With four iPod models available this holiday season - and the iPhone 3GS - your choices for gifts are more complicated than they've been since you had to decide between Beta and VHS. Is an iPod touch better than a Classic? What's the big difference between a nano and a Shuffle?
Anyone who opens wrapping paper to find an iPod this holiday season will be thrilled, but you can thrill your friends and family even more if you get just the right iPod for their lives and interests.
This guide to each iPod, and what kind of person to buy it for, should go a long way to making your recipients happy.
1. iPod touch
image copyright Apple
People who will love the iPod touch include people who want:
- Their iPod to do a bit of everything. The touch stores up to 14,000 songs or 80 hours of video, its 3.5-inch screen is great for video, and built-in WiFi allows users to browse the web or check email.
- The tremendous range of games and apps at the App Store make the touch endlessly fun and useful.
- A PDA with a music player built-in. The touch includes a calendar, address book, and email program.
- Great battery life. The touch offers up to 30 hours battery life
- To please their teenagers. With the multitude of features, teens love the touch.
- A sleek gadget. The touch weighs just over 4 ounces and slips easily into a pocket.
- Performance. The new 3rd generation model is faster than ever.
2. iPod nano
image copyright Apple Inc.
The iPod nano occupies the middle of the iPod line - it's not too expensive, but doesn't have a big hard drive. But the new, 5th generation model packs a lot of features, including an FM radio and a video camera. The nano is in the middle of the pack pricewise - it starts at $149.
The iPod nano is great for:
- The music lover who wants to tote up to 4,000 songs or 16 hours of video.
- The first-time iPod owner. With all great iPod features and style, the nano is a great step into the world of the iPod.
- The exerciser who needs extra functionality. The nano is small and light (1.28 ounces) and has a screen.
- Lovers of cool new features. The 5th-generation nano adds a video camera, an FM tuner, and support for Nike + for exercisers.
3. iPod Shuffle
image copyright Apple Inc.
One major thing sets the iPod Shuffle apart from all other iPods - it doesn't have a screen. Instead, the Shuffle is a tiny rectangle with no buttons on the front (it's controlled via the headphones) and a clip on the back. Despite lacking a screen, the Shuffle can be a great gift for people who:
- Exercise a lot. Because the Shuffle is almost ridiculously small, light (0.38 ounces), and easy to use without looking at a screen, it's an ideal workout companion for joggers, bikers, or anyone else who liked music while exercising.
- Have a limited budget. Want to give an iPod, but short on funds? With a Shuffle, you can give the 2GB model for just $59 or 4GB at $79 - at that price, it's practically a stocking stuffer!
4. iPod Classic
image copyright Apple
With its huge 160GB hard drive and sizable screen, the iPod Classic is perfect for:
- Music lovers with gigantic iTunes libraries. Apple claims the Classic can hold 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video.
- Music fans who want to watch the occasional music video, TV show, or movie. Movie lovers who watch a lot of video may want the bigger screen offered by the iPod touch.
- Folks on the go. The Classic has a battery that can offer up to 36 hours of music playback without a recharge.
- Those not concerned about a little extra weight or size.
- Lovers of the classic iPod size and shape.
5. iPhone 3GS
image copyright Apple
The iPhone is still hot, and though it's not technically an iPod, it grew out of the iPod line. It's a complicated gift because it comes with a two-year cell phone contract, but it's also the most full-featured Apple music player. The iPhone 3GS could be great for:
- College students. If you've got a child in college, they've got a cell phone (which you're probably paying for) and might have/want an iPod. Why not combine the two?
- People on the go - with a phone, music player, and always-on Internet access, the iPhone is a terrific tool for someone always out and about.
- Game lovers. With the App Store, the iPhone 3G has a library of terrific mobile games.
