Music on the go is certainly nothing new, and with the popularization of the MP3 format in the late 90s and the revolution of the iPod, MP3 players are definitely a great potential gift. Looking for the perfect portable media player to suit your situation? You've come to the right place. Join us as we break down some of our favorite portable media picks in this feature series, starting with the iPod.
iPod
No one can start a portable media player guide without mentioning the preeminent portable media player. While the Apple iPod has had many incarnations (if you count the latest iPod classic, that'd be the sixth iteration of the original, not counting spinoffs) one thing remains the same: It's the blueprint for simplistic interfaces that let users navigate through large collections of music. The iPod has always had a premium price when compared with its portable media playing cousins, and the current crop of iPods is no different.
iPod classic
Like the name implies, the classic edition of the iPod takes the original design of the iPod to its logical extreme. The current incarnation of the iPod classic runs about $250 for 120GB of storage, and there's no option for any more or any less. We see the iPod classic as the sort of device that's perfect for the iTunes music store addicted music afficianado. If you, or your gift recipient, have large amounts of music and money tied up in the iTunes music store, and like the flexibility of carrying your entire volume of music around with you, the iPod classic is definitely the iPod of choice.
iPod touch
Recently refreshed to follow even more of Apple's new tapered design language, the iPod touch serves a marginally different audience than the classic iPod. Instead of being a device for carrying around extensive amounts of music, the iPod touch is more suited to someone who likes the flexibility and interface of Apple's iPhone, but wouldn't like to be tethered down to AT&T as a cell phone carrier. The iPod touch is more than a simple iPod, as the device supports all applications created for the iPhone, and in a sense can act like a Palm-era PDA. The iPod touch comes in 8GB, 16GB or 32GB storage capacities, and though the storage amounts seem pretty paltry when compared to the classic, the prices are much more than any other iPod. Expect to pay $229 for the 8GB, $299 for the 16GB, and $399 for the 32GB.
iPod nano
Smaller, smaller, smaller, that's always the mantra for new technology, right? The latest refresh of the iPod nano definitely seems thinner than previous nanos, but in actuality it's not that much thinner; the tapered edges simply make it seem smaller. Regardless of size, the latest nanos are definitely no slouch in the features department, adding accelerometer support for automatically detecting when to go into CoverFlow mode when the device is placed on its side. The nano has always been the iPod for someone looking for occasional music playback, perhaps for a workout, and someone who doesn't want to spend as much money on a larger capacity iPod. The new nanos come in a range of colors, nine colors in all, and will cost $149 for the 8GB model, and $199 for the 16GB version.
iPod shuffle
The iPod shuffle isn't exactly a powerhouse of MP3 playing power, but the screenless device is fairly inexpensive, with the 1GB costing $49 and 2GB going or $69. Really, the iPod shuffle is perfect for someone who doesn't have a large music collection, and would just like an MP3 player to listen to a few songs here and there or clip on while jogging. Serious MP3 buyers should look past it, but the device might be a good casual gift.
Which of these devices is your fav? Which device is perfect for everyone, or should be avoided completely? Sound off in the comments below. We'll have a few more of these guides, with the next one highlighting Microsoft's latest media players, the different incarnations of the Zune.
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