David Taintor

When I walked the halls of my high school with my brand new iPod I got for Christmas my freshman year, I thought I was the man, or, woman. Very few people had the fascinating device in 2004, though a decent number also received the sought-after electronic as a gift. For the first time ever, high-schoolers owned fairly expensive electronics, mine costing $300.

This is why I was probably a little overprotective of it at first. I didn’t have a case right away, so it was neatly nestled in a Twin’s Homerun Hanky in my backpack for the first few weeks of its life. That’s when Apple really went nuts with the different accessories to accompany one’s iPod.

Cases, iTrips, charging docks, mini stereo speakers – the list went on and on. And every iPod owner wanted every accessory. I was partial to my iTrip, even though it was interrupted by any frequency from a passing car, which became annoying living in an urban area.

The iPod previous to mine is even more prehistoric-looking though. It had a scroll wheel that actually spun and was even thicker, with a hold switch I doubt anyone would know how to control today.

My iPod is unique from all other previous and future iPods. It had four buttons above the scroll wheel that lit up orange with the backlight. Also, my generation three iPod has 10GB of

memory, or 2,500 songs. This has become a predicament for my storage needs, as my iTunes holds almost three times as much music.

The next iPod to come out eliminated the four buttons outside the wheel and returned to the classic style, shortly before introducing the first color iPod and the iPod mini. There were colored iPods now? I started to feel as though my iPod had been replaced by the latest and greatest “fad.” White was the signature iPod color. Why would anyone want a different color? Everyone got the iPod mini for Christmas and Hanukkah the next year, including my sister, who opted for lime green.

The next big innovation Apple crafted for its iPods was the ability to play videos, with the infamous U2 video. The video iPod now held twice as many songs as mine, plus came in black. Apple also made an even smaller iPod than the mini, the nano. At this point, kids weren’t cool for having an iPod, they were uncool for not having one and not having the latest and greatest model. I sensed my temporary rise in social status had just ended.

Now with the invention of the iPod Touch, and the upgraded iPod classic and iPod nano, prices have dropped, sizes have shrunk, and memory has increased. Plus, they all have more neat tricks that my iPod could never fathom doing. The iPod touch can connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, where owners can check email and peruse Apple’s Web site for new “Apps.”

The new nano and classic iPods have the new “cover flow” feature, where owners can search for music by the album cover.

But I still love my iPod, even though many of my friends and co-workers scoff at my “antique” of an MP3 player, rather than look on in adoration. I even had someone pass me on the hill once, asking if that was a “real” iPod I was listening to.

Most people have had some sort of problem with their iPods, and I have never had a single one. Mine is still kicking after more than five years, so why would I buy a new one? I’m sticking with the retro version of one of the most popular inventions of our time.

Cegla is a sophomore public relations major and showcase editor for The Spectator.