Apple’s iPod nano – A Bandwagon Worth Riding

The Apple iPod nano – A Bandwagon Worth Riding

It’s cold, dark, and there’s not a soul on the road. Panting after a late-night run, I can just barely make out the text on my iPod’s white backlit display while it’s screened in by short, crystalized breaths. My stomach is tense and overworked from the chill. My ears are still ringing from Scott Weiland’s baritone howl on Velvet Revolver’s “Headspace”, the last song on my playlist. While the cold competed with the adrenaline for my attention, both forces lost out. I stood in awe of the tiny gadget in my hand.

Throughout my 19 years I’ve been something of an iconoclast. I avoid nearly all things trendy on general principle. Apple’s iPod Nano MP3 player, however, finds me in the unfamiliar territory of jumping on the bandwagon.

To me, music has always been much more than the latest fad or what’s playing on MTV’s “Total Request Live.” Instead, music contributes to my entire sense of life. The wistful strain in Eddie Vedder’s voice on “Release”, Mike McCready’s serenading guitar solo on “Wishlist”, Axl Rose’s guttersnipe screech, these are more than just musical efforts. Heard at the right moments, they are metaphors for all of life’s possibilities and potential.

I’ve got music that’s appropriate for just about any emotion or turning point in everyday life. My iPod won my heart by keeping the depth of my music collection at arm’s reach. While the traditional CD walkman confines your musical selection to that which can fit on a single disc, 300 songs sit on my iPod waiting to accomodate my mood.

I feel almost a kindred bond with my iPod. Above all in life I’m most proud of my versatility. The ability to thrive under different circumstances is something I find lacking in the world, something I’ve worked hard to cultivate in myself. I see the iPod bringing versatility to the musical sphere. It’s heartening to know that I can swap the skirt-chasing sounds of Guns ‘n Roses for the politically charged anthems of Bad Religion on a whim. Even within bands it’s nice to have room to maneuver. Pearl Jam is probably my favorite band, with their seven albums culled from all ends of sound. With my iPod, I can opt for the pure aggression of the “Vs.” album, the soft, contemplative soul-searching of “No Code”, or the musclar art rock of “Riot Act.” When I want to deviate from rock entirely, I can hear Jay Z layered over The Beatles, or the studio cuts from Matt’s stable of underground Philly rappers.

Many will argue that other MP3 players offer the same high storage clip, but the iPod brings more to the table than lots of room. Most MP3 players are known for their sheer complexity. Once you buy one, you’re made to sift through a maze of poorly labeled menus, options, and settings before you can get to the “Meat and potatoes” of any good MP3 player — listening to your music. Apple’s engineers cut no corners in making the iPod simple to use. Music can be organized by artist or album. Alternatively, your songs can simply be listed in alphabetical order. Playlists are a breeze to set up and save. The crisp sound quality of an iPod Nano easily outshines that of any competing player. Flash memory makes skipping a thing of the past, in turn making it the ideal choice for running or other excersize. Rather than having to manipulate hard to find arrows or hypersensitive controls, you do everything — navigate through your songs, backlight the screen, adjust volume, power on/off — by running your finger along a circular touchpad. Plus, let’s not forget that this is an Apple product., a company whose observers are often quoted using terms like “sexy” to describe its designs. It’s so insultingly simple a five year old could use it. And they do.

The iPod is built for people whose music rides shotgun with them through life’s ups and downs. Versatile, powerful, and beautiful. That’s a lot of love being heaped on 1.5 ounces and roughly 3 inches of engineering, but it’s the least I can say about a gadget that does so much.