IPod
From the Apple Wiki - a place for you to share your iPod knowledge
The iPod is a very popular brand of Portable Media Players designed and made by Apple, Inc. The device runs on iTunes, and songs are bought using the iTunes Store.
Contents |
[edit] Market Share
The iPod line of mp3 players is estimated to have approximately 71-73% of the market share, with the Sandisk Sansa coming in at second with about 11% of the market share and the Creative Zen tied with Microsoft Zune at about 3%. The rest of the market share consists of other mp3 manufacturers such as the iRiver Clix and the Archos mp3 player
[edit] Software
iPod can play several audio file formats including MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible audiobook, and Apple Lossless. The iPod photo introduced the ability to display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG image file formats. Fifth and sixth generation iPod classics, as well as third generation iPod nanos, can additionally play MPEG-4 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC) and QuickTime video formats, with restrictions on video dimensions, encoding techniques and data-rates. Originally, iPod software only worked with Macs; iPod software supported Windows starting with the second generation model. Unlike most other media players, Apple does not support Microsoft's WMA audio format — but a converter for WMA files without Digital Rights Management (DRM) is provided with the Windows version of iTunes. MIDI files also cannot be played, but can be converted to audio files using the "Advanced" menu in iTunes. Alternative open-source audio formats, such as Ogg Vorbis and FLAC, are not supported without installing custom firmware onto the iPod.
During installation, the iPod is associated with one host computer. Each time an iPod connects to its host computer, iTunes can synchronize entire music libraries or music playlists either automatically or manually. Song ratings can be set on the iPod and synchronized later to the iTunes library, and vice versa. A user can access, play, and add music on a second computer if the iPod is set to manual and not automatic sync, but anything added or edited will be reversed upon connecting and syncing with the main computer and its library. If a user wishes to automatically sync music with another computer, the iPod's library will be entirely wiped and replaced with the other computer's library.
[edit] User Interface
iPods with color displays use anti-aliased graphics and text, with sliding animations. All iPods (except the iPod Shuffle and iPod Touch) have five buttons and the later generations have the buttons integrated into the click wheel — an innovation that gives an uncluttered, minimalist interface. The buttons perform basic functions such as play, next track, etc. Other operations such as scrolling through menu items and controlling the volume are performed by using the click wheel in a rotational manner. iPod shuffle does not have a click wheel and instead has five buttons positioned differently from the larger models. iPod touch uses no buttons for any of these functions, instead relying on a multi-touch input style similar to that of the iPhone.
[edit] iTunes
Main Articles: iTunes and iTunes Store
The iTunes Store is an online media store run by Apple and accessed via iTunes. It was introduced on April 29, 2003 and it sells individual songs, with typical prices being US $0.99, AU $1.69 (inc. GST), NZ $1.79 (inc. GST), €0.99 (inc. VAT), or £0.79 (inc. VAT) per song. Since no other portable player supports the DRM used, only iPods can play protected content from the iTunes Store. The store became the market leader soon after its launch[10] and Apple announced the sale of videos through the store on October 12, 2005. Full-length movies became available on September 12, 2006.
Purchased audio files use the AAC format with added encryption. The encryption is based on the FairPlay DRM system. Up to five authorized computers and an unlimited number of iPods can play the files. Burning the files onto an audio CD, then re-compressing can create music files without the DRM, although this results in reduced quality. The DRM can also be removed using third-party software. However, in a deal with Apple, EMI began selling DRM-free, higher-quality songs on the iTunes Stores, in a category called "iTunes Plus." While individual songs were made available at a cost of US$1.29, 30¢ more than the cost of a regular DRM song, entire albums were available for the same price, US$9.99, as DRM encoded albums. On October 17, 2007, Apple lowered the cost of individual iTunes Plus songs to US$0.99 per song, the same as DRM encoded tracks.
iPods cannot play music files from competing music stores that use rival-DRM technologies like Microsoft's protected WMA or RealNetworks' Helix DRM. Example stores include Napster and MSN Music. RealNetworks claims that Apple is creating problems for itself by using FairPlay to lock users into using the iTunes Store. Steve Jobs has stated that Apple makes little profit from song sales, although Apple uses the store to promote iPod sales. However, iPods can also play music files from online stores that do not use DRM, such as eMusic or Amie Street.
Universal Music Group decided not to renew their contract with the iTunes Music Store on July 3, 2007. Universal will now supply iTunes in an 'at will' capacity.
Apple debuted the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on September 5, 2007, in its Media Event entitled "The Beat Goes On..." This service allows users to access the Music Store from either iPhone or the iPod touch and download songs directly to the device that can be synced to the user's iTunes Library.
[edit] Range of iPods
| This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at IPod. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with The Unofficial Apple Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |
The iPod line has been upgraded many times, and each significant revision is called a "generation". Only the most recent (highest numbered) generation and refurbished units of previous generations of the iPod line are available from Apple for each model (Classic, Nano, Shuffle, Touch). Each new generation usually has more features and refinements while typically being physically smaller and lighter than its predecessor, while usually (but not always) retaining the older model's price tag. Notable changes include the touch-sensitive click wheel replacing the mechanical scroll wheel, use of color displays, and flash memory replacing hard disks.
| Model | Generation | Image | Capacity | Connection | Original release date | Minimum OS to sync | Rated battery life (hours) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | first | Image:Ipod 1G.png | 5, 10 GB | FireWire | 23 October 2001 | Mac: 9, 10.1 | audio: 10 | ||
| First model, with mechanical scroll wheel. 10 GB model released later. | |||||||||
| second | Image:Ipod 2G.png | 10, 20 GB | FireWire | 17 July 2002 | Mac: 10.1 Win: 2000 | audio: 10 | |||
| Touch-sensitive wheel. FireWire port had a cover. Hold switch revised. Windows compatibility through Musicmatch. | |||||||||
| third | Image:Ipod backlight transparent.png | 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 GB | FireWire (USB for syncing only) | 28 April 2003 | Mac: 10.1 Win: 2000 | audio: 8 | |||
| First complete redesign with all-touch interface, dock connector, and slimmer case. Musicmatch support dropped with later release of iTunes 4.1 for Windows. | |||||||||
| fourth (Photo) (color) | Image:IPod4G.jpg | 20, 40 GB | FireWire or USB | 19 July 2004 | Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000 | audio: 12 | |||
| Adopted Click Wheel from iPod Mini. | |||||||||
| Image:IPodphoto4G 1.png | photo: 30, 40, 60 GB | FireWire or USB | 26 October 2004 | Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000 | audio: 15 slideshow: 5 | ||||
| color: 20, 60 GB | 28 June 2005 | ||||||||
| Premium spin-off of 4G iPod with color screen and picture viewing. Later re-integrated into main iPod line. | |||||||||
| fifth | Image:Ipod 5th Generation white rotated.png | 30, 60, 80 GB | USB (FireWire for charging only) | 12 October 2005 | Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000 | 30 GB audio: 14 video: 2 (later 3.5) | 60/80 GB audio: 20 video: 3/6.5 | ||
| Second full redesign with a slimmer case, and larger screen with video playback. Offered in black or white. Hardware and firmware updated with 60 GB model replaced with 80 GB model on 5 September, 2007. | |||||||||
| sixth | Image:IPod Classic 6th Generation Black.jpg | 80, 120, 160 GB | USB (FireWire for charging only) | 5 September 2007 | Mac: 10.4 Win: XP | 80 GB audio: 30 video: 5 | 120 GB audio: 36 video: 6 | 160 GB audio: 40 video: 7 | |
| Introduced the "classic" suffix. New interface and anodized aluminum front plate. Silver replaces white. In September 2008 the hardware and firmware was updated with a 120 GB model replacing the 80 GB model. The 160 GB model was discontinued. | |||||||||
| Mini | first | Image:Green ipodmini 1stgen.jpg | 4 GB | USB or FireWire | 6 January 2004 | Mac: 10.1 Win: 2000 | audio: 8 | ||
| New smaller model, available in 5 colors. Introduced the "Click Wheel". | |||||||||
| second | Image:Green ipodmini 2ndgen.jpg | 4, 6 GB | USB or FireWire | 22 February 2005 | Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000 | audio: 18 | |||
| Brighter color variants with longer battery life. Click Wheel lettering matched body color. Gold color discontinued. Later replaced by iPod Nano. | |||||||||
| Nano | first | 
| 1, 2, 4 GB | USB (FireWire for charging only) | 7 September 2005 | Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000 | audio: 14 slideshow: 4 | ||
| Replaced Mini. Available in black or white and used flash memory. Color screen for picture viewing. 1 GB version released later. | |||||||||
| second | 
| 2, 4, 8 GB | USB (FireWire for charging only) | 12 September 2006 | Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000 | audio: 24 slideshow: 5 | |||
| Anodized aluminum casing and 6 colors available. | |||||||||
| third | 
| 4, 8 GB | USB (FireWire for charging only) | 5 September 2007 | Mac: 10.4 Win: XP | audio: 24 video: 5 | |||
| 2" QVGA screen, colors refreshed with chrome back, new interface, video capability, smaller Click Wheel. | |||||||||
| fourth | Image:Ipod nano version 4 silver.jpg | 4, 8, 16 GB | USB | 9 September 2008 | Mac: 10.4 Win: XP | audio: 24 video: 4 | |||
| Revert to tall form and all-aluminum enclosure with 9 color choices, added accelerometer for shake and horizontal viewing. 4GB model limited release in select markets. | |||||||||
| Shuffle | first | Image:Ipod Shuffle rotated transparent.png | 512 MB, 1 GB | USB (no adaptor required) | 11 January 2005 | Mac: 10.2 Win: 2000 | audio: 12 | ||
| New entry-level model. Uses flash memory and has no screen. | |||||||||
| second | Image:IPod Shuffle Crop.jpg | 1 GB, 2 GB | USB | 12 September 2006 | Mac: 10.3 Win: 2000 | audio: 12 | |||
| Smaller clip design with anodized aluminum casing. 4 color options added later. Colors were later refreshed twice. | |||||||||
| Touch | first | Image:IPod Touch 2.0.png | 8, 16, 32 GB | USB (FireWire for charging only) | 5 September 2007 | Mac: 10.4 Win: XP | audio: 22 video: 5 | ||
| First iPod with Wi-Fi and a Multi-Touch interface. Features Safari browser and wireless access to the iTunes Store and YouTube. 32 GB model later added. | |||||||||
| second | Image:IPod touch 2,1.jpg | 8, 16, 32 GB | USB | 9 September 2008 | Mac: 10.4 Win: XP | audio: 36 video: 6 | |||
| New tapered chrome back with Nike+ functionality, volume buttons, and built-in speaker added. | |||||||||
