2. iPod Mini: An Up-To-Date Ancestor

Apple was one of the first manufacturers to offer a Microdrive player last year, with its 4 GB iPod Mini; since then, just about every manufacturer has come out with a clone. Of course, in an attempt to set themselves apart, these other companies have added new functions to the original model - an FM tuner and voice recorder here, slide shows of photos there.

And what has Apple been done in the meantime? Nothing, or pretty close to it. The look of the iPod Mini has been slightly altered, the Click Wheel buttons are now color-coordinated with the player, and capacities have increased too. The 4 GB model now has a big brother at 6 GB, and its price has dropped by $40. Aside from that, nothing has changed.

Apple hasn't added any new functions - neither the classic FM radio and voice recorder, nor the more trendy color screen and photo-browsing functions. The iPod mini is still limited to playing music files stored on a PC or Mac using its proprietary iTunes software. But it can serve as an external storage device without having to install a driver, and it has a few extras such as being able to synchronize its address book and calendar for Mac users. It also adds a few games, including the rather appropriate Music Quiz.

Why do people continue to buy this product? There are at least three reasons. The first has to with the very attractive, restrained design - though some will miss the rounded corners found on the classic iPod, allegedly "easier to handle." The second is its ease of use. The word from Buckingham Palace is that Queen Elizabeth II can even manage using one. The Click Wheel remains a model of simplicity. Almost all basic operations can be performed without looking at the player, though the lack of an on/off button is a bit annoying if you need to shut the player off when it's in the bottom of your bag, for example.

The third reason is that the audio quality of iTunes is perfect (for an MP3 player) with a good balance between bass, midrange, and treble. There's a very wide choice of 22 different equalizer presets. Still, perfectionists will miss a customizable equalizer, and will find that the bundled earphones would be excellent on a $50 "no-name" player but are mediocre compared to the iPod mini's capabilities. (My advice is to forget color coordination and buy a good pair of earphones - who cares if they're black?)

To sum up, if all you want is good, easy listening to your music, the 4 GB or 6 GB iPod mini is still one of the best choices.