musings, ramblings, things about iPods

links, resources, how-tos on the now ubiquitous mean machine: the iPod

touch

The iPod family

 

The iPod is a digital audio and video player made by Apple Computers. Got that?

ipodActually, it's not quite that simple. The iPod lets you listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts and other audio files, watch TV Shows, movies, personal videos and video podcasts, view photos, play games, check or stop the time and time zones, view calendar, store contacts and notes.

Gorgeous - the iPod touch

On 5 Sept 07 Apple introduced the long awaited and nervously anticipated iPod touch, as well as updating the iPod nano and iPod classic and shuffle lines.

This is the first iPod to feature touch control to allow browsing through music, video, photos, podcasts etc.

New are the Wi-Fi Safari browser and a You Tube widget for the ultimate internet addict. Another innovation is the iTunes Wi-Fi music store. Buy songs with a single tap. A special collaboration with Starbucks allows you to download songs heard in Starbucks over Wi-Fi.

Additions to the box are a polishing cloth and stand.

***update

On 15 Jan 08 Apple brings Mail, Maps, Stocks, Weather, Notes and web clips, not to mention the ability to view the neo-feature of iTunes rented movies. This takes the iPod to a new level of wi-finess and feature-ness that was formerly unprecedented.

Read it to believe it - the iPod classic

The sexy black or silver iPod classic models are sleeker and hold a monster capacity of 80 or 160 GB. They feature improved visuals and audio plus a new split-screen user interface and new games Klondike, Vortex and iQuiz. Battery capacity on the 80 model is at best 30 hours for audio/5 for video and the 160 model holds a capacity of up to 40 hours for audio/7 for video.

 

Nano revamped

The iPod nano now sports a more compact shape and clickwheel and wider screen compared to its forebears and is available in anodized aluminium colours of black, mint green, cherry red *, sky blue and silver. The split-screen user interface is also present in the nano models as are downloadable games. These flash drive iPods come in either 4 or 8 GB capacities. Battery life is set at at a max of 24 hours of audio/5 of video.

 

Baby of the line

Choose one of five colours for the iPod shuffle - silver, lilac, cherry red*, mint green and sky blue. These screenless iPods hold 1 GB and feature a built in clip and shuffle switch and up to 12 hours of maximum battery life.

 

All iPods

In the box: earphones, USB 2.0 cable (except shuffle), dock adaptor and quick start guide.

Supported audio formats: AAC, Mp3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple lossless and Protected AAC formats. Video format: H.264

Windows and Mac. Linux is not officially supported.

 

* with the red product line Apple commits itself to giving a portion to the AIDS cause in Africa.

 

iPhone

iphone

Although strictly not singularly an iPod, the iPhone is a close cousin and important byproduct of the iPod family. It's introduction has been hailed as a revolutionary smartphone by many, setting the bar high for manufacturers the world over. Its critics have resolutely and persistently bashed it's high price in combination with service provider contract as well as its inflexibility of use with other carriers. A price drop of $200 in Sept 07 was welcomed by consumers and industry pundits alike.

 

 

last updated 15 Jan 08