If you are technologically as "green" as I think I am, you would like some answer as to "how does an iPod work?" In order to understand how your iPod works it helps to know: What is an iPod, and what it is not? The iPod, made by Apple, is the most popular electronics portable digital music and video player on the market today. Note: It is not a Mac.

Just How Does an iPod Work?

The iPod is just one of many music players available. In order to work as intended, it requires music to be downloaded to it. It plays back music as mp3 files, which are high quality music files, which have been compressed into a relatively small size, so that they can now be downloaded and stored on your iPod for playback. An iPod can hold a vast amount of music and video content in compressed formats.

Since it is only a playback device you would need to organize your content and set up your content library on your computer, either a PC or Mac. Then using iTunes software (a free download from Apple), which integrates smoothly with your iPod, you would then transfer these files in compressed digital format to your iPod.

Transferring Files to Your iPod

To transfer your iTune files you would connect your iPod to your computer using a USB 2.0 based cable. There are a number of sources from which you can purchase music and video content, with the most popular being iTunes, which has the largest selection of legal music and video content.

How Does an iPod Work: Storage

On your iPod the compressed files are stored on a miniature hard drive or flash memory unit, depending on the model you have:

• earlier iPods use have 1.8-inch mini hard-drives
• iPod mini uses a 4GB 1-inch microdrive hard-drive
• iPod Shuffle uses 512 MB and 1GB flash memory storage
• iPod Nano uses 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB flash memory storage
• iPod iPhone uses 4GB and 8GB of flash memory storage

Also, in addition to playing mp3 files, later model iPods can also play files in the following formats: Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF, AAC, and Audible 2, 3, and 4.

The iPod is operated using the Click Wheel which is very convenient and intuitive to use. The click wheel is touch sensitive, all you need to do is slide your finger around on the wheel and click on the function you want it to perform. There are function buttons on the click wheel; play/pause, back, forward, and menu. In the centre of the click wheel is the select button. Using these buttons you can control all functions of your iPod.

What You Also Will Need

In order to enjoy your iPod there a number of things you will need that don't come with the iPod:

• A Mac or PC on which to run iTunes (or Musicmatch Jukebox for older iPods) and organize your music files for download to your iPod.
• Your computer must have an USB connection for newer iPod models. For older model iPods a FireWire (also called IEEE 1394) is required.
• iTunes 6.o.5 or newer version. Both Mac and PC versions can be downloaded free from the Apple website.

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