Evolution of the iPod

Because there was only one iPod available at the beginning of this very successful and long lasting “iPod phase,” it was obviously very easy for the buyer to choose which iPod to buy. Since the time that the 1st generation iPod was released in 2001, Apple has successfully come out with new iPods each year through 2010. The iPods differ in many ways from storage and battery life to mobile Wi-Fi and camera capability. Looking at each year, it is very interesting to see the evolution of the 1st generation 2001 iPod into the most recent 2010 iPod.

2001: This 1st generation iPod was Apple's first MP3 with 10 hours of battery life. It was appealing to buyers because of the design and storage. Although there were other MP3s available at the time, the iPod stood out because of its new design with a scroll wheel and storage capacity of up to 10 GB. Its catchy slogan was, “1,000 songs in your pocket.” This iPod was only Mac compatible.

2002 and 2003: The 2nd generation iPod was released with a few upgrades. It now had 20 GB capacities, and was Windows compatible. The appearance of the iPods was the same except for replacement of the mechanical scroll wheel with a touch-sensitive scroll wheel. 2003 marked the release of the 3rd generation iPod, which had a sleeker design and storage up to 40 GB.

2004: Apple’s creativity was seen through their 2004 releases. Along with upgrading to the 4th generation iPod, which now had 12 hours of battery life, Apple introduced iPod Mini an iPodPhoto. Mini had different model colors instead of the standard white, and was very small. Photo could store up to 60 GB of music and photos, 15-hour battery life, and it now had a color screen.

2005: iPod Shuffle and iPod Nano were introduced. Shuffle was such a hit because of the inexpensive price. It did not have a screen, but still had the USB drive and control buttons. The Nano took the place of the Mini because it was small, but also because it had a color screen that the Mini did not have. Color and 5th generation were also improved with more memory and longer battery life. 5th generation now supported video, and took on a much slimmer design.

2006: Apple produced upgraded versions of iPod, Shuffle, and Nano. Each had software updates and extended battery life. Nano was given color options other than black and white, while Shuffle decreased its size and also added colors.

2007: The introduction of the iPod Touch, new Nanos, and Classic. The best way to explain the Touch is an iPhone without the phone. Touch lost the touch-wheel that the other iPods had, and instead gained a touch screen that was the entire front of the iPod. The Classic was the 6th generation iPod, which now was made with aluminum. The battery life of each new iPod was increased to at least 20 hours.

2008 and 2009: Classic, Nano, and Touch were all upgraded in 2008 and 2009. Classic v2 now had 160 GB of storage and 36 hours of battery life. Nano evolved by now having a larger screen, FM radio capability, and the ability to record video. Touch was not modified much, but it did have some software upgrades and went up to 30 hours of b

attery life.

2010: Shuffle, Nano, and Touch each upgraded during 2010. Shuffle 4th generation now had 2 GB of storage and 15 hours of battery life. It went back to its small square shape. Nano 6th generation took on a completely new design: square shape with screen covering the face of it. Touch 4th generation obtained a front and back facing camera, 40 audio hours of battery life, and 64 GB.

iPods from 2001 to 2010 went from having storage of 5 GB to 160 GB, battery life of 10 hours to 40 hours, and the ability of only playing music to now having the ability to video chat over Wi-Fi. The evolution of the iPod is an ongoing process, and it will be interesting to see what Apple will introduce to us next with iPods!

Some of this information came from:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2037089,00.asp

http://gear.ign.com/articles/107/1078271p1.html

The Pros vs. Cons of the Apple TV

The Apple TV sold in stores today is not the same as the original Apple TV idea. The original Apple TV has been discontinued and Apple has started selling the black second version. Many people have a distorted idea on what the Apple TV actually is. The Apple is NOT like a TV that you would originally think of. It's a small device about the size of your palm that allows you to do certain things not applicable on a normal television set. The device connects into your TV and you can control what you watch from a remote, MacBook, or iPad. You can rent HD movies, watch Netflix instantly, rent TV shows, and stream photos and music from your computer to your TV.


We'll start with the pros of the Apple TV. One of the pros is its small and sleek design. Tech savvy people are everywhere these days and demanding the "coolest" devices with unique and easy to use designs. The size is small and extremely fast in speed. Another plus regardig the Apple TV is consumer friendly interface. The interface is easy to use and navigate through. Along with the interface, the remote is very simple to use and navigate through the interface. The upgrades of different ports including an HDMI port allow easy connection between the Apple TV device and the newest and latest technology in televisions. The Apple TV streams the data from the Apple TV onto your television set rather quickly and without problems. In addition, it is also cheaper than the mac mini.

Now for the cons of the Apple TV. For one, it has limited capabilities. It cannot play CD's, DVD's, or record programming such as a DVR would do. The different connection cables (for example, the HDMI cord) have to be purchased separately. This cord is basically needed in the attempt to connect the Apple TV with your own television console. In addition, the Apple TV is not compatible with older televisions which may cause a problem for some people. The processor cannot be updated so if there were to be a new version to come out, you would just have to buy the product all over again at a pretty high price, leading to our next point. The Apple TV may seem relatively expensive to some regarding its capabilities. Presently, the Apple TV costs $99. In addition, when streaming from Netflix, the resolution is dependent upon your Wi-Fi connection and therefore data could be lost. Also, the DVD rentals are said to come out the day it's released but that seems not to be the case. At times, it takes up to a month for a new movie to come out. One last negative about the Apple TV is consumers simply do not know about the product. Apple could do a much better job in putting this product into consumer's minds when out purchasing a TV or looking into a Netflix account.

The Apple TV would suit different people in different ways. If your extremely tech savvy and like immediacy and the latest movies and apps, then the Apple TV may still be lacking. On the other hand, if you are a consumer just looking for a "cool" and sleek toy to watch a couple movies and TV shows here-and-there, then this may be the perfect device for you!

10 Reasons Why I Love My iPhone

The iPhone is a brand of smart-phones designed and marketed by Apple. According to Wikipedia, the first iPhone was introduced on January 9, 2007. It serves as a video camera, camera phone with text messaging and visual voice mail, a portable media player, and an Internet client with e-mail, web browsing, and both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The user interface is built around the device's multi-touch screen, including a virtual keyboard rather than a physical one. The iPhone 4 is now available through both At&t and Verizon service providers.

I am a satisfied At&t, Apple iPhone user. I have owned the 1st generation iPhone and now own the iPhone 3GS, so I've been an iPhone user since the beginning. I have many reasons why I enjoy using an iPhone, but I am going to list only ten.

1. I am a multi-tasker, and the iPhone allows me to multi-task efficiently.

2. I can listen to my iTunes account without carrying both an iPod and an iPhone.

3. I can take pictures and record videos without needing a digital camera.

4. I can access or view my e-mail from various accounts on the go.

5. I can shop online safely in the palm of my hand.

6. I can use apps to help me stay up to speed as well as be organized.

7. I can customize and organize my homepage to fit my liking.

8. iPhone cases and covers are available almost everywhere, so my phone stays cute and protected.

9. I can talk and text at the same time when I want to, so that way everyone is happy.

10. My information stays synced with my Windows Photo Gallery,Windows Contacts, and Internet bookmarks and favorites.

I'm sure other iPhone users can add on to or agree with these ten reasons because there are so many things that one can do when he or she is an iPhone user.

Generation 1(iPhone 2G):


Generations 2 and 3 (iPhones 3G and 3GS):


Generation 4(iPhone 4):