Apple iPod mini 1st Generation Blue (4 GB) MP3 Player

With the Ipod Mini officially retired, the only way you are going to find one is online or on the clearance shelf. That actually works in your favor as this is probably the best MP3 player on the market for the dollar.

Everyone knows Apple has a stranglehold on the MP3 market and the Mini did nothing to reduce that theory. It was small, had the infamous click-wheel as well as an assortment of colors that appeal to just about everyone. It has a wealth of accessories available at cheap prices as well as great technical support (though you won't need it most likely).

The menu system is intuitive and easy to navigate. The display is clear and bright and has a nice bluish shade that fades out from non-use. It's durable too though it's hard-drive based so you'd be smart not to use it while jogging or otherwise moving constantly. It also includes ITunes which is pretty much the software to use for MP3 maintenance.

It's unfortunate that Apple didn't incorporate FM radio into any of it's MP3 players like Rio did. Of course, people snatched them up anyway because it's Apple. The battery itself has some issues as well and often will die before the 500 charge/recharge cycle as arrived. If it's not under warranty, you may as well buy a new Ipod since battery replacement costs nearly as much as buy one.

New Ipod Mini's can be had for $150 on eBay so it's a great time to buy one. Though the Ipod Nano replaced it, it's a stellar MP3 player to own provided you don't need mega-storage.

But it's not just about looks - the iPod Mini sounds fantastic. After comparing it with my third-generation iPod, tracks definitely sounded clearer on the iPod Mini, as if it were capable of better frequency response. By comparison the 3G iPod sounded positively muffled. A sign of PortalPlayer's enhanced audio chip, perhaps.

The Mini's packaging is as lovely as ever. The box lid slides off to reveal the mini wrapped in plastic. The box underneath is split in two halves - one for the install discs and one for the headphones, USB cable and a belt holster. As with all the new iPods there's no Firewire cable, no dock, no remote - but they are available as optional extras. There's no AC adaptor either, so you can only charge when connected to the PC.

There are other missing features that might give pause for thought, such as a radio, recording function and microphone. But if it's just a player you want these absences won't be noticed. For me the only reason I wouldn't want one is that I do want to carry my entire music collection around with me. Or at least more of it than I could fit on a 6GB drive.

One day of course, a 20GB iPod will be this size, but for now six gigs is your limit. At this capacity it no longer loses out to the Zen Micro and H10, but while Creative and iRiver have both worked hard on improving the look and usability of their players, the Mini is still miles ahead. With its rounded sides and neat click-wheel interface, it feels right in you hand and is easy to control and use too.

Verdict
With the new iPod Mini, Apple has increased its capacity by a 50 per cent, battery-life by one-and-a-quarter times and improved sound quality. It's a pretty impressive triple whammy and as long as its capacity is large enough for you, the iPod Mini would be our recommended digital audio player.

jamieday83

The mini is a more reliable player then nano all around. If you are looking for something lite to put on your shoulder, something that has lots of storage, a screen and can play 12 hour non-stop - iPod mini is it.

One of the cons is their battery problem. Many are known to have a bad battery by the time they are about 2 years old, but a new battery is only $5 right here on eBay and takes less then 5 minutes to replace.

Overall, I give it a 5 as for the money, there is nothing else I found that as reliable, and comes from a high-quality manufacturer such as Apple.

I reluctantly purchased a ipod on e-bay,but did, we got a ,great deal on the package but it skips,now were stuck with it, my wife was right..Oh well live and learn

The IPOD works great and it was exactly how the seller described it. I bought it, because I wanted an IPOD with more memory. It works great, although the battery does get low easily, but the seller described that in the description.

i had never owned an ipod before and wanted to buy something inexpensive but reliable. i know ipods are sturdy, so i decided to start small with a 4gb. i saw this used one so i decided to bid, and won. however the seller failed to mention one thing... it didn't work. the only problem the seller said was it powered up and down sporadically and it was an easy fix. so i got it, charged it, and it didn't turn on. i called the apple store and they said it would cost $99 plus shipping and handling to fix, so i figured forget it, and just bought a new one. my new one is wonderful, but beware of used items!!

I bought my ipod for a source of music, I love music and if gives me more opportunity to listen to it, it is small but powerful I have over 900 songs downloaded into so it can give you whatever your in the mood for.I also have a dcking station i purchased so i can have it on why it is charging as well. I love it very much ,it is the best investment to music on hand I have ever dreamed of.

The iPod mini was good for when it came out, but the nano completely blows it away now.
Its very durable, the battery life is very good, and a nice amount of storage space.
If you want a cheap MP3 player that functions perfectly, then the mini is for you. Its easy to use also, everything about it is easy.
Only thing I disliked was the non-color screen, which isnt too much of a setback.

Seller sold defective unit. Said he sold it as-is and too bad if we could not read. Do not do business with this crook

I love the iPod mini in general, it is very small and durable and you can get them quite inexpensivley on eBay. The only problem with this 1st Generation model is that the batteries only last up to 8 hours -and that's if the battery if still perfect and you don't change your songs much. These are notorious for the batteries going bad early and needing replacement.

Consider the 2nd Generation (M9800LL/A) series for double the battery life and longevity. They are identical in other respects except 2nd generation models have the capacity (i.e. 4GB, 6GB) printed on the back of the iPod.

IT'S GREAT AND HOLDS ALOT FOR THE PRICE AND SIZE. IT'S TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE. I LOVED IT SO MUCH, I BOUGHT ONE FOR MY NEPHEW AND HE LOVES IT. I WISH THEY DIDN'T DISCONTINUE MAKING IT. GREAT PRODUCT.

fast delivery, item was delivered as promised. would be willing to purchase again. A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Excellent produce, what i like is the variety of options, i bought it because i good a great deal on it. I dont like the fact that in order to reformat the ipod you need an ac adapter to complete the format or will not work.
I did not know that , I had to go out and buy an ac adapter.

I wanted to buy this for my daughter, but the seller that I was dealing with was suppose to be from FL instead they turned out to be from China. They had gotten into someone else's account and began selling using a fraudulent name and address. I didn't realize this until it was too late, but the time I recieved the IPod (or what I had hoped was an IPod) it was a mp3 player in a case that had the IPod name and apple symbol painted on it. It is not what I thought I purchased and I can't seem to get anyone to hep me. I was sent a fake which is trademark and copyright infringment. I contacted both ebay and paypal and I can't get either one to do anything about it.

Now you want my oppion... I would never purchase any thing from here again, they don't try to protect the users of their site.

I've been wanting an iPod of some sort for a while, and when I saw this auction, I couldn't pass it up. I got EXACTLY what I wanted (I even got blue, which I was looking for, haha), and it came incredibly fast and was shipped flawlessly, with everything there, wrapped up nicely, it couldn't have been better. I thank her so much!

Justin

I have had my blue iPod Mini since summer of 2005 and I would not trade it for any other MP3 player out there. Everyone I know loves the Nano, but the Mini does what I need it to do.

Positives about the Mini:
Its durable frame can withstand even the clumsiest of people (even myself). I have (accidentally) dropped mine a number of times and still plays just fine. Besides the small number of nicks on the bottom, you cannot tell it has even been dropped. A Nano is nowhere as sturdy as a Mini.
Its size, I believe, is the perfect size for a MP3 player. Larger than a Nano, and smaller than an iPod Video, it's just big enough so you know it's there, but not too big to be an inconvenience.
Its capacity is great for even the most diehard music fan. Who seriously needs to have ten thousand, twenty thousand, or even thirty thousand songs on their iPods? Unless they're a DJ or something, it's just a waste of space and money.

a negative about the Mini:
I've had my Mini for about a year and a half and I have had battery issues with my Mini. Mine will sporadically lose power, even on a full charge. It doesn't happen too often, and it'll come right back on after it happens. My girlfriend has her 2nd Mini (after her first one was stolen) and she has had the same problem with both of her Minis.

Overall thought:
I do love my Mini, despite the battery issue. It's the perfect size, does its job, and doesn't lose its power too often. You can find a Mini on eBay and save money, rather then going out and buying a new Nano or Video. Who knows, you may even luck out and recieve a Mini with a solid-working battery!

Had everything said in explanation, all in new condition. VERY VERY HAPPY. Wish them the best, they are awesome sellers. Will always recommend this seller. all in new condition. THANKS AND GREAT SELLER

I liked the fast delivery and the great condition it was in. Extras with the ipod were great...I needed to buy a replacement ipod for my nephew, because it was stolen from my daughter at a bustop transit center.

During the past Holiday Season, I purchased a iPod Mini (Pink Version) from the very few that were left in the store shelves, and it was the best investment (yes, an investment) I've made in years.

This particular iPod was destined to live with my 8yr old Niece. 8yr old means the iPod will fall, will be thrown, will not be well placed, might get wet sometimes.. and it has happened! I had to replace ear buds twice now, and please, don't think my nice is a big mess: its just her age. Just like any other kid. She tries so hard to take care of it, but every now and then comes the "I'm sorry" drop that its almost impossible to avoid. Regardless, her iPod still works like a charm.

Besides durability, I picked an iPod for its well-known features, such as ease of use, iTunes integration and portability. She is able to import her own CD's into the iPod mini - on her own - because of the nice AutoImport and Eject feature of iTunes. Also, creating Playlist by "grouping" songs into separate groups is a big help, considering that there's no need to alter the actual song information (Genre, Albums, artist) to make them part of an individual group that doesn't match any of the song info.

Also, the iPod itself! Its easy to handle, easy to work around - even when today's kids seems to have a technology chip when they're born - the iPod mini user interface is great for kids. One possible drawback it's the fact that it has a monochrome screen, but kids will use it for music anyways, and there's always the option of the in-car DVD for watching movies.

The big iPod its just too fragile for kids. I have one, and its been sitting in my desk for almost a year, turned off after getting tired of displaying a sad face. What did I did to it? Nothing! But warranty expired long before the sad face. For comparison, my Niece's iPod mini has run down the stairs, played in the asphalt, sang in the rain, played Volley Ball iPod Style and still works like if it was purchased yesterday! I don't think I need to mention that it has thousands of dents and scratches, but that is overweighted by the fact that it still plays!

Get a Mini for your kids!
DN!

I purchased an ipod for my daughters birthday. The first one purchased showed up without some of the stated pieces. I had to send it back in a dispute. I just happen to be on ebay one morning and caught the last few minutes of the sale of this ipod. It was just as stated in the description and was perfect for my daughter. I had ask him not to clear the songs unless they wouldn't be appropriate for my 13 year old. It came very quickly. Yesterday was her birthday. She loves it and the 114 songs are all wonderful songs that she likes, so that's a few songs she won't have to download. I would recommend this seller to anyone.

I decided to buy and ipod because of the convinence it protrayed. I love the fact that i can take my music anywhere and everywhere I go! I even take it to the grocery store when I am shopping..then I plug right back into my car on the drive home, never missing a beat! I can't say enough good things about my mini ipod!

i like it i works good i had to buy a new battery but that only cost me ten bucks on ebay overall good.

THIS PRODUCT IS GREAT,MY HUSBAND LOVES IT.HE TAKES IT EVEVRYWHERE.VERY STRONG,& DURABLE.THE SELLER WAS WONDEFUL,NO PROBLEMS.THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST ITEMS I'VE EVER BOUGHT