Anyone have the new video IPOD? (in Off-topic)

If you have a video IPOD, post your review here. I'm looking either get the new IPOD or an iAudio.

I just got the 30 GB one for my B'day. Outstanding device, however it seems only to play Quicktime video and not realplayer type of videos. The interface is perfect as it is in all Ipods.

Will it play MPEG and AVI?

ugh... that sucks. I don't want to convert all my AVI files to QT.

Anyone have any suggestions of other players?

I think the 5th generation Ipod can play mpeg4 and h.264 (supposed to be quicktime format, but some of the files that I have were h.264 encoded AVI).

Some alternatives would be the Creative media center, or Archos AV series, but they're quite bulky, not slim like Ipod.

If you want just audio, I think there are many choices, but if I were you, I would buy either Ipod 5th generation or Ipod Nano.

There's always the Neuros 442.

The neuros looks good.

why on earth would one get IPod now that PSP came in and do everything i have ever wanted. Besides, PSP has free location soon coming out that i am really expecting to get.

the psp is much larger than an ipod

Start there and work your way into the differences of the two items.

I'm going on business/vacation for 3 weeks in Asia and want something for airplane ride. Portability is important. Gaming isn't.

I figure the following is order of importance:
1. Portability/size
2. Video output quality
3. Removable battery (because I'm not sure I can recharge on the plane)
4. HDD size
5. Price

The Archos 100GB AV700 looks awesome but it costs $600 and I probably wont use it much after the trip.

Right now, I'm looking at (in no specific order
-- Arhos AV500 (30 GB)
-- IRiver PMP 120 (20 GB)
-- Neuros 442 (40 GB)
-- Creative Zen (20 GB)

Anyone have experience with any of these models or other video players?

I have had the Creative Zen for 11 months now and give it a 10/10.
Stores most audio files except for really obscure filetypes and the sound quality is as perfect as the file on your computer.
Also very simple to use, no searching for hours on end for specific things, can create your own playlists before you go anywhere and you can copy+paste or drag+drop files to transfer instead of having to use that ridiculous itunes.
Best thing is that it is only fractionally bigger than an ipod while costing a fair amount less.

Don't have a lot of time: But depending on the device you get look into an iGo as a charger. You can get one for the plane, and it has the abillity to fit almost anything you want to charge.

There's this one, running Linux for instant geek cred.

Unless he is going first class, or riding on virgin airlines, I doubt he will have the access to the power plug needed to charge items on a plane.

I will be riding first class. I guess I'll probably have electricity available. It's a Boeing 777, i think. Long life, replaceable battery would be nice regardless.

So you're flying first class, and buying an expensive gadget that you'll probably not use again... Life must be good!

Pat earned his place in life ;)

I've always loved Creative products. Never had a bad experience with a Zen and I know multiple owners.

"I'm going on business/vacation for 3 weeks in Asia and want something for airplane ride. Portability is important. Gaming isn't."

take a book.

Maulauxe,
I plan to take books... audio books.

/me hugs BLP

That was the best thing you could have said

/me sheds a tear

I hated my Zen, mostly because it couldn't be mounted as a disk without loading some crappy driver first. (And even then it sucked, because it wasn't a "real" disk; it had to copy anything you wanted to open to the local hard disk first.) Returned it after one day.

Hmmm, I wonder why that was. I personally can't say much other than I have satisfied friends because I only own a Creative MuVo. It mounts just like a disk and I even used it for storing programs I needed to carry around at IBM.

I have the Video IPOD 30GB but wifey has hidden it and won't even let me see the box let alone open it until Xmas time so I can't tell you if it's good or not.

I chose the IPOD because it appears to have the most reliable FM transmitter on the market. I now own an XtremeMac Airplay2 transmitter but I just don't have anything to plug it into...

If this is just for the plane ride, what's wrong with your laptop?