We Know: All About the iPod

What is an iPod?

An iPod is a type of portable MP3 digital music player created by Apple Computer. It comes in different styles and a variety of different features. Most iPods have a scroll wheel and display window where the song title appears. iPods work much like a computer by storing MP3 files on a hard drive. When you play a music title, you are actually playing a music files that has been stored.

What is an MP3?

MP3 is short for MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3, a compression format used on computers that reduces the size of sound files while maintaining the original level of CD-quality.

What features does an iPod have?

iPods are loaded with features. They can store thousands of songs and last up to 18 hours on battery power. The devices are compatible with both Mac OSX and Windows XP and allow you to create play lists and shuffle songs for ultimate control over your music listening preferences. The light weight iPod can also be used as a portable hard drive.

What are the different types of iPods currently available, and how much do they cost?

As the iPod grows in popularity, Apple Computer continues to produce newer models with different options. These are the current iPod models sold by Apple:

iPod: This is the original model, with an expanded hard drive and features. It now includes a color screen that plays video and displays pictures. The iPod comes in 30GB and 60GB models with an MSRP of $299 and $399, respectively. Choice of white or black.
iPod nano: The iPod nano is similar to the iPod except it's smaller. While coming in 2GB and 4GB models ($199 and $249), this player gives you a choice of white or black, features a color screen, and longer battery life because it does not use a hard drive with moving parts; it uses flash memory.
iPod shuffle: The smallest of the iPods is also the cheapest. While fitting in the palm of your hand like a stick of gum, the Shuffle comes in 512MB and 1GB models for $99 and $129 respectively, and runs off of flash drive technology.