Apple iPod mini 2nd Generation Silver (6 GB) MP3 Player

I was lucky enough to get one of these literally 5 minutes before the store sold out. I also have a 40gb 4th generation iPod, an iPod shuffle, and I have owned and used MP3 players by Creative and iRiver.

The new "2nd generation" iPod mini builds on the strengths that made the original mini a blockbuster best-seller: easy to learn, easy to use, elegant user interface, immensely usable "click-wheel," and outstanding sound quality. Since the original mini was introduced a year ago, some competitors appeared that offered higher capacity, better battery life, and lower price. This new iPod mini answers the competition with some important improvements which make it a compelling choice over the competition:

1) Battery life is now 18 hours instead of 8 hours for the first generation mini.

2) The 2nd generation mini is cheaper: the original mini was $250 for 4 gigabytes of storage, which holds up to 1000 songs. The new mini is $200 for 4 gigabytes, or you can pay $250 for 6 gigabytes (up to 1500 songs). To achieve this price drop, though, Apple no longer includes a dock or charger - these are available separately, but you can live without them just fine. For example, the battery charges whenever the mini is plugged into your computer's USB port.

In addition to these improvements, there is a minor cosmetic difference, concerning the color choices: gold is no longer an option (it was the worst seller in the original mini), and the other colors are now a bit brighter.

The iPod mini comes with iTunes software to help you organize the music on your iPod, and to transfer music from your CD collection to your player. If you wish, you can use the iTunes software to purchase music from Apple's online store and download them directly to your iPod, but the software absolutely does not push you to do so.

The mini also comes with the same earbuds that accompany every other iPod. They are better than the headphones that come with most MP3 players, but you'll probably want to consider replacing them with something a bit nicer.

Like its predecessor, the build quality of the new iPod mini is excellent, very sturdy, just like all iPods. My 40gb iPod has taken a lot of abuse and has held up extremely well. Plus, I did a fair amount of research on the original mini and it has held up well since it was introduced. So I fully expect that my new iPod mini will last a long time.

I also considered the Creative Zen Micro, the Dell Pocket DJ and the Rio Carbon, which seem to be the closest competitors to the mini. They have more features than the iPod mini, but are not as elegantly designed and their build quality feels a little cheaper than the mini. Plus, as a previous owner of other iPods, I already have a lot of music in Apple's AAC format, which these other players cannot deal with.

I bought this 6gb mini while it was still under warranty. It didn't seem to be holding a charge as long as it should, so I took it to the local Apple store. They gave me a new one! At 6GB, it's small enough to take running without even noticing it's there, while having enough memory for days and days of music. I already have over 800 songs on it and it's only half full. It's also great in the car. It takes up no space and plays through my car stereo. Using the shuffle feature it's like I have my own personal radio station without adds and doesn't repeat songs. If I had it to over again I might have considered the new 30gb which is also very small, plays video and stores even more. On the other hand you can't beat a brand new ipod that holds 1500 songs for $150.

This item is great for athletes, I use it to run and was using the shuffle but I disliked that because you couldn't choose what song to listen to when you wanted it, with the mini you can set playlists, and it's not that heavy you barely notice it in your windbreaker or on a armband. Overall it's great.

use it at the gym... works great, does exactly what i want it do do. sturdy, love ittttttttt. Could only be improved with a color screen, but great for what it costs.

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.

It's a great product but it has issues. it is my second ipod mini, i just kinda wanted one with just a little more memory, but it seems the one with less memory runs better.

Pro's: Very EASY interface, can navigate to any song, artist, album or genre very simply and quickly. Metal body construction looks good and protects the components very well. Compatible with many 3rd party electronics. Sleek and stylish design. Small size, smaller than the regular iPods. Long battery life on the second generation models, about 18 hours between charges.

Cons: Cannot think of a single con, except maybe it would be nice to have an 8GB storage capacity, but they only made up to 6GB, and my whole collection still doesn't fill it.

If you are considering buying an iPod, seriously consider a second generation iPod Mini! You'll love it! It can't play video, but who wants to watch movies on a tiny one inch screen anyhow?

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.

The good news is that Apple is still offering a 4GB version, with all the benefits of extended battery life, at an affordable £139/$199. So if your main aim in owning a Mini is to look trendy, the cheaper 4GB version could be the way to go.

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

I bought this for my son. The price was incredible. Only $50. The description was sparse, but the item performed as promised and the seller was very good about shipment and communication. It needs a battery, and is a little scuffed up as described, but for about $30 I can get more parts on eBay to fix it up like new!

I received my item 25 days later, but it was significantly different than the seller's description. The item that was sent to me is an i-pod imitation. The item arrived 25 days later from the date i purchase it. Worst, the item is not and Apple mini-ipod product as you describes it in the e-bay page. Is totally different, is a Fake imitation. The seller sent me an MP3/MP4/FC CE with the apple name and logo.

i never receieved the apple ipod. I paid for it right away, the lady never got back to me. she promised it to me for days..and even promised i would have it before my trip to florida. i came back 10 days later and i still dont have it. She hasnt responded to any of my messages since then and never left me a tracking number and said she didnt get one..which is hard to believe when shipping an item. What's worse is that she lives about an hour from me..so theres no way it would take a month to get an item.

I am a first generation ipod mini lover and had one that has long since been gone to the ipod scrap heaven but decided i wanted one again so i purchased it here on ebay and still love it to this day.

Love the iPod. It is so easy to use and songs are a snap to transfer from disk or buy off iTunes. The mini suits my needs perfectly as I only want to listen to music and not view videos. I previously owned an iPod mini so when it came time to replace it, I knew I wanted the same thing. I have never owned another brand but have heard horror stories of how difficult other brands can be to use. There is no difficulty with the iPod. I would highly recommend this product.

I bought the Apple iPod mini Silver Second Gen. (6 GB - M9801LL/A) MP3 Player two months ago. When I try to incluyed new songs, I can't do it. I sent my iPod to repair.They said "Your iPod has been tested and found to have a bad hard drive"."Repair Cost: $99.97"
Was a wrong purchase and the seller never mention that the Ipod was broke

This 2nd generation iPod mini has up to 16 hours of continuous playtime and the batteries don't need to be replaced as often. The design is ultra-compact, and a bit more durable than the newer cousin, the iPod 'nano'.

The 6GB holds 1500 songs, which is 50% more than the nano and you can get the mini for a lot less cash.

The only downside, they don't have color screens for photos and such, but that's not too important for me anyway.

You can't go wrong with 6 GB. 1,500 songs that you love...at the click of a button. The quality of sound is unmatched by any disc-man, or walk-man ever! I bought one for me and one for my wife, so she could fill hers up with her fav's too! Great investment and a very sturdy model!!

I was interested in an ipod to listen my music, but its so bad i lose my money i didn't received. This was a badddddddddddddddddd seller.....

Well for this being my first ever iPod I really love it. I have family and friends that have purchased this and they really loved there's so I decided to give it a try and I couldn't have made a better choice. I really love the size, not too small, not too big. I didn't want to purchase the larger one and I didn't want the nano or shuffle so this is perfect for me. I love the extended battery life on the 6g 2nd gen. It does everything the larger ipods does except for video. I don't mind the b/w screen either. The cost was a reasonable price also and didn't mind paying for it. I've looked at other colors and the silver one to me, other than the blue is very nice. Also I've got some cool color cases for it which just enhances my mini even more. I also own an Iriver and don't get me wrong, the Iriver works great also, but the mini sounds just a tad bit clearer. I think if anyone is even thinking about purchasing an iPod then the mini is a great choice, light weight, not bulky, easy on the eyes, not bad on the pocket, and very easy to operate. If the mini is not what your looking for then iPod has many to choose from, but if this is within your budget then go for it. Throw it in your purse, pocket plug it up in your vehicle, go walking or just have fun with it. The mini is right up there with the other heavy weight iPods! Sure there are some pros's and cons like the b/w screen and no video, but if you've done your research on the mini then you already no what your in for and it won't stop you from purchasing it. The pros really out weigh the cons. If this one broke today I would purchase another mini the same day! After much research on the various iPods I chose the one that was for me, and I couldn't be happier. Unfortunately, the only way now to purchase one is through ebay, but hey if your a happy ebayer then go for it. Loving my mini!

honest seller, description is exact what i got, price of ipod is good and shipping is quick. Item arrive on my door in good condition and no scratches, unit work properly and load a thousand songs on the ipod without a problem.

The iPod was purchased for my daughtor. As I noticed it was as described by the vender. My daughtor states "I love it".

I liked getting something for a friend and since she requested this item the first place I looked was Ebay. Since this would be her first I hoped to find a good deal and I did!

It is exactly as described. Nearly 2 months use, no problems. I have to write 100 characters to submit this review, so I'm going to fill it with ................................................................

This is my second iPod as my first one was stolen. The iPods are a wonderful product and meet all of my needs. I love to listen to music while in the car, mowing the grass, or running on the treadmill. I would recommend this product to anyone.