Which iPod is Right for You?

iPod fever catches a new wave of consumers every day. Coupled with the unrelenting success of Apple's music download program iTunes, the iPod has become an unstoppable force in the world of mp3 and portable audio players.

Since its introduction into the world, other companies have risen to the challenge of besting the iPod, but have thus far been unable to attain the recognizable status and fame that surrounds the iPod like a magical aura, capturing the interest of all who fall within the mystical glow.

Apple now offers three different versions of its iPod, which has come quite a long way since its original 5GB model.

The standard iPod is now capable of holding astounding amounts of music, boasting two sizes to choose from: the 30GB and the 60GB, and possesses a suitably longer battery life, clocking in at about twenty hours. This new fifth generation iPod is also substantially thinner than its previous inceptions, less than a 1/2" thick.

But its powerful capabilities don't stop with music. As with the first iPods, you can still store files as well as notes, a calendar and contacts, but the new iPods also have the remarkable ability to store and play large amounts of video, viewed on a surprisingly colorful 2.5" screen.

Additional features allow or the reading of audiobooks or playing photo slideshows, and a number of useful utility programs can be downloaded from the Apple website or the internet, enabling you to look up everything from pizza restaurants specific to a certain city, to aerobic workout instructions, to an audio tour guide of national parks.

The iPod integrates seamlessly with a number of applications, making this new generation of portable mp3 player a force to be reckoned with, a quintessential combination of utilities and features for portable entertainment and information.

Download music and videos or television shows from the Apple iTunes store, import it into the iPod, and you are ready to go! Regardless of whether you find the video feature useful or not, if you are an avid fan of music and insist on carrying vast amounts of music with you, than you may want to invest in either the 30GB or the 60 GB, so that you may never be without a particular song.

If watching videos on a tiny screen isn't your thing, and you don't necessarily feel the need to carry 15,000 songs in your pocket, than save some money and spring for the iPod nano instead.

Available in three sizes: 1 GB, 2 GB, and 4GB, the iPod nano doesn't boast all the requisite features of its larger brother, but if music is your main concern, then it is more than capable of satisfying your aural desires. With the largest model holding 1,000 songs (large being somewhat misleading, as the iPod nano is as thin as a pencil and fits neatly in the palm of your hand), it certainly has enough merit as a standalone mp3 player.

This powerful little gadget holds a charge for 14 hours and easily integrates with a number of iPod accessories and automobiles, with the proper adapters. The iPod nano is the perfect, sensible choice for someone who just wants to listen to a moderate amount of music.

But if sorting and creating playlists is too rigid a structure for you, if you'd rather be surprised by the next musical selection to issue forth from your headphones, than the very reasonably priced iPod shuffle is waiting for you.

The iPod shuffle is avaialble in 512MB and 1 GB sizes. Fill it yourself or let iTunes do it for you. Each time you let the Apple iTunes program sync your iPod shuffle, a new, unique and entirely random selection of songs will be waiting for you.

Of course, the iPod shuffle still allows you some control over the chaos should you desire a little more stability to your music. Amazingly small and lightweight, the iPod shuffle is a wonderful music player for those always on the go with little time for focusing on musical selections.

All iPod models work with Macintosh and Windows computers, and hundreds of accessories are available from the Apple store and other manufacturers, from protective cases to portable speakers.