This week, in conjunction with the debut of their iTunes Music Store, Apple also introduced a new iPod. The iPod has become the best selling personal digital music device, both here in the U.S. and in the highly-competitive Japanese market. And the new iPod should further pod, er, pad, the lead.

It comes in three configurations: 10 GB, 15 GB and 30 GB. It’s thinner and lighter than its predecessor – at around six ounces it’s as light as two CDs. The headphone jack and hold switch stay on the top of the unit, but the FireWire jack moves to the bottom. The 15 and 30 GB models come with a docking stand (optional for the 10 GB model), through which the iPod can be charged and connected to a computer or external speakers.

The no-moving-parts scroll wheel is retained, but the control buttons are moved off the wheel, are touch-sensitive, and backlit.

The old iPod came in separate Mac and Windows versions. There’s one version now, which automatically adapts itself to whichever computer you attach it to first. Windows iPod users manage music on their computers with MusicMatch Jukebox Plus instead of iTunes. Windows users without FireWire ports will be able, in June, to connect the new iPod to their PCs via USB 2.0.

The new iPod supports both MP3 and the new AAC music files, and can automatically sync with the music on your main computer. The 30 GB model can hold up to 7500 songs in the new format.

In addition to maintaining a calendar, contact list and to-do list, the new iPod includes a text note reader and three games, as well as an alarm clock that let’s you wake to a tone or your favorite tune. Any room on your iPod not taken up with music can be used to store data, like digital photos, movies and other files.

On the down side, in order to make the iPod thinner and lighter, Apple reduced the size of the battery. Where the old iPod got an amazing 12 hours on a battery charge, the new iPod only gets around 8 hours.

The prices for the 10, 15 and 30 GB models are $299, $399 and $499, respectively. They are available through all Apple retail outlets starting today!

Keep those emails coming to petez@macmaineiac.com, and, as always, Semper Mac! Take care.

© 2003 Peter F. Zimowski