Keeping Up With iPod's Fast-Paced Evolution

07 Jan 2007 5:14 (Edited: 07 Jan 2007 5:14)

By Christine Laue
Omaha World-Herald
01/07/07 4:00 AM PT

Don't blink an eye, or you'll miss the latest iPod news.

Whether you've owned an iPod for years or you just got one for Christmas, staying abreast of this constantly evolving gadget and its myriad accessories is a task.

So, we're helping out by asking an expert in the iPod universe some questions that will help veterans and newbies.

Answering our iPod inquiry is Jeremy Horwitz, editor in chief of the Irvine, Calif.-based iLounge, an independent provider of information about iPods.
Annual Holiday Favorite

Q: How has the iPod changed from Christmas 2005?

A: Most of the 2006 changes to the iPod family turned out to be cosmetic: Full-size iPods gained brighter screens; iPod nanos received new, colored aluminum shells; and the iPod shuffle became even smaller.

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple also improved the battery life of both standard iPods and nanos and provided more storage for the dollar than (2005) models.

Q: How would you compare the popularity of the iPod this Christmas to past seasons?

A: The final numbers aren't out yet, but all indications are that the iPod has just had its best-ever quarter, with more units sold than in last year's record-breaking holiday quarter. We're estimating that around 17 or 18 million will have been sold just in the last three months of 2006. For calendar year 2006, the total number will be over 40 million.
More Than Music

Q: What are some of the lesser-known features of an iPod?

A: Most people think of the iPod as a playback device, but thanks to new accessories, it can now also record CD-quality audio, including conversations, transfers of your old record albums and more. The recorder accessories range from US$50 to $70 and fit on current full-size iPods and the latest iPod nanos.

Q: Is it right that you can play games on some iPods? Which ones, and how do you get the games -- only off iTunes, other Web sites or in stores?

A: Every iPod and nano comes with a handful of built-in games. As of today, Apple sells 11 additional downloadable titles directly through iTunes for $5 each, including popular card games, many puzzle titles and a few action/shooting games. The best ones are Mahjong and a 3-D shooting game called Vortex; the newest two are Royal Solitaire and Sudoku.
Accessories Abound

Q: The iPod is best known as a digital music player, but more people are downloading TV shows and movies. How do you see this use of the iPod expanding in the next year or two?

A: Growth of the TV show and movie download part of iTunes appears to be relatively slow, most likely because the iPod's screen is on the small side for a video player, and people don't want to watch full-length movies on their computers. When bigger-screened iPods are available, and consumers can play back iTunes videos easily on their TVs, this feature will become much more popular.

Q: What are the three most essential accessories for a new iPod or nano owner?

A: Replacement headphones, a set of good speakers and either a case or film protector for the iPod's body. We recommend Etymotic, Ultimate Ears, and Shure headphones, speakers from JBL and Logitech, and protectors from InvisibleShield, iSkin and others.

Q: What's the latest, hottest accessory for an iPod or nano?

A: Portable video displays are new and cool this year -- add-on combinations of screens and speakers that let you see widescreen 7- to 8-inch video instead of smaller 2.5 inches on-iPod playback. They only work with full-size iPods. The best one is from Sonic Impact, called the Video-55.

Keeping Up With iPod's Fast-Paced Evolution

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