I Prefer the 3rd Gen iPod - but the 20 GB is better

The Third Generation Apple iPod is my favorite in the line of full-size iPods and the 20GB version is my preferred model because it maintains its small size / frame while still being able to hold a huge library of music. While the 40GB iPod is appealing for the additional storage, I still prefer the 10-20GBs slimmer body which is still small enough to workout with (though clearly not as portable as any flash player). The 10 & 15GB iPods share the same size and body as the 20GB and, consequently, I prefer the 20GB iPod as it holds more music without sacrificing size.

The Third Generation iPod has two major differences between itself and the 4th generation:

1) Button Placement. The 3rd generation iPod has the back, forward, menu and play/pause buttons above the click wheel. The 4th generation iPod has those button integrated into the click wheel - its completely a personal preference, but I like the button sitting above the wheel because, to me, it provides faster scrolling and more direct response. That said, I know several people who prefer the 4th generation. Up to you!

2) Battery Life. The biggest advantage of the 4th generation is its improved battery life - that said, I get far more than the suggested 8hour battery life. My iPod will generally last nearly two full work days with about 12 hours of use.

I do prefer the 3rd generation iPod to the 4th generation and, on eBay, it's a rather substantial price difference that gives the 3rd generation iPod the edge in my opinion. Either way though, you can't go wrong.

iPod Specifics:
Size of Display 2 inch
Digital Storage Media 20 GB (Hard Drive)
PC Interface Supported Firewire, USB 2.0
Battery Run Time 8 hrs.
Battery Type AC/DC Adapter, Internal Battery
Dimensions (W X D X H) 2.4 in. x .62 in. x 4.1 in.
Weight 5.6 oz.

Pros and cons of buying the 3rd generation iPod.

The iPod itself is perfect as far as ease of use goes. The buttons off the click wheel is just the way I like it. 3rd generation iPods come in 10, 20, 30 and 40GB so there is the right size for everyone.

Here is the downside and is very important information before you purchase a 3rd generation iPod... Practically all of them that we ever got from customers on returns and that being hundreds of these, all have a battery problem. In my opinion there should be an official recall on batteries for these 3rd generation iPods and Apple should simply replace all the 3rd generation batteries, but they do not.

You can still purchase the brand new battery for under $10 shipping included, right here on eBay, but beware, if you buy one and want to use it immediatelyy, most likely you will not be able to, because the battery will not hold any kind of charge. The detailed specs are below:

Configuration: Mac/Windows
Generation 3rd Generation (3G)
Manufacturer: Apple
Additional Features: Equalizer, Calendar, Contact List, Games, On-the-Fly Playlists
Anti-Shock Memory: 25 minute(s)
Audio Output Connectors: Audio - Headphone Out (1/8" Mini)
Average Playback Time: 8 hour(s)
Batteries Included: Yes
Built-in Memory: 15 GB
CD Ripping/Encoding Formats Supported: AAC, MP3, WAV
Format Supported: AAC, AIFF, MP3, WAV
General Features: LCD Display
Maximum Compression Rate Supported: 320 Kbps
Other Connectors: FireWire - IEEE 1394
Playback Features: Repeat Mode, Resume Play, Shuffle Play Mode, Custom Playlists
Power Source: Rechargeable Battery
Storage Media Supported: Internal Hard Drive System
Connectivity: FireWire, USB 2.0
Hard Drive Capacity: 15 GB
Dimensions: 4.0" x 2.4" x 0.62"
Weight: 5.6 oz

Good for the iPod fanatic, OK for the casual user...

I bought this 3rd generation iPod for the first time about three years ago. Although it only lasted a few months after I bought it (it broke), I decided to get another one in the past month or so after having a couple of Nanos.

Anyways, I like the simple black-and-white screen (I often found color models to be quite daunting at times, and the real purpose behind them of being able to watch videos and view photos never reached me.) The 15 GB size is fair enough to hold my moderate sized music collection, although some might prefer the extra few gigs for their videos.

The buttons are relatively easy to use, although I tend to lock the buttons because all are touch sensitive and sticking your hand in your pocket where the iPod is often will shut it off or suddenly change the volume, so some may think that the button layout makes it too sensitive to use.

Battery life is fair enough (most of these iPods of this generation have poor battery life anyways; the one I purchased had a replacement battery, and it is a plus with this generation of iPod.

Another thing is the lag time between when you choose the song and it begins playing. Anyone graduating from a flash-based player such as the Nano, Touch, or Shuffle may find it annoying that you have to wait 2 seconds for a song to play (although it is not a bad thing in my personal opinion.)

I really think for the price range (~$75-$100) it is worth the purchase price, especially for those who have a music collection of average size (~2000 songs). The menus are no harder to navigate than a larger-storage iPod, and you won't be able to find a better iPod price with the features that this model has.

Finally, the options available. Most of the cases and add-ons available have been sold out, so it might be a bit hard if you are looking for things such as a case or skin for this generation. On the iPod, only a simple shuffle is at the front; otherwise you have to navigate through the menus to turn it on.

Overall, although this is an older model iPod and doesn't possess a lot of the glitz and glamour that today's Nano and Touch possess, I still like it because of its simple and friendly approach, and even though it has a monochrome screen, I still find it more than adequate for my purposes. If you like the original iPod and its nostalgic value, then this is for you. Otherwise, aim for a newer generation iPod.

Late to get on the bandwagon but loving my ipod

I love my ipod, nothing else to say. It does everything I want it to and more. I used to have a RCA MP3 player, it had more hard drive space but the user interface was not the greatest and something the ipod has an advantage over all other mp3 players is it is now a world wide recognized name and has thousands of aftermarket accessories for it. It is still the number one MP3 player no matter what the rivals say and with the upcoming ipod video player and now color screens on the new ipods it will remain so.

I have a 3rd Generation 15GB iPod, the only bitch I would have with it is it is a tad small at least for me, I ended up having to cut my music down from around 19GB down to the 15, so if I had a choice I would have gotten the 20GB version. But I did not really have a choice, a mate of mine had the 15GB version and it was too small for him so he traded it to me for a HTPC computer case I had. It was a great deal on my end, so I got myself an iPod, sold my RCA player and have never looked back.

Like some other reviewers have said the 3rd gen has the buttons above the click wheel which I like more than integrated into the click wheel like the 4th Gen.
Even with that the 4th Gen does have the advantages of now having a color screen and a longer battery life. The Apple store has them on display so if you want to play around with one that is a good place to do it.

This iPod may be an older model, but it works great will save you some $

The 15gb 3rd generation iPod classic is an older model from 2003. While this iPod may be old, it is still a great music player. It can hold more than enough songs for the average listener and the buttons and controls are easy to use. It works with with pretty much any version of itunes. The only downside to this iPod is that you need a firewire cable, and firewire port on your computer to sync the iPod. Overall this is a great device and is well worth the price it can be found for on ebay.