About Apple iPods

The Apple iPods are MP3 music players that are compact in size and ultra-portable. Other options for entertainment that are a part of these devices include videos, games, TV shows, pod casts and audio-books. However, the main focus in these gadgets is on music. With Apple iPods, listening to music becomes possible even when one is on the move. The clarity and pitch of the songs is quite amazing – you can hear every string of a guitar and every beat of a drum quite distinctly. These music devices are easy to use; moreover, they come with ample storage space. Consequently, the music enthusiasts can use these gadgets to carry entire collections of songs wherever they go. Some of these devices come with around 80 GB of storage space and can store around 2000 songs and 25,000 photos. In certain models, the memory extends up to 160 GB. The 2.0 USB port is capable of giving 24 hours of audio playback and 5 hours of video playback. A higher definition battery renders more playback hours. Quite a few of the iPods have liquid crystal displays with LED backlights. It is possible to download interesting videos and enjoy the same in the large and vibrant colour display screens. A very interesting part of these miniature music players from Apple is the Click Wheel. This wheel can be used to control the volume of songs as well as to search the menu by songs, artists, or genre. Moreover, the Apple iPods are also the first to offer web access with Wi-Fi technology. These gadgets come with sleek metallic looks and are available in a variety of colours such as silver, black, green, blue and white.




iPod nano

The iPod nano is Apple's fourth digital audio player combining features of both the iPod shuffle and iPod. It was introduced on September 7, 2005, replacing the iPod mini, which was discontinued on the same day. .
The nano was launched in two colors (black or white) with two available sizes: 2 GB (roughly 500 songs) for $199 USD and 4 GB (1000 songs) for $249 USD. On February 7, 2006, Apple updated the lineup with the 1 GB model (240 songs) sold at $149. Apple also released some accessories, including armbands and silicone "tubes" designed to bring color to the nano and protect it from scratches, as well as a combination lanyard-earphone accessory that hangs around the neck, and avoids the problem of tangling earphone cords.

The iPod nano uses flash memory instead of a hard disk. As a result, it has no moving parts, making it immune to skipping and far more durable than disk-based players. The tradeoff is, like with all flash memory, it has a finite number of read/write cycles. Testing by technology-enthusiast website Ars Technica has shown that even after being driven over twice by a car, the unit's screen was damaged but that it could still play music. The unit finally stopped playing music after being thrown 40 feet into the air.

Although the iPod nano costs more than the iPod mini range it replaced, it should be noted that the iPod nanos are priced exactly the same as the iPod minis (2 + 4GB) were when they were first launched back in 2004.
Consumer reactions

iPod nanoThe initial consumer response to the iPod nano was overwhelmingly positive and sales were heavy.The nano sold its first 1 million units in only 17 days, helping Apple to a record billion-dollar profit in 2005.


.
Pope Benedict XVI owns a white 2GB iPod nano, becoming the first Pope to own an iPod.