Requiem for a Dream.

A review of the iPod Classic at the appropriate time, we want to post 29 September 2014, bears quite absurd characteristics. After all, it officially for about 20 days no longer gives the iPod Classic. Not at the Apple store, not at Apple dealers on site, and not directly from Amazon. From both sides, the end of legend. Quietly placed the company Apple a the most fundamental of iPods. This ends an era that is not coming back.

Meanwhile, the prices reach new record highs on a daily basis with the supplier in the Amazon Marketplace. Cost of the Classic 160 GB years constant around the 230 to 250 euros, the prices climbed within a few days after the Hiobbotschaft to about 340-350 euros. Today the nimble businessmen want to see already another 50 euros more for the little flatterer. There is no end in sight for used, God knows how battered and scratched iPod Classics are already proclaimed prices that are significantly higher than the original price recently still valid. Business sense would have to have.

What makes the Classic because of that he, although technically outdated objective, always so popular? Well, first of all: the offline feature. The device is pardon: was completely self-sufficient. Once refueled with iTunes, it can last for years to be happy with the program. It does not establish Internet connection to - also kanns not there are no apps loaded, nothing distracts. The device is only one thing: a media player. For but a real.

160GB. That's exactly right in this age of high-resolution music files. Lossless compression can hear the files provided at quite reasonable sound transducer. 160GB: that's enough just like that. That was 2009, when the 160-Classic was introduced, out of reach. The remains today still: without competition. Even the high-end is CALLING players wait with 32 (not a typo!) To a maximum of 128 GB of storage capacity at the expense here several times even the current exorbitant prices of the last Classic.

The control is also classic: a blend of mechanical and virtual, as the modern automatic transmission, which conjure up artificially fixed gears of continuous translation if necessary. No touchscreen, no bouncing icons, just click wheel and immobile, but mobile keypads. There is a tactile feedback, if desired acoustic feedback. (This legend has become clack-clack-clack Kinners!) So the player can also operate almost blindly in many ways, even if it is that you do not need to set up the reading glasses.

Then the filling with music, sorting, finding! This sheer volume that suits it, the system software of the player is to be a prime example of usability. The media recorded with the way also. Thank does not taste the loading via iTunes; why this is so, was able to get so far no convincing explain the bleats in the best mainstream mode via iTunes. A comparably simple, powerful music management software I do not know of other manufacturers also. Connecting the rest happens by itself. That's when all the iPhones no different, but requires a bit more skill combination, given the comparatively puny storage of these multifunction engineering marvel.

Anyway. The device marks an arbitrary end of an era. Too Bad. An era in which to listen to music no internet connection was highly encouraged.

Is it a coincidence that the iPod was exactly 13 years old when he was appointed and the Classic exactly 7 years old?

I hope me the last of its kind for a long time loyally serve, as it was already the case with its predecessor. Incidentally, I have unearthed the very first iPod on the occasion: proud 5GB, brick thick felt about it, Firewire, Mac-only the thing tinkers after 13 years is still as good as new, with the first disk and the second (10 years ago even gewechseltem) battery. Said predecessor guiding me more than 300,000 km in changing cars around, basically in continuous use as a music player in the glove compartment, summer and winter, initially without air conditioning. Temperature fluctuations, dilapidated roads in northern Germany, Norway Holperpisten put the box away loose. It also still works. I'll keep him in any case, in addition to the now new, old Classic and hope he can play on the kitchen / dining corner plant for a long time, long.

Otherwise, the sound quality of all known to me iPods can be described as impeccable. It is the question of the headphone and to remain silent, not least among the music and the Hörgewöhnheiten of individuals from the technical level of the sound material completely. Good headphones / speakers debunk playing each supposedly inaudible compression. At home, however, the little plays about the fabulous conversion of T + A receiver. Universal and it's that simple.

There was no review. Sorry. It was a kind of obituary for a time that is now over.

(Or maybe it appear 2016 15th anniversary of the iPod, a special anniversary edition?)