Apple iPod mini First Gen. Pink (4 GB, M9435LL/A) MP3 Player

Well good thing you are on eBay - because thats now the best and really the only place to buy iPod Minis. Now that Apple has forgone the iPod Mini series for the iPod Nano. Now that the Nano is getting all of the press attention for being the sexiest gadget ever - its hard to remember that just 12 - 18 months ago, the iPod Mini was in the same boat. And, for iPod Mini fans, thats good news because it means that the value of the Mini has decreased - effectively making them cheaper to buy on eBay as everyone else oogles at the Nano.

And I'm not 100% convinced that the Nano is better than the Mini. I believe it depends on what you are using it - the Mini is sturdier than the Nano - in fact, there are already blogs and reviews citing the Nano's lack of durability - something the Mini is great at. Of course, the give in that situation is that the Nano is lighter than the Mini... but remember - we are only talking ounces!

For the dollar, you get more music storage with the Mini than just about anything on the market - and all in a very light-wight MP3 player body. But again - it depends what you are looking for:

* If you want to a large music library - either for the office, the road or your home - the regular iPod is a better value and better idea

* If you are a gym-rat looking for the lightest MP3 player - perhaps you want a tiny flash player like the Rios, the Shuffle, or the Nano

But if you are looking for the perfect hybrid MP3 player - small enough to take a run with but spacious enough to play hours of unique music at the office - the iPod Mini really is the perfect solution. And of course it has the Apple interface and sexiness.

The minor points: with the second generation of the iPod Mini, Apple has improved the color scheme and really made them shinier and brighter. My preference is the Silver color - but beware that it will show scratches and nicks more so than the other colors. The Blue is bright, the pink quite girly, and the green look a little much like split pea soup for me =)

Bought this for my wife and she totally loves it. It has great battery life, and outstanding sound quality. It does not skip or trip inadvertent buttons (like other mp-3s do) while working out. Works seamlessly, which means that it works great. The software is easy to use also.

Size and weight are perfect for working out. We also use it in our car, and since it is so small it fits in any tray or even the cup holders. The menu is intuitive, just like the other Ipods.

It also has the capability of storing phone numbers and appointments directly from MS Outlook. Although, you can not edit any of the entries, but this is an mp3 player not a PDA, I consider it a bonus that it can hold this information.

4 Gigabytes is adequate, but if you have a big collection and don't want to be worried about planning, you may desire a larger drive. I wish that there was external storage, like an SD card, but that is not the IPOD way :-)

In general, if you can find it in Ebay, for the right price, let's say under $200.00 then it is a definite grabber.

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.

I bought this iPod mini for my 15 year old daughter. After having an iPod shuffle she was ready for a screen. The iPod mini served this purpose. When it arrived, she was happy. I was happy. We were all happy. The problem with this purchase was that this iPod mini only stays powered up for an hour. My daughter is constantly recharging it but again the power only lasts for an hour. I believe this problem can be fixed but with the cost almost equaling half of what I paid for the iPod, it hardly seems worth it.
The seller did mention a problem with the charger or its ability to stay charged. As a buyer, I feel I should have asked more questions, paid better attention to the seller's remarks. Unfortunately, I got caught up in the competition of bidding on an iPod. It is quite a "seller's market" for iPod's on ebay!
In the end, lessons learned:
1) pay better attention to seller's remarks; ask questions;
2) may be better of paying more money for a new model;