MP3s and iPods

  MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard technology and format for compressing a sound sequence into a very small file (about 1/12) while preserving the original level of sound quality. MP3 files (with extension mp3) are available for downloading from a hug number of Web sites. Remember Napster at the beginning? Many Windows users will find that they have a player built into their operating system. MP3s can also be burned to CDs and played on most CD players.
 

To create an MP3 file, you use a program called a ripper to get a selection from a CD onto your hard disk and another program called an encoder to convert the selection to an MP3 file. Most people, however, simply download MP3s from someone else and play them.

iPods

An iPod is a portable device for storing and playing audio files encoded by MP3 or AAC compression algorithms. The iPod was designed and is sold and marketed by Apple Computer. iPods have distinctive styling and can hold anywhere from a few hundred to ten thousand songs.

The first iPod was released in 2001, the original iPod came with a body of white Lucite and chrome. In 2003 Apple released the iPod Mini. It is about 1/3 the size of the original iPod and encased in a variety of shiny metallic colors. The smallest iPod is the Shuffle. Its reduced down to that of a package of stick gum and looked very much like the original. All iPods came with white headphones.

Apple's iPod continued the company's tradition of creating technology that is easy to use. When connected to a personal computer (PC), Windows or Macintosh, the iPod communicates with a piece of Apple software called iTunes. The iPod and iTunes work together to synchronize the songs available on the iPod to those available on the PC. This happens automatically, without any intervention being required from the user. This ease of use was a primary reason for the iPod's domination of the portable MP3 player market.