This week we are going to start our discussion on mp3 players; and what better way to start this discussion than by researching iPods. The first iPods were released in October 2001. These small portable music players could hold up to 1,000 songs, which at the time was a lot. Through the years the looks changed and customer satisfaction grew. Today, some of the iPod models are on their 6th generation. Today some of the models can view pictures, watch videos, and play/download games.

Today, there are 4 different iPod models: shuffle, nano, classic, and touch. Starting with the smallest iPod, the shuffle holds 2-4GB of music. That’s 500-1000 songs! The shuffle was designed to “plug and play.” When you turn the shuffle on it “shuffles” you music. Because of the simplicity of it, the battery life is good. Next in line is the iPod nano. The nano hold 8-16GB of songs and photos. As of 2009 the nano doubles as a camera. In fact, the nano can hold anywhere from 7,000-14,000 photos, 2,000-4,000 songs, and 8-16 hrs of video. This device is very popular because of its versatility. The next iPod is the classic. This iPod has kept its same look since it release. The classic holds 160GB of music (40,000 songs), photos (25,000 photos), and video (200 hrs. video). This iPod also costs you a pretty penny at $249. The last iPod we are going to discuss is the touch. The third generation touches is by far the coolest mp3 on the market and like the other does more than play music. The third gen. touch holds 32-64GB of music (7,000-14,000 songs), photos (40,000-90,000 songs), and video (40-80 hrs video). The touch can also download games from the App Store. In fact, there are few differences from the iPod touch and the iPhone (see our blog on the iPhone).

As you have read, the iPod is a nice device and in my opinion #1 when it comes to mp3 players. Until next time, happy teching!