Review: 2009 iPod classic

by Steve Hildreth

Ah, the venerable iPod classic. It's the last model to retain the original look and feel of the early iPods. It's slightly shorter and slightly thicker than the iPod touch. The click wheel is large and falls easily to hand. The screen is clear, bright, and larger than the nano's display, so videos and photos are easier to the eye. The 160GB hard drive will hold your entire music collection and a good amount of photos and videos.

Extras include a clock, calendar, contacts, notes, alarms, stopwatch, and three color games (iQuiz, Klondike, and Vortex). Similar to the older iPod videos, the classic has some weight to it and does not slip into a pocket the way a nano or shuffle does. Then again, neither does an iPod touch. Unlike the touch, and similar to the nano, it's easy to change songs and change the volume without taking it out of your pocket, unlocking the screen, the using a touch screen to lower the volume.

Will this be the last rendition of the iPod classic? We hope not. It's the last remaining model for those with a large collection of music, photos, and/or videos, and it's the last model that's large enough to comfortably hold for those with meaty hands. This reviewer, in particular, still appreciates the look and feel of the classic. While I'm not audiophile, others have reported that the classic offers better sound quality than other models in the lineup.

View a short video walk-through of Apple's latest iPod classic: