Ipod Touch - 2007
The iPod touch designed and marketed by is an iPod portable media playerApple Inc. The device, which features a multi-touch interface, was unveiled to the general public on September 5, 2007 as part of an event dubbed “The Beat Goes On”, which featured the introduction of Cover Flow to the iPod line. The iPod touch uses 8 or 16 GB of flash memory. It also has Wi-Fi and includes Safari, Apple’s web browser. The iPod touch is the first generation of the iPod line to include wireless access to the iTunes Store. The iPod touch also has the capability to detect the current and last 10 songs playing in a Starbucks café within the vicinity of the device, and offers the user the opportunity to download the tracks in the iTunes music store. This feature will slowly be offered in limited markets. There are currently no plans to expand into stores other than those in the USA.
The iPod touch has a touch screen interface similar to that of the iPhone. Like the iPhone, it includes a physical home button separate from the touch screen. The home screen includes a headphone set, an alarm clock and also a list of buttons corresponding to the available applications: Music, Videos, Photos, iTunes on the bottom button row. Safari, YouTube, Calendar, Contacts, Clock, Calculator, and Settings are at the top. The iPod touch comes preloaded with 28 wallpaper photos, some of which are figures from the iPod advertisements.
On October 17, 2007, Steve Jobs, in an open letter posted onto Apple’s webpage, announced that a software development kit (SDK) for the iPhone would be made available to third-party developers in February 2008. Due to security concerns and Jobs’ praise of Nokia’s digital signature system, it is also suggested that Apple will adopt a similar method. The SDK will also apply to the iPod touch.
The iPod nano designed and marketed by is a mid-range iPod portable media playerApple Inc. It was first introduced on September 7, 2005, and combines features of both the iPod shuffle and iPod classic. It was intended to replace the iPod mini, which was discontinued on the same day. The replacement of the mini took Apple-related websites and the press completely by surprise since, although there were rumors about a new flash memory-based iPod, there was no prior notice of the popular mini being discontinued.Development work on the design of the iPod nano started only nine months before its launch date. The nano uses flash memory, like the shuffle, but with a miniaturized version of the color screen and click wheel found on the iPod classic. The screen also has the same resolution as the classic. The battery and other internal parts were also reduced in size from the mini.
model at On September 12, 2006, Apple announced the release of the second generation iPod shuffle, calling it “the most wearable iPod ever”. First shipments of the unit were slated for an October 2006 arrival, but actually started shipping on Friday, November 3, 2006. The new generation featured a lone 1 GBUS$79, GB£49, CA$89, AU$119 or €89 (France) in a silver brushed aluminum case similar to the second generation iPod nano and the older iPod mini. The new model is less than half the size of the first generation model at 41.2 x 27.3 x 10.5 mm (1.62 x 1.07 x 0.41 in), and is reminiscent of the iPod radio remote available for iPod nanos and 5th generation iPods. Apple branded it as the “world’s smallest MP3 player”. This size includes the new built-in belt clip; the actual unit itself is thinner, with the entire device weighing only 15.5 g (0.55 ounces). The power and shuffle/no shuffle switches were also separated into two controls to prevent accidental choice of shuffle when that may not be the desired mode of operation. The formatting of the iPod itself is new to Apple, as the 2G (2nd Generation) Shuffle will only format itself to FAT32. iTunes issues a warning that the iPod is incorrectly formatted if brought to the Macintosh format HFS+. All previous iPod models have allowed the usage of either the Mac format or the PC format.On the second generation iPod shuffle, USB connectivity is provided via an included dock, which transfers data through the headphone jack. The second generation iPod shuffle is also able to act as a flash drive, just like the first generation iPod Shuffle. However, unlike the first generation iPod shuffle, the second generation does not have a built-in USB connector. This means the dock is required for connection to a computer on the second generation model.
On January 30, 2007, Apple announced the addition of four new colors to the iPod shuffle line. In addition to the original silver, a pink, orange, green, and blue color has been made available via the Apple Store (online). Of the colours the blue, green, and pink are essentially the same hues as the second generation minis and nanos. The new orange color is a first for the iPod franchise. They also now come with the new redesigned headphones that were not included with the original silver model. The box was also changed to have gray text instead of the lime-green text, lime-green showing that the original headphones are included, and gray text showing that the new headphones are included.
During a special iPod-centric event on September 5, 2007, Steve Jobs introduced the sixth generation iPod and the retronym suffix “classic”. Featuring slightly thinner bodies, the sixth generation classic also sported dramatically improved battery life, reaching up to 40 hours of music playback and 7 hours of video playback. The front plate of the iPod is now made of anodized aluminum instead of polycarbonate plastic, and Signature iPod White has been replaced by silver. The sixth generation classic also introduced a completely overhauled user interface, incorporating more graphics and Cover Flow. The sixth generation classic is offered in an 80 GB (20,000 songs) model for US$249 and a 160 GB (40,000 songs) model for US$349. The U2 special edition has been dropped.
The fifth generation iPod was introduced on October 12, 2005, shortly after the introduction of the iPod nano. The fifth generation classic, known by many as the iPod video, featured a 2.5″ 320×240 QVGA screen and a smaller Click Wheel. The fifth generation iPod is the first classic iPod to be available in an alternative color scheme in a non-special edition form, as a black option was added alongside “Signature iPod White”, and marked the second full redesign of the iPod’s aesthetic with its re-arranged proportions, its return to a fully flat front plate, and its more rounded rear casing. The 10-pin remote port was removed as well, causing backwards accessory compatibility issues. A 30 GB model was offered for US$299 and a 60 GB model was offered for US$399. The 5G iPod was also offered in the U2 special edition for US$349 with 30 GB.The fifth generation iPod plays video in MP4 (up to 2.5 Mbit/s) and H.264 (up to 1.5 Mbit/s, baseline profile only) formats. Video such as TV shows, podcasts, music videos, and movies may be purchased from online stores such as the iTunes Store, or downloaded from Google Video and other sources, then imported to the iPod via iTunes software.
The iPod mini and replaced by the designed and marketed by was a mid-range iPod digital audio playerApple Inc. It was announced on January 6, 2004 and released on February 20 of the same year. A second-generation version was announced on February 23, 2005 and released later that year. The iPod mini line was officially discontinued on September 7, 2005 iPod nano line.The iPod mini retained the touch-sensitive scroll wheel of the third generation iPod; however, instead of the four touch buttons located above the wheel, the buttons were made mechanical beneath the wheel itself—hence the name click wheel. To use one of the four buttons, the user must physically push the edge of the wheel inward over one of the four labels. Like its predecessors, the wheel was developed for Apple by Synaptics. The click wheel is now also used in the fourth, fifth and sixth generation iPods and the iPod nano, from first generation through to third; however, in the nano and 5G iPods onwards, the clickwheel is developed by Apple.