Apple iPod U2 Special Edition (30GB, video) review

What you need to know

Reviewed by: CNET staff

Reviewed on: 18 July 2006

Tags: Apple, Apple iPod U2 Special Edition (30GB, video), portable, audio files, tuner

We like:

Incredibly thin and intuitive design; beautiful LCD; supports photo and video playback; seamless integration with iTunes, which boasts the world's biggest music catalogue and a fledgling video store; lots of extra features, such as a world clock, a stopwatch, and PIM applications; a galaxy of accessories designed for the iPod

We don't like:

U2 edition costs £20 more than standard iPod; no extras included, such as a dock, AV cables or a power adaptor; poor battery life for video; slight delay when playing video; no guarantee that your non-iTunes Music Store video will play on an iPod, even after using converted third-party software

CNET UK judgement:

The iPod U2 certainly isn't for everyone, but its target audience (namely, U2 fans) will love it, and will pay the extra £20 for it

Full review:

Late last year, amid much hype -- and after Steve Jobs repeatedly belittled portable video devices -- Apple announced its fifth-generation iPod, dubbed by many as the iPod video. Seven months later, the U2 iPod has caught up with the pack. Originally debuting with fourth-generation technology (a monochrome screen with a Click Wheel), then later with a colour screen, this special-edition iPod, a collaboration between Irish rock band U2 and Apple, is basically a red and black version of the fifth-generation iPod. Continue Reading...