Blog 5: EOTO

    Music has been a big part of many people's lives. There are so many options of music genres that people can choose from so it is very personalized. No matter what mood someone is in, there is a music genre for it. This is why the iPod was such a significant invention of its time. People had previously had MP3 players, but the MP3 player did not have nearly as much storage space as the iPod. 

    

    The iPod was released in 2001 and was created by Tony Fadell, however, many give credit to Steve Jobs. Fadell's goal was to create a better version of the MP3 player. He tried to work with RealNetworks but was turned down and that was when he was hired by Apple to work with them on his project. After 8 months he created the first prototype by working with PortalPlayer. The iPod would be easier to carry because people would no longer have to lug CDs around for the MP3 player. 

     The iPod became so successful when it was released that they kept making newer and improved models of the iPod. In 2004, they made an iPod mini, and then in 2005, Apple came out with the iPod shuffle, which was even smaller. Then the iPod mini was replaced with the iPod nano in 2005 which
featured flash memory. In 2007 Apple came out with the iPod classic which was thinner and had better battery life. Then finally Apple came out with the iPod touch which had a touch screen and was similar to the iPhone in 2007.

    The iPod was an introduction to the iPhone. Many people now, including myself, use the iPhone every day. The iPod was also a huge part of my childhood. I used to set up my iPod nano on a speaker and dance with my friends when I was younger. Being able to have core memories of the iPod shows how important it was to people in my generation. The music I remember listening to is old Taylor Swift and it started my love for her music. I also later received an iPod touch. I used to play a variety of games on it and text my friends and family. 

    An iPod was a great way to take a break from the world around you and immerse yourself in the music, however, the invention had its flaws. The iPod created less conversation and human interaction. Instead of conversation on the school buses, children were plugged in and listening to music. It is essential for children to learn how to socialize and iPods were preventing that from happening. iPods were just the start of technology causing bad social habits. In today's society, there is a phrase called "iPad kids." These are children that are always on their technology instead of socializing. For example, at my thanksgiving, there were multiple children ages 5-12 on their iPads the whole time which defeats the purpose of spending time with family. iPods created a chain reaction in technology that harms society.