What is the definition of IPOD? Who makes it? Apple Inc. is an electronics company that's been around for quite some time. Since its creation in 1976, the company has grown exponentially over the last three decades, and in 2008 their sales reached over $32 billion. Apple is most famous for its computer system, the Macintosh (shortened to Mac), and more recently the iPod and iPhone. What exactly is an iPod? In the simplest of terms, it's an mp.3 player. Mp.3's are compressed computer files, a source of audio encoding used to create playable sound files on a computer. iPods offer a variety of ways to play such files. Let's take a look at each iPod and exactly what it can do:
iPod Shuffle- The iPod shuffle is touted as the world's smallest music player. 1.8" tall, .7" wide, and a mere .3" deep, the .38 oz music player is small enough to fit anywhere you want it to: pockets, lapels, you name it. The clip can be placed on sleeves for secure handling while exercising, or into a jacket pocket for safe and protected listening. Able to hold 2 GB ($59) or 4GB ($79) worth of songs, the Shuffle is an inexpensive and simple way to enjoy a relaxing afternoon listening to your favorite songs.
iPod Nano- Up next is the iPod Nano. Larger than the Shuffle, but still small enough to fit into a pocket, the Nano comes with more amenities, such as a 2.2" screen, VoiceOver Kit (which speaks the names of songs and artists so you don't have to wonder who or what is playing), and either an 8GB ($149) or 16GB ($179) flash drive. The Nano also comes with a built in FM radio, Pedometer, and a microphone that allows you to capture notes or thoughts and save them.
iPod Classic- The very first iPod introduced has seen some change over the years, but still retains its original spark that caused the handheld mp3 revolution. Available in silver or black, the 4.9oz , 160GB iPod can hold up to 40,000 songs, 25,000 photos, 200 hours of videos, or any combination thereof. If you’re interested in a nostalgic blast from the past, the $249 iPod Classic can be yours for the taking.
iPod Touch- Considered the crown jewel of all iPods, the iPod Touch is a veritable "do everything" music player. Calling it a jukebox or portable music system would be an insult to all that the Touch can do. For starters, the 3.5" touch screen lets you see all activities with vivid detail. Smaller than the Classic, the Touch comes with 8GB ($199), 32GB ($299), or 64GB ($399) of storage. The built-in Wi-Fi allows you to peruse the Internet at your leisure, send emails, update Facebook or Twitter statuses, and so much more. In addition, there are over 80,000 applications you can download, ranging from games, to flashlights, recipe books to levels, grocery lists to maps. The iPod Touch is the most advanced iPod Apple has come out with to date, and provides hours upon hours of entertainment to all.
So what's your iPod flavor? Do you prefer simple music players, or is a more versatile pocket system what catches your eye? All of the iPods can be purchased from the Apple website, so what are you waiting for? Go take a look, and enjoy the world of iPods.
