Zoë Blade's notebook

iPod Mini

iPod Mini tech specs

  • Released: 2004
  • Discontinued: 2005
  • Initial price: £179[1]
  • Company: Apple
  • Tracks: stereo
  • Audio out: Headphones (3.5 mm TRS phone jack)
  • Storage: 4 GB hard drive
  • Display: 138×110 pixel LCD

The iPod Mini was an MP3 player released by Apple in 2004.

It only had four fifths of the storage capacity of the original iPod — still enough to hold about "a thousand songs", if they were encoded at four fifths the bitrate,[2][3] which was feasible using the newer AAC audio coding format.

Then again, it was smaller, came in five different colours, and was more affordable. This combination made it far more popular than its bigger sibling.

To look at it another way, as the iPod's revisions continually increased its specifications, sending it further upmarket, the iPod Mini filled in the midrange gap left by the original model.

In order to fit the controls onto this smaller model, the buttons that had previously been separate were integrated into the clickwheel itself. This was such a good idea that it became the basis of subsequent larger iPod models too.

Second generation iPod Mini

Second generation iPod Mini tech specs

Second generation iPod Mini
Second generation iPod Mini

  • Released: 2005
  • Discontinued: 2005
  • Initial price: £139 (4 GB)[4] or £179 (6 GB)
  • Company: Apple
  • Tracks: stereo
  • Audio out: Headphones (3.5 mm TRS phone jack)
  • Storage: 4 GB or 6 GB hard drive
  • Display: 138×110 pixel LCD

The second generation iPod Mini replaced the original model after only a year. It sported three improvements: it was either cheaper or more spacious, your choice;[5] the battery lasted over twice as long;[5] and the colour of the icons on the clickwheel matched the colour of the case[6] (which it always had for the plain silver version anyway). It was no longer available in yellow, which was no big loss. The remaining colours were made more vibrant.

It's easy to identify a second generation iPod Mini, as the choice of storage capacities led to it having the size written on its back, something the original generation lacked.

Alas, the iPod Mini didn't last long. In 2005, it was replaced with the even smaller iPod Nano, which used flash memory instead of a hard drive, and had a colour screen capable of displaying albums' cover artwork.

It's possible to (very carefully) mod either generation of iPod Mini. The battery can be replaced, and the hard drive can be replaced with flash memory — and far more than 6 GB, at that. Even without modding, LAME's come a long way since 2005, allowing you to comfortably fit more tracks on it. It's a nice, simple way of listening to a lot of music without interruptions.

References

  1. "Introducing iPod Mini (UK)" Apple, Apple, Jul 2004
  2. "Introducing iPod Mini" Apple, Apple, Jan 2004
  3. "iPod — Technical Specifications" Apple, Apple, Feb 2004
  4. "Introducing the New iPod Mini (UK)" Apple, Apple, Feb 2005
  5. "iPod — Technical Specifications" Apple, Apple, Feb 2005
  6. "Introducing the New iPod Mini" Apple, Apple, Feb 2005

Apple: iPod Mini

MP3 players: A case for MP3 players | S1 MP3 player | iPod Mini