Everything you wanted to know about the iPod (and even some things you didn’t)

On October 23, 2001, Apple Computer, Inc. announced the iPod. We didn't know it then, but the unveiling of this slim and good-looking portable music player was going to revolutionize the way we looked at listening to music.

Nearly six years later, the iPod is a tremendous part of our lives, and for most people, the term "iPod" is synonymous with "portable music player." Yes, today, the word iPod is much like Google or Coke. If you search for an item online, you're often "Googling" for it. If you are looking to drink soda, you're drinking "Coke." And if you're carrying a portable music player, you're using an "iPod." The Zune tried for a short period of time to usurp that title, but ultimately, the iPod prevailed. There is no shortage of the iPod in our lives.

"Depicting something that has been perceived as an incredibly complicated new technology and framing it as uncomplicated, easy--just a fashion accessory, to regard in the same way you regard belts, shoes or scarves." ~Malcolm Gladwell

Let's take a look at the history of the iPod and the interesting features that have added to the iPod empire during its reign.

In 2001, Steve Jobs made an announcement that changed media distribution for the long term:

Today, there's a whole family of iPods. Each generation boasts more storage space, color, and smaller sizes.

iPod Trivia: Fun facts about the iPod

Father of the iPod: Tony Fadell. He came up with the iPod concept before working for Apple but was turned down by many companies before Apple hired him as an independent contractor for the iPod. (Other reports claim that Jon Rubinstein, former head of Apple's hardware division, is the father of the iPod.)
Number of people who worked on the development of the first iPod: 30
Number of iPod sales (total): 88,701,00 as of January 2007
List of some iPod fan sites: ilounge.com (formerly called iPodLounge.com), tuaw.com, iPoding.com, ipodmonday.com (which was recently taken down)
List of iPod hater sites: anti-ipod.co.uk (is that it?)
Number of blog posts about the iPod: 5,127,893 in Google's Blogsearch, 2,272,122 in Technorati
Number of sites that have been submitted to Digg about iPods: 24,300
Number of those sites that have been buried: 4,155
Number of photos tagged 'ipod' on Flickr: 97,602
Average lifespan of an iPod: 4 years
Biggest risk for iPod users: hearing loss, from a 2005 study and iPod Thumb
Laws made due to iPods: One ban is currently being proposed in NYC that will prohibit people from using iPods while crossing the street. This legislation has been proposed because several people apparently were hit by moving vehicles who were honking -- but the iPod-listeners couldn't hear.
Transport interfaces that take iPod: Automobiles (BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Nissan, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Acura, Audi, Honda, Renault, Volkswagen, Scion); airplanes (United, Continental, Delta, Emirates) beginning this year