What Kind of iPod Is Right for Me?

They’re everywhere: white headphone cords trailing from a pocket or bag to the bobbing heads of music lovers enjoying their tunes on the go. Deciding you want to be in on the fun is the easy part; deciding exactly which player to buy can be a bit more challenging. Although the basics of the many iPod options are the same, the details make each player as individual as the person who owns it.

When looking for the best iPod, the key is knowing what you want. Figuring out exactly which features you would like in your player is an important first step.

If You Want an iPod, a Pocket Computer, and a Portable Game Player

iPod touch at Amazon.comThe third-generation iPod touch (released September 2009) is the flagship of the iPod line, and things keep getting better. Last time around, Apple packed in a number of improvements over the first generation (released September 2007), giving the second generation (released September 2008) a built-in speaker and side volume controls, and a thinner, more contoured enclosure. Apple also pumped up the touch’s battery life, giving you up to 30 hours of audio and 6 hours of video on a single charge.

The newest iPod touch adds plenty to the already-appetizing entertainment menu. The new 32 GB and 64 GB models boast a big performance boost–up to 50% faster than the previous models. They also come out of the box with the new iPhone 3.1 software, which instantly gives you access to features such as Genius Mixes, Genius recommendations for apps, Voice Memos, Peer-To-Peer Gaming, Spotlight Search, Cut/Copy/Paste, stereo audio over Bluetooth, Shake to Shuffle, Parental Controls, and the ability to purchase movies, TV shows, and audiobooks from the iTunes Store app. The 32 GB and 64 GB models both include earphones with a Remote and Mic for Voice Control. The 8 GB model doesn’t give you voice control, but those seeking a cheaper alternative will appreciate the lowered price.

Like any member of the iPod family, the touch is great for music and media. The 8 GB model holds 1,750 songs; 10,000 photos; or 10 hours of video. The 32 GB model gives you up to 7,000 songs; 40,000 photos; or 40 hours of video. And with the 64 GB model, you can carry a whopping 14,000 songs; 90,000 photos; or 80 hours of video along with you.

But the iPod touch is something more–a pocket computer. Built-in Wi-Fi means you can quickly and easily surf the web, send email, update your Facebook status, and use an ever-growing collection of applications–all on a device that fits in your pocket.

Also, the iPod touch is a great portable game player, designed to make playing games a great experience. New games are added to the App Store every day, and with Genius recommendations for apps, the App Store even suggests new ones based on what you’ve already downloaded. The touch is now a gaming platform in its own right, with more and more games taking advantage of the touch’s unique features, such as its motion-sensing accelerometer, real-time 3D graphics, and 3D positional sound. And games are only a part of the thousands of apps you can enjoy on iPod touch.

Read Kindle Books on the iPod touch

• No Kindle required.

• Get the best reading experience available on your iPhone or iPod touch.

• Access your Kindle books even if you don’t have your Kindle with you.

• Automatically synchronizes your last page read between devices with Amazon Whispersync.

• Adjust the text size, add bookmarks, and view the annotations you created on your Kindle.

• Don’t have a Kindle? Get yours here.

Shop for Books on the Kindle Store on Your iPod touch

• Buy a book from the Kindle Store, optimized for Safari, on your iPod touch or iPhone and get it auto-delivered wirelessly.

• Search and browse more than 350,000 books, including more than 107 of 112 New York Times bestsellers.

• Find New York Times bestsellers and new releases for $9.99, unless marked otherwise.

• Get free book samples; read the first chapter for free before you decide to buy.

• Books you purchase also can be read on a Kindle.

• Kindle newspapers, magazines, and blogs are not currently available on the iPod touch or iPhone.

Start shopping for an iPod touch.

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If You Want a Lot of Capacity

iPod classic at Amazon.comMaybe your media library is gigantic. Maybe you don’t like updating your iPod every time your mood changes, or choosing between your favorite pictures and a video that you can’t stop watching. Either way, if you’re craving space for all of your music, movies, and photos on a single device, then the iPod classic is for you. The current generation comes with an impressive 160 GB of storage for the same price as the previous 120 GB model. That’s room for up to 40,000 songs; 200 hours of video; 25,000 photos–or a combination of all three.

Weighing in at just over 4 ounces, and with a slender metal enclosure less than half an inch deep, the new classic is still available in two striking colors: black and silver. The 2.5-inch color LCD lets you enjoy photo slideshows, movies, and TV shows from the iTunes store or your own collection, and iPod games like Vortex, iQuiz, or Klondike.

Does the thought of scrolling through every song you’ve ever downloaded make you cringe? No need to worry. In addition to traditional iPod navigation, the classic includes Cover Flow, which makes it possible to search for songs by album art. Use the Click Wheel to flip through album covers, then select one to automatically see its track list.

Another feature of the classic is Apple’s Genius feature. If you like a song and want to hear others like it, Genius finds the songs in your library that go great together and makes a Genius playlist for you. Count on Genius to create a mix you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.

Start shopping for an iPod classic.

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If You Want a Ton of Features in a Tiny Package

iPod nano at Amazon.comIf the iPod touch is the heavyweight champion of the iPod line, the iPod nano is the crowd favorite. With its curved all-aluminum design and spectrum of brilliant colors, it’s quite the eye catcher. The fifth-generation model (released September 2009) takes up where the previous nano left off. It’s still available in an array of colors, and eager to house your songs, movies, TV shows, and photos. It’s still available in 8 GB (2,000 songs; 7,000 photos, or 8 hours of video) and 16 GB (4,000 songs, 14,000 photos, or 16 hours of video) models. It still packs monster battery life, with 24 hours of music or 5 hours video on a single charge.

But the new nano holds plenty of welcome surprises. This time around, Apple has somehow managed to fit a video camera, a built-in microphone and speaker, an FM radio, and a pedometer in the nano’s sleek shell. Now you can film H.264 VGA quality video anywhere, take voice memos, listen to your favorite radio shows, and even track your fitness routines, all with your nano. The nano also features Apple’s Genius and VoiceOver features, the latter of which announces the current song’s title and artist. Did we mention you can pause live radio broadcasts and tag songs you like for later purchase on iTunes?

The nano’s upgraded 2.2-inch backlit LCD lets you enjoy album art, photos, videos, and games. The accelerometer lets you turn your nano on its side and navigate through your album art with Cover Flow, share photos, or watch widescreen videos all in landscape mode.

And, of course, you can still get in on games made especially for iPod nano and the accelerometer. They respond to the way you move, so they’re immersive, addictive, and a blast. Plus, iPod nano comes with Maze, which lets you work your way through vast mazes by tilting and moving. You can find even more games on the iTunes Store.

Start shopping for an iPod nano.

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If You Want Just Music–Especially for Working Out

iPod shuffle at Amazon.comThe smallest member of Apple’s family still packs a mighty punch. Almost impossibly small–it measures just 1.8 x 0.7 x 0.3 inches (H x W x D) and weighs less than half an ounce–the iPod shuffle puts rapid access to music at your fingertips.

Available in a variety of colors, the shuffle keeps things simple. Choose from one of two storage capacities: the 2 GB version promises up to 500 songs, or you can double that on the 4 GB shuffle (1,000 songs). Both models have a unique headphone remote that puts control front and center, allowing you to fast-forward, rewind, pause, and play songs in an instant. It’s also where you’ll pump the volume up (or down, of course).

A single switch on the top lets you decide if you want to play all of your music in a random order or if you want to hear playlists and albums in the order you saved them using iTunes. All of this atop a sturdy clip that lets you take your music anywhere–without any hassle. And it’s the perfect workout partner: Clip it to your shirt and go, without the worry of dropping your high-capacity video MP3 player.

Apple’s VoiceOver feature also is included, and it’s perfect for the fitness buffs or anyone else whose hands are occupied–say you’re listening to a song and want to know the title or the artist. With the press of a button, VoiceOver tells you without interrupting your music.

Not only is the package appealing, but so is the price. Checking in at well below $100–considerably less than its screen-bearing cousins–the shuffle is easy on your pocketbook. Many find it so affordable that they use it as a second device, either for a specific purpose (maybe it’s loaded with motivating music for workouts, or it could be your audiobooks-only player) or for times when you just want to clip it on and go.

Start shopping for an iPod shuffle.

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