When I read a recent article on Apple selling its 100 millionth iPod in the Reader’s Digest, I decided to check it out. Having heard so much about the mini wonder, I thought it was high time to get to know about the little famous gadget. What I learnt left me flabbergasted, to say the least. What have I been doing all this while without this little piece of wonder created by Apple? For those still untouched by the phenomenon (it is nothing short of that – a phenomenon), its high time you got to know about it. I did, and have decided to add to the sales figures of Apple without further ado.
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. The author of the Reader’s Digest article, a doctor by profession, 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.
You can even hook up your iPod to a host of accessories like a Bose stereo, your TV, or even your car audio. Use the convenient charger to charge it from your laptop, or use a common adapter for your car charger. The battery life achieved depends upon the usage – the least batteries being consumed while listening to audio, and the maximum, naturally, seeing video.
Which is why, I am seriously thinking of giving up my plans of buying a new laptop. Maybe the latest iPod is all I need really. As of now, I am hooked!
