eBay Guides - Help Choosing the Right iPod

Confused? Having trouble figuring out which iPod does what? Do you really need to pay for things like color screens and video? I'll take you through 3 steps to help narrow it down...

1. Do you want to view video, photos or slideshows?

The ability to play video on the iPod is a cool option, but for many it's only useful for things like an airplane or train ride, or the stationary work-out machines at the gym. If you commute, and want to see an episode of your favorite show or movie on the go, the iPod Video (sometimes referred to as 5th Generation) is for you. The 5.5 generation Video model has a brighter screen and longer battery life. The iPod Classic is the latest installment in this series, and performs even better.

If you have lots of pictures you want to show off, or maybe you want to plug your iPod into your TV and view a slideshow set to your music, consider the iPod Photo models (late 2005) or the newer iPod Nano and iPod Video (or Classic). All of these have color screens and can display pictures and slideshows.

If you don't think you'll need to view photos or video, consider the 3rd and 4th generation iPods - as well as the iPod mini - these iPods with non-color screens are a great value for your dollar.

2. Determine Your Need for Storage.

Don't mess this up - the stakes are too high. If you've got a huge collection (over 5000 songs or 300+ albums) and you want quick access to any of your songs then you need a full-size iPod. Pick a 40, 60, 80 or 160GB version if you have a ridiculous amount of music or video you want to keep with you at all times. Keep in mind that these larger capacity iPods are somewhat larger and heavier so there is a tradeoff in portability.

If you don't need all of your music all of the time, or if you have a smaller collection - you can do well with an iPod nano 2nd generation (4 or 8GB), or an older iPod nano (2 or 4GB). These little guys have great battery life and are super-portable. You can still keep 500-2000 songs on these at a time, and you can swap those out with other songs on your computer using different playlists in iTunes.

A nice compromise and great value is the 4th generation 20GB iPod, or the 30GB Photo model. Both of these are relatively slim and light, but still hold 5000 and 7500 songs respectively - with great battery life. Other good options here are 10, 15 and 20GB 3rd Generation models, but the 3g's don't have very long-lasting batteries so keep that in mind.

Stay away from the 3rd Generation 30GB version unless you get a great deal- it's just as bulky as the 40GB but holds less and has the same 3rd generation battery performance issues as the others.

3. Determine Portability and Style

Do you want to exercise with your iPod? Spend slightly more and buy a nano - these have no moving parts so there's never any skipping and they are light as a feather. The newer nanos come in different colors and have aluminum cases for extra durability. If you still want something tiny and want to save some cash, an older mini is your best bet. The minis are durable and have good batteries - not to mention they're $100 less than a similar nano on eBay. The iPod Shuffle is nice and light, but I don't like the small music capacity, and there's no screen to show you what's going on. Part of what makes iPods so killer is the great visual menu system.

Style... I'm not going to pretend I understand what the kids think is cool, but I'm certain that it's whatever the newest model is and I'm positive it costs the most. Seriously though, the nano is really, really cool. It's so small. Anyone interested in showing off should have a brightly colored nano. The latest ones play video as well.

Thanks for reading my little guide, I hope it was helpful. Please rate it if you can.

Cheers,
Jake

**Click here to see my current iPods for sale.**