iPod Photo and the digital image library: you *can* take it with you.

The advent of the iPod revolutionized our music collections by making them portable enough to take practically anywhere. With the release of the iPod Photo last week, Apple makes the next logical step: put your entire photo library in your pocket.

The iPod photo has a color display, can store up to 25,000 images, and retains all of the original iPod music playback and storage functionality. It comes with an AV adapter that allows you to view slideshows on a TV screen - perfect for that trip to Grandma’s when everyone is oohing and aahing over the family photos at once. You can import photo albums you’ve organized in iPhoto via the new iTunes 4.7.

Thanks to Apple’s typical ‘easier-than-falling-off-a-log’ interface design, browsing through your photo albums is a breeze. They’ve even improved the battery life to 15 hours of audio playback (or 5 hours of slideshows with music). About the only thing this author finds lacking in this brilliant gadget: a built-in camera!