Still Don’t Have An iPod? Don’t Think Any More

An article I read recently left me thinking what had I been missing all these years. Was I being just a spectator while the good things life passed me by? And how many more are there like me, who have been hearing all the while about the revolution called the iPod, and done nothing thereafter? Plenty, I guess, going by the sales figures of Apple selling its 100 millionth iPod recently. There are lot many more human beings in the world than that!

Starting from the smallest sized Mini that has a capacity of 1GB, to the latest fifth generation 80GB Video, there is a huge variety to suit each need. As with all electronics, the older the version, the lower the comparative cost. Besides the two mentioned above, iPods are available in sizes of 2GB, 4GB, 10GB and 30GB. When I pause to think that just a few years ago I was the proud owner of a PC with a HDD of a then princely 4 GB, I feel humbled. Why, even my current laptop (bought the latest available three years ago) has a now seemingly low 30GB of space. One look at the iPod and I didn’t know where to hide! Is it time for me to exchange my laptop for the little magical gadget, then?

Well, maybe not quite, but even that time is not far I guess. The iPod offers multiple choices for its users, the very basic being its function of allowing you to download music from the Apple website and a host of others. Apple allows downloads which are compatible with its in-house development, the itunes music software that allows seamless integration with the audio.

Now here’s the best part - you don’t have to restrict yourself to just music. There’s a host of options available – like listening to audio books that you always wanted to read but could never find the time for. Or you could listen to those French lessons you always wanted to take while driving to work, and slowly, at that – the iPod allows you to run the audio at variable speeds. A doctor I know uses it to store his patients’ x rays and medical histories, always carrying a ready bank of medical cases to refer to. Others use it as a travel companion, downloading the latest movies and watching it at leisure on the 2.5inch LCD screen. 80GB is a lot of space. The fact that it can store heaps of data besides being a faithful journey partner (the 80GB version has as much as 20 hrs of battery life!), is an added advantage. Store thousands of pictures to remember your dear ones when on a tour.

An entire world of new accessories industry has sprung up based on this one gadget. From iSocks, iCases, iStereos, to iConnectors for your car audio, there’s a whole commercial line that has come up. Why, there’s even a blog by the name of iGirl, and a underwear called the iWear that has a pocket in front for storing your favorite toy! Talk about devotion to the cause!

While I write this, another thing comes to notice – the numerous wrinkled red lines appearing below each iWord I write. Maybe its time for my word processor to upgrade to an iDictionary!