Contents

Know more about this
(or any other) subject?

Show off your know-how at Quamut Wiki.

Learn more with these titles from Barnes & Noble

iPodpedia: The Ultimate iPod and iTunes Resource

The iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod and the iTunes Store, Third Edition

iPod Book: Doing Cool Stuff with the iPod and the iTunes Store, Fourth Edition

The iPhone Book: How to Do the Things You Want to Do With Your iPhone

A world of music is just a click away.

Apple’s iPod® and iTunes® have revolutionized the way people manage and enjoy music and video. It’s never too late to hop aboard the digital media bandwagon, so get yourself started with the lowdown on how to:

Buy the right iPod model for you and master its controls in no time
Install iTunes and use it to organize and buy music and video
Configure your iPod and iTunes to meet your needs and preferences

What’s an iPod?

The iPod®, made by Apple, is the world’s most popular digital music player. But it’s also much more—in combination with Apple’s iTunes® software, an iPod is a complete multimedia system in a compact package.

Music: Music from CDs or any other audio source can be converted to digital files. iPods can store thousands of these files, making it possible to keep your entire music library in your pocket. You can use iTunes software to organize your music files and to buy music from the more than 6 million songs available online at Apple’s iTunes Store.
Videos: The most current iPod models can store and play video, including music videos, TV shows, and movies—all of which are sold through the iTunes Store.
Photos: You can load up to 25,000 digital photos onto your iPod, create slide shows of your favorite photos, or display photos from your iPod on a TV.
Podcasts: A podcast is like a radio broadcast, except that rather than tune in at a particular time, you subscribe. Whenever a new episode is created, it downloads automatically to your iTunes for free. At the iTunes Store, you’ll find podcasts on thousands of topics created by professional broadcasters, such as CNN and NPR, and amateurs with a passion for a particular subject. (For more information, see the Quamut guide to Podcasting.)
Internet: The iPod touch is equipped with Wi-Fi and Apple’s web browser, Safari, enabling you to connect to the web or the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store anytime you’re in range of a Wi-Fi connection.

Understanding iPod Memory

Different iPods have different storage capacities, or memory, which is measured in gigabytes (GB). The larger an iPod’s memory, the more songs and videos it can hold. For every 1 GB of memory, an iPod can hold approximately:

250 songs
1.25 hours of video

For instance, an 80 GB iPod could hold a maximum of 20,000 songs or a maximum 100 hours of video. If the iPod held both music and video content, it couldn’t reach the maximum possible in either category. Also, note that these figures are estimates, since the space a song or video takes up depends on its length, sound, image quality, etc.

iPod Models

The iPod family has four members: the iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and iPod touch. The right model for you depends on how you plan to use your iPod.

iPod classic

The iPod classic is the flagship of the iPod family. If you want an iPod that can store your entire music library, this is the model for you. The classic has a 2.5" color display, a battery that lasts 30–40 hours for music playback (5–7 hours for video playback), and either 80 or 160 GB of memory. It can also hold up to 25,000 photos. The classic comes in black or silver and ranges from $249–349, depending on the memory.

iPod nano

A smaller version of the iPod classic, the iPod nano has 4–8 GB and is as thin as a pencil. It’s a good choice if you value portability over storage capacity but still want a model with a screen—the nano has a 2" color screen that can display photos and video. The battery lasts up to 24 hours for music playback and up to 5 hours for video playback. The nano is available in five colors and ranges from $149–199.

iPod shuffle

The iPod shuffle is an audio-only iPod that’s about 1.5" × 1" and has a built-in clip to attach it to your clothing. This iPod has no screen but has 1 GB of memory and lets you play songs in order or shuffle them randomly. It holds up to 240 songs, and its battery lasts for up to 12 hours of playback. The shuffle comes in five colors and costs $79.

iPod touch

The newest iPod, the iPod touch, has a 3.5" touchscreen display that you touch to control various functions. The touch comes with either 8 or 16 GB of memory. The 16 GB version can hold up to 3,500 songs, 20,000 photos, or 20 hours of video. The battery lasts for up to 22 hours for music playback and up to 5 hours for video playback. The touch costs $299 for the 8 GB model and $399 for the 16 GB model.

The touch also features Wi-Fi, Apple’s Safari web browser, a YouTube player, and built-in access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store. This means you can browse the web, watch videos on YouTube, and buy and listen to songs instantly whenever you’re in range of a Wi-Fi connection.

iPod Computer System Requirements

All members of the iPod family can run on both Macintosh computers and Windows computers (PCs). However, an iPod works only with computers that have these specs:

If you’re using a Mac: It must have a USB 2.0 port, and the operating system must be Mac OS X® version 10.4.8 or later. The touch requires OS X 10.4.10 or later.
If you’re using a Windows PC: It must have a USB 2.0 port, and the operating system must be Windows Vista® or Windows XP Home® or Professional® with Service Pack 2® or later.

Acknowledgments & Disclaimer