You may or may not have been wondering what happened to the 80-GB and 160-GB iPod Classics after Apple made Tuesday’s announcement that included the next-gen classic of 120 GB at $249.

We found the discontinued Classics on clearance at the Apple Store online, with prices on each discounted $50—down to $199 for the 80-GB version and $299 for the 160-GB model. (I suppose they’re on clearance at the brick-and-mortar store too, but maybe a reader can confirm? No stores nearby unfortunately.)

If you’re a big fan of the new Genius similar playlist feature, you might want to stick to the newly announced model—Crave is saying (after updating an earlier report that said otherwise) that there aren’t plans for a free Genius firmware update to the older models.

We’re not sure how long the clearance will last though, so if you want beefy storage for your increasing video collection or lossless audio ripping you might want to snag a 160-gig while it lasts.

You could also take a chance on a refurbished model for each at another $50 bucks off for the 160-GB (at $249) or another $30 down for the 80-GB (at $169).

About the Author:
Arlen Schweiger - Managing editor of Electronic House Magazine

Arlen contributes product news items to electronichouse.com along with his role on the print publication. Got a tip? Send it along!