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The iPod has grown from a simple high-storage answer, to "the" MP3 player, to a whole range of devices that not only store music, but play videos and even surf the Internet. From the tiny Shuffle to the full-featured iPod Touch, there's an iPod out there that's right for everyone.
Once upon a time, if you wanted to bring your entire music collection with you, you either had to carry photo albums full of CDs, milk cartons bursting with cassettes or a trunk loaded down with LPs.Thanks to modern technology, entire volumes of music can now be stored in a little music player that fits in the palm of your hand. Apple released the first iPod digital music player in 2001. Originally, this model was only capable of storing and playing music. Today's iPods store music, photos and video clips. Not only that, but the Apple iPod Touch allows you to surf the Internet via built-in Wi-Fi.
What separates the Apple iPod from other MP3 players on the market is the simple fact that Apple has user-friendliness down to a science. The iPod Classic has a familiar click wheel interface that is surprisingly intuitive. No more cryptic sequence of buttons to mash, just take your thumb and give the wheel a turn until you find what you're looking for. With the iPod Touch, you don't even have a wheel; everything is done through the powerful touch-screen interface. Today's iPods and iPhone also have Apple's patented "Cover Flow" software, which allows you to flip through album covers with the swipe of a finger to select your favorite artists.
Wait a minute-do I need an Apple computer to use an iPod?
No, you don't need to buy an Apple computer to use your iPod. Apple iTunes will install on most PCs just fine. This software program allows you to edit playlists and store your favorite music, photos and videos. Once you have your media library set, you merely 'sync' your collection onto your iPod and you're ready to go.
How big should my Apple iPod be?
Fortunately, you have lots of options to choose from as far as storage size is concerned. According to Apple, here's the latest breakdown of current models:
The three main considerations when purchasing an iPod are your price range, how much storage (GB) you want, and what you plan to use it for.
An iPod for Your Workout
The iPod Shuffle is the most inexpensive of iPods. It holds 1 GB or 2 GB of songs, (about 240 or 500 songs) and there's no screen, so you really don't know what songs are coming up next-hence the "Shuffle" label. It's like having a personal DJ in your pocket. People who just want a bit of background music while jogging or biking will love the iPod Shuffle because it's so small. You can clip it right onto your shirt and you won't even know it's there.
An iPod That Plays Your Music and Shows Your Style
The Nano 4GB is a great place to start if you want to get a feel for the iPod. It has everything the iPod Classic has in terms of media storage, and it comes in a range of colors. It won't hold the 40,000 songs that the 160 GB Classic model holds, but it'll be fine if you don't mind re-uploading your songs from time to time. Most people find that 4 GB of music is more than they'll listen to in a week anyway. If you have a bi-weekly or even monthly ritual of changing your music, with the iPod Nano you'll never be bored.
There have been three different "generations" (or designs) of the Nano. The first generation replaced the iPod Mini; the second generation iPod Nano included options of 2 GB, 4 GB, or 8 GB of storage; and the third generation 8GB iPod Nano (also available in 4 GB) includes video capability viewable on a bright, two-inch screen. If you plan to use the video capability feature regularly, you'll probably want more storage rather than less, so the 8GB Nano would work best. Color choices available for the iPod Nano include silver, blue, pink, black, green, and red. The 8GB red iPod Nano is a special edition that is part of the "Product Red" campaign, where part of the proceeds are donated to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria worldwide.
An iPod That Stores All of Your Music...Plus Photos, Plus Videos...
Earlier versions of the iPod Classic didn't have the intensive photo and video capabilities that today's versions have, and they offered less storage. For instance, a popular choice was the iPod 20 GB fourth generation version, which was the first iPod to offer photo storage. Following this product was the fifth generation 30 GB version, available in black as well as white (also known as the iPod Video, since this version was the first to offer video). Later, Apple offered an enhanced 30 GB version of the iPod, as well as one with 80 GB of storage. These enhanced versions included longer video playback times and the ability to play iPod games.
The sixth generation iPod is known as the "Classic" and it can store an amazing amount of songs, photos, and videos. The main advantage of having the 80 GB or 160 GB iPod classic model is the ability to store your entire music collection, your favorite TV episodes, audio books, movies and podcasts. FYI - Keep your music library on your computer or an external hard drive just in case--this way, if your iPod Classic is lost or stolen, you'd mourn the loss of hundreds rather than thousands of songs. If you can't resist watching your favorite TV episodes on your iPod, then you should get the 160 GB model, since video clips cost more in GB storage.
An iPod for Your Favorite Music...and the Internet
The iPod Touch offers the full functionality of other iPods, plus the ability to surf the Internet via built-in Wi-Fi access. The iPod Touch design takes its cues from the iPhone, using a touch-screen user interface. One popular version is the 8 GB iPod Touch with the January software upgrade (getting the upgraded version means there's no need to install the software separately). With a 1750-song capacity, it's a good choice; there's also a 16 GB iPod Touch and 32 GB version.
The Apple iPod series of portable media players are hands-down the best on the market today. Not to mention that the availability of iPod cords and accessories will allow it to grow as you do. From user-friendliness, to sound quality and selection of storage size options, any one of these models is well worth the investment.
