iPod 4.0
There’s another iPod on the block. The fourth, and undoubtedly best, iteration of Apple’s popular MP3 player arrives lean and mean. The big selling points are the new click wheel navigation system and the 12 hour battery life. The latest design is slimmer, by a hair, and sexier, with curves where the corners used to be. Those who haven’t joined the party yet can get in on the action at a lower cost too; $399 for a 40 gig player (room for 10,000 songs), $299 for 20 gigs (5,000 songs).
Personally, I’d put the iPod right up there with my Olympus DM-10 Digital Voice Recorder as one of the crucial, indispensable, 21st Century tchochkes. There’s nothing like loading up thousands of your favorite songs, then hitting “shuffle” before heading out for a jog. It’s really like having your own personal radio station. I’ve had one recurring problem, though, with my old boxy 20 gig Pod: playback “crashes” mid-tune, for no apparent reason. Other than that, it’s going strong. Will I upgrade? No reason at the moment. But I’ll suggest that my friends who haven’t bought an iPod yet get in line.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.