A portable device, designed by Apple computer, used for storing and playing audio files, is termed as the iPod. These devices have their own distinctive style and can store anything from a few hundred to a few thousand songs. All these audio files are generally encoded from MP3 and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) compression algorithms.



The iPod was released by Apple in 2001 and till date no other device has been able to match the ease of use of it. A couple of years later, the same manufacturers also designed and released the mini iPods that were one-third of the size of the original. Then, came the shuffle, the smallest member of the iPod family, which was almost the size of the package of a stick gum.

Initially the they had a small hard disk for storage. Even the flash memory used by shuffle had a small hard disk. The only benefit with the flash memory is that it retains its contents even after the power is turned off, unlike the computer memory that loses its content once the power is switched off. But with increasing downfall in the capacity as well as the prices of all the three models, the storage capacity of all the three has increased over time.

The greatest advantage of the iPods is the way it works with the programs on the PC. They work in synchronization with a software called iTunes present in the personal computer (PC). This happens as soon as it is connected with the PC that uses either Windows or Macintosh operating systems. It automatically updates the music library and keeps a track of how often a song is played. It removes the old episodes that are heard and replaces it with the new ones. This synchronization does not require the intervention of the user and this has made the iPods much more accessible than the MP3s and has resulted in its domination over the other devices.

Another advantage of iPod is that, the moment they are plugged in, the batteries recharge, without any manual botheration. Moreover they work quite well as audiobooks. This is especially noted when you stop listening, it remembers exactly the song where you stopped and begins automatically from the next one. This facility is generally not available on most of the players where it is required to listen to the entire chapter to get to the next number. Also, we get the facility of listening to songs at a faster rate that proves helpful when there is enough material to cover in a short time.

The Apple added another feather to its cap in the form of the iPhone, which is a blend of the cell phone and iPod in one device. This portable device also has a camera and can even connect to the internet, that too wirelessly. Thus a small box can be used for making phone calls, listening to music, taking pictures, downloading music, checking e-mails and surfing websites. After the iPhone, came the iPod touch that resembles the former a lot in appearance and functions except for the camera and the phone.

However, before buying any model of iPod, it is important to consider the use of the same. If you want to watch videos or play games, then the earlier versions can be a good choice. Shuffles and nano are simply wrong choices for such an application. These models are functional if you are just interested in hearing a lot of music of your choice. The iPhones and iPod touch are multifunctional and the latest choice of the present generation.

iPods have also faced some criticism based on its short life span and frail hard drives. Moreover they were condemned over the fact that some of their models were more durable than the others. It was observed that the models that used hard drives were weaker than the models using flash memory. Inspite of all these downs, iPod continued its innovativeness and won many accolades and awards throughout the world.