Music Products: the Ipod

The iPod is one of Apple's most successful products.January 2005, the Company introduced iPod shuffle in
The latest iPod is available in 30 or 60 GB models andthe Middle East, a flash-memory based digital music
is capable of playing video. The iPod is a brand ofplayer, which is based on iPod's characteristic feature
portable media players designed and marketed bythat selects songs from the user's music library or
Apple Computer. Devices in the iPod family are madeplaylists in a random way. iPod shuffle works with
around a central scroll wheel (except for the iPodiTunes and its patent-pending AutoFill feature that
shuffle) and provide a simple user interface. The fullautomatically selects songs to fill iPod shuffle from a
and half-sized models store media on a built-in harduser's music library on their computer. iPod shuffle can
drive, while the smaller iPod shuffle uses flashalso be used as a portable USB flash drive with up to
memory. Like many digital audio players, iPods can1GB of storage space. It is available in a 512MB model
serve as external data storage devices whenholding up to 120 songs and a 1GB model holding up
connected to a computer.to 240 songs.
Nowadays in USA, Europe and in the Middle EastAs of July 2006, the lineup consists of the 5th
Apple computer Inc. offers its iPod line of digitalgeneration iPod with a video player; the iPod nano
music players and all the necessary accessories forwith a color screen; and the iPod shuffle. All three
Macintosh and Windows users. Since its firstmodels were released in 2005. Discontinued versions
appearance in the Middle East this digital music playerinclude two generations of the iPod mini and four
is becoming more and more popular and its sales aregenerations of the full-sized iPod. The software that
growing up. The iPod is a portable digital music playeris used for transferring music, photos and videos is
made by Apple computer Inc., the characteristiccalled iTunes. As a music jukebox application, iTunes
feature of which is its Click Wheel that combines astores a comprehensive library of the user's music on
touch-sensitive wheel with several push buttons fortheir computer and can play, burn and rip music from
one-handed navigation. In October 2005, in the Middlea CD. The most recent version of iTunes has video
East the Apple Company produced an iPod containingorganization features. The iPod is currently the
a 2.5-inch color screen that could show albumworld's best-selling digital audio player, and its
artwork and photos and play video, containing musicworldwide mainstream adoption makes it one of the
videos, video pod casts, amateur films, short filmsmost popular consumer brands. Some of Apple's
and TV shows. Also the iPod line consists of adesign choices and proprietary actions have however
30-gigabyte model containing up to 7,500 songs,led to criticism and legal battles. It is important to
25,000 photos or 75 hours of video, and anote that since the first introduction of the iPod in
60-gigabyte model containing up to 15,000 songs,the Middle East the number of its consumers is
25,000 photos or 150 hours of video.growing owing to its innovations and the appearance
The iPod presents Apple's Auto-Sync technology thatof the iPod nano and the iPod shuffle. The Apple
can automatically download digital music, podcasts,Company Inc. is spreading much faster in the Middle
photos, audio books, home films, music videos, shortEast than somewhere else. If we compare sale
films and television shows onto the iPod. Besides, itfigures in the Middle East to the world we will find
keeps it in a modern working state no matterout that iPod line of digital music players dominates
whenever it is connected to a Macintosh or Windowsand its number of sales makes the third part of all
computer using universal serial bus (USB). The iPodsales.
also features Shuffle Songs, which randomly playsBesides, Arab Business Machine that markets Apple's
songs in a selected playlist or across the entire library.products in the Middle East will have a major
All iPods work with the Company's iTunes digitalpresence at GITEX 2005. Located at Hall 4, visitors
music management software on either a Macintoshto the Apple booth will have the opportunity to learn
or Windows computer. The iPod's other capabilitiesmore about computing and entertainment technology
include data storage, calendar and contact informationfrom Apple. The company will be showcasing
possibility, as well as a number of games. The Appleeverything from the iPod range to iLife and XServe.
Company Inc. has also entered into unions with mostThe exhibit will also have the latest iMacs and iBooks
automobile manufacturers to offer an integration ofon display, providing GITEX visitors with an
the iPod in some automobiles.opportunity to get a feel for Apple's products. "We
In September 2005, the Company introduced iPodwill also be releasing the market's most powerful iPod
nano in the Middle East, a flash-memory based digitalSpeaker/Dock, Altec Lansing's New inMotion iM7
music player. The iPod nano is available in either aPortable Speaker System at GITEX 2005. The
2GB model holding up to 500 songs or 25,000 photos,success of the growing iPod range in the Middle East
or a 4GB model holding up to 1,000 songs or 25,000will be continued by the new Altec Lansing speaker
photos. The iPod nano, which weighs as little as 1.5dock will definitely catch the attention of iPod users
ounces and is 27 inches thin, features a color screenand music fans across the region," said Elias
and the Company's patent pending Click Wheel. InAbou-Rustom of ABM.