The iPod has been around since 2001 and at one point was the way to listen to your music on the go. The white headphones became synonymous with cool and the device was favoured for its sleek, clean design. There are different iPod models available that suit different needs. Apple tend to update their range every year, so it can be difficult to keep track of what they all do and which would be best for you. If you are looking to buy an iPod then hopefully this guide will prove useful in differentiating all the models and their respective features.
The first iPod is the Shuffle, which is the smallest of the range in every sense. Not only is it the cheapest iPod you can get, but it is physically tiny at 29 x 31.6 x 8.7 mm. It also only comes with 2 GB space, so this is not the device for those who have vast amounts of music. There is no screen, with the front of the iPod offering only buttons like play and skip. Songs can either be played in order or shuffled (determined by a switch on the top) and the computerised voice over will tell you what track is playing if desired. The iPod Shuffle is probably the perfect music player for sport, like if you are going out for a run. It has a clip on the back which means that it can easily attach to your clothes.
The next iPod is the Nano. This has a 2.5 inch touch display and is only 5.4 mm thin. It only comes in one size, 16 GB. There are buttons on the side of the device that let you change volume, play/pause and change songs without the need to turn on the screen. The iPod Nano has the ability to watch video on it, although this isn’t totally desirable with the small screen. It also has other features like Bluetooth, meaning that it works with a variety of wireless accessories, and FM radio to give you a break from your music collection. The radio even lets you rewind up to 15 minutes if you need to pause it.
What was the original iPod is now known as the iPod Classic. Of the bunch, it is the only one to feature Apple’s patented click wheel (meaning no touch screen). This is the biggest capacity device of the bunch, offering 160 GB of space. It comes in black or silver and shapes in at 103.5 x 61.8 x 10.5 mm (and a fair weight at 140 grams). It’s quite likely that the Classic will eventually be phased out, so if it appeals to you then snap it up while you can.
Finally, there is the iPod Touch. This could be seen as the iPhone without the phone. The fifth generation model has a front and rear facing camera, can record video at 1080p, is capable of running apps and games and has WiFi capabilities. It has a 4 inch touch screen and comes in either 32 GB or 64 GB capacities. It is also the most expensive iPod. If you can afford it then it is definitely the one to go for since it offers the most features (although less than half the storage of the Classic).