What’s the difference between an iPod and an MP3 player?
Recently I was at a colleague’s home for dinner and she asked, “What the hell is an iPod?” Her exact words. Apparently, her teenage daughter has been asking her for one. I silently wondered why her daughter couldn’t just explain to her what she wanted but to my surprise, she too didn’t know what an iPod is and was simply using the term generically to mean an MP3 Player. So what is an iPod and what’s the difference between an iPod and an MP3 player?
Both are MP3 players, but the iPod is a specific brand of MP3 player made by Apple and has a specific set of features and design. Since the release of the Apple iPod in 2001 under the iPod brand, Apple has released many variations of its product such as the iPod Classic, iPod Touch, iPod Shuffle, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Touch and several spin-off devices such as the iPod Photo, which just didn’t do well and was pulled from the market.
It is arguably one of the best known and loved gadgets of our time. One of the main reasons for its success is its ease of use. Apple has continued to develop the iPod, giving it a slimmer, sleeker exterior, while expanding its capacity and capabilities. The user interface has also evolved as Apple seeks to find the most intuitive, user-friendly design. The result is a piece of hardware that anyone, even the most technology-challenged people, can use with ease.
Unlike most mass-market MP3 players, iPods use the Apple iTunes software to transfer music to devices. Using iTunes, you can store a music library on your computer, copy music from CDs, transfer photos and videos and many other features. There are open source alternatives available to iPod users who do not want (or cannot) run the iTunes software.
The iPod Shuffle is the smallest model in Apple’s iPod family and was the first to use flash memory. The current fourth generation model was introduced on September 1, 2010 and currently comes in 2GB capacities only but in a host of colours including silver, blue, green, orange and pink. It’s the budget model in Apple’s iPod lineup, designed to take songs from a listener’s library and play them back randomly.
The latest iPod Nano is in its 6th generation with a high-resolution touch screen. If you’ve had the same iPod Nano for the past few years, this new device will probably make you feel like you need a replacement. It has an FM radio and comes in eight and 16GB capacities, with the same colours as the Shuffle.
The iPod Touch is the iPhone without a phone. It does everything the iPhone does including games, photos and music. It is currently in the 4th generation and comes in eight, 32 and 64 GB capacities.
The iPod Classic is the grandfather of all iPods. Unfortunately, it did not get a refresh in 2010, an indication that it’s getting the axe. Nonetheless, the last generation came in 120 or 160GB capacities, enabling one to have their entire music collection on the go.
The iPod is the king of MP3 players and there is simply no contender. The only grievance with many potential iPod owners is always the price. As with all Apple products, the iPod too exhibits premium pricing.
