Filed under: iPod Family, Apple, iPhone, Apple History, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPod classic
Happy 7th Birthday, iPod!
Gallery: iPods over the years
It's hard to believe that 7 years have passed since Steve took the stage and introduced our friend, the iPod. Over the past few years, the iPod has gone from new guy on the block to "funnest" guy on the block. While the basic design hasn't changed much (for the Classic model at least), the features definitely have. When the iPod launched in 2001, it was basically a FireWire-capable hard drive and MP3 player -- nothing more, nothing less.
The first iPod sold for $399 for a 5GB version (which was Mac-only). Apple later came out with a 10GB version of the same iPod for $499. Here's some fun facts about the first iPod via Mactracker:
- Codename: Dulcimer
- Dimensions: 4.02" H x 2.43" W x 0.78" D
- Weight: 0.41 lbs.
- iPod OS: version 1.0, upgradeable to 1.5
- Introduced: October 2001
- Terminated: April 2003
- Hard Drive: 4200 RPM in capacities of 5/10/20 GB
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
serendipity said 10:18AM on 10-23-2008
I am currently working on an information graphic: »The iPod + iTunes Timeline«.
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/80415656@N00/2891924714/
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Any suggestions, hints or even requests referring to content and layout are welcome. I hope your enjoy it.
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Chris said 10:37AM on 10-23-2008
Cool concept
Graham Stevens said 11:19AM on 10-23-2008
Amazing! Really well done.
Just one comment A4 or A3 proportions would be nice, it will print better then and go on my study wall!
Andy said 6:50AM on 10-24-2008
Looks good. As I know you're not done, I won't remark about the photo in the top right not balancing the rest of the piece.
But what I will say is that I think you've overkilled the gradient overlay on the type. Go solid black, you've got the gradient on the dates boxes etc.
Tim Brazer said 10:22AM on 10-23-2008
I remember when I bought my first iPod Mini in 2005. I bought it thinking it had a color screen and could play movies.
I was unpleasantly surprised when I opened it up. 8^(
I'm happy with my iPod Touch though.
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dandaman said 4:41PM on 10-23-2008
That was my first- a 4 gigabyte blue 2nd generation. Then I got a 6.5 generation black 80 gigabyte iPod Video, followed by a 16 gigabyte iPod touch, and finally an iPhone 3G.
Other family members have a 4th generation 40 gigabyte iPod, a 2nd generation iPod shuffle, an 80 gigabyte classic, 2 other iPhone 3Gs, 4 iPod nanos - a 1st generation, a 2nd generation for my sister and another free with my macbook, which my other sister uses, and a third generation fatty nano.
so thats... 14 iDevices total.
bibi-pov said 10:25AM on 10-23-2008
And I remember, back in 1996, when I was in CS engineering school I was considering making an MP3 player with a friend . If only I had applied for a patent back then, I'd be filthy rich now... Bah! At least I'm rich enough to own an iPhone, could be worse...
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Chris said 10:40AM on 10-23-2008
I'm sure that engineering degree has allowed you a modest life style :)
You may have been a bit behind on your patent idea anyways: http://www.tuaw.com/2008/09/08/dude-he-invented-the-friggin-ipod-have-you-heard-of-it/
Ged said 10:37AM on 10-23-2008
7 years. Gosh. I still have my first 5gig model, bought that first week. It works perfectly and still has pretty good battery life.
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Galley said 10:57AM on 10-23-2008
My first was the original 40 gigger. It didn't do anything but play music, but it did it oh so well!
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Jason Martin said 11:02AM on 10-23-2008
I was first reminded of this on my way to work this morning, listening to "The Writer's Almanac" with Garrison Keillor on NPR. I thought it was an odd place to be reminded of the birth of the iPod. =)
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Victor Agreda Jr said 11:05AM on 10-23-2008
I remember playing with the 1st-gen ones at Circuit City as I stopped in to grab my 10.1 upgade disc. I wound up owning a 20GB, and I still miss that form factor (the drive went kablooey I think because I constantly used iTalk to record into it while driving).
Still rocking a 40GB photo, and it holds almost all our music + audiobooks. Handy on long trips.
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Graham Stevens said 11:10AM on 10-23-2008
Nice ipod family tree graphic at examugs home page. www.examug.org.uk.
Look in the eXafiles section and scroll down.
Cool idea for t-shirts!!!
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pinta_vodki said 4:13PM on 10-23-2008
Hey, why is there no "None" variant in the poll? I don't have an iPod!!
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Tomek said 11:24AM on 10-23-2008
My collection of iPods has grown over time so what I'm about to say doesn't really affect me, but what if, say; someone never had an iPod? Where's the '0' option in the poll?
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Think Adrian said 11:24AM on 10-23-2008
I still have my FW iPod from 2001. I think I will frame it :)
Cool to compare it to the white iPhone.
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dcompo said 12:52PM on 10-23-2008
What might be equally interesting is the average age of all your still-functioning iPods.
Mine is a 10 GB 1st gen that's still going strong.
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G Suscryst II said 11:55AM on 10-23-2008
Your Survey doesn't have an option for Zero. Just a tad biased against those of us who prefer silence to think for ourselves, rather than following the brain-dead herd in having to fill every second of our lives with commercially manufactured sounds to provide a desperate veneer of meaning in our spiritually-empty and personality-free existences. :-)
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colouroflight said 1:36PM on 10-23-2008
You just perfectly demonstrated the reason that people think Apple fans are jerks.
sk8rpro said 11:57AM on 10-23-2008
My iPod 5G has been good to me for 2 1/2 years. But a few days ago, my hard drive has been experiencing the click of death (sniff). As soon as I get a job, I'll find a hard drive on the net and upgrade it.
I'm glad for those who have had their iPods (like @Ged, post #7) for a while with no problems.
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