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September 27, 2007
Those new iPods: a Classic stuff-up?
We're not an Apple hater. Honest. But look. About the iPod. We like it, although the Bleeding Edge spouse has just had her fourth 30GB model die on her.
But when that chap whose column appears across the fold from us in the Green Guide, declares today that the new models are "palpably better than their predecessors", and claims that the iPod Classic is "pretty much the big iPod of before, except that its capacity has been raised to 160GB (and 80GB)", we have to suggest - with the greatest possible respect - that possibly he might have been misled, which is not an unknown phenomenon even around here.
The extra capacity isn't the only thing that's different. The iPod Classic has a new Cirrus Logic audio codec chip, which has apparently replaced a chip from Wolfson Microelectronics which is causing a good deal of angst among the people who have bought it.
And the dud sound is not the only problem. Bob Cringely, among many others, details the following issues:
- VERY Slow menu switching response
- Display of clock rather than song info when “Now Playing”
- Inability to use existing AUTHORISED 3rd party dock products (including Apple-advertised)
- Audio skipping during operation
- Slow connection to Macs and PCs
- Inability to disable “split-screen” menus
- Lagging and unresponsive Click Wheel
- Camera connector not working
- Inability to use EQ settings without skipping and distortion
We wouldn't like any of our readers to go charging out to buy one of these things until Apple decides that it's going to listen to its customers and fix the darned thing. The problem, of course, is that when so many people only ever say nice things about Apple, it tends to take them an awfully long time to admit that the substantial minority who venture the occasional criticism might actually have a point, and possibly it's stuffed things up.
Posted by cw at September 27, 2007 02:08 PM
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Comments
The column that appears across the fold from yours' Charles is little more than an advertisement. I'm what many would consider an Apple fanboy but even I can tell that.
Having said that, many of the interface issues are said to have been fixed by the software update released for the ipod classic and nanos recently. It does seem strange though that you can't merely revert back to the 'Classic' single screen interface.
From all accounts audio quality has gone down, though I don't think 99% of users could tell the difference. I can't even convince my partner to replace the earbuds that come with the ipod. Meanwhile the effective disabling of the old video acessories seems like the first time apple has broken an accessory for no good reason. Lots of people of the interwebs are annoyed bout that one.
I'm going to pick up an ipod touch next week, and hope to god that none of the QA issues have afflict mine.
Posted by: tim ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://bleedingedge.com.au/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 27, 2007 07:28 PM
I'm glad I bought my Creative Zen - terrific screen for video and it's been so reliable.
Posted by: Frank at September 27, 2007 07:41 PM
I run my business on Apple kit. Their support is as bad as anything in the PC World. I gave up membership to IMUG because the slavish reverence paid to MacMan. I really like his articles. But I'm sick and tired of him blowing smoke up Steve Job's arse. When are we going to read an article that sticks up for disappointed users?
Posted by: Rich at September 28, 2007 12:34 PM
An article in APC earlier this year noted the syrupy language used by the most slavish of fanboys. From August 23, the fellow across the fold provided a perfect example:
John Keats was an elegant poet able to express his appreciation of beautiful things. He penned the immortal lines: "A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness."
[Had Keats] been about today, he might easily have dedicated his verse to Apple's newest iMacs.
The article that followed was clearly written from nothing more than a press release.
That The Age allows, and pays for, such articles to be published in its pages constantly amazes.
Posted by: wilbert at September 29, 2007 06:40 PM