Which flavor of iPod to buy?

[schizoid]

I'm looking into gettin a 10gig iPod. I don't know whether to buy a Mac or a PC one though. I have a PC, with a Firewire card (thank you compgeeks) and a Dell with a small (4 pin) firewire port. I might, sometime in the future, get a Mac, but who knows. I guess it was my understanding that you can fiddle with a MacPod and make it run in windows, but you can't make a WindowsPod run on a mac. If that's the case, then a MacPod might make more sense (although I think I read someplace that the Windows one has a 4 to 6 pin adapter which would be nice).

Anyways, I was just wondering what the real differences, if any, between the two are. Can't seem to find anything the lays it out simply.

 

[amnesiac]

AFAIK they're identical except the windows version comes with an adapter.
The WinPod will work on the Mac iPod no sweat. They're made to be compatible.

 

[notfred]

Windows version works with the mac and the PC, mac version only works with the mac.

 

[Smolek]

windows version

 

[Atvar]

I just got a 10 gig windows ipod last tuesday...I love it

Atvar

 

[McPhreak]

Originally posted by: notfred
Windows version works with the mac and the PC, mac version only works with the mac.

It's actually the opposite. If your drive is formatted into Mac format, you can run it in either Mac or Windows (via MMJB, Ephpod, or XPlay). If you have your drive formatted into PC, you can only run it on PC.

I would get the PC version. I just got mine a week ago. It actually comes with a firewire adapter and Windows formatting software and is setup in Mac format until you decide to format to PC. Since they're the same price, you might as well get the PC version just in case you ever decide to reformat into PC.

 

[mpitts]

Just an FYI, you can convert one to the other at any time. An HTFS-formatted Mac-compatible iPod can be converted to a FAT32 Windows-compatible iPod at any time. And vice-versa.

Personally, I went with the Mac-compatible because I have a G4 and iTunes 3. Let me just say that iTunes is a huge part of the iPod experience. EphPod and others are poor substitues. But, if I were in your situation and not having a Mac, I would go with a PC-compatible. Like I said before, if you do get a Mac down the road you can just convert it.

 

[Frodolives]

I recently read a review of these at tomshardware.com. Too lazy to look up a link sorry

One thing I recall was that he approved of the software for both versions, but found the software for the mac superior in a few details.