For the serious iPod fanatic there’s no better way to take care of your iPod than with a leather iPod case. They not only look fashionable but they are also functional. With a leather iPod case to cover and protect your iPod, you will find that it’s easier to take it places without having to worry constantly about scratching the display screen.

This is one of the chief worries of many people for whom the hundred dollar-upwards prices of the many different iPods (barring the iPod Shuffle) are a bit steep. Their iPod is their best friend and will get them through the tedious days of life when they’re stuck in traffic, stuck in a queue, or stuck on a long flight with no where to go and no one to talk to.

It is because of this precious quality of their iPods, that many people will look to protect their iPod from the rigors of their daily life’s grind. And this is where a leather iPod case comes in handy. You can cover and protect your iPod in a fashionable manner, and keep it from being exposed to the elements.

You leather iPod case won’t necessarily be water proof, but it will be able to withstand the impact of a few raindrops and can protect it from such elements as the harsh sun. And if you get a leather iPod case with a protective see-through cover for your screen, you will find that it’s also functional, and you won’t have to take your iPod of its casing to play your music.

You could get yourself an imitation leather iPod case but that wouldn’t be the same as owning the real thing, and in comparison with the money you spent on your iPod getting a genuine leather iPod case is far more worth the time you’re looking around for it, as well as the money.

Another benefit that you get with the leather iPod case is that it also makes it easier to remove and put in, the iPod into the case itself. Some cases which are available to protect your iPod are great in the protection department, but are simple useless in the ease-of-use department.

All of these arguments for the leather iPod case aside, with the entire craze of the iPod going its social rounds and gaining a greater fan base with each new iPod revision, hundreds and thousands of people have jumped on the iPod bandwagon.

The demand for iPod accessories is greater than ever, and having a leather iPod case for your iPod Nano, or iPod Mini can only enhance your iPod appeal. Besides, the leather iPod case makes a bold statement that says you have taste as well as class!

First impressions

The curved design, for instance, calls to mind the MacBook Air and gives the impression that the iPod nano is even thinner than its modest 6.2 mm (0.24 inch). The aluminium and glass body, combined with the new shape and a weight of just 36.8 grams (1.3 ounces), also make the iPod nano comfortable to use. The one possible drawback to the comfort factor, though, is the sharpness of the corners. This shouldn’t be a problem unless you have the iPod nano in a pocket and it jabs you as you sit down.

The corners are a minor niggle, however, and perhaps an inevitable aspect of a design that places the iPod nano screen in an “upright” position. The display, in fact, is the same as the third generation iPod nano horizontal widescreen – but round the other way.

When you switch on the iPod nano and work through the menu, it’s clear that this change to the screen’s orientation has led to improvements. The Preview Panel, for example, is smaller and allows significantly more space for menu titles and item names. You can even deactivate the Preview Panel for yet more display space.

These enhancements come hand in hand with a larger font size, a revamped layout, and new graphics. The overall result is an iPod that’s simpler to navigate than its predecessors.

Features

Simplicity is always welcome, as are features that boost the pleasure of using an iPod. The nano has three new features in particular that are well worth a look.

Genius is a piece of software available with iTunes 8 that now runs on fourth generation iPod nanos. The best way of summarising Genius is to say that you can choose a song and let Genius recommend music that goes well with it. Genius also creates 25, 50, or 100 song playlists based on these suggestions.

Another key extra relates not to music but to video. You may already be wondering about the advisability of playing videos on the iPod nano’s vertical screen. Apple’s answer is straightforward: you put the iPod nano on its side, to either the left or right. A built-in accelerometer takes note and broadcasts your video in normal widescreen format.

If you’re searching in the main or Music menus, the accelerometer also brings Cover Flow onto your screen when you tilt the iPod nano through 90 degrees. You can then search for an album by browsing the covers (which appear in alphabetical order).

The games players among you will immediately recognise the potential of the accelerometer. Sure enough, you can now move the iPod nano, from side to side for instance, to help you negotiate the challenges of games such as Klondike, Maze, and Vortex.

A further technique now available thanks to the accelerometer is “shake to shuffle”. Give the iPod nano an energetic shake when you’re listening to music, and you’ll hear your songs in random order.

This does raise the issue of whether your iPod nano will switch to Shuffle mode when you’re jogging or at the gym. Tests show this doesn’t happen: you need to wave your iPod nano fairly enthusiastically to activate “shake to shuffle”. In any event, if you’re concerned about this you can simply press the nano’s Hold switch to turn “shake to shuffle” off.

The final new feature of the iPod nano is Spoken Menus. This improves the nano’s usability for people with visual impairments (as do other accessibility features such as the white on black video captions and the availability of a larger font).

Spoken Menus tells you what you’re browsing. It gives you the titles of menus, songs, albums, and artists, and lets you know when the battery is running low. All in all, it’s an impressive addition.

Technology

The fourth generation iPod nano’s screen is the same as the preceding model: a two inch LCD with LED backlight, and 320 x 240 pixel resolution at 204 pixels per inch. This still keeps the screen at the forefront of available technology.

With storage Apple has improved capacity by doubling it for the two new iPod nano models to 8GB and 16GB. This means you can place up to 2,000 or 4,000 songs in 128Kbps AAC format on your nano; 7,000 or 14,000 iPod suitable photos; or 8 or 16 hours of video. When you bear in mind that you can also store items in your iTunes library, you have more than enough room for daily use.

Performance

The screen may have the same technology as the third generation, but there’s nothing wrong with this. Picture outlines are sharp, and the colours vivid. The edges curve slightly to match the styling of the nano’s aluminium body, but there’s no evident picture distortion. And although the screen’s covering is now glass, it resists glare and provides clear images.

Audio quality with the iPod nano’s standard earphones is easily as good as the excellent sound reproduced by the third generation models. If you have the good fortune to own top of the range headphones, however, you’ll notice that the fourth generation nano is better because it eliminates background hiss almost completely.

As for power, tests show you can squeeze about 25% - 30% more life from the new iPod nano battery than Apple’s official figures of 24 hours for audio and 4 hours for video. Add this to a charge time of just one and half hours to 80% capacity, and three hours to full charge, and you have a long-lasting and easily revived digital media player.

Conclusion

Once again, Apple has produced an iPod that sets a high standard for others to follow.

Pros

Great range of colours

Distinctive design change

Lightweight

Improvements to accessibility

New features such as Genius and the accelerometer

More storage

Good battery life

Cons

New shape has sharp corners and may not appeal to everyone

There is a huge assortment of iPod accessories that all have different kind of functions. Let’s take a look at some, but before we do, there is something that all customers must be aware of before going out and buying iPod accessories. First thing you should know is what model type the iPod is. With the many generations of iPods it can be confusing so here is a list of iPod models and the different generations: (1) iPhone, (2) iPod Touch, (3) iPod Classic, (4) iPod Mini, (5) iPod Photo, (6) iPod Video, (7) iPod Nano (1st and 2nd generation), (8) iPod Nano Video (3rd generation), (9) Apple iPod (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th generations), and the (10) iPod Shuffle (1st and 2nd generation).

A popular iPod accessory is iPod cases. There are many different kind of iPod cases and all of them share the same two objectives of cases expectancy. The first objective of iPod cases is to protect iPods, preventing it from any kind of damages, accidents or scratches. The second objective of iPod cases is to let you express what it is that you like and to display your personality. You can choose various iPod cases ranging from plastic cases, silicone cases, armor cases, furry fun friends cases and much more. There are different colored cases, cases with beautiful designs like surfers, flowers and a lot more that can instantly change the look of the iPod. iPod cases are the easiest way of customization while keeping it looking good as new and standing out in the sea of iPods.

Another popular iPod accessories are iPod headphones and iPod speakers. Both iPod accessories actually share the same function. They enable music to be played through from the iPod itself. There are various iPod speakers and iPod headsets/iPod headphones. You can choose from a lot of iPods speakers like portable stereo speakers, apple speakers, spider pig iPod speakers and much more. There are also a lot of iPod headphones/iPod headsets that are compatible with any iPod players. For each iPod accessory there are always multiple colors for you to choose from so you can find the colors to match with the iPod or your favorite color.

Obviously there are more to iPod accessories than just iPod cases, iPod speakers, and iPod headphones/iPod headsets. There are also iPod chargers, iPod armbands, iPod docking stations, iPod fm transmitters, iPod batteries and much more. The selections of iPod accessories are a wide variety and every single accessory has a different kind of usage.

If you are planning to buy iPod cases, you should always make sure which case is for which iPod. iPod cases are easy to install and have instant customization. A favorite iPod accessory among people who work out at gyms or are always on the go, is the iPod armband. You just snap in the iPod into the case provided or slip the armband through the case and slide it around your arm, making sure that it is a snug fit so it will not move around when you are up and about.

In the box

Together with your iPod classic, you have



earphones

a USB 2.0 cable

a dock adaptor



What you also need

To use your iPod classic, you must have a computer.

Mac

A Mac requires



a USB 2.0 port

Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later

iTunes 8.0 or later



PC

A PC requires



a USB 2.0 port

Windows Vista or Windows XP (Home or Professional) with Service Pack 3 or later

iTunes 8.0 or later



Features

Your iPod classic has



a hold switch and headphones port on the top edge

a dock connector on the bottom edge

a two and a half inch colour LCD screen

a Click Wheel beneath the screen with the following buttons:

- menu - next/fast forward (??I) - play/pause (?II) - previous/rewind (I??)

a centre button



To find a menu item, move your thumb or finger around the Click Wheel

To select an item, press the centre button

To see the previous menu, press Menu





To switch on the backlight. Press any button or scroll the Click Wheel.

To view main menu. Press and hold Menu.

To adjust the volume. Use the Click Wheel.

To search for a song. Select Music on the main menu.

To search for a video. Select Videos on the main menu.

To play a song/video. Choose the song or video; press either the centre button or play/pause (?II). Please note: you cannot play songs or videos when you’ve connected the iPod classic to your computer.

To pause. Press play/pause (?II) or remove the headphones from your iPod classic.

To rewind or fast forward a song or video. Press and hold previous/rewind (I??), or next/fast forward (??I).

To play the previous song/podcast/audiobook chapter. Press previous/rewind twice (I??).

To listen to all songs in random order. Select Shuffle Songs on the main menu.

To skip to a certain part of a song or video. If you’re in the Now Playing screen, press the centre button. The scrubber bar appears with a diamond icon that indicates the current position in the song or video. Move the icon forward or backward with the Click Wheel.

To make a Genius playlist. Select or play a song; press and hold the centre button until a menu appears on the screen; select Start Genius; press centre button. Please note: Start Genius appears only when you have appropriate songs to create a Genius playlist.

To add a song to your On-The-Go playlist. Select or play a song; press and hold the centre button until a menu appears on the screen; select Add to On-The-Go; press the centre button.

To disable your iPod classic controls to prevent anything happening if you accidentally touch them. Move the hold switch to the HOLD position.

To reset your iPod classic if it doesn’t respond. Move the hold switch to HOLD and back again; press the centre and menu buttons at the same time and hold for around six seconds until the Apple logo comes on the screen.



Press and hold the centre button until a menu appears on the screen.





Go to the main menu and select Settings>About. Press the centre button until the serial number appears. The number is also on the back of your iPod classic.





Choose Search from the Music menu

Create a search word by using the Click Wheel to run through the alphabet, and the centre button to select each letter. Press the next/fast forward button (??I) for a space; press the previous/rewind button (I??) to delete a letter. Your iPod classic starts the search when you select the first letter

To see the results, press Menu





Select Cover Flow from the Music menu

Scroll through the album artwork with the Click Wheel, or use the next/fast forward (??I) and previous/rewind (I??) buttons

Choose an album

Press the centre button

Scroll through the available songs with the Click Wheel and select one

Press the centre button





Put the Dock Connector/USB cable into a USB 2.0 port on your computer

Plug the other end into your iPod classic’s dock connection





“Connected”

“Synchronising”





Click on the iTunes Eject button (?) or

for Mac users, drag the desktop iPod classic icon to Trash or

for PC users, eject iPod classic in My Computer, or select the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the Windows system tray and choose iPod classic



pull the cable from the bottom





buy items from the online iTunes store

import items from your CDs, DVDs or computer hard drive





Place a CD in your computer

Open iTunes

Select Import CD

When you’ve finished, eject the CD by selecting Eject ?



select your CD’s first song

choose File>Get Info

select Info

type in the name of the song

choose Next

when you’ve finished, select OK



Drag the appropriate folder to the iTunes heading marked Library, or

Select File>Add to Library and choose the appropriate folder





Select a song

Select File>Get Info

Select Artwork

Select Add

Go to the file containing the artwork

Select Choose

By using the slider, adjust the size of the artwork

Select Next to include artwork for another song or album

Select OK when you’ve finished



choosing a song on iTunes

selecting File>Get Info

selecting Lyrics

putting the lyrics in the text box

selecting Next to enter the lyrics for another song

clicking OK when you’ve finished





Select Add (+) or File>New Playlist

Enter a playlist name

Select Music in Library

Drag a song to the playlist





Select File>New Smart Playlist

Set up your rules





on iTunes, select the Genius button (located at the bottom of the iTunes window)

follow the instructions

connect the iPod classic to your computer and sync it





select one of your songs on iTunes

click the Genius button

set a maximum number of songs for the Genius playlist by selecting a number from the pop-up menu

select Save Playlist



select iPod classic in the source list of iTunes

choose Summary

in Options, choose “Manually manage music and video”

select Apply





select Music (or an alternative item in the iTunes source list)

drag the song or other item to the list’s iPod classic icon



select iPod classic in the source list

on your iPod classic, choose the song or other item

press Delete or Backspace on your computer keyboard





select iPod classic in the source list

choose Add (+) or File>New Playlist

type in a name for the playlist

choose the items you want in your playlist, and drag them to it





choose iPod classic in the iTunes source list

choose Movies

select “Sync movies”

select the videos you want to transfer to your iPod classic

choose Apply





connecting it to your computer (the computer must be on and not in sleep or standby mode – except for some Macs) or by

using an Apple USB Power Adaptor





To manually delete a song or other item from your iPod classic

This deletes the song or other item from your iPod classic, but retains it in your iTunes library.

To manually create a new playlist on your iPod classic

When you manage songs and videos manually, always eject your iPod classic from iTunes before disconnection.

To load videos on your iPod classic

You can add films and TV shows to your iPod classic in a similar fashion to the way you add songs (see above).

Your iPod classic syncs all videos automatically. To sync only selected videos

Select Help>iTunes Help for further details about iTunes and its features.

Charging

Your iPod classic has a built-in battery. When you charge the battery for the first time, leave it for around four hours or until the screen’s battery icon shows a full charge.

When your iPod classic’s battery runs down, it takes about two hours to reach an 80% charge, and four hours to reach a full charge.

Methods of charging

Charge your iPod classic by

Please note: (i) your computer’s USB port must be USB 2.0 (ii) the iPod classic will not sync with your computer when a “Charging, Please Wait” or “Connect to Power” message appears on the classic’s screen

A battery icon on your iPod classic screen indicates the amount of charge you have left.





Sync your Genius playlist to the iPod classic in the same way as ordinary playlists.

To load music on your iPod classic

Your iPod classic automatically syncs songs, playlists, audiobooks, videos, films, TV episodes, and podcasts in your iTunes library when you connect it to your computer. If you’ve deleted or added items to your iTunes library since you last connected the iPod classic, iTunes automatically updates the classic’s contents.

When you first connect the iPod classic to your computer, a message asks if you want automatic syncing. Please note that if you don’t want this, you can add items to your iPod classic manually.

To manage your iPod classic manually

Managing your iPod classic content manually allows you to delete and add songs and videos as you choose.

To set iTunes for manual management

To manually add a song or other item to your iPod classic





To add lyrics

View lyrics while a song is playing by

To make playlists

With iTunes, you can make your own playlists.

Smart Playlists

You can also set up a feature known as Smart Playlists. Smart Playlists update automatically when you place songs on iTunes that match your Smart Playlist rules.

Genius

Genius automatically creates playlists of songs that go well together. To activate Genius

To set up an iTunes Genius playlist





To add music already on your computer to your iTunes library

iTunes must be able to support the song file format.

Other features

When you put music in your iTunes library, you can include the album artwork and arrange for the lyrics to come up on your iPod classic screen. You can also make playlists, and set up features such as Smart Playlist and Genius.

To add album artwork

Any music you buy from the iTunes Store comes with the album artwork. Your iPod classic automatically displays this.

If you’ve imported music from a CD, and you have the album artwork on your computer, you can add it to iTunes.





iTunes uses the Internet to try to find the names of the songs on your CDs. If the names are not available on the Internet





To disconnect your iPod classic:

iTunes

iTunes is the software that enables you to buy, arrange and transfer music, videos, TV episodes, audiobooks, podcasts, and games. When you connect the iPod classic to your computer, iTunes automatically appears.

Main features

To place digital media in your iTunes library, you can

To place your audio CDs in iTunes





Other control options Your iPod classic serial number

If your iPod classic doesn’t respond to any controls, push the hold switch to the HOLD position and back again. Then, for approximately six seconds, press the Menu and centre buttons at the same time. The Apple logo will appear on your iPod classic screen.

Searching The search function

Use the search function for songs; album titles; artists’ names; playlists; podcasts; and audiobooks. You cannot use the search function for videos; notes; lyrics; contacts; or calendars.

Browsing with Cover Flow

Cover Flow displays album artwork on your iPod classic screen. The artwork appears according to the alphabetical name of the artist or group, and provides a visual method of browsing.

Connections Connecting the iPod classic to your computer

Connect the iPod classic to your computer to transfer music, videos, audiobooks, podcasts, photos, and files. The connection charges your battery at the same time.

Disconnecting

Never disconnect the iPod classic from your computer if one of the following messages is on the iPod classic’s screen:

When you see such a message, eject your iPod classic before disconnecting it.





The iPod classic controls Switching on

To switch on your iPod classic, press the Click Wheel or the centre button. The main menu then appears.

Switching off

To switch off your iPod classic, press and hold play/pause (?II).

Basic navigation

To navigate the menus of your iPod classic, use the Click wheel and the centre button.

Common control functions

Ever wish you could play the songs on your iPod aloud on your stereo, rather than having to listen to them through headphones? Or, you tried to play the songs through your laptop, but the speakers are too small to produce a quality sound. iPod Hi-Fi might be the solution for you.

iPod has reinvented the home stereo system. The iPod Hi-Fi, reminiscent of a boom box, comes complete with an iPod and a speaker box, allowing you to play your tunes aloud instead of listening to them through earphones.

Now you can feature your favorite songs at your next barbecue or get together with your friends. The high-fidelity speaker system works seamlessly with the iPod. The iPod connects to the speaker through a dock on the top of the speaker. Once the iPod is docked onto the speaker, a speaker menu is displayed allowing you to customize the sound for the speaker.

You can increase or decrease the treble and bass to create the sound you want. The speaker can also be purchased separately and works with any iPod, even the iPod shuffle. If you have an iPod shuffle, or another model without a dock adapter, you must use an audio cable to hook up to the speaker.

The iPod Hi-Fi is a one-piece three-way speaker, including two custom designed wide-range speakers. The complete package, iPod and speaker, is priced at $349. The speaker can be purchased separately for $50. So if you already have an iPod, this is a less expensive way to get quality sound.

The iPod Hi-Fi was designed to be completely portable. It comes with handles to make transporting easier. The speaker is included with an Apple wireless infrared remote that allows you to control the sound from wherever you may be sitting or standing.

Another feature that makes the iPod Hi-Fi ideal for portability is that it can be powered through a wall socket or by using six D-cell batteries. You can take the iPod Hi-Fi almost anywhere you want. Sit it in your car and use it instead of your car radio. Take it to the beach and listen to your music instead of someone elses. There are limitless possibilities as to where you can go with Hi-Fi. All it takes is a little imagination.

There are some other third-party speakers, but none that produce the quality sound of the iPod Hi-Fi speaker at the price at which Hi-Fi is available. Perhaps Apple saw this as an opportunity to provide something to iPod users that was not being offered by anyone else. The iPod Hi-Fi is comparable to other speakers made for iPod manufactured by JBL and Bose.

Although the Bose speaker produces a clear and crisp sound, it is expensive, large, and weighty. There are few sound controls and the iPod does not fit perfectly into the speaker. The product offered by JBL does not have a battery option and therefore, is not truly portable. Even though it is reasonable priced, the sound quality does not do justice to iPods reputation for sound. Since these were two of the major products on the market, it seemed necessary for Apple to product a speaker product that would do justice to the iPod.

It may strike some as odd that Apple would offer such a product when there are others on the market. The iPod hi-fi is designed to be uniquely different from existing iPod speakers. The Hi-Fi speaker has two handmade 80mm cones that sit on either side of a 130 mm dual voice-coil woofer. The side speakers provide mid- and high-range frequencies while the woofer enriches low frequencies. It includes two ports that increase airflow and fortify natural bass. The result is voluminous sound that fills any room.

To provide the best sound performance, the iPod Hi-Fi should be placed on a sturdy hard surface that is away from the floor and ceiling. In order for air to flow effectively, give iPod Hi-Fi room to breathe on all sides. This also means centering it between any walls. For the best sound, place iPod Hi-Fi at ear level.

You can use Hi-Fi for an alarm clock or set it to a sleep timer. The Apple remote ensures you never have to leave your seat to change songs or adjust volume. Designed for work and for play, the iPod Hi-Fi was designed to deliver quality stereo sound with convenience and portability.

When you think of the word iPod, you automatically think music. But the fact is that the iPod can do more than just let you hear music. iPod can be used to view videos and store pictures. In fact some iPods can store up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 photos and 1,000 videos.

There are also games that can be found on the iPod. These games are nothing for Playstation or the Xbox to worry about graphically, but they will help pass the time if in line somewhere and need to kill a little extra time. There are four different games. These games include Brick, Parachute, Solitaire and Music Quiz. Music Quiz plays a piece of a song that you have to guess. It gets the songs from your play list.

iPods are also being used to organize. Not to be confused with PDAs, but iPods do come in handy with keeping contacts and if you need to have a calendar handy. Microsoft Outlook Express or Outlook can be used to synchronize for contacts and the calendar. Address Book is used for Mac users.

With the iPods impressive 30 to 60 gigabytes, it can handle more than just music, videos and photos. The iPod can be used to transfer large files or even as some form of backup. If your digital camera memory card becomes full, you can offload the pictures from the card to your iPod and erase the memory card to take more pictures. With the iPod, you could show those pictures as a slideshow.

It was pretty exciting to be able to see videos on iPods, but now for a small fee you can download TV shows and movies off the Internet and able to put them on your iPod and watch them where ever you go. With the Apples M2 Convert software, you could also transfer your DVDs or Multimedia to files that can be used to watch on your iPod.

In addition, the iPod can be turned into a small recorder if iTalk, Podzilla or BelkinVoice are installed on it. With iTalk or Podzilla the iPod records audio. You are able to record your own voice if you wanted to. FM transmitters are being sold for the iPod. With this all you have to do is find the right radio station and your can hear all of your favorite music from your iPod on your car radio or any other radio you might be listening too.

With the Griffins iBeam software, you will be able to turn your iPod into a laser pointer or a flashlight. Podtender is a program for all you bartenders out there. With over 900 mixed drinks you will become very popular at all the parties you attend if you bring along your iPod.

Podgourmet will make you just as popular in the kitchen. This program has 260 recipes and is also available for vegans containing 277 recipes. iPod Weddings is becoming very popular too. A way for the bride and groom to save money is to purchase an iPod instead of hiring a DJ for their wedding reception. These programs will not only give them complete control over every song played at their wedding, but also the order it will be played in, too. Plus, when the reception is done they not only have their wedding song and every other song played at their wedding, but they will have the iPod as their own wedding gift to themselves. With the right software and know how you can use your iPod as a remote to almost anything in your house that you want.

Wake up with your iPod. If you set the alarm on your iPod and then set the alarm on your alarm clock for the exact time and find the right radio frequency you could wake up listing to all your favorite songs on your iPod through your alarm clock.

You could also use your iPod to catch up on all that reading you have been meaning to do. You can read audio books on your iPod. With all the great software thats out there for your iPod and all the many resources on the Internet you can look up, you can do an abundant amount of things with the iPod.

All About iPods

Music is in the air!

So what is an Ipod anyway? Well, for one, it is music to our ears! Wouldn’t you agree? However, on a more serious note, the ‘ipod’ is a brand. It is a brand of portable music/ media players which are a technically advanced, compact version of our good old walkmans. The brand ipod was launched by Apple Inc on October 23, 2001, and has ever since been making waves in the music world.

This rectangular gadget with a bright and clear screen stores and plays a large number of songs and videos for you without going through the hassle of changing CDs or cassettes, unlike the earlier walkmans or disk mans.

Ipod Basics

The first striking feature about an Ipod is its storage capacity. For instance, the capacity of an iPod Classic is 120GB which holds approximately 30000 songs while of course if you do not need that kind of storage you can always opt for medium range models. The wide screen in most of the models displays your play lists, song queue and helps you select which song or video you want to play. The large dial is the manual control dial of all the functions.

The iPods  also come with iTunes, a program that will burn CDs, let you download music from Apple’s music store and convert songs into iPod format.

Which iPod to choose

Apple is the undisputed leader in the filed of ipods so largely you have to decide between its various models. However, if price is your consideration, then you might also look at the other MP3 Players produced by other companies available at very affordable prices in the market.

Apple’s current line of ipod includes the iPod classic, the video feature enabled iPod Nano, the touch screen enabled iPod Touch, the screen less iPod shuffle and the latest, iPhone.

To decide on which one is the best for you, you will first have to figure out what kind of usage are you going to have of your iPod. Whether you want to store a large number of songs or just a few favorites, do you want to use your iPod for viewing videos also or are you just happy with a basic music device. Once you’ve decided that, here’s the cheat sheet for you to select your dream music machine.

iPod Shuffle: This is a gadget for people who want music with them but don’t need to carry their entire collection around all the time. There are two sizes available in it, one is 512mb which can hold around 120 songs and the other is 1gb which will hold around 240 songs. This is a an iPod without the screen and can give you difficulty in managing your play lists.

iPod Nano: These are ipods with a display screen and a capacity of 1gb, 2gb or 4 gb. A cool feature of the ipod nano is its recent collaboration with Nike. The Nano can be used with Nike shoes as a pedometer and a media player both. You can also store and view your pictures in the iPod Nano.

iPod Touch: This one comes with a touch screen and a capacity of 8GB/16GB/32GB. It is definitely for serious music lovers and has other features like downloading movies, audio books, games, office and notes.

iPod Classic:  When it comes to storage, this is the mother of all iPods. With 120 GB of memory, it can hold up to 150 hours of video or 25000 photos.

iPhone: The latest in Apple technology, this gadget is a unique combination of Apple phone, Apple IPod and an internet device.

You can choose your iPod on the basis of what you want from it. You could be looking for a large storage space for your music collection form where you could directly listen to it or attach it to a music system to get a bigger sound affect or you could be looking for a musical device to entertain you a bit during your workouts-the perfect answer is available in one these iPods.

When spending a lot of money on pleasure components like an iPod, life gets a huge kink in it when iPod breaks down. Everyone knows the convenience of the iPod makes listening to music easy when doing practically anything. Instead of going out and buying a new iPod, consider trying some other ideas. Here are some tips that may put the dance back in your step, letting you avoid repairing your iPod by a professional iPod repairman.

First, you should obviously use a hard protective case to avoid scratching the screen of your iPod. The hard cases are better because if you drop your iPod while in a hard case in water, your iPod is usually protected in up to three feet. Plus, if you drop your iPod, a hard case help protect your device from sustaining damage to its internal devices, which are necessary for proper function, and external cosmetic damage to your iPod.

Second, Dont use your pockets, backpacks, or a purse to carry your iPod tunes. LDC screens are pliable under pressure, which is easily created if you bend down, sit down, sit on your backpack or purse or if you fall down. This will put pressure on your iPod, which can bend or ***** your LCD screen. You might also think of your screen when left in your car such as extreme heat or cold.

Next, you should always avoid pulling, wrapping, or causing any other type of tension to the cord attached to your headphones. This can break your headphone sockets. Avoid letting your wires get tangled up when you are not using your iPod. You would not want a short in your headphone wires. It would also be totally inconvenient having to untangle your headphones each time you go to use them. Another tip is if your iPod does not boot up as it usually does, you might try charging it. Sometimes, when you are to low on juice your iPod cant boot up.

Also, when you buy your iPod, you could also purchase an extra battery and battery replacement kit. This is ideal for when your battery dies. You dont have to go anywhere to replace it. The average iPod battery takes about three hours to fully charge. What if your iPod would not shut down? You have checked that the hold switch is turned off, and you know your battery is fully charged, and then you need to reset your iPod, deplete your battery all the way, and then update your iPod.

Another tip is that you should also check for regular updates for your iPod, just like your home computer. You want it to continue to work properly. If the LDC screen on the front of your iPod shows a not so happy face, this means that you should check that the requirements for your iPod match your computer. If so, try to restore your iPod by putting it in disc mode and then restore. Remember restoring your iPod is not the same as updating. Make sure you back up your music files before you restore. To update plug your iPod into your computer and down load the newest version of iPod updater. You could try plugging your iPod into a different fire wire or USB port connecting to your computer. Then restart your computer, and reinstall your iPod or iTunes software.

To check your iPods hard drive for errors, run the scan disk feature. If the face with an upside down smile comes up then the problem cant be fixed at home.

Last, if you are constantly on the go, running, skating, dancing, and your iPod is always being jarred around, you might have a problem. Your iPods internal protection function will come on, which will freeze your iPod up. Fix your frozen iPod, hold the select and the menu button at the same time. If you have an older iPod, hold the play button down for a few moments, which should repair your iPod issue.

These are only a few basic ways to avoid iPod repairs. For a more in-depth look into solutions, most companies have websites, which corresponds with the brand of iPod you own. If you iPod is still under warranty and you are still having problems, return your iPod to the manufacture that can exchange it for a new one.

IPod nano is the fourth digital audio player of Apple and combining features of both iPod shuffle and iPod. It was launched on September 7, 2005, it replaced iPod mini, which was discontinued on the same day. The alternate of the iPod mini took Apple-related websites, any how there were rumors about a new flash memory-based iPod, in fact there were not prior notice given related to the discontinuation of the well accepted iPod mini.

Growth of this new design of the iPod nano is started only nine months before the launch date. The iPod nano posses more flash memory storage than that is been used in the iPod shuffle and carries a miniaturized version of the amazing color screen and click wheel are found on the full-sized iPods. The screen as well has a higher declaration than the old grayscale iPod mini, permitting one more line of text than the iPod mini’s screen. The battery and few other interior parts were as well reduced in size. The surface of the click wheel is to some extent textured, permitting superior tactile feedback for secretly operation. Also, the main button on the second-generation iPod Nano is to some extent concave, mainly likely so that it could be easier to find without finding. Unlike all other players in the iPod family, the iPod nano has a headphone-out located in the bottom right of the player.

Features

The iPod nano operates with iTunes on Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows (third-party software is obtainable for platforms, which Apple does not support). It connects through the same proprietary wharf connector as any other third-generation iPod, the fourth-generation iPod, and the iPod mini, uses a USB 2.0 port on the user’s computer. Although it uses the similar connection as Apple’s FireWire iPod Cable and could charge its battery over FireWire, the iPod nano does not bear coordinating over a FireWire connection. The iPod nano comprises a stop watch and a numerous time zone clock function. There is also a mixture lock feature, which makes use of the click wheel to lock the iPod, and serve up to secure the user’s calendar and other contact information. It was also the first iPod to comprise a new lyrics screen, modifiable using iTunes.

The introduction of the wonder music gadget- iPod by Apple brought an absolute revolution in the world of audio entertainment and forever changed the way we listened to our favorite music. The iPods helped us get rid of any kind of external storage device like tapes or CDs and gave the convenience of loading our music directly in to the player and listening from it. No wonder it was quick to gain immense popularity and today for almost everyone, listening to music on the move only means an iPod.

From direct upload and play to mammoth storage capacities- the iPod provide many unprecedented conveniences and are extremely advanced technologically. To add to the joy, there is an iPod available for every kind of usage. You want an exercise companion? Take the iPod Shuffle. Need a high capacity travel mate? Try the latest iPod Nano. What’s more, you even do not have to bother to keep a collection of CDs or MP3s for the music player at home. Just plug in your iPod Classic which is capable of storing your entire collection to it and have fun!

Technological Journey of iPods

Since the launch of the first iPod on October 23, 2001 their technology has been forever changing with new and more advanced models being launched constantly. The thing to note however is, that there are a few basic models of the iPods and technological advancements made in them are defined by their growing generations. That is the reason why you will hear about a 1st generation iPod Nano or a 3rd generation iPod Shuffle. Every increasing generation of an iPod will signify advancement in features, looks and capacity.

The first iPod that was released was later named the iPod Classic and came as a large, bulky device (compared to other iPod models) capable of high storage capacities. It was known for its large color screen too and was capable of video playback also. The latest iPod Classic has mammoth storage capacities of 80GB or 160GB and a suitable battery too. The iPod Classic is bulkier than other models as it uses a hard disk for providing path breaking storage capacities in a portable music device.

The iPod Shuffle is the one which till recently was popular as the tiny rectangle with a large jog dial and eye catching body colors. The Shuffle does not have a screen and is only meant for audio entertainment especially during workouts due to its light weight. The last generation (2nd) iPod Shuffle worked on a flash memory and could store up to 500 songs. The 3rd generation Shuffle is an even smaller device with a sleek, slim body and button control only on the headphone wires. This latest cool offering by Apple can store up to 1000 songs and is almost un felt in your pocket!

The iPod Nano was introduced as a device capable of both music and video playback and yet packaged in a neat, small, light weight body. The latest generation of Nano gives storage capacities of 8GB or 16GB, comes in attractive colors and has path breaking technology like automatically selecting a play list of songs which have the same mood of music or shuffling the songs in your library just by a mere shake of the device!

Next in line is the iPod Touch which is operated through a cool touch screen and is capable of high storage, games, music, full length movies, TV shows and other applications. Apple claims it to be the ‘funnest iPod ever’ and its slim body and swanky looks add to the appeal.

Good to Know

Apple has given a number of pluses with the iPods. Like cool accessories to go with them or wonderful applications to make your experience all the rewarding. The online iTunes store by Apple is one such advantage that will make an iPod even more tempting as Apple lets the iPod users shop for a wide range of wonderful music, videos, games, podcasts and even TV shows to download on your iPod.

There therefore are a number of reasons other than listening to music why you would want to lay hands on an iPod. You could choose an iPod according to your needs however the hottest selling iPods these days are the iPod Nano and the iPod Shuffle. The Shuffle is an ideal companion for work outs while the Nano can be good for work outs, travel, and walks. It also offers video storage and playback and is therefore the most sought after model.

You could pick up your iPod from a number of shops however if you decide to shop for it online you might just be lucky and bag a cheaper deal for yourself as many websites offer cool discounts. So, what are you waiting for? Go and pick your all round entertainer now!