We all remember the day when apple blew away the music world and fused computers and music into one with the first gen. iPod. It was amazing and we all new that apple would soon release a newer better iPod before it’s competitors could catch up with the first one. Now, after the release on the 2nd Gen. iPod, in spring of 2003 Steve Jobs, Apple CEO was set to blow everyone away once again with the release of the iTunes music store, iTunes 4 and the 3rd Gen iPod.

     First to be addressed is how to get your music, Job’s previous theory, CD’s, right? But now with all the “stealing” of music Jobs wanted to do it his own way, legally. With the iTunes music store you are able to acquire songs individually for 99 cents, or an entire album for $10.99! Far less then the price of your local tower records, but with all the legal issues sorted out by Jobs. But, yes of course noting is perfect the choice of songs is limited, while Jobs says “200,00 songs” with all the remixes, different renditions it really seems to be notably missing many titles i.e. NO BEATLES I mean c’mon! But still Jobs says he is working with other record labels to expand the stores repertoire.

See the music store in action »

     Next we go to Management of music Updated from iTunes 3 to version 4. iTunes 4 includes many new features, like smart search, which searches as you type, a beautiful new graphite interface. Oh and did I mention the Music store is built right in! These and many other new features including AAC encoding, nearly CD quality, make the new iTunes for a must have.

     Finally the biggest release this spring, how to listen to your music, the 3rd Gen iPod, newer sleeker, lighter, and just a major improvement. These iPods come in new sizes, instead of 5, 10, and 20 GB the iPods will now be available 10, 15, and 30 GB and with the new AAC encoding you can cram even more tunes onto your new iPod. Not to mention these iPods are even smaller in size, measuring 0.62”, 2.4”, 4.1” and 5.6 oz. On the 10 and 15 GB models. A bit taller at 0.73” and 6.2 oz. on the 30 GB model. And with the new design the iPods now have no moving exterior parts, making them look even cooler.

     Well now, how would you expect to connect your new iPod to you computer? Well first thing, now the same iPod works with both Mac and PC. And each iPod come with a 6-pin to 4-pin firewire adapter, and to top it off for windows users there is now support for USB 2.0 and 1.1 (the adapter is sold separately). Another computer-iPod inter face change is now the connection port is on the bottom of the iPod allowing it to sit in it’s new “dock” which holds the iPod upright (the dock ships with 10 and 15 GB models, or sold separately for $39.00) to charge or connect to an audio line-out.

     Now onto the iPod interface, first the introduction of “on-the-go-playlists” which let you compile a playlist while using the iPod ‘on the go’, this is done by pressing and holding the ‘select button’ while a song or playlist is highlighted, the playlist is gone when the iPod is turned off. Another addition to the iPod is two new games, solitaire and parachute.

     With the release of these new products this spring Apple and Steve Jobs promise to continue revolutionizing music on the computer, and lead the industry with new revolutionary products.

See the music store in action »

Product's Website: www.apple.com/iPod ■»

Product's Website: www.apple.com/iTunes ■»

Click here to go back to the NaoPress