itself. Five buttons and a touch-sensitive scroll wheel control everything, plus there's a wired remote on the headphones for extra flexibility when on the move.

Apple hasn't skimped on the headphones, and the sound quality is excellent.

Battery life is quoted as 10 hours, borne out by our tests, all of which makes the Ipod one of the best jukeboxes we've seen.

SPECS

• 10GB hard drive
• MP3 file support
• Wired remote
• In-ear headphones
• Musicmatch Plus 7.1
• 10 hour battery life
• 100 x 60 x 20mm (h x w x d)
• 185g

Price: £329 (£280 ex VAT)

Contact: Apple 0800 039 1010
www.apple.com/uk