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IPod is a convergent digital audio player and portable hard drive from Apple Computer [1]. It can be purchased with either a 10GB, 15GB, or 30GB hard drive. Additionally, it can also be connected to the computer through a USB or FireWire port. Furthermore, it is also possible for users to input music from an entire CD onto an iPod within 10 seconds. In addition, iPod supports most audio file formats, such as [MP3] and WAV (SearchMobileComputing, 2005). Moreover, there are popular features in iPod, which includes a calendar, alarm clock, address book and other useful functions. All these features attract many young people because the device provides many convenient functions to its users.
iPod was first introduced on the 23rd of October, 2001 (Uber-Review, 2005). The original iPod was available with a 5GB hard drive and it cost $399 (Uber-Review, 2005). After its first launch, the 10GB version was announced in March, 2002 (Uber-Review, 2005). The 20GB version was than introduced at $499 with a price drop of $100 for the other two models in July (Uber-Review, 2005). Furthermore, the mechanical scroll wheel was designed by Apple but developed by Synaptics [2] (Uber-Review, 2005). There are four generations of iPod in the market to date. The second generation iPod replaced the scroll wheel to a touch-sensitive and non-moving wheel (Uber-Review, 2005). In April 2003, the third generation iPod was introduced, which has 20GB 3G with dock, earphones and a belt-clip carrying case (Uber-Review, 2005). The iPod mini was introduced in January 2004 followed by the fourth generation iPod in July (Uber-Review, 2005).
The iPod, iTunes Music Store [3] and the PowerMac G5 [4], Apple is one of the trendy companies that specialises in youth culture (Kahney, 2004). Researchers found out that youngsters called it as the “cool hunters�? (Kahney, 2004). In addition, Apple is one of the top five brands for youngsters. Research has shown that the iPod is the No.2 “must have�? item for the back to school season (Kahney, 2004). This shows that the youth of today are interested in owning an iPod, which also indicates that iPod is in high demand, especially for young people.
What will be the next iPod invention that would attract young people? Will it be a new design for storing movies and projecting them on television or building a satellite radio receiver with recording functions (Breen, 2005, xxii)? Furthermore, there was an announcement regarding the launch of the new hybrid iPod, which combines iPod photos with the existing classical iPods. Moreover, iPod is just the beginning of a continued line of Apple’s popular production. It will continue to produce more convenient and trendy products, especially products which attract adolescents. In the future, the number of young people buying iPod will increase. It is a trendy and convenient product for the society, especially adolescents.
Youth Culture and New Technologies
Joanne Chin Li Ling 00:17, 26 Oct 2005 (EST)
