Intoduction

The iPod is a brand of pocket-sized ultralight hard-drive based audio players designed and marketed by Apple Computers. Today the iPod comes in a range of models such as the Nano, Shuffle and Mini (discontinued now). All of the models in the iPod family are designed to be user friendly, and can easily be used by young children. Therefore they offer a simple user interface and a central scroll wheel to browse the iPod navigation system. The scroll wheel has been redesigned for the various models, such as with the Nano. The Nano is so small the wheel used on the previous iPod's wouldn't fit. Unlike portable cassette or cd players the iPod stores media on built-in memory. This means you do not need to insert a cassette or a cd. The older models like the iPod 20GB and Mini use a hard drive, while the smaller and more modern iPod Nano and Shuffle use flash memory.

Currently in 2005 Apple are offering these models (subject to change),

• Model - Storage - Songs - Display
• iPod - 20GB disk - 5,000 2" - colour
• iPod - U2* 20GB disk - 5,000 2" - colour
• iPod - 60GB disk - 15,000 2" - colour
• iPod Photo - 60GB disk - 15,000 2" - colour
• iPod Mini - 4GB disk - 1,000 1.7" - mono
• iPod Mini - 6GB disk - 1,500 1.7" - mono
• iPod Nano - 2GB flash - 500 1.5" - colour
• iPod Nano - 4GB flash - 1,000 1.5" - colour
• iPod Shuffle - 512MB flash - 125 - none
• iPod Shuffle - 1GB flash - 250 - none

Additional models since 2005,

• iPod classic 160GB - none
• iPod touch 8GB - colour
• iPod touch 16GB - colour
• iPod nano 8GB - colour
• iPod Classic Silicon Sleeve - 80Gb - colour

2007 was not only about the iPhone. Apple had a total makeover of it's iPod lineup. The iPod Touch featured the iPhone interface, and players like the Nano had an upgrade to be more video friendly. Below are pictures of the new 2007 lineup,

New Nano redesign 2007

Classic 2007

The Touch which features the iPhone interface

The following is a help guide to finding a cheap ipod from the various comparison services and retailers found online.