Happy 17th Birthday to Apple's Original iPod

[hsotnicam8002]

I would still like to have another nano version. I find it better to use the tiny nano in bed overnight. Turning over, lugging my iPhone XS Max could knock my wife unconscious.

(There is a well documented problem with the sound volume when using AirPods with the nano.)

 

[FelixDerKater]

The first Apple product someone stole from me. No Find My iPod back then...

 

[bodonnell202]

It was the first 64-bit "A" chip.

No that was the A7.

 

[puma1552]

abandoning the nano/shuffle for exercisers was pretty stupid imo, especially as people generally become more active compared to prior decades.

wont see me carrying a big ass phone on a run

 

[CTHarrryH]

I have one -when it first came out it was a different device for connecting to a Windows machine than a Mac. You needed a card installed in a Windows machine to provide the proper interface.

I think I'll pull mine out of where I store it.
Wow 17 years.

 

[KazKam]

Um, You can store songs on your iPhone just like your iPod, synced with iTunes, just like your iPod. That's what the "Library" Heading in "Music" is all about.

What am I missing?

What you're missing is the extra layer you have to go through to "Downloaded Music" to do anything that involves just playing the playlists and songs that are actually on your device, you know, like an original iPod. I guess I'd be happy(er) if they'd allow you to turn off iCloud/iTunes music purchases, and at the same time disable the entire layer that makes you have to select "Downloaded Music" to get to anything that's stored local... I don't want my entire iCloud/iTunes Music Library on my phone. I don't want Music app streaming music or shuffling Music I chose not to sync to my phone.

That's what you're missing.

 

[EBone12355]

My 1997 Honda had a single DIN radio with a separate single DIN single CD player. When the iPod came out in 2001, I bought a cassette tape player to replace the CD player (aux cords and FM Tuners weren't a thing yet). I got myself a cassette adapter, and plugged the other end into my new iPod.

To go from a single CD at a time, to having every song I owned playing through my car stereo speakers was truly amazing. I never listened to the radio in my car again. And then when podcasts came along, I was sure that terrestrial radio, with its commercial breaks and drop-outs under bridges, etc. was soon to be gone (Still surprised that hasn't happened).

 

[criticasm]

Amazing product that started it all.

Little known fact: Tim Cook cornered the storage market that locked out competitors from competing with the fast storage found in iPod.

He was the genius behind the iPod execution.

Also a fact: Tim's tactic wasn't his genius it's a legendary business move pioneered by Robert R. Taylor creator of Softsoap.

 

[EBone12355]

I have one -when it first came out it was a different device for connecting to a Windows machine than a Mac. You needed a card installed in a Windows machine to provide the proper interface.

I think I'll pull mine out of where I store it.
Wow 17 years.

They used an original Firewire interface, so you had to add one to your computer.

 

[bodonnell202]

abandoning the nano/shuffle for exercisers was pretty stupid imo, especially as people generally become more active compared to prior decades.

wont see me carrying a big ass phone on a run

The Apple Watch has basically replaced them and also supports Apple Music (the Nano and Shuffle did not) and fitness tracking. I think the Nano and Shuffle didn't really have a place in the lineup anymore.

 

[Baymowe335]

Also a fact: Tim's tactic wasn't his genius it's a legendary business move pioneered by Robert R. Taylor creator of Softsoap.

The genius wasn’t in the idea of cornering...that’s been around for thousands of years. The genius was the execution and the confidence it could be done. Tim negotiated the deal and is one reason why Jobs said Tim is a better negotiator than him.
[doublepost=1540334235][/doublepost]

I thought you meant originally from 2001 not from 2005, i don't think he ever lead the team though

He led the execution of these kinds of deals as SVP of ops, then as COO.

 

[cmaier]

My kid, who has a hand me down iPhone X, is still pissed that she doesn’t have an iPod.

Kids.

 

[surfsofa]

I still have my 1st gen iPod. If anyone knows of a source for a replacement hard drive, or a clever, more modern way to get storage working on a 1st gen, PLEASE reply. Knowing Apple hardware I'm sure the iPod will still work if I can just find a replacement for the dead hard drive.

 

[lunarworks]

It's hard to say how much the iPod changed. It revolutionized how we consume music, and set Apple's course for the next decade.

I've still got my 3rd gen one. It doesn't work because I once used it to make bootable install media for a broken iMac, and now need a Firewire port to get it back to normal.

 

[Michael Scrip]

My entry into the iPod world was a 2nd Gen Nano 8GB in black. I purchased it in 2007.

I used the Nano until my first iPhone, the 4S, in 2011. Then I was all iPhone, all the time.

I found a 30-pin cable and I've got the Nano charging right now. It's like a time capsule seeing what podcasts I was listening to at the time!

 

[Yvan256]

The Apple Watch has basically replaced them and also supports Apple Music (the Nano and Shuffle did not) and fitness tracking. I think the Nano and Shuffle didn't really have a place in the lineup anymore.

If Apple thinks a $300 Apple watch can replace a $40 iPod shuffle, they really are out of touch with regular people.

 

[seinman]

From Gen 2 forward they supported USB, too (for the Windows market). If it is truly a Gen 1, then you will have to get an Apple TB2 -> FW adapter to use it.

Gen 2 was also Firewire only. Gen 3 was the first with the dock connector, which allowed it to work with either Firewire or USB, depending on which cable you purchased. I stuck with Firewire though, when I got the 3rd gen as my first ever Apple product purchase. It was much faster than USB 2.0, and charged faster, too. I was a Windows user at the time, but already had both six- and four-pin Firewire ports because I was interested in video editing as a hobby and all the digital camcorders of the day used Firewire to transfer footage for editing.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Got mine shortly after release. It was a true game changer to have that much music with you in your pocket.

 

[cmaier]

If Apple thinks a $300 Apple watch can replace a $40 iPod shuffle, they really are out of touch with regular people.

The point is, if you already have an iPhone or Apple Watch you’ve got a very nice iPod PLUS lots of other functions. If all you care about is unstreamed music, they leave that to others to provide since they can’t add any value to such devices at this point.

 

[44267547]

This thread inspired me to grab mine off the shelf and see if it still works. Yep.

More pictures on my Tweet:

https://twitter.com/NuttingBH/status/1054842984972410883

It’s always interesting to see that your iPod is still operational, even after all these years, Apple really did put effort into their construction and Build quality with their products like the original iPod.

 

[trashmac]

Bought two iPod Classics on the day that I read (on this site) that Apple was going to discontinue them.
I now own three in all, one of which I have upgraded to 256GB flash drive storage. Works really well and has excellent battery life...

I still think it is the best sounding digital music playing device that I have ever owned. I listen to music on my long daily commute and thus prefer not to eat into the battery life of my iPhone.

The iPod classic is my favourite Apple device (and possibly my favourite consumer electronics product ever - closely followed by the TR-808 drum machine - but that's a story for another forum .

 

[now i see it]

I never bought one. Sound quality kinda sucked. The iPod was convenient but a far cry from hi-fi. At least to my ears anyway.

 

[FeliApple]

I got an iPod Touch 4G as my first Apple device. Would love to have one of these, though. My favourite Apple device is my iPod Touch 5G on iOS 6.0. Don't use it for much nowadays - Camera got replaced by newer devices, iOS too old for apps, Apple Music replaced the few songs I constantly listened to on my iPod - but I love it.

 

[Greenmeenie]

Man, i still have one of the original ipods with the click wheel. Dont use it, but it works fine. I also have the last ipod touch. I used to use tit less for music, and more for making wifi calls, texting and as a camera. I kinda always wished Apple would come out with a photography dedicated ipod touch. Something that was marketed as a camera device for serious photogs with state of the art cameras. Like 3 or 4 lenses. Will never happen, but i always thought thatd be cool

 

[Greymacuser]

It functioned much better than the current crop of iOS trash.