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So, it happened. The iPod is now 15 years old. Do you remember the time before that? My life was all about those awful USB MP3 players with a measly 128MB of memory. I did move up to a Rio Blue but it was still shite and then Apple did what they always do, see a market and then step in to make it better and that’s exactly what they did.

A thousand songs in your pocket, that was the promise. A black and white screen, a physical click wheel and 5GB of storage was just the start. As time and passed the evolution of the iPod took shape. My first experience was the iPod video. It was chunky but it changed the way I listened to music. I then moved onto the Nano 2nd generation and then the best of all the 6th gen Nano, and yes I was one of those sad sacks that bought a wrist strap for it. I am so ashamed. Finally while you could only get an iPhone on O2 back in 2007 in the UK and being a T-Mobile customer I bought the first iPod Touch and it was a revelation and the reason I sport an iPhone today.

I also got my wife a second gen Shuffle and then moved her up to a 5th gen Nano, the one with the camera and for my daughter a 3rd gen shuffle, devices they still use today. As a device it was a game changer which was odd as MP3 players had been around for yonks before its release. I think it was the air of cool that Apple brought to the market. Who could forget the iconic advertising with the white ear buds? It was a status symbol.

Originally iPods only worked on Macs and synced via firewire but Steve Jobs was dragged kicking and screaming to bring it to Windows which in my opinion was the secret to its success.

This really was the start of the post-PC era. Portable devices that we carried around with us that really made a difference to our lives.

Obviously the iPod in 2016 has fallen out of favour. It’s not been updated in quite a while and sales have fallen through the floor being replaced by our smartphones. But if you think about it the iPod was such an important gadget and 15 years later it still holds fond memories.

So here’s to you my fave little MP3 player you have been amazing.

Author

Paul Wright

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