In a similar mode to the iPod, the Apple TV doesn’t shut down. It remains in standby, ready to be activated by the Apple Remote command.

The main menu indicates the multimedia sources that can be chosen: Films, TV shows, Music, Podcast and Pictures. The contents are those in local playing that were previously synchronized on the Apple TV or streaming from a computer. In the first case, the contents can be played even with a turned off Mac, in the second, it’s possible to connect up to 5 Macs or PC’s.

There’s little to say about the local playing: the selection is simple, the preview is fast, and it starts without problems, even when dealing with high definition content.

The only control device that comes with the Apple TV is the famous Apple Remote, the 5 key remote-control that is already compatible with the iPod, iMac, MacBook and MacBook Pro. The product is presented in a very simple and elegant pack, true to Apple’s style.

Installing the Apple TV is very simple. Just connect the device to the electricity and TV and it’s done. At the first start, it feels more like a bigger iPod than a Mac, and it is a sensation that will linger. The wireless network detection is rather fast, although the reception isn’t the best (in an open environment, it cannot connect to devices further than 10m from the base). Once connected, Apple TV supplies a code which is necessary to connect it to iTunes.

The Apple iPod Classic also gives users the possibility of downloading many games from iTunes, specifically created for the player. There are also other features such as calendar, contacts, clock, screen lock and chronometer.

As for the Operational System compatibilities, the player supports both Windows Vista and XP, and Mac OS X 10.4.8 and newer. The USB 2.0 interface is used for a connection to external devices, through the cable that is supplied with the acquisition pack.

The battery is a rechargeable lithium battery which is integrated on the player, and supplies up to 40 hours of audio playing and up to 7 hours of video playing with one recharge.

The player is also available in two versions: one with 4GB internal memory, that is able to store around 1000 songs in AAC format, 3500 pictures and up to 4 hours of videos and another one with 8GB, that allows for 2000 songs, 7000 pictures or 8 hours of videos.

The Apple iPod Nano also offers many song and video research options, such as the Cover Flow, which can be done by using the control button to browse through album covers. The control button is also used to adjust the volume and explore the music menu by playlist, artists, albums, songs, genre and other options.

The iTunes Store also gives the opportunity to receive thousands of video and audio podcasts for free or by subscription, and the user can also purchase thousands of audiobooks.

Pros:

- Many colors available
- Easy to use
- Light weight
- Size

Cons:

- Not many functions
- Low storage capability

Conclusion:

What strikes the most on this player is definitely its very small size and the many different colors available. It’s obvious that for a player this small, the storage capability can’t be that great (1GB only) but it’s definitely good enough. This player doesn’t have many features as it only plays songs, but it’s hard to require anything else from a device as small as this one is.

The player features a very simple and intuitive battery indicator, that lights up in green when the battery is full, an amber color when it’s almost empty, and red when it requires recharging. However, thanks to the rechargeable lithium batter, it’s possible to play up to 12 hours non-stop with a full recharge, but it must be mentioned that the battery duration and the number of supported recharge cycles vary according to the use and settings.

In order to recharge the player, the user must connect it to the PC and wait 4 hours for a full recharge. The purchase pack includes the headphones, the dock and the fast installation guide.

The first step to be done in order to use the player is downloading iTunes for free from the internet site, and it will allow the users to manage the songs present in the player. Hence, it’s necessary to insert it on its dock (which is included in the pack) and connect the dock to the PC through an USB cable. In that way, it’s possible to transfer all the songs to the iPod shuffle. Thanks to iTunes, it’s possible to transfer any songs automatically to the player, in order to create a custom playlist. If the user wants a better control of the songs, it’s possible to set the player to synchronize specific playlists and add the highest rated sogns first. Users can also deactivate the automatic transfer and select their songs manually.

Clearly, the biggest feature on the iPod Shuffle 1GB is the size, which make it the smallest player in the world, most likely. Also, the player can be hooked to the pocket, jeans, backpack or wherever the user wants due to a comfortable clip. The controls are very simple and easy to use. In the middle of the control panel, there’s the play/pause button, and on the sides, the fast-forward/rewind and volume buttons.

The iPod Shuffle 1GB is a very tiny music player, but with big features. Its size is very small (27,3mm x 41,2mm x 10,5mm), and for that reason, it doesn’t feature an external display (no place for it), and its surface has a very comfortable control button in order to manage the songs. The design is available in five colors: silver, pink, green, blue and orange.

It features, as the name says, a 1GB hard disk, that allows the storage of around 240 songs of an average 4 minutes each in the AAC format. The storage capacity might seem small, but considering the size and price of this player, it’s considerably interesting.

Pros:

- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Storage capacity
- Multi-touch display

Cons:

- Price
- Non-removable battery

Conclusion

The iPod Touch is an advanced version of all the other players presented by Apple, especially for the presence of Wi-Fi connectivity. It also features the new display touchscreen and a modern design. The storage capacity isn’t that huge, but it’s not bad either. The battery duration is, instead, rather high.

The price might be a problem, as it can be rather high in comparison to other players, however. Which is perhaps one of the main problems on the iPod Touch.

Another new feature on this model is the wi-fi connection, version 802.11b/g, that allows for a wireless internet connection and the navigation through the Safari browser, and also the accessibility to the YouTube resources. The Apple iPod touch also supports iTunes, so players can directly download files to their device.

The player has a lithium rechargeable battery that allows for 22 consecutive hours of music playing, 5 hours of video playing. It takes 3 hours to completely recharge the battery through an USB connection. The box contains, upon purchase, the stereo headphones, the USB cable, the power adapter, a cleaning cloth and installation guide.