ipod Nano (5th Gen.)

The advent of the mp3 player created a complete shift in the way we access, buy, and listen to music. With the development of hard drive space, mp3 players became more and more a reality as companies could fit more songs onto a single device. Throughout the past ten years, one device has dominated the market: The Apple ipod. The ipod's combination of sleek and simple form both on the outside and within, have made it one of the most iconic pieces of technology of my generation.

Apple has produces over 6 generations of the traditional ipod, with several other models along the years. The 5^th generation ipod nano packs an incredible amount of features and storage space in a thin, smooth casing. The model boasts 16GB of storage space, while also housing an FM radio tuner, a video camera, alarms, calendars, games, voice memos, a stop watch... and of course the ability to store and play music, images, and video.The shape of the device is a thin and rectangular with elliptical shaped depth, allowing the device to rest nicely in the palm. My particular model is a charcoal grey, which is accented by a black frame around the screen, as well as a black click wheel. The texture of the devices is glossy and smooth. The edges are rounded off, making it sometimes hard to hold unless your hand is behind it. The overall layout has an a-symmetrical balance, with the screen taking up most of the device, balanced by the compact wheel at the bottom.

Beyond the exterior, the ipod has it's own distinct graphic user interface that reacts to a touch sensitive click-wheel. The GUI is a simple illuminated white screen, with a silver information bar at the top, and a black text list of functions the iPod can perform. The unique feature that apple is known for is the touch sensitive wheel that allows the user to smoothly scroll through the device's contents, control volume, and scroll through album covers to select a particular artist. This smooth scrolling that makes the device feel like more than a mere music player. Also, switching between menus and songs is followed by a short, transition that smoothly navigates the user through the device. This again creates a smooth elegance that helps develop a sense of beauty within the iPod.

After almost ten years on the market, the iPod has been widely copied, yet very few have come close to replicating both it's physical attractiveness and simple, flawless user interface. This is a perfect example of Apple products and why they are so sought after. A music player should not leave the user questioning how to get to their music. It should be simple, concise, and above all, something the user will want to have with at all moments in their lives.