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