Apple iPod Classic (4th Generation)

Love it when it works! – I bought the Ipod 60GB as soon as it came out, having waited months for the new release and paying just under $700 for it. Only use about 1/3 of it's memory for music and photos, and use the rest of the memory as a storage drive to free up my laptop. The Ipod worked well for the first few years, however had battery issues after a while then started locking up on me. I've reset the software several times but has never resolved the issue, and now its un-reliability stops me taking it anywhere. I have thought about throwing it out, or even trying to sell it several times, but then it miraculously works. A day or two later it will lock up again, and we're back to square one. I have a small, cheap shuffle as well which I've never had a single issue with, yet the top of the line, most expensive version is a pile of junk and severely affects my opinion of Apple products. Massive storage capacity, software is a breeze, sound is great. Reliability, poor build quality, easily scratches and marks, quite heavy and bulky, does not allow photos to be transfered directly from camera.

Excellent – This ipod is tough and reliable. The battery life is incredible and the other great thing about this version is that no one wants to steal it as it's worth not much these days HOWEVER, it's honestly tougher than any other ipod I've seen of my friends and I haven't had a single problem with it in the 5 years of owning it. I have the 30GB version of this pod and I love it. This version of the Ipod is tough as nails. I have had mine for nearly four years and have travelled all over the place, had it on beaches, throw it in my handbag (who cares if it scratches you don't need a clean screen to listen to music) That it doesn't play videos, but then again it's the simplicity of this ipod that I love so much. The photo feature on it is completely outdated - we all have photo phones and USB ports that are far better suited to carrying this type of thing.

Good – Great unit while it lasts. Seems to have planned obsolescence built into it. By making it expensive to service and difficult to replace parts, it looks like they want you to buy a new one. I simply used my phone with MP3 function instead, I can replace a battery of memory card much more easily in the phone. Remarkably easy to use. Even 20gb is enough to store all my CD library ripped at 192kbps. The click wheel menu functions work like a dream. Apple's expensive service. The ipod lasted a few years. But the cost of even getting it looked at was almost as much as some other MP3 players now offering similar features and size

Terrible – Rubbish product, rubbish service. A consumer item costing $500 only lasting one year is nothing short of scandalous. Do not buy any Apple products. It used to play music Hard disk failed ONE MONTH after the 12 month warranty expired. Apple service centre wanted five hundred dollars to fix it. Ipod is now completely useless, not worth repairing.