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[[Image:ipod 5th Generation white.jpg|thumb|200px|A white 5<sup>th</sup> Generation iPod (iPod with Video) with a case and [[earbuds]].]]
{{lowercase|iPod}}
The '''iPod''' is a brand of [[portable media player]]s designed and marketed by [[Apple Computer]]. Devices in the iPod family provide a simple [[user interface]] designed around a central scroll wheel (with the exception of the [[iPod shuffle]]). The standard iPod model stores media on a built-in [[hard drive]], while the smaller iPod shuffle and [[iPod nano]] use [[flash memory]]. Like most [[digital audio player]]s, an iPod can serve as an external [[USB mass storage device class|data storage device]] when connected to a computer.
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Discontinued versions of the iPod include two generations of the popular [[iPod mini]] and four generations of the full-sized iPod, all of which had [[monochrome]] screens except for the fourth-generation iPod with color screen (previously sold as ''iPod photo'' before it replaced the monochrome iPod in the top line). As of October 2005, the lineup consists of the fifth-generation iPod, which has video playback capabilities, the iPod nano which has a color screen, and the iPod shuffle; all three models were released in 2005. {{TOCleft}}The iPod is currently the world's best-selling digital audio player. The bundled software used for uploading music, photos, and videos to the iPod is called [[iTunes]]. A music jukebox application, iTunes stores a comprehensive library of the user's music on their computer, and can play and [[ripping|rip]] music from a CD. The most recent incarnations of iPod and iTunes have video playing and organization features.
COREY IS A BUM!!!!!! HE SMELLS LIKE ONE TO!
Apple's widespread marketing campaigns have led to the iPod's reputation as an easy-to-use, stylish device and dominance among the MP3 market (to the extent that some people [[Genericized trademark|erroneously refer]] to all MP3 players as "iPods"); this has led to a large market dedicated specifically to iPod accessories. Apple's proprietary actions regarding iPods and iTunes, however, have led to its [[ITunes Music Store#Features and Restrictions|criticism]] by some and legal battles outside of the United States.
==Name==
{{unreferenced}}
Apple Computer often refers to the player as ''iPod'', without use of the [[definite article]] ''the''. Apple's web site reflects this usage (for example, "iPod incorporates the same touch-sensitive Apple Click Wheel that debuted on iPod mini"), which resembles Apple's use of the words [[Apple Macintosh]]. The company has many other products with a lowercase "i" in front of the name, including [[iSight]], [[iChat]], [[iTunes]], [[iDVD]], [[iBook]], [[iMac]], [[iCal]], [[iMovie]], and [[iPhoto]]. When Apple first introduced the iMac, the "i" stood for Internet, meaning that the iMac shipped with everything needed for a connection. The "i" also stood for "individual" and "independence" — as well as other words that complemented Apple's "[[Think Different]]" Campaign launched in conjunction with the first iMac, but the prefix stuck, as the [[brand recognition]] associated with it has positive effects on the sales of Apple products. Recently, some media have started referring to the generation primarily born in the late 1980s, and which in particular has made the iPod popular, as the [[iGeneration]], suggesting that the "i" family of products may have a far-reaching cultural impact.
==Nicknames==
The ability to listen to music, podcasts, and watch videos of your favorite programs that are automatically downloaded to the iPod, has made the iPod devices infamously addictive, earning them the nickname "[[Cocaine|Crack]]Pod".
==History==
Development of the iPod grew out of Apple’s digital hub strategy, as the company was creating software applications for the growing number of digital devices being snapped up by consumers. While digital cameras, camcorders and organizers had well-established markets, the company found digital music players lacking in quality and Apple decided to develop its own. Apple’s Hardware engineering chief [[Jon Rubinstein]] assembled a team of engineers to design and build the first iPod in less than a year, with [[Tony Fadell]] and [[Michael Dhuey]] as the principal hardware engineers. It was unveiled by CEO [[Steve Jobs]] on [[October 23]], [[2001]] as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put “1,000 songs in your pocket”.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN0SVBCJqLs&eurl= YouTube video of Jobs announcing the iPod</ref>
In 2002, Apple released the second-generation iPod in two versions, one for Mac users and one for Windows users. The only difference though was the bundled software; since there was no iTunes for Windows at the time, the Windows iPods came packaged with [[Musicmatch Jukebox|Musicmatch]] software. The actual iPods could work with either system (though to work with Windows, they had to use the [[File Allocation Table|FAT32]] filesystem, Mac iPods could use either the FAT32 or [[HFS Plus]] filesystem). In 2003, Apple released third-generation iPods that included a single CD that included a Windows version of the iTunes software along with the Mac version. [[As of October 2004]], iPod dominated digital music player sales in the [[United States]], with over 90% of the market for hard-drive-based players and over 70% of the market for all types of players. The iPod has sold at a tremendous rate, now past 42 million units since its release. Apple and several industry analysts have posited that the iPod has encouraged users of non-Apple products to switch to other Apple products, such as to [[Apple Macintosh|Macintosh]] computers.
On [[April 26]], [[2006]], EETimes reported that a [[Samsung Electronics]] executive vice president had announced that Samsung had won the contract to provide the media processor for a future model iPod, replacing Apple's previous supplier [[PortalPlayer]].<ref>[http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=SJEZRWCL2MVUUQSNDBESKHA?articleID=186701236& Samsung grabs iPod design win (EE-Times article)]</ref> PortalPlayer had announced a week before that their updated processor would not be used in upcoming flash-based iPods.<ref>[http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=marketsNews&storyID=2006-04-20T010320Z_01_WEN4965_RTRIDST_0_TECH-PORTALPLAYER-URGENT.XML PortalPlayer says product not picked for iPod use (Reuters article)]</ref>
==Design==
{{unreferenced}}
[[image:Ipod-internals.jpg|250px|thumb|right|iPod third generation internals. <small>Click photo to view detailed description.</small>]]
[[Jeff Robbin]] headed the team which developed both the iPod firmware and the [[iTunes]] program at Apple. His team integrated the core firmware from [[PortalPlayer]] with the user interface library developed by [[Pixo]]. (The founder of Pixo had worked on the [[Apple Newton]], a [[personal digital assistant]] formerly produced by Apple.) The Pixo libraries provide the user interface, though the iPod photo has incorporated some visual elements from Mac OS X, such as the animated [[Aqua (GUI)|Aqua]] style progress bar. More recent iPods, such as the iPod nano and fifth-generation iPod, also incorporate the "brushed-metal" effect, previously used in iTunes before version 5.0, in their stopwatch, screen lock and radio features. Until the release of iPod mini, the user interface of all iPods used "[[Chicago (font)|Chicago]]", the font used on the original Macintosh computer from 1984, designed by [[Susan Kare]]. The iPod mini uses the "Espy Sans" font (previously seen in [[eWorld]], the Newton, and [[Copland]]), while the color fourth-generation iPods (previously known as iPod photo) and fifth-generation iPods use [[Myriad (typeface)|Myriad]], Apple's current corporate typeface.
The unit's case snaps together, with no [[screw]]s or [[adhesive]] involved (though the fourth generation has some adhesive holding the battery in place). The plastic front of the case has clips which lock under a ridge inside the rim of the metal case back. A servicer can pry the iPod open by carefully inserting a small non-metal [[screwdriver]] to pull the metal away from the clips.
iPod contains a small internal [[loudspeaker|speaker]] which generates the scroll-wheel clicks and [[alarm clock]] beep sound, but this internal speaker cannot play music.
==Operation==
The iPods (other than the iPod shuffle) have five buttons:
#'Menu' (which backs up one level in the menus)
#'Play/Pause' (which plays or pauses the track in play, or turns the iPod off when held)
#'Previous' (which skips back through tracks in play)
#'Next' (which skips forward through tracks in play)
#'Center' (the button in the center of the scroll wheel; this selects a menu or a menu item)
(Note that fourth and fifth-generation iPods, iPod minis, and iPod nanos incorporate these buttons into the "click wheel" scroll wheel.)
A 'Hold' switch also exists on the top of the unit. Setting this switch to display [[orange (colour)|orange]] will make the buttons and scroll wheel unresponsive, so that users do not activate them accidentally.
Most iPods automatically pause playback when the headphones are unplugged from the headphone jack. However, playback does not resume when the the headphones are re-inserted.
The iPods with FireWire ports can be put into FireWire Disk Mode, in which it behaves like a FireWire hard drive without any of the additional iPod functionality.
An iPod unable to start (due to either a firmware or a hardware problem) displays the [http://www.peachpit.com/content/images/exr_0819ipod/elementLinks/figure7.8.gif "sad iPod" image], reminiscent of the [[sad Mac]] icon of earlier Macintosh computers. An iPod unable to function because of a low batttery shows an image of a battery and an [[exclamation mark]].
==Capabilities==
===Software===
[[Image:Ipodui.PNG|thumb|200px|right|The user interface of a 5<sup>th</sup> generation iPod, shown playing a song]]
The iPod can play [[MP3]], [[WAV]], [[M4A]]/[[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]] LC, [[FairPlay|Protected AAC]], [[AIFF]], [[Audible.com|Audible]] audiobook and [[Apple Lossless]] [[audio file format]]s. The fifth-generation iPod can also play [[.m4v]] and [[.mp4]] [[MPEG-4]] (namely [[H.264/MPEG-4 AVC]]) [[Container format|video file formats]]. The Microsoft Windows version of iTunes can [[transcoding|transcode]] regular non [[copy prevention|copy-protected]] WMA files to an iPod supported format. WMA files with copy protection cannot be played in iTunes or be copied to an iPod. Reviewers have criticized the iPod's inability to play some other formats, in particular the [[Ogg Vorbis]] and [[FLAC]] formats. [[Midi|MIDI files]] cannot be played on iPods, but can be converted into a compatible audio file format by choosing the "advanced" menu on iTunes.
Apple designed the iPod to work with the iTunes media library software, which lets users manage the music libraries on their computers and on their iPods. iTunes can automatically [[synchronize]] a user's iPod with specific playlists or with the entire contents of a music library each time an iPod connects to a host computer. Users may also set a rating (out of 5 stars) on any song, and can synchronize that information to an iTunes music library.
iTunes lacks the ability to transfer songs from iPod to computer because of legality issues. However, several third-party programs exist that provide music synchronization facilities similar to iTunes, but also offer the ability to copy music from iPod back to the host computer. Notable examples include [[vPod]] and the [[Ml iPod]] plugin for [[Winamp]].
====iTunes Music Store====
{{Main articles|[[iTunes]], [[iTunes Music Store]]}}
The iTunes Music Store (iTMS) is an online music store run by Apple and accessed via iTunes. It was introduced on 28 April 2003 and sells individual songs relatively easily and cheaply (e.g. 0.99 USD, 0.99 Euro, 0.79 GBP). The iPod is the only portable music player that can play the purchased music, and this exclusiveness has helped the store become the dominant online music service.
The purchased audio files use the AAC format with added encryption. The encryption is based on the controversial [[FairPlay]] [[digital rights management]] (DRM) system. Up to five authorized computers and an unlimited amount of iPods can play the files. Burning the files onto an audio CD removes the DRM, at a cost of reduced quality when re-compressed from one lossy format to another.
iPods cannot play music files encrypted with other rival DRM technologies, such as Microsoft's protected WMA or RealNetworks' Helix-DRM. RealNetworks claims that Apple is creating problems for itself <ref>March 2004: [http://news.com.com/2100-1025_3-5177914.html Real's Glaser exhorts Apple to open iPod] - CNet news article</ref>, by using FairPlay to lock users into using the iTunes Music Store. Steve Jobs has stated that Apple makes very little profit from song sales, but Apple uses the iTMS to promote iPod sales <ref>November 2003: [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/11/07/your_99c_belong/ Your 99c belong to the RIAA] - Opinion article by The Register</ref>.
====Additional features====
In addition to playing music and storing files, the iPod has limited [[Personal digital assistant|PDA]] functionality. Since January 2003, Mac users have been able to synchronize their contacts and schedules [[Address Book]] and [[iCal]] to their iPods through [[iSync]]. With the 2005 release of iTunes 5.0, Apple integrated contact/schedule syncing into iTunes and added the ability for Windows users to synchronize their contacts and schedules from [[Microsoft Outlook]] and [[Outlook Express]]. Although [[Mozilla Calendar]] and [[Mozilla Sunbird]] [[iCalendar]] have the same file format used by iCal and the iPod, there is no way to automatically sync schedules among these programs. However the files can be manually dragged and dropped into the correct directory on the iPod.
The limited [[Personal digital assistant|PDA]] calendar functions of the iPod are somewhat tainted for users from [[Newfoundland]] and parts of [[Australia]]. Their [[time zone]]s are excluded from the iPod's [[firmware]], leaving them unable to properly sync calendar events and alarms to their devices. No workaround (including mentally converting times when reading them) is functionally acceptable due to the combined behaviours of [[iSync]], [[iCal]] and the iPod with regards to converting events between time zones. Apple has yielded no commitment to correct this problem as of January, 2006.<ref>http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/index.php/t-147797.html</ref>
iPod can also display notes, and hence host simple games and store restaurant information. However, iPod has limitations as a PDA, since users cannot edit this information on the iPod except through a computer.
Most iPods (the exception is the iPod shuffle) also feature games. All new iPods (except the shuffle) feature:
*'''Brick''': a clone of the [[Breakout]] arcade game from [[Atari]]. (Originally created by Apple cofounder [[Steve Wozniak]].)
*'''Parachute''': a game in which the user controls a turret and attempts to shoot down paratroopers and the helicopters which release them. Parachute is similar to the [[Apple II]] game [[Sabotage (computer game)|''Sabotage'']] by Mark Allen.
*'''Solitaire''': a simple card game resembling the [[Klondike (solitaire)|Klondike]] solitaire card game.
*'''Music Quiz''': an interactive music quiz featuring the user's own songs. The game plays a portion of a random song and prompts the user to identify it from a list of 5 (or of 4 on the iPod mini and nano). A song drops off the list every few seconds. The faster the users choose the right song, the more points they get. Music Quiz became available through a free [[firmware]] update for third-generation iPods released in October 2003 and later came standard with the iPod mini and fourth-generation iPods. No record is kept of the score, and there is no limit on the number of songs played; however, the songs repeat after the first 100. Music Quiz requires rapid disk seeking and uses a lot of battery power.
*'''Notes''': iPod also has the function to read [[eBook]]s through use of the Notes Function. This allows the user to read small text files.
December 2005 saw the release of one the first iPod games to make use of the iPod's ability to act as a "Sonic Gaming Platform". The game, "Rock and Pop Trivia Quiz" from [http://www.coolgorilla.com Coolgorilla] takes the listener through 40 narrated questions on well known Rock & Pop artists.
===Hardware===
Originally iPod connected to a user's computer to update songs and recharge its battery solely through [[FireWire]]. It could also be charged by connecting it to a small power adapter which shipped for free with the first several generations. The now standard dock connector was not added until the 3rd generation in April 2003, allowing users the option of using FireWire or [[USB]] to make data transfers, although the device could still not be charged by USB and the USB cable was not included. Most PC's don't have FireWire ports so this move effectively opened the Windows market to iPod, although USB only Windows users had to keep their FireWire cables to plug into the wall adapter. The dock connector also made it possible to transfer data, sound, and power back and forth to iPod accesories, which created an explosive market of devices that has been extremely profitable for third parties such as Belkin and Griffin. The resulting myriad of connecting devices is still one of iPod's greatest strengths over its competititors.
The fourth-generation iPod could be charged over USB, and eventually Apple started shipping iPods with USB cables instead of FireWire ones. Many Macs shipped before 2004 had only USB 1.1, which has a transfer speed of 11 Mbit/s, as opposed to FireWire's 400 and USB 2.0's 480. Although none of these actually transfers at these exact rates, USB 1.1 is much slower than the other two, and for some users USB 1.1 may simply be unusable for transferring music collections to fill a 40 GB iPod. Later introductions continued to lessen iPod's reliance on FireWire. iPod Shuffle, released in January 2005, plugs directly into a USB port, without a dock connector and has no Firewire support. The iPod nano, released in September 2005, uses a dock connector that allows a FireWire cable to be plugged in to charge the device, but not to transfer data. With the fifth-generation iPod, Apple dropped all support for data transfer over Firewire to any model iPod. Like the nano, the fifth-generation iPod's dock connector will accept a FireWire cable and can draw power from it, but only the USB connection, not the FireWire one, will support data transfer - a message stating this appears on the iPod screen. This has drawn some criticism from the Mac community, since FireWire has been a standard feature on Apple Macs for many years, while USB 2.0 support was only added in [[October]] [[2003]].
The first three generations of iPod used two [[ARM architecture|ARM]] 7TDMI-derived [[central processing unit|CPU]]s running at 90 MHz, while later models have variable speed chips which run at a peak of 80 MHz to save [[battery (electricity)|battery]] life. The iPods use 1.8 inch (46 mm) ATA hard drives (with a proprietary connector) made by [[Toshiba]]. The iPod mini uses one-inch Compact Flash microdrive hard drives made by [[Hitachi, Ltd.|Hitachi]]. The iPod has a 32 [[mebibyte|MiB]] flash [[read-only memory|ROM]] chip which contains a [[bootloader]], a program that tells the device to load the operating system from another medium (in this case, the [[hard drive]]). All iPods, except for the 60 GB fifth-generation iPod, have 32 [[mebibyte|MiB]] of [[random access memory|RAM]], a portion of which holds the iPod OS loaded from the [[firmware]] and the vast majority of which serves to cache songs loaded from the hard drive. For example, an iPod could spin the hard disk up once and copy about 30 MiB of upcoming songs on a playlist into RAM, thus saving power by not having the drive spin up for each song. (The 60 GB fifth-generation iPod holds 64 MiB of RAM, to further extend battery life.)
iPod was originally introduced with a black and white display but no current model uses one. iPod Photo (an addition to the functionality of the 4th generation iPod released in late 2004) introduced a color screen, while iPod shuffle (released January 2005) has no screen at all. When iPod mini was replaced with iPod nano it received a color screen (and photo capabilty) and starting with the 5th generation all full size iPods have color screens and photo capability.
====Earphones====
All iPods come with [[Headphones#Earbuds.2FEarphones|earbud]] [[headphones]] with distinctive [[white]] cords and earbuds, a color chosen to match the design of the original iPod. The white cords have become symbolic of the iPod brand, and advertisements for the devices feature them prominently. Despite the fact that new generations of the iPod now appear in black as well as white, the headphones remain white, as do the USB cables, chargers, docks, and remotes.
The distinctive earphones have such good recognition characteristics that it has been suggested that they may be a liability – after a 24% rise in robbery and a 10% increase in grand larceny in the NYC subway system, a spokesperson for the [[New York City Police Department]] suggested that iPods might be behind the increases<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/nyregion/30ipod.html?ex=1269838800&en=a85877531294ecbf&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt iPod Thieves Hit Subways (New York Times article)]</ref>.
===Compatibility===
The original iPod was designed for use with Macintosh computers running [[Mac OS 9]] or [[Mac OS X]] but Apple began selling a Windows-compatible iPod on [[July 17]], [[2002]].<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2002/jul/17ipod.html</ref> Apple released a Windows version of iTunes on [[October 16]], [[2003]];<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2003/oct/16itms.html</ref> previously, Windows users needed third-party software such as [[Musicmatch Jukebox]] (included with Windows iPods before the release of the Windows version of iTunes), [[ephPod]], or [[XPlay]] to manage the music on their iPods.
iPods originally shipped formatted with Apple's native filesystem, [[HFS Plus]] and consequently would only work with Apple's Mac OS because Windows does not support HFS Plus. An iPod formatted with HFS Plus is able to serve as a [[boot disk]] for a Macintosh computer, allowing one to have a usable, portable operating system installed on their iPod. With the advent of the windows-compatible iPod, Apple switched iPod's default file system to FAT32 because FAT32 is the only file system that can be used natively with both Mac OS and Windows. Fourth-generation and earlier iPods could still be made to boot a Macintosh by reformatting their hard disks with HFS Plus.
The [[iPodLinux]] project has successfully ported an [[ARM architecture|ARM]] version of the [[Linux kernel]] to run on iPods. It currently supports first through third generation iPods, and features simple installers for Mac OS X and Windows. The Linux interface is known as "Podzilla". The interface will run on all iPods, however the development team does not support its usage. The iPod uses standard USB and FireWire mass-storage connectivity, and therefore any system with mass-storage support can mount it and use it as an external hard drive. The iPod will also charge from any powered USB or Firewire port, regardless of software support.
==Models==
[[Image:Lightmatter ipodvsmini.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A 1<sup>st</sup> generation pink [[iPod mini]] (left), and a 1<sup>st</sup> generation iPod (right)]]
Apple currently markets three distinct players bearing the iPod name. Some models come with different capacities (a higher capacity allows the storage of more music) or with different designs. The model range as of [[April 25]], [[2006]] includes the iPod (30 GB and 60 GB), iPod nano (1 GB, 2 GB, and 4 GB) and iPod shuffle (512 MB and 1 GB).
The iPod minis (4 GB and 6 GB and in various colors) are now discontinued, having been replaced by the iPod nano. The iPod [[U2]] Special Edition was also discontinued. The [[Harry Potter]] 20 GB Collector's fourth-generation iPod was replaced by the Harry Potter 30 GB Collector's iPod, which is simply a fifth-generation iPod with a Harry Potter engraving and the Harry Potter audiobooks pre-loaded.
===iPod===
While all iPods have roughly the same size and the same capabilities, the design has undergone several revisions since its introduction to the market. Five distinct generations of iPods exist, commonly known as: first, second, third, fourth and fifth generations.
Within any generation of iPods, various models with different sizes of hard drives have come onto the market at different price points. During the third generation, three sizes of iPods have coexisted in the marketplace at any given time, priced at [[United States dollar|US]] $299, $399, and $499. Currently, Apple sells two sizes of iPod: a 30 GB hard drive for $299, and a 60 GB model for $399. Note that Apple claims that 1 GB of storage will hold 250, 4-minute songs in 128 kbit/s [[Advanced Audio Coding|AAC]]. For the first and second generation iPod, 1 GB will hold 200 songs. Encoding songs at higher bitrates will take up more space on the hard drive. One can scale this proportion up; the current 30 GB iPod can hold roughly 7,500 songs, though the Apple website states that "actual formatted capacity may be lower".
====First generation====
[[Image:GenOneiPod.jpg|thumbnail|right|150px|A 1<sup>st</sup> generation iPod.]]
First announced on [[October 23]], [[2001]], the original iPod cost $399 with a 5 [[gigabyte|GB]] [[hard drive]].<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2001/oct/23ipod.html</ref> Critics panned the unit's price, but iPod proved an instant hit in the marketplace, quickly overtaking earlier hard drive MP3 players such as the [[Creative NOMAD|NOMAD Jukebox]]. Apple announced a 10 GB version ($499) in March 2002.
Apple designed a mechanical [[scroll wheel]] and outsourced the implementation and development to [[Synaptics]], a firm which also developed the trackpad for Apple's [[PowerBook]]s. The first generation iPod featured four buttons (Menu, Play/Pause, Back, and Forward) arranged around the circumference of the scroll wheel, and one Select button in the center.
[[Image:IPod 2G.jpg|thumbnail|left|150px|A 2<sup>nd</sup> generation iPod.]]
====Second generation====
Introduced on [[July 17]], [[2002]], at [[Macworld Conference & Expo|Macworld]] in 10 GB and 20 GB capacities, the second generation iPod replaced the mechanical scroll wheel of the original with a touch-sensitive, nonmechanical one (manufactured by [[Synaptics]]), termed a "touch wheel". Due to the new [[Toshiba]] hard drives, the 20 GB iPod slightly exceeded its first generation counterpart in thickness and weight, while the 10 GB model was slimmer. The second generation iPod came with carrying cases and wired remotes and it was the first generation that was compatible with Windows. In December 2002 Apple released 4 limited-edition, laser-engraved, autographed iPods from [[Beck]], [[Tony Hawk]], [[Madonna]], and [[No Doubt]]. They sold for $50 over the normal retail price in each capacity until the second generation iPods were discontinued.<ref>http://www.macworld.com/news/2002/12/10/ipod/index.php</ref>
====Third generation====
[[Image:3G ipod in dock.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The 3<sup>rd</sup> generation iPod featured the four buttons above the touch-wheel with "select" in the center.]]
On [[April 28]], [[2003]], Apple CEO [[Steve Jobs]] introduced an "ultrathin" iPod series. Slightly smaller than their predecessors, they had more distinctively beveled edges. Over the life of the third generation iPod series, Apple produced 10 GB, 15 GB, 20 GB, 30 GB, and 40 GB sizes. These iPods use a 30-pin connector called the Dock Connector — longer and flatter than a FireWire connector. The iPod Dock came bundled with all but the least expensive iPod, and also retails separately.
The third generation iPod featured touch-sensitive buttons located below the display. The new buttons featured red backlighting, allowing easier use in darkness. The touch-sensitive buttons, which build upon the touch-sensitive scroll wheel introduced in the second generation iPod, make the third generation iPod unique in that it has no external moving parts (other than the hold slider on the top of the unit) and is the first iPod that doesn't have its buttons surrounding the wheel. With the third generation iPod, Apple stopped shipping separate Mac and Windows versions of the unit. Instead, all iPods now shipped with their hard drives formatted for Macintosh use; the included CD-ROM featured a Windows utility which could reformat them for use with a Windows PC.
[[Image:IPod 4G.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The 4<sup>th</sup> generation iPod integrated the four buttons into the scrollwheel.]]
====Fourth generation====
In July 2004, Apple released the fourth generation iPod. In a new publicity route, Steve Jobs announced it by becoming the subject of a ''[[Newsweek]]'' magazine cover. The fourth generation iPod is considered the model in which sales increased, thus starting the 'iPod Craze.'
In the most obvious difference from its predecessors, the fourth generation iPod carries over the click-wheel design introduced on the iPod mini. Some users criticized the click wheel because it does not have the backlight that the third generation iPod's buttons had, but others noted that having the buttons on the compass points largely removed any need for backlighting. Apple also claimed that updated software in the new iPod allows it to use the battery more efficiently and increase battery life to 12 hours. Other minor changes included the addition of a "Shuffle Songs" option on the top-level menu to make it more convenient for users. After many requests from users asking for these improvements to operate on earlier iPods as well, Apple on [[February 23]], [[2005]], released a firmware update which brings the new menu items to first- through third-generation iPods.
Originally, the fourth-generation iPod had a monochrome screen and no photo capabilities, like its predecessors. It came in one of two sizes: 20 GB for $299 and 40 GB for $399 (Apple discontinued the 40 GB model in February 2005 and began solely selling a monochrome 20 GB version). The monochrome fourth generation iPod, slightly thinner (about one millimeter less) than the third generation iPod, introduced the ability to charge the battery over a USB connection.
=====iPod photo/iPod with color display=====
[[Image:IPod photo.png|thumb|right|200px|An iPod photo with color screen]]
:''For more information on iPod photo prior to its merger with the main iPod line, see [[iPod photo]].''
Released on [[October 28]], [[2004]], iPod photo (originally named '''iPod Photo''' — with a capital ''P'' for "Photo" — but renamed less than a month after its launch) featured a 220 x 176-pixel (maximum pixel count of 38,720), 16-bit color screen capable of displaying 65,536 colors, and the ability to store and display [[JPEG]], [[Windows bitmap|BMP]], [[GIF]], [[TIFF]], and [[PNG]] images. One millimeter thicker than the standard monochrome fourth-generation iPod, iPod photo could also play music for up to 15 hours per battery charge. It originally came in 40 GB and 60 GB versions, which cost $499 and $599, respectively.
On [[February 23]], [[2005]], Apple discontinued the 40 GB model; and introduced a lower-priced 30 GB model; which included only a USB cable and no dock, and dropped the price of the 60 GB model. However, unlike the first iPod photos, the lower-priced 60 GB and the new 30 GB models lacked the dock, FireWire cable, carrying case, or [[Audio/Video|AV]] cables.
On [[June 28]], [[2005]], Apple Computer merged the iPod and iPod photo lines,<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jun/28ipod.html</ref> removing all monochrome models from the main iPod line, giving the 20 GB iPod all of the capabilities of the former iPod photo line for $299, the same price as the previous monochrome version. The price of the 60 GB iPod photo, now known as iPod 60 GB, dropped from $449 to $399, and Apple discontinued the $349 30 GB iPod photo model. Apple Computer — as well as prominent fan sites (such as [[iLounge]]) — continued to refer to this lineup as fourth-generation iPods.
=====iPod U2 Special Edition=====
[[Image:Indexfrontbackse10262004.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Color U2 iPod]]
On [[October 28]], [[2004]], Apple released a black-and-red edition of the fourth-generation iPod called '''iPod U2 Special Edition'''. Originally retailing for $349, it had a black front with a red click wheel (the colors of [[U2]]'s latest album, ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]''), and featured the signatures of [[U2]]'s band members engraved on the back. It also included an [[iTunes Music Store]] coupon redeemable for $50 off the price of ''[[The Complete U2]]'', a "digital boxed set" featuring over 400 tracks of U2 music.<ref>http://www.apple.com/ipod/u2/</ref>
On [[June 28]], [[2005]], at the same time as the announcement of the merger of the iPod and the iPod photo lines, Apple added a color screen and photo capabilities to the iPod U2 Special Edition while dropping the price to $329. On [[October 12]], [[2005]], Apple discontinued the iPod U2 Special Edition with the introduction of the fifth-generation iPod. The U2 iPod was the last iPod to ship with [[Firewire]] connection cables and firmware, prompting some analysts to speculate about the future inclusion of [[Firewire]] interfaces on [[Apple Computer|Apple]] products.
=====Harry Potter Collector's iPod=====
[[Image:Harrypotteripod.jpg|thumb|right|200px|5<sup>th</sup>generation Harry Potter 30GB Collector's iPod]]
On [[September 7]], [[2005]], Apple released a limited-edition [[Harry Potter]] fourth-generation 20 GB iPod that featured a laser engraved [[Hogwarts]] crest on the back. This model was superseded on [[October 12]], [[2005]] with a fifth-generation Harry Potter 30 GB Collector's iPod. The iPod was launched along with Harry Potter [[audiobooks]] on the iTunes Music Store. Included on the collector's edition was the first six books of the Harry Potter series.
====Fifth generation====
[[Image:Ipod 5g.jpg|thumb|200px|left|A 5<sup>th</sup>generation 30 GB iPod in a dock]]
On [[October 12]], [[2005]] Apple launched the fifth generation iPod at the ''"One more thing..."'' event.<ref>http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/specialeventoct05/</ref> This iPod is often called the iPod video or the video iPod, while Apple documentation refers to it as the Fifth Generation iPod or iPod with video (compare the fourth generation iPod with color display and the third generation iPod with dock connector).<ref>http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60971]</ref>
Fifth generation iPods are available in 30 [[Gigabyte|GB]] and 60 GB capacity models and are priced the same as the previous generation at $299 and $399 [[USD]], respectively. They also feature the ability to play [[MPEG-4]] and [[H.264]] video with resolutions of up to 480 x 480 (maximum macroblock (16x16 pixel) count of 900) and 320 x 240 (maximum macroblock (16x16 pixel) count of 300), respectively (videos purchased from the iTunes Music Store are limited to 320 x 240). Some users have reported the ability to play widescreen resolutions up to 640x360 using MPEG-4 and 400 x 192 using H.264 (total macroblock count falls within the stated maximums).<ref name="videopod"> Richard Menta. "[http://www.mp3newswire.net/stories/5002/ipod_video2.html Apple Portable Does Video. Notes]." [[MP3 Newswire]]. Accessed on [[October 13]], [[2005]].</ref>
Fifth generation models have a 65,536 color (16-bit) screen,<ref>http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html</ref> with a 320 x 240 [[QVGA]] transflective [[TFT]] display, and are able to display video on an external TV via the AV cable accessory, which plugs into the headphone minijack and splits into composite video and audio output connectors with [[RCA jack|RCA]] jacks. They can also display video on an external TV using the iPod AV or S-video cables with the [[iPod Universal Dock]]. The dimensions are 103.5 x 61.8 x 11.0 mm for the 30GB version, and 103.5 x 61.8 x 14.0 mm for the 60GB version. The screen size is now 2.5 inches (6.35 [[Metre#SI multiples|cm]]) diagonally, 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) larger than the previous iPod. It is also 30% thinner than the previous full-size iPod. The reported battery life for the 30 GB is 14 hours and for the 60 GB is around 20 hours. Watching movies reduces that amount to 2 and 3 hours respectively.
[[Image:Blk-ipod-wacces.jpg|thumb|200px|right|5<sup>th</sup>generation black 60GB iPod with standard accessories]]
The click wheel design is the same as the previous generation, but is marginally smaller (1.5" diameter) than before. The new click wheel is completely flat, unlike older models where the center button is slightly rounded and raised. Apple stopped producing iPods with the click wheels used in the fourth-generation iPod and iPod mini from their previous supplier, Synaptics, Inc. of San Jose, CA, and now use an in-house solution.
Like the [[iPod nano]], the fifth-generation iPod comes in two colors, white and black, and it features the World Clock, Stopwatch, and Screen Lock applications. In addition, the earphone plug is smaller. The fifth generation iPod also comes with a thin slip case, most likely in response to many complaints concerning the [[iPod nano]]'s easily-scratched surface. Apple has also discontinued the inclusion of an AC adapter and [[FireWire]] cable. One must purchase this item separately in order to charge the iPod from a household outlet, or use an external, powered USB hub. The fifth generation iPod no longer supports file transfers via FireWire, but still supports charging using FireWire. This is most likely due to the increased popularity of Hi-Speed [[USB 2.0]] in the consumer market.
=====Harry Potter Collector's iPod (30GB)=====
[[Image:Harrypotteripod.jpg|thumb|right|200px|5<sup>th</sup>generation Harry Potter 30GB Collector's iPod]]
On [[October 12]], [[2005]] Apple reintroduced the Harry Potter collectible iPod along with an update of the iPod line. The new Harry Potter iPod retains the laser-engraved Hogwarts crest on back of the device and is sold with the "complete Harry Potter" (the first 6 books in the [[Harry Potter]] series). The capacity of this model iPod was increased to 30 GB from the previous 20 GB. The price remains the same as the fourth-generation model.
===iPod mini===
{{main|iPod mini}}
Apple entered the market for "mini"-form-factor digital audio players in January 2004, with the introduction of the iPod mini, competing directly with players like [[Creative Technology|Creative's]] [[Creative Zen#Zen Micro|Zen Micro]] and Digital Networks [[Rio Carbon]]. The iPod mini had largely the same feature set as the full-sized iPod, but lacked support for some third-party accessories. Its smaller display had one fewer line than previous models, limiting the on-screen track identification to title and artist only, and not the album. In addition, it introduced the ability to charge over a USB connection. The iPod minis used [[Hitachi Microdrive|Microdrive]] hard drives for storage. The iPod mini was discontinued on [[September 7]], [[2005]], after Apple announced it was to be replaced by the [[iPod nano]], which was 62% smaller in size and included a color screen.
====First generation mini====
[[Image:Ipod mini 1G.jpg|thumb|200px|1<sup>st</sup> generation iPod mini in Dock with Belt Clip]]
On [[January 6]], [[2004]], Apple introduced the first iPod mini. It had 4 GB of storage and a price of $249 (at the time, only $50 below the 15 GB third-generation iPod). Critics panned it as too expensive, but it proved to be overwhelmingly popular, and [[Apple Store (retail)|Apple Stores]] had difficulty keeping the model in stock.
The iPod mini introduced the popular "click wheel" that was incorporated into later iPods: the touch-sensitive wheel means that users can move a finger around it to highlight selections on the screen, while the unit's Menu, Back, Forward, and Play/Pause buttons are part of the wheel itself, letting a user press down on part of the wheel to activate one of those functions. The center button still acted as a select button. Apple initially made iPod mini devices available in five colors: silver, gold, blue, pink, and green. Silver models sold best, followed by blue ones, while the least popular was the gold.
==== Second generation mini ====
In February 2005, the second-generation<ref>http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300850</ref> iPod mini came on the market with a new 6 GB model at $249 and an updated 4 GB model priced at $199. Most notably, both models featured an increased battery life of up to 18 hours. In addition, they featured richer case colors (though Apple discontinued the gold color) and other minor aesthetic changes (the color of the lettering on the click wheel now matched the color of the iPod mini). Also, the second generation iPod minis did not include the [[alternating current|AC]] adapter or the FireWire cable bundled with previous models.
===iPod shuffle===
{{main|iPod shuffle}}
[[Image:Ipod shuffle.jpg|200px|left|thumb|An iPod shuffle with earphones and carrying necklace.]]
Apple announced iPod shuffle at Macworld Expo on [[January 11]], [[2005]] with the [[tagline]]s "Life is random" and "Give chance a chance". iPod shuffle introduced [[flash memory]] (rather than a hard drive) to iPods for the first time. The shuffle comes in two models: ''512 MB'' (up to 120 four-minute songs encoded at 128 [[Kilobit per second|kbit/s]]) and ''1 GB'' (up to 240). Unlike other iPod models, iPod shuffle cannot play [[Apple Lossless]] or [[AIFF]] encoded audio files—possibly due to the iPod shuffle's smaller processing power. The shuffle has a SigmaTel processor. One review regards it as having one of the best-sounding audio systems of all the iPod models.<ref>http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1778968,00.asp</ref>
The iPod shuffle has no screen and therefore has limited options for navigating between music tracks: users can play songs either in the order set in iTunes or in a random (shuffled) order. Users can set iTunes to fill iPod shuffle with a random selection from their music library each time the device connects to the computer. The iPod shuffle weighs less than one ounce (0.78 oz. or 22 g) and approximates in size to a pack of [[chewing gum]] (originally, the iPod shuffle website contained a footnote advising people not to eat the iPod shuffle like gum; it was later removed, possibly because several users photographed themselves with their iPod shuffles in their mouths.) Like the rest of the iPod family, iPod shuffle can operate as a USB mass storage device. The 512 MB iPod Shuffle is US$69, and the 1 GB model is US$99 (originally US$99 and US$149, 1 GB model later dropped to US$129).
===iPod nano===
{{main|iPod nano}}
[[Image:Ipod nano 4gigabyte black.jpg|200px|thumb|right|iPod nano]]
On [[September 7]] [[2005]], Apple announced the successor to the iPod mini, the iPod nano. Based on [[flash memory]] instead of a [[hard drive]], the iPod nano is 0.27 inches (6.9 mm) thick, weighs 1.5 ounces (42 g), and is 62% smaller by volume than its predecessor, available in 1 GB (introduced on [[February 7]] [[2006]]), 2 GB, and 4 GB models. It has a 65,536 color display that can display photographs, and connects to a computer via [[Universal Serial Bus|USB]] 2.0. The headphone jack is located on the bottom. It retains the standard 30-pin dock connector for compatibility with third-party peripherals. The nano is the first dock connector iPod that cannot sync to any computer (Windows or Mac) via [[FireWire]] cable, though it can still be charged via a FireWire connection. The iPod nano is available in both black and white, in 1 GB (US$149), 2 GB (US$199) and 4 GB (US$249) models.
{{Timeline of iPod models|headerextension==}}
==Patents and patent disputes==
In 2005, Apple Computer faced two lawsuits claiming [[patent infringement]] by the iPod and its associated technologies:<ref>[http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2005/03/10/apple_ipod_patent_lawsuits/ "Apple faces patent lawsuits over its iPod"] ChannelRegister.co.uk, [[March 10]], [[2005]]</ref> Advanced Audio Devices claimed the iPod breached their [[patent]] on a "music jukebox,"<ref>[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,587,403.WKU.&OS=PN/6,587,403&RS=PN/6,587,403 United States Patent 6,587,403] Advanced Audio Devices' "music jukebox" patent</ref> while [[Hong Kong]]-based [[Intellectual property|IP]] portfolio company [http://www.pat-rights.com Pat-rights] filed suit claiming that Apple's [[FairPlay]] technology breached a patent<ref>[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,665,797.WKU.&OS=PN/6,665,797&RS=PN/6,665,797 United States Patent 6,665,797] "Protection of software again against unauthorized use" (corrected to "Computer Apparatus/Software Access Control")</ref> issued to inventor Ho Keung Tse. The latter case also includes the online music stores of [[Sony]], [[Real Networks]], [[Napster]] and Musicmatch as defendants.<ref>[http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1235 "Apple, Sony among those named in new DRM lawsuit"] Appleinsider.com, [[August 16]], [[2005]].</ref>
Apple's application to the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office]] for a patent on "rotational user inputs,"<ref>[http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?p=1&u=/netahtml/PTO/search-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=%2260/346,237%22&OS=%2260/346,237%22&RS=%2260/346,237%22 United States patent application 20030095096] Apple's application on "rotational user inputs"</ref> as used in the iPod's interface, received a third "non-final rejection" (NFR) in August 2005. Also in August 2005, [[Creative Technology]], one of Apple's main rivals in the [[MP3]] player market, announced that it too held a patent<ref>[http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6,928,433.WKU.&OS=PN/6,928,433&RS=PN/6,928,433 United States Patent 6,928,433] Creative Technology's "Zen" patent</ref> on part of the music selection interface used by the iPod, which Creative dubbed the "Zen Patent", granted on [[August 9]], [[2005]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4198360.stm "Creative wins MP3 player patent"] BBC News, 30 August 2005</ref> On [[May 15]], [[2006]], Creative filed suit against Apple for patent infringement with the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]]. The company also asked the [[United States International Trade Commission]] to investigate whether Apple was breaching U.S. trade laws by importing iPods into the [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=14646 "Creative sues Apple over patent"] Macworld UK, 16 May 2006</ref>
==Common criticisms==
===Battery life===
The current iPod models use internal [[Lithium-ion battery|lithium-ion batteries]] (the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> generations used [[lithium polymer]] batteries). Apple states that the 60 GB and 30 GB iPods have battery lives of “up to 20 hours” and “up to 14 hours” respectively <ref>May 2006 [http://www.apple.com/ipod/ipod.html Official iPod product web page]</ref>. In their review of the 30 GB iPod, Ars Technica found that the battery in the test iPod only lasted for approximately 10 hours, however they note that it had been "improperly charged" <ref>http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/video-ipod.ars/5</ref>.
In 2003, class action lawsuits were brought against Apple complaining that the battery charges lasted for shorter lengths of time than stated and that the battery degraded over time <ref>February 2004: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3477497.stm Apple investigates iPod batteries] - BBC News article</ref>. However, this was resolved in a lawsuit and free replacements for all affected iPods were offered {{fact}}. Analysis by mp3.com found that playing DRM audio files placed a greater drain on iPod batteries than audio files without DRM <ref>March 2006: [http://www.boingboing.net/2006/03/16/drm_shortens_ipod_ba.html DRM shortens iPod battery life]</ref>. It should be noted that lithium-ion batteries degrade by various amounts during their lifetime. Guidelines are available for [http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipods.html maximizing runtime operation] and prolonging [[Lithium-ion_battery#Guidelines for prolonging Li-ion battery life|life-span]].
===Non-replaceable batteries===
The battery in all iPod models cannot be removed or replaced by the user without levering the unit open. This is unusually difficult for a consumer device, although some rival products have a similar enclosed battery. Compounding this problem, Apple initially would not replace worn-out batteries. The official policy was that the customer should buy a refurbished replacement iPod, at a cost almost equivalent to a brand new iPod. This situation led to a small market for third-party battery replacement kits.
Apple announced a battery replacement program on 14 November 2003, a week before<ref>[http://ipodbatteryfaq.com/#18 iPod Battery FAQ (not affiliated with Apple)]</ref> a high publicity stunt and website by the Neistat brothers <ref>September 2003: [http://www.ipodsdirtysecret.com/message.html iPod's Dirty Secret] - by the Neistat brothers</ref>. The initial cost was $99 <ref>November 2003: [http://www.macminute.com/2003/11/14/ipodbattery Apple offers iPod battery replacement service]</ref>, but has since been lowered to $59. One week later Apple offered an extended iPod warranty for $59 <ref>November 2003: [http://www.macminute.com/2003/11/21/ipodapplecare/ AppleCare for iPod now available]</ref>. Third party companies offer cheaper battery replacement kits which often use higher capacity batteries. The battery in the 5<sup>th</sup> generation iPods cannot be replaced because they are either soldered onto the main board with the Nano, or attached to a metal backplate, on the video iPod <ref>[http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/video-ipod.ars/6 Vivisection of the Video iPod]</ref>.
===Bass response===
The 3<sup>rd</sup> generation iPod had a weak bass response, as shown in several audio tests <ref>[http://home.comcast.net./~machrone/playertest/playertest.htm iPod audio measurements] – by Bill Machrone for PC Magazine</ref><ref>[http://members.chello.nl/~m.heijligers/ipod/Performance/measurements.html iPod audio measurements] – by Marc Heijligers</ref>. The combination of the undersized DC blocking capacitors and the typical low impedance of most consumer headphones, form a low-frequency rejection filter, which attenuates the low-frequency bass output by up to 10 dB. The same undersized capacitors are used in the 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup> generation iPods <ref>May 2006 [http://homepage.mac.com/marc.heijligers/audio/ipod/engineering/engineering.html iPod circuit design engineering] – by Marc Heijligers</ref>, but not in the Shuffle. The problem is substantially reduced when using high impedance headphones, such as the Sennheiser HD 600/650.
===Equalizer bass distortion===
If the sound is enhanced with the iPod’s software equalizer (EQ), many users (since 2002),<ref>[http://www.dapreview.net/content.php?article.133 DAPreview analyses the iPod’s equalizer]</ref><ref>[http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=2017397 Apple's discussion board for distorted sound on the iPod]</ref><ref>[http://www.macintouch.com/ipod14.html MacInTouch reader report of iPod sound distortion (July 2002)]</ref><ref>[http://tedblog.typepad.com/tedblog/2005/11/10_reasons_to_h.html "10 reasons to hate your iPod"] – by TED blog</ref> have noticed that some EQ settings – like R & B, Rock, Acoustic and Bass Booster – can cause bass distortion too easily.
The equalizer amplifies the digital audio level beyond the software's maximum level, causing distortion (or clipping) on songs that have a bass drum or use a bassy instrument, even when the amplifier output level is very low. Notable examples include Bob Sinclar's ''Love Generation''<ref>[http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=82034049&s=143444&i=82033901 Bob Sinclar – “Love Generation”] song link to the [[iTunes Music Store]]</ref> and Jem's ''Wish I''.<ref>[http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=79796808&s=143444&i=79796802 Jem – “Wish I”] song link to the iTunes Music Store</ref> One possible workaround is to reduce the volume level of the recorded MP3, using audio analysis tools. This can however take several hours with a large music collection, and it doesn't work with DRM music. Also, different tools are needed for each different file format.
==Accessories==
[[Image:IPod FM remote.jpg|thumb|right|Apple FM Radio remote accessory.]]
The large accessories market that has built up around the iPod is sometimes described as the iPod ecosystem. A host of different companies produce accessories that are designed to work with the iPod. Companies such as [[JBL]], [[Bose Corporation|Bose]], [[Altec Lansing]], and [[Kensington Technology Group|Kensington]] all make speakers that are designed specifically to work with the iPod, using the iPod's thirty pin dock connector. Other companies, such as [[Griffin Technology]] and [[Monster Cable]], make add-ons that allow the iPod to record sound, recharge "on the go", play music over the radio, or be used wirelessly with a remote.
Besides technological peripherals there are also cases. iPod owners buy these accessories not only to protect their iPods (See Also "Stratches, Protective cases") but also to make fashion statements. [[Kate Spade]], [[iSkin]], Speck, Incase, and [[Chums]] all produce these cases. Some are silicone while others are hard plastic. Apple itself makes some cases. Along with the introduction of the nano Apple introduced nano tubes (a pun on [[nanotubes]]), a silicone case with no screen, dock connector, or headphone port protection, but a cover over the click wheel and the hold switch. A new and popular alternative to hard cases are thin vinyl "skins" from companies such as [[GelaSkins]] or iStyles. Accessories for the iPod have been added to the skiing and snowboarding industry. Burton Snowboards have developed a jacket and a backpack with Softouch. This is a panel on a jacket sleeve or on a backpack strap that allows the user to control his song selection from that panel. It makes use of the iPod in the outdoors much more convenient.
At the Macworld Expo 2006, Steve Jobs introduced a new wired remote control for the 5th Generation iPod and iPod nano. Named "iPod radio remote", it uses an iPod Shuffle-like interface to control these iPods. It also adds radio tuning capability, with station details being displayed on the iPod screen. Support for this accessory was added in iPod firmware 1.1. The remote is connected via the iPod dock connector (as the remote port seen on previous iPods is not included on the 5th generation iPod or iPod nano), and includes a shorter pair of apple headphones to reduce clutter.
===iPod A/V cable and alternatives===
The headphone connector on the fifth generation iPod (iPod with Video) accepts an Apple-branded A/V cable with [[RCA connector]]s for composite video and [[stereo]] [[analog|analog audio]]. Apple sells this compatible cable for $19 USD. In what is seen as an attempt to force users to purchase the costly cable, (this is actually due to concerns about the iPod's compatibility with all standard 3.5-inch audio jacks) Apple deviates from standard A/V cables by swapping the [[composite video]] connector (usually yellow) and right channel audio connector (usually red). Users attempting to connect a conventional mini A/V cable will only see corrupted video and right audio because the equipment will attempt to render the audio stream as video and vice versa.
===iPod Camera Connector===
The iPod Camera Connector allows the transfer of digital photo files from a digital camera, or media card reader, to a color screen iPod (4G Photo and 5G Video) using a small adapter attached to the dock connector.
===iPod Hi-Fi===
''Main article: [[iPod Hi-Fi]]''
[[Image:IPod Hi-Fi.png|thumb|right|250px|An iPod Hi-Fi with its box and with its speaker grill removed and an [[Apple Remote]] beside it.]] At Apple's "Fun Products" Day ([[February 28]], [[2006]]), Steve Jobs announced the [[iPod Hi-Fi]] for immediate sale at the price of $349.<ref>http://gear.ign.com/articles/692/692454p1.html</ref> The iPod Hi-Fi is an amplified [[loudspeaker]] system that docks with the iPod. The dimensions of the Hi-Fi are 17" x 6.6" x 6.9". The unit can either be plugged into the wall or run on six D-cell batteries. The Hi-Fi weighs slightly under 17 pounds. Integrated carrying handles allow for easier transportation of the Hi-Fi. The Hi-Fi utilizes two 80-mm wide-range cones and one 130-mm woofer cone.
===Car integration and accessories===
[[BMW]] released the first iPod automobile interface to come from an automotive company.<ref>http://www.ipodyourbmw.com/</ref> The interface allowed drivers of late-model BMW vehicles to control their iPod through the built-in steering wheel controls and the radio head unit buttons. The iPod attached to a cable harness in the car's [[glove compartment]] and allowed the driver to create up to five unique "BMW playlists" that were displayed through the vehicle's radio head unit.
Apple announced at Macworld Expo in January 2005 that [[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes-Benz USA]], [[Volvo]], [[Nissan]], [[Alfa Romeo]] and [[Ferrari]] would offer similar systems.<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/11volvo.html</ref><ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/11mercedes.html</ref><ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/11cars.html</ref>
Apple announced in September 2005 that they now have deals with [[Acura]], [[Audi]], [[Honda]] and [[Volkswagen]] to integrate iPod into their car stereos during the year. With these deals Apple now has 15 car companies worldwide planning to offer iPod integration. More than thirty percent of the cars in the United States now include iPod support. Honda will be the first to include speech-to-text capabilities that allow drivers to search for playlists, artist and album names or genre.<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/sep/07ipod_auto.html</ref><ref>http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articledId=107194</ref>
Using adaptor kits such as Peripheral Electronics' iPod2Car or Densions IceLink, an iPod can be thus integrated into many vehicles which do not otherwise allow it. Almost any vehicle that has a factory CD changer controller port on the stereo can be integrated with an iPod using this kit. Adaptation, though not integration, can be obtained through the use of a cassette adaptor plugged into a vehicle cassette deck. This allows the vehicle to play the iPod's music, but not to control the iPod directly, such as the above mentioned methods allow. Finally, any after-market car stereo with RCA inputs can play the audio from an iPod by use of a "Y-adapter" that connects the RCA inputs on the stereo to the 1/8th inch stereo headset jack on the iPod.
Another common method of adaptation to a car can be achieved by using an FM transmitter, such as the [[iTrip]]. These allow the player to broadcast an FM signal, playable by car radios. Some FM transmitters also integrate charging from a car's cigarette lighter or power outlet.
Many aftermarket stereo manufacturers including [[Pioneer]], [[Kenwood Electronics|Kenwood]] and [[Alpine Electronics|Alpine]] have iPod integration solutions to allow one of their head units to control and play music from an iPod.
==iPod sales==
At the Macworld Expo keynote speech on [[January 10]], [[2006]], Apple CEO Steve Jobs reported sales of over 42 million iPods total, and 14 million in the first quarter of [[fiscal year]] 2006. This equates to 100 iPods sold every minute throughout the quarter.<ref>http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/mwsf06/</ref>
''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' magazine reported on [[June 27]], [[2005]] that Apple had sold over 15 million iPods, including 5.3 million in the first quarter of that year.<ref>Andy Serwer. "[http://www.fortune.com/fortune/streetlife/0,15704,1071308,00.html It's iPod's Revolution: We Just Live in It]." Fortune. Accessed on [[August 22]], [[2005]].</ref> The iPod currently dominates the digital audio player market in the US, frequently topping best-seller lists.<ref>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/new-for-you/top-sellers/-/electronics/</ref> According to the latest financial statements, iPod's market share accounts for 74% in the US in July 2005. Within one year from January 2004 to January 2005, its US market share tremendously increased by 34% from 31% to 65%. This success was especially based on the introduction of the iPod mini, part of Apple's attempt to take market share from the mainstream Flash player market in the US. Flash players at the beginning of 2005 accounted for less than half the US market share that they did in 2004 (their market share decreased from 62% in January 2004 to 29% in January 2005).<ref>http://homepage.mac.com/jomy/PhotoAlbum14.html</ref> In other countries, the iPod market share is significantly lower, mostly due to high import taxes and less ubiquitous marketing, so flash memory players, or hard disk based players from competitors like [[Creative Technology|Creative]] are dominant.
In its first quarter results of 2006, Apple reported earnings of $565 million — its highest revenue in the company's history.<ref name="applepr2">"[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/jan/18results.html Apple Reports First Quarter Results]." [[Apple Computer]]. Accessed on [[January 18]], [[2006]].</ref> Apple shipped 6.16 million iPods during the quarter that ended on [[June 25]], [[2005]], a 616% increase over the same quarter in 2004. Most recently, Apple shipped 14.04 million iPods during the quarter that ended on [[December 31]], [[2005]], a 207% increase over the same quarter one year prior.<ref name="applepr2" />
On [[January 8]], [[2004]], [[Hewlett-Packard]] announced that they would license the iPod from Apple to create an HP-branded digital audio player based on the iPod. The HP models were the same as the Apple iPod except for the inclusion of an "HP" logo on the back under the Apple logo and "iPod" label. They were sold as the "[[HPod|Apple iPod + hp]]". Retailers of this model included (among others) the retail giant [[Wal-Mart]], which included a disclaimer explaining that it would not work with Wal-Mart's online music service. In July of 2005, HP reversed its decision and announced they would stop reselling the iPod by September 2005, when existing [[Inventory|stock]] were projected to be depleted.<ref>[http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2005/07/30/ap2164732.html Hewlett-Packard to Stop Reselling iPods]. Forbes. Accessed on [[August 23]], [[2005]].</ref> Sales by Hewlett-Packard made up 5% of all iPod sales.
iPod sales according to Apple's yearly financial results:
[[Image:IPod sales yearly.png|thumb|300px|iPod yearly sales according to Apple.]]
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" class="wikitable"
|-
! Fiscal year
! iPods sold
|-
| 2002
| 381,000<ref name="iPod sales">http://ccbn.10kwizard.com/xml/download.php?repo=tenk&ipage=3126557&format=PDF</ref>
|-
| 2003
| 939,000<ref name="iPod sales" />
|-
| 2004
| 4,416,000<ref name="iPod sales" />
|-
| 2005
| 22,497,000<ref>http://ccbn.10kwizard.com/xml/download.php?repo=tenk&ipage=3814962&format=PDF</ref>
|-
| '''Total'''
| 28,233,000
|}
iPod sales according to Apple's quarterly financial results:
[[Image:IPod sales quarterly.png|thumb|300px|iPod quarterly sales according to Apple.]]
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" class="wikitable"
|-
! Fiscal quarter
! iPods sold
|-
| 2003 Q4
| 336,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2003/oct/15results.html</ref>
|-
| 2004 Q1
| 733,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/jan/14results.html</ref>
|-
| 2004 Q2
| 807,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/apr/14results.html</ref>
|-
| 2004 Q3
| 860,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/jul/14results.html</ref>
|-
| 2004 Q4
| 2,016,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2004/oct/13results.html</ref>
|-
| 2005 Q1
| 4,580,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jan/12results.html</ref>
|-
| 2005 Q2
| 5,311,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/apr/13results.html</ref>
|-
| 2005 Q3
| 6,155,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jul/13results.html</ref>
|-
| 2005 Q4
| 6,451,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/oct/11results.html</ref>
|-
| 2006 Q1
| 14,043,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/jan/18results.html</ref>
|-
| 2006 Q2
| 8,526,000<ref>http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2006/apr/19results.html</ref>
|-
| '''Total'''
| 49,818,000
|}
==Advertising==
[[Image:Places toronto billboard iPod.jpg|thumb|An iPod billboard in midtown Toronto.]][[Image:Wrap advertising light rail.jpg|thumb|iPod Lightrail Wrap Advertising]]
Apple has promoted the iPod and iTunes brands in several successful advertising campaigns, a large number of which are part of their series of [[Apple iPod silhouette commercials|silhouette commercials]]. The first iPod ad, featuring the tagline "A thousand songs, in your pocket" was launched alongside iPod in November 2001. The ad can be viewed on Apple's web site.<ref>[http://www.apple.com/hardware/ads/ipod_beat.html Beat.] The first iPod television ad.</ref>
In April 2003, Apple introduced a new ad campaign in conjunction with the launch of the [[iTunes Music Store]]. The ads featured informally dressed persons wearing iPods and giving animated silent renditions of popular songs, accompanied by dancing, [[air guitar]], and other performances. The commercials featured a wide range of music, including [[The Who]]'s ''[[My Generation]]'', [[Sir Mix-a-lot]]'s ''[[Baby Got Back]]'', [[Pink (musician)|Pink]]'s ''There You Go'', and [[Eminem]]'s ''[[Lose Yourself]]''.
In October 2003, Apple released their first TV commercial of the silhouette campaign, which had already been featured for some time in print. It featured silhouettes dancing to music while listening to iPods. These commercials featured popular songs, such as [[The Vines]]' ''Ride'', [[The Caesars]]' ''Jerk it Out'', [[Gorillaz]]' ''[[Feel Good Inc.]]'', [[Steriogram]]'s ''Walkie-Talkie Man,'' [[Jet (band)|Jet's]] ''[[Are You Gonna Be My Girl]]'', [[Propellerheads]]' ''Take California'', [[Ozomatli]]'s ''Saturday Night'', [[N.E.R.D.]]'s ''Rock Star (Jason Nevin's Mix)'', [[Franz Ferdinand (band)|Franz Ferdinand's]] ''[[Take Me Out (single)|Take Me Out]]'', [[Daft Punk]]'s ''[[Technologic]]'', and many more. To commemorate the launch of the [[U2]] iPod, Apple released an ad featuring a music video of ''[[Vertigo (song)|Vertigo]]'' (featuring the band as characteristic iPod silhouettes).<ref>Jim Dalrymple. "[http://www.macworld.com/news/2004/10/12/u2ads/index.php New iPod ads feature U2]." [[Macworld]]. Accessed on [[August 22]], [[2005]].</ref>
The iPod shuffle was released alongside TV commercials featuring silhouettes dancing on a green background with Apple's shuffle symbol moving underneath them, showing their intent on incorporating their silhouette campaign with each of their products. At the release of the iPod nano, a commercial was aired depicting pairs of hands turning over and examining the device, emphasizing its small size, and fighting over it. With the release of iPod with Video, a new commercial was released showing the new iPod's video playing capabilities. The ad featured [[U2]]'s [[Original of the Species]] from the [[Vertigo: Live From Chicago]] DVD. Two more ads were released featuring [[Eminem]] and [[Wynton Marsalis]]. Although the ad still featured the silhouettes, Apple changed the background to an orange 'urban' theme in the Eminem version, and a 'cool' blue jazz look to the Wynton Marsalis variant.
On [[March 17]], [[2006]], Apple released another new iPod ad. This ad departed from the traditional silhouette style, and featured thousands of CD covers pouring into an iPod nano. The ad again uses the tagline "1,000 Songs in Your Pocket," in reference to the original iPod launch ads. This commercial features the song "Cubicle" by the French electro rock band [[Rinocerose|Rinôçérôse]].<ref>http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads/</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of iPod model numbers]]
*[[Motorola ROKR E1]], the first iTunes-enabled [[mobile phone]]
*[[Motorola SLVR]] L7, the latest iTunes-enabled mobile phone
*[[Walkman|Sony Walkman]]
*[[iPod wedding]]
*[[iPodLinux]]
*[[Rockbox]]
*[[Comparison of iPod Managers]]
==References==
<div class="references-small">
*{{cite book|title=The iPod Book : Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod and the iTunes Music Store |author=Scott Kelby|pages=288| publisher=Peachpit Press |id=ISBN 0321422287|year=[[October 25]], [[2005]]}}
*{{cite book|title=iPod & iTunes: The Missing Manual|author=Jude Biersdorfer|pages=328|publisher=O'Reilly Media|id=ISBN 059652675X |year=[[March 20]], [[2006]]}}
*{{cite book|title=iPod & iTunes For Dummies, 3rd Edition|author=Tony Bove, Cheryl Rhodes|pages=390| publisher=For Dummies|id=ISBN 0471747394|year=[[September 30]], [[2005]]}}
*{{cite book|title=iPod Fan Book|author= Yasukuni Notomi|pages=112|publisher=O'Reilly|id=ISBN 0596007760|year=[[September 13]], [[2004]]}}
*{{cite book|title=Cult of iPod|author=[[Leander Kahney]]|pages=160|publisher=No Starch Press|id=ISBN 1593270666|year=[[November 1]], [[2005]]}}
</div>
==Notes==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
<!-- Dead note "applepr": "[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/jul/13results.html Apple Reports Third Quarter Results]." Apple. Accessed on [[August 23]], [[2005]]. -->
<!-- Dead note "pepsi-riaa": Theresa Howard. "[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2004-01-22-sb-pepsi_x.htm Pepsi ads wink at music downloading]." USA Today. Accessed on [[August 22]], [[2005]]. -->
<!-- Dead note "eminem": Ina Fried. "[http://news.com.com/Eminem+settles+with+Apple+over+iPod+commercial/2100-1047_3-5701645.html Eminem settles with Apple over iPod commercial]." c|net News.com. Accessed on [[August 22]], [[2005]]. -->
==External links==
{{commons|iPod}}
{{wikiquote|iPod}}
*[http://www.apple.com/ipod/ Apple iPod] — Official website
:*[http://www.apple.com/ipod/specs.html iPod Specs Comparison Chart]
*[http://www.ilounge.com/ iLounge] — An independent site for iPod news, reviews, tutorials and discussions with over 90,000 members.
*[http://www.ipodgarage.com iPod Garage Forums & News] -iPod News, iPod accessories reviews, tutorials, forums, and music reviews
*[http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,64286,00.html Inside Look at Birth of the iPod]
*[http://www.fortune.com/fortune/technology/articles/0,15114,370935,00.html ''Apple's 21st-Century Walkman''] — Brent Schlender writing for Fortune [[October 30]], [[2001]]
*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5457472/site/newsweek/ iPod Nation] — Steven Levy writing for Newsweek [[July 26]], [[2004]]
*[http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/news/engineering-magazine/archives/cem-fall-2005/Behind-the-Music.cfm ''Behind the Music''] — Ken Aaron writing for Cornell Engineering 2005
*[http://businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2005/tc20051021_937792.htm ''The Numbers Inside The New iPod''] — Arik Hesseldahl writing for Business Week [[October 21]], [[2005]]
*[http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/comments/apple-computer-ipod-5g-with-video-30gb-60gb-ipod/ ''Apple Computer iPod 5G with Video (30GB/60GB)''] — Review by Jeremy Horwitz for iLounge
*[http://www.macintouch.com/ipodvidreview.html ''iPod Video (Review)''] — Robert Mohns writing for Macintouch [[October 25]], [[2005]]
*[http://pag.csail.mit.edu/~adonovan/hacks/ipod.html Use an iPod on Linux]
*[http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6450_7-6513844-1.html?tag=cnetfd.sd An iPod that's not an iPod] — Rockbox: Replacement iPod Firmware
*[http://sanjin.etf.ba/dead_ipod_4g_20gig.php Sanjin's Dead 4g iPod 20 Gig] — Pictures of inside the iPod
{{Apple hardware since 1998}}
[[Category:iPods|*]]
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