Apple iPod Photo (30GB) review

We -- and many others -- were disappointed with the original iPod Photo's lack of a digital-camera interface. After all, this iPod, with its colour screen and huge hard drive, had the potential to be an essential photographer's companion. Apple has responded by releasing a firmware update and an optional Camera Connector accessory that will allow users to connect a camera and transfer photos to the iPod (see 'Features' for details).

Luckily, those who shelled out the big bucks for the original can upgrade their iPod Photos, too. Previously, your best solution was to purchase a third-party product such as Belkin's Digital Camera Link or Media Reader, which allow you to transfer your files to the iPod but not view them. But serious photographers, be forewarned: the iPod Photo is not the ideal photo viewer due to its small screen size; direct digital-camera transfers will make it more suitable as a storage device. Serious digital photographers should take a peek at dedicated photo viewers such as Epson's P-2000, which features a larger 97mm, 24-bit colour screen and built-in media card slots. Nevertheless, the combination of audio and imagery that the iPod Photo provides is deft at worst.

The new iPod Camera Connector: when used with the latest firmware update, this £19 accessory allows transfer of digital photos from cameras to the iPod Photo.

We should mention the iPod Photo's headphone jack serves as a video-out port as well. In a cost-cutting measure, the device no longer ships with the fancy-looking white A/V cable that allowed you to output audio and still images to a television when viewing a slide show. This method of viewing photos is outstanding, especially on a big-screen TV with a nice audio system. The carrying case, the FireWire cable (£15), and the iPod Photo dock (£25), which features an S-video-out port, are now optional accessories.

If you're a digital shutterbug, you'll want to splash out on the iPod Camera Connector (£19), which will truly put the photo in iPod Photo. You do get standard earbuds, an AC adaptor, and a USB 2.0 cable. All in all, the new iPod Photo prices are attractive -- just realise that you're not getting some key extras.

Features
An MP3 player with built-in photo viewing isn't revolutionary by any means. iRiver's 20GB H320 was introduced a couple of months before the iPod Photo and other lesser-known manufacturers have experimented with MP3/JPEG players. In fact, every portable video player on the market -- including the Archos Gmini400, which is smaller than the iPod Photo -- can display pictures. But you had to assume that Apple would implement the most user-friendly method of organising, transferring and viewing JPEG, BMP, GIF and PNG files. And it did.

Though small, photos are vivid and sharp