IPOD MINI

The 'iPod mini' is a smaller version of Apple Inc.'s iPod portable audio player. It was announced on January 6, 2004, and released on February 20 of the same year; a second-generation version was announced on February 23, 2005. The device operates on Macintosh and Windows PCs, and has limited third-party support for Linux and other Unix workalikes. The iPod mini line was officially discontinued on September 7, 2005 and replaced by the iPod nano line.
The iPod mini retained the touch-sensitive scroll wheel of the third generation iPod; however, instead of the four touch buttons located above the wheel, the buttons were made mechanical beneath the wheel itself—hence the name ''click wheel''. To use one of the four buttons, the user must physically push the edge of the wheel inward over one of the four labels. Like its predecessors, the wheel was developed for Apple by Synaptics. The click wheel is now also used in the fourth, fifth and sixth generation iPods and the iPod nano, from first generation through to third; however, in the nano and 5G iPods onwards, the clickwheel is developed by Apple.
Above the wheel is a monochrome monitor that displays a menu or information about the selected track. Newer-generation iPods have since adopted color displays.

Contents

Details

Hacking

iPod nano

References

External links

Details

Both generations of iPod mini were almost identical in their external features; their differences lay in their storage and battery capacities. Both versions are 3.6x2.0x0.5 inches (91x51x13 mm) and weigh 3.6 ounces (102 grams). The case consists of anodized aluminum. First generation iPod minis were available in five colors: silver, gold, pink, blue, and green. The gold model was dropped from the second generation range, likely due to its unpopularity. The pink, blue, and green models had brighter hues in the second generation; the silver model remained unchanged. The first generation mini had grey button labels; the second generation had button labels matching the case's color.
The iPod mini uses Microdrive hard drives (CompactFlash II) made by Hitachi. First generation models were available in a 4 GB size, while second generation models were available in both 4 GB and 6 GB versions (capable of storing roughly 1,000 and 1,500 songs, respectively) and eventually had the drive size laser etched on the case to help distinguish between the two.

The battery life of the first generation of iPod mini was about 8 hours (similar to the 3G iPod that was available when the mini was released), which some criticised for its short duration.^[1] Apple addressed this problem in the second generation models, which had a nominal battery life of about 18 hours. However, the 2nd generation iPod minis no longer came with a FireWire cable or an AC power adapter, which were left out to reduce the selling prices of the new iPod minis. iPod mini batteries run down to 80% capacity after 400 full charge cycles.^[2]
A proprietary dock connector was provided on the bottom of the device for a connection to a computer's USB or FireWire port. The unit's battery could be charged during connection. Along the top it had a hold switch, a headphone jack, and a remote port for accessories.
Like the iPod, the iPod mini supported MP3, AAC/M4A, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless audio formats. It also retained the iPod's integration with iTunes and the iTunes Store, allowing for syncing between the software application and the iPod mini.
Original pricing for the iPod mini was US$249 for the first generation (4 GB model). The release of the second generation lowered the starting price to US$199 and kept the 4 GB model. An increased-capacity 6 GB model sold for US$249.

Hacking

Almost from the beginning people have been fitting new batteries in the iPod mini due to the fact that its capacity decreases over time. There are various manuals for battery replacement on the internet and many outlets selling compatible Lithium-ion batteries for those who wish to avoid the expensive charge for sending the iPod back to Apple. Many such batteries are of higher capacity than the original - some are up to 850mAh while the stock battery is around 480mAh.
The iPod mini can be flashed to run iPodLinux or Rockbox firmware which has support for extra codecs, games and various other plugins and allows music placed directly on the iPod to be played without using iTunes. Recently several users have replaced the 4GB or 6GB Microdrive with high capacity 8GB or 16GB CompactFlash cards^[3][4]. This has the advantage of increasing battery life and CF cards are less likely to break when dropped since they are solid-state with no moving parts.

iPod nano

On September 7 2006, Apple released the second generation iPod nano. The new nano's design is essentially a smaller version of the iPod mini with the microdrive replaced with flash memory, even going as far using the mini's signature colors (aside from gold, which was replaced by black). The nano also uses the aluminum previously exclusive to the mini in the iPod family. One difference in external design is the click wheel's select button, which is colored to match the nano's color. Black is the only exception, having the entire click wheel darkened.

References

1. http://cnn-cnet.com.com/Apple_iPod_Mini_4GB_Silver_1st_generation/4505-6490_7-30657018.html
2. http://www.apple.com/ca/batteries/ipods.html
3. http://homepage.mac.com/jason.parry/mini8gb.html
4. http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/753/how-to-turn-your-ipod-mini-into-a-flash-based-ipod

External links

★ iPod mini specifications, both generations

★ Troubleshooting iPod mini Problems

★ iPod mini gallery