Today the iPod turns 5

Happy Birthday iPOD! Wow, you really know how to reminisce. iPOd has definitely come a long way. I can't even think of other ways to make it better than what it is now. But I'm sure something will come up. I can't wait for the next surprise!

To the negative comments about feeling privileged to be part of the 1st gen club... you just don't get it.

We were the ones who in many cases showed people their first iPod. People who, at the time, had no idea such a device existed or conceived of what it could do.

I remember showing people on planes and holidays - pointing to their tape players and CD players and bundles of tapes and CDs - and telling them this little white box had the equivalent of a hundred of those. The ensuing surprise and conversations were great.

And that's not even mentioning the special camaraderie that existed between people who recognized each others' membership of the white earbud club. A nod and a smile was all it needed.

So, it's as much our birthday as the iPod's. Who are you critics to take that away from us.

I remember when I got my first iPod (one of the first 3rd gens to be shipped) a guy in an elevator asked me "What kind of PDA is that and why are headphones connected to it?"

Well, it was a small college town in Missouri.

I bought my first iPod in 2002. I've been the proud owner of many new Macs out of the box, but nothing even compared to the feeling of opening up the iPod. When I bought it, I didn't even think I needed it -- hell, I didn't even really want it, I just thought it'd be cool to have. Now, I can't imagine life without one. I now have close to 30,000 songs on my Mac and have all of my CDs tucked away in little boxes.

Back then, nobody knew what an iPod was. Most thought it was a mini computer. When I tried to explain it to people, they just gave me a blank stare. It was nice feeling like being in an exclusive club, but I'm glad they're popular now -- means better products at cheaper prices. Thank you, Apple.

Fishes,
narco.

My original 5GB iPod served me well. I took that thing everywhere (including Iraq) and never had a problem with it, and even got something for it on eBay when it was time to move on-

i'm still using my first ipod, a 2nd gen with the scroll wheel. i prefer the scroll to the touch-sensitive wheel, myself. it's starting to feel quite hefty to me when i see the new tiny nanos out, but i still love it and call it my precious. it has played music for me faithfully for 5+ days a week, 8 hours at a time, since i bought it in january of '03, and i have absolutely no regrets at being called an "elitist fanboy" by people who didn't see the simple brilliance of it when they came out.

happy birthday, you cute little chunk of world-changing technology, you!

I remember buying my first iPod as well back in 2002 and being on the Subway knowing that the few of us with white earbuds were special Mac users. Those were the days. Now it's just assumed that everyone in Manhattan has an iPod. Those with a different "digital music device" are frowned upon.

We're having a little birthday party over at the Joy of Tech. :-)

http://www.geekculture.com/joyoftech/joyarchives/881.html

@4 I don't think these "club people" are saying they are better than everyone because they had an iPod, it was just cool to see someone with the same product as you when they were rare. I'm sure you'll see people with Zune's nodding on subways soon.

i wish thay'd make it possible for firewire transfers again. not everyone has a mac with usb2 (my kids g3-800 ibook doesn't).