| society keeps creating new and better ways of | | | | a regular basis. Plus there are some trivia and |
| fulfilling a need. Living in the digital age has never | | | | entertainment news that you cannot get from this |
| been more exciting and for anyone who can afford | | | | device without buying accessories. Because of this, a |
| these gadgets, life is indeed sweeter. One of the | | | | new trend was born through the ipod called |
| most influential devices ever created is the ipod. | | | | podcasting. Podcasting is a radio-style program that |
| These nifty portable audio players created by Apple | | | | can be shared to other people through the Internet |
| Computers has redefined our understanding of | | | | and played back in their ipod. You can create your |
| personal freedom and customization. For anyone who | | | | own program and broadcast it to the World Wide |
| loves music and multimedia, ipod is the best media | | | | Web. |
| player out there in the market. | | | | Ipod users and fans have come up with ingenious |
| Before the ipod, MP3 players were the best portable | | | | ways of making their toy into more than just a digital |
| players around. Primarily a flash drive, these devices | | | | audio player. Some have opened up it up and |
| had limited features. The screen size was small and | | | | tinkered with its hardware and software. The result? |
| only text is allowed. The colored screen was optional | | | | An ipod that has an organizer function that stores |
| and the memory size only went up to 1 GB. But with | | | | addresses and calendar events in its memory. While it |
| the introduction of the ipod and its succeeding | | | | does need some getting used to, fans are thrilled at |
| generations, music lovers were transported to | | | | the devices limitless possibilities. Apple Computers |
| another realm. A world where they can only listen to | | | | then gave us the fourth generation of ipod more |
| all the songs that they want to hear. Once they put | | | | commonly known as the ipod photo. |
| on their ipod, they have total control over what | | | | This generation boasts of a colored display and photo |
| tunes should fill their heads. Call it listening to their | | | | transfer capabilities. As the company realized the |
| daily-personalized soundtrack. | | | | need for something more innovative, the fifth |
| Is all this ipod play list personalization good for its | | | | generation was released. This ipod series is currently |
| users? Apparently some detractors don't think so. | | | | the hottest model because of the video function. |
| They argue that too much personalization limits the | | | | Ipod video can play MPEG-4 and H.264 video with |
| listener to the new genres of music. Constantly | | | | resolutions of up to 480 x 480 and 320 x 240. Its |
| listening to Eminem or Christina Aguilera on your ipod | | | | potential as a marketing and advertising tool is so |
| can deny you the pleasure of discovering new artists | | | | huge that even Apple is overwhelmed with the idea. |
| like Ne-yo or new music styles like trip hop. Ipod | | | | One possible product for this is the selling of video |
| users become islands of their own, trapped in a | | | | formats like music video clips and television show |
| floating music bubble of their own making. | | | | reruns. |
| Not only that, frequent users have become oblivious | | | | The personalization of ipod is not a big issue among |
| to their surroundings making discovery of new | | | | its many patrons. It is this quality that makes the |
| sounds very difficult. It can be of grave concern | | | | device so appealing to them. Our age today holds |
| especially for those emergency cases when one is | | | | value to the importance of self-expression. Ipod can |
| not able to hear a call for help because the other | | | | deliver that self-expression through personalized |
| person is too distracted by their ipod. Such cases | | | | covers, skins, accessories and a host of other |
| may seem extreme but turn to Hollywood movies | | | | complimentary software. It becomes an extension of |
| and you'll see how prevalent such instances are. | | | | ones taste in music and other multimedia formats. |
| Ipod fans say otherwise. They say they can be as | | | | The only real dilemma for any ipod junkie nowadays |
| entertaining as the FM radio that has more content | | | | is getting the money to buy all those accessories. |
| and users are exposed to more styles and artists on | | | | |