iPod
(1) See also iPad (Apple's tablet computer).(2) Due to the popularity of the iPod (definition #3 below), the term is often used to refer to any MP3 player, no matter which brand (see digital music player).
(3) A family of extremely popular digital media players from Apple. Introduced in 2001, current models comprise the hard disk classic, which holds the most songs, and the flash memory-based shuffle, nano and touch, the latter a full-fledged mobile computer like the iPhone (see iPod touch).
iTunes Is the Media Manager
Apple's iTunes software for Mac and Windows, which is also widely used to play music in the computer whether people have iPods or not, is used to organize songs and videos and preview, purchase and download content from Apple's online store. iTunes lets users rip CDs to the computer as well as burn CDs with content in their music library. It also keeps the iPod's firmware up-to-date and decodes movies and TV shows that Apple sells with copy protection. See iTunes, ripping and FairPlay.
Music Files and Formats
iPods play MP3 music, but songs downloaded from the iTunes store are in the AAC format. Often touted as having superior sound quality, a major reason was digital rights management (DRM), which AAC supports, and until 2009, Apple's music was copy protected. MP3 and AAC formats are roughly 10% the size of the original CD tracks; however, users may opt to rip their CDs to the Apple Lossless format for better sound quality, although five times the size of MP3 and AAC.
iPods do not support Microsoft's Windows Media Audio (WMA) format. However, numerous utilities convert WMA to MP3, and the Windows version of iTunes converts WMA to all formats that iTunes and the iPod support.
Why So Popular?
The combination of sound quality and unique click wheel control made the iPod one of the most successful consumer electronics (CE) products in history. More than 100 million were sold along with 1.5 billion songs in five and a half years.
Originally for music only with a monochrome screen, color screens, photo and video support were soon added. Touch screens replaced the wheel on the iPod touch and later the nano (see click wheel). However, in 2008, the second generation of the operating system for the iPod touch and the iPhone relaunched both devices as handheld computers. See iPhone, iPod classic, iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod shuffle.
Batteries
The rechargeable battery in the iPod is sealed and must be sent to Apple for replacement, which is free under warranty. However, non-Apple sources offer replacement batteries and instructions for opening the case. See iPod compatible, iPod finger, iPod car adapter, car podding and pod slurping.
A/V and Image Formats
Except for the shuffle, which has no screen, iPods display major image formats, including JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF and PNG. The classic and touch both support MPEG-4 and H.264 video with the touch adding Motion JPEG (M-JPEG). Following are the iPod's audio formats.
iPOD AUDIO FORMATS
classic,
nano,
Formats touch shuffle
MP3 X X
MP3 VBR X X
AAC X X
HE-AAC (aacPlus) X
Audible X X
Audible Enhanced (AAX) X X
Apple Lossless X X
AIFF X X
WAV X X
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| The iPod Line |
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| The "classic" iPods are hard disk models (top) with the original click wheel interface. Flash-based iPods (bottom) start with the screenless shuffle (left) and the touch screen nano and touch (middle and right). (Images courtesy of Apple Inc.) |
iPod Screen and Storage Specs
Here are the current-generation iPod screen sizes and storage capacities, followed by the previous generations.
CURRENT iPOD MODELS
g=generation
fl=flash memory hd=hard disk
Color GBytes No.
Model Screen Storage Songs
touch (4g) 3.5" fl 8 1,750
touch (4g) 3.5" fl 32 7,000
touch (4g) 3.5" fl 64 14,000
See iPod touch.
classic (6g) 2.5" hd 160 40,000
See iPod classic.
nano (6g) 2.2" fl 8 1,750
nano (6g) 2.2" fl 16 3,500
See iPod nano.
shuffle (4g) none fl 2 480
See iPod shuffle.
PREVIOUS iPOD MODELS
g=generation
fl=flash memory hd=hard disk
mono=monochrome black on white screen
Color GBytes
Model Screen Storage
touch (1g) 3.5" fl 8-16-32
touch (2g) 3.5" fl 8-16-32
touch (3g) 3.5" fl 32-64
See iPod touch.
classic (1g, 2g, 3g)
2" mono hd 5-10-15
2" mono hd 20-30-40
classic (4g) 2" hd 20-60
iPod Photo (4g) 2" hd 30-60
iPod U2 (4g)
signatures of U2 band members
on case 2" hd 20
classic (5g) 2.5" hd 30
classic (5g) 2.5" hd 60
classic (5g) 2.5" hd 80
classic (5g) 2.5" hd 160
nano (1g) 1.5" fl 1-2-4
nano (2g) 1.5" fl 2-4-8
nano (3g) 2" fl 4-8
nano (4g) 2" fl 8-16
nano (5g) 2.2" fl 8-16
shuffle (1g) none fl .5-1
shuffle (2g) none fl 1
shuffle (3g) none fl 1
Mini 1.7" mono hd 4-6
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| iPoddery |
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| By 2004, the iPod became the hottest electronic gadget on the market. This rural Vermont family delighted in showing off their "iPoddery," including the Bose table top speaker system (right) and the portable Altec Lansing unit that let our young hero carry his own iPod boom box. |
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| A Girl's Best Friend |
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| What did a 13-year-old crave for her birthday in 2004? An iPod Mini... in powder blue. Of course. |
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| The Click Wheel |
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| The "classic" control wheel, which people loved, helped make the iPod a huge success. Originally rotating, this wheel is stationary and touch sensitive. The wheel is clicked and also scrolled by moving a finger around it. The click wheel was superseded by the touch screen interface on the iPhone. This unit is in a rubber case. |
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