The iPod – A Music Revolution!

There is no doubt that the iPod is changing how we are listening to music. It is changing how we buy music. It is even changing how companies market music. It really is a true music revolution!

iPods are changing how we listen to music:
No longer are we forced to choose one radio station with one style of music. You put together your own play list, and if you want you can choose an Italian opera for one song and the latest rap for the next. Mix country and hip-hop, oldies and alternative! No more commercials! When variety is essential, iPods are perfect. Carry your music easily with you to the beach or the gym. Parents can download kid-friendly songs and have the perfect soundtrack for a long car ride – without having to worry about R-rated conversations from the DJs or questionable music lyrics. With anywhere from 1000 to 10,000 song capacity on an iPod, users never have to get tired of hearing the same songs played over and over again.

iPods are changing how we watch video:
With newer iPods offering the capability to see video as well, you can download the hottest new releases. Enjoy your favorite artist's videos, keep up with your favorite TV soap, or even catch up with a Harvard lecture or two! You have an entertainment center in the palm of your hand! Now you can catch up with the latest episode of Desperate Housewives on a tiny gadget while you work out at the gym.

A new industry has evolved:
An entire new industry has opened up just to create accessories that give iPods the ultimate personalization.  From colorful "skins" to practical carrying cases and from headphones to car chargers, iPods offer a myriad of options. There are even toys that can be plugged into your iPod! Accessories range from the practical and functional to those that are purely decorative.

Old industries are moving with the times:
It is a sure sign that a new gadget has been accepted as part of our culture when traditional accessories are designed around it. Do you remember when purses were purses, without mobile phone pockets and now iPod pockets? Designers are making shirts and even ties with iPod pockets! We have even seen a stroller with a special iPod carrying space.

Music for the world:
iPods are changing how companies market new music as well. With “pod casting” (a live feed of files placed on the internet for people to use) independent bands can market their music that would be too expensive for them to do otherwise. Shortened versions of songs downloaded as ring tones are gaining popularity. No longer can companies focus just on the sale of music in stores, but they have to pay attention to what is being bought and downloaded online.

Changing the legal system:
iPods are even changing the legal system. With so much music to download, legal issues began to crop up. The most infamous is Napster, where some artists sued because they were not getting compensated for their music being downloaded. Now there is a variety of sites allowing you to pay a monthly subscription to download as many songs as you would like, or offering the option to pay a small fee per song. A boom in online music stores resulted, and now there are several places online where you can download music. Even Napster survived, in a newer form. Music piracy is a modern-day problem, keeping officials on their toes looking for illegal downloaders.

Copycats:
As is inevitable when a new gadget is an out-and-out success, other companies have come up with their own version of the iPod. Competition will keep iPod looking for bigger and better things for its consumers, which is a win-win all around.

Understanding the iPod Craze