iPod given high marks in pc magazine

[AlphaTech]

I admit it, I sometimes pick up pc mags/rags, but this time it actually had something good to say about an Apple product

And I quote:

Apple iPod
Every single aspect fo the 10GB, FireWire-based iPod – from the sound quality to the box it cam in – is a lesson in first-rate engineering and presentation.

Everything we did with the iPod was performed without consulting the manual even once, from adjusting the EQ to searching for songs. The iPod was also the loudest of the hard drive-based players, and the only one in the entire roundup that came with earbuds that we didn't immediately discard after a few seconds (though they still lack an acceptable amount of bass).

The real secret-weapon of the iPod,though, is the rechargable lithium-polymer battery. It's expensive technology, but the battery can be molded to fit into almost any form (lining, for example, the bottom of the iPod case, thus reducing the overall size of the player). The battery lacks the flesh-eating chemicals found in other batteries, which means it requires less shielding, and the result is a svelte 6.5 oz. player.

So why review a Mac-only product? Pssst... there's a number of hacked progs available on the Internet that will let you format and use the iPod on your pc – you know how to use a search engine, don't you? The most stable, if rudimentary, package among these is the one at http://www.xplay.com. We hope Apple will develop official software for Windows (we gave them Office, didn't we?), then maybe the iPod will get the Kick Ass award it deserves.

Verdict: 8 (out of 10)

Overall a pretty damned good review, coming from a rag that usually demeans anything from Apple. The ONLY product reviewed to get a higher mark (a 9) was the Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox 3. Everything else was either an 8 (only one other was an 8) or less.

In case you were wondering, the rag is 'maximum pc', June 2002 issue. Remember, I have a game peecee as well as my svelte TiBook, so it helps to keep current with some things. I also get the rags for the game hints/cheats that they sometimes provide.

 

[britboy]

Even if the Jukebox 3 did get higher marks...... it's ugly

Were those two points docked because of the lack of official compatibility with windows? Makes sense. Wouldn't surprise me thought to hear SJ announce just that at MWNY.

 

[mmmdreg]

good point..I forgot all about the possibility of PCiPod...anyway, every review I have read of the iPod has been positive, usually from PC publications..

 

[AlphaTech]

As they stated in the review... once it has official pc support, it will get a "Kick Ass" rating... It already has that for anyone that has one with a Mac. Like me.