Our grandparents had phonographs, our parents had record players and we have MP3 players or, more specifically, iPods. The iPod has become so popular among college students that our generation has been nicknamed by some as the “iGeneration.”

So, what is an iPod?

The first iPod was a white, super-slim MP3 player (a device used to store and play downloaded music) exclusively made by the Apple computer company. It was introduced on Oct. 23, 2001, sold for $399 and had a capacity of only 1,000 songs.

Since then, the iPod has evolved. It now comes in three varieties: the Shuffle, the Nano and the original.

The Shuffle is the cheapest version, starting at $69. It uses flash memory storage and can hold between 120 and 240 songs, depending on memory size.

The next step up is the Nano with a starting price of $149. It also uses a flash memory but comes equipped with more controls. It can hold between 240 and 1,000 songs.

Last is the original iPod. The newest version not only plays music, but videos as well. It uses a built-in hard drive, making it possible to store large amounts of information. The starting price is $299. It comes equipped with a 2.5-inch color screen and a capacity of 15,000 songs.

With all these options, more people are buying iPods. Apple reports over 42 million units have been sold.

So why is the iPod so popular? Owning an iPod means you can accessorize it with everything from a dancing iDog to a designer case made by Coach, customizing not only the way your iPod sounds, but also the way it looks.

Start paying attention to how common this trend is on campus. Chances are, next time you are sitting in class and you hear music, follow your ears and you’ll find an iPod.

Sources: apple.com/ipod, macsnpods.com, osviews.com

> Comments