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 Some
"tech heads" believe it wouldn't be a gross understatement
to claim the Earth slows down a little bit when Apple Computer announces
its new releases, usually around major computing conferences, be
it for their creative design or fashion sense, if not for their
utility. Generally, people love the designs, but because Windows
dominates the PC landscape, most stay away from the MacIntosh operating
system and its products.
The one exception to this rule--and it's a big one--came just
at the right time for Apple. Despite the proliferation of MP3 players,
no one company dominated what some thought to be a "lame"
market until, against all logic, Apple introduced a pocket-sized
player called the IPod. And with sales of 3 million over the past
three years, far many more have taken notice.
Recently, Apple unveiled the fourth generation IPod, narrower and
lighter than ever, eliminating small buttons on previous models
below its display screen for a more versatile, multi-functional
click wheel and a longer battery time (12 hours).
The top-of-the-line model is the 40-gigabyte behemoth that holds
up to 10,000 songs followed by a 20-gigabyte model topping out at
5,000 songs. According to product descriptions, the software that
makes the IPod go is much more efficient, allowing users to create
and alter music or audio playlists on the fly. To make it even more
irresistible and competitive with Windows-based MP3 players and
computers, Apple dropped prices on new IPods by $100.
Even more fascinating than the business boom is the growing phenomena
about the IPod as a cultural icon, not unlike the tidal wave of
appreciation shown in the Cupertino, Calif., company by the public
about two decades ago when Apple unveiled its line of home computers
during a Super Bowl commercial.
In an interesting parallel to those halcyon days of the Apple 2C,
Apple wasn't the first company to sell an MP3 player either.
But the early models had very low capacity or were designed like
bricks with controls and software only geeks could appreciate.
As the story goes, after Steve Jobs, now the Apple CEO, came back
to Apple in 1997, noticing the revolution of digital music, his
company created ITunes, a user-friendly software jukebox to play
digital files. A short time later, Jobs realized the clunky digital
music players weren't selling. Looking to expand his product
line that was losing market share to Windows computers, the development
of the IPod was the logical move.
The heart of the IPod is a tiny computer with a large hard drive
filled with digital files that are converted into music. Once the
territory of geeks and those downloading music onto their computers
from offshore Web sites, the IPod works in synch with ITunes software
(available for both MacIntosh and Windows operating systems) to
ease the transition into the MP3 world.
Regardless whether one listens to classical, audiobooks, trance
or hip-hop, the IPod possesses a "coolness" factor of
sorts that attracts all ages and tastes. So much so, Steve Jobs
noticed on a walk in New York how conspicuous people were about
using their IPods, even down to the white headphones.
Newsweek
July 26, 2004
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