Video and the Audio Star: The New Video iPods

By Jonathan Berohn

Just when you thought iPods couldn't get any cooler, Apple has to go put a kink in everyone's Christmas list with the new video iPods.

If you read newspapers or magazines or watch any TV-basically if you live in the United States-you've no doubt been subject to the marketing inundation that Apple has unleashed on us to inform us of the wonders of the new video iPods.  This is one of those few times, though, when the actual product lives up to the hype.  The new video iPod is certainly a winner for Apple, and it ensures that iPods will keep their stranglehold on the digital music player market for quite a while.

Portable Video

Obviously, the big news on the video iPod is.the video.  Brilliant, huh?  Anyway, yes, you can now carry your 2.5-inch video screen with you everywhere you go.  What's more brilliant, though, is that Apple not only hits us with a video player, they also hit us with content.  For the first time ever, you can now download current season TV shows immediately after they air.  That's right, Apple signed a deal with ABC to offer several current hit ABC shows, including Desperate Housewives and Lost.  Now if you miss an episode you don't have to wait for summer, you can simply download it from iTunes-Apple's online music (and now video) store.  Pixar also offers several animated shorts, and there are plenty of music videos to download.  You can also upload and view your own movies, too.

An iPod at Heart

Best of all, your fancy new portable video player is still a top-notch digital music player.  The new video iPods come in 30 and 60-gigabyte versions.  That equals up to 15,000 songs or 150 hours of video-enough to keep most of us happy for quite some time-especially with new extended life batteries that deliver up to 20 hours of playback.  You can also use the iPod as a portable hard drive and store things like digital photos when you are on vacation (and view them at any time).  All in all, the new iPod offers a great combination of features that has already made it a top holiday gift choice.