The Pacemaker is a 60GB portable media player that features full DJ capabilities in a package the about the size of a PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Features:

• Portable DJ system lets you mix, play and perform music anywhere, anytime
• 1.7 inch TFT Display with 166 ppi screen resolution
• 60GB Harddrive-holds approximately 15,000 tracks in 128 Kbps AAC format
• Built-in rechargeable lithium battery, play time up to 15 hours when fully charged, mix mode up to 5 hours when fully charged
• USB 2.0, Pacemaker editor computer software, quick start guide included in the box

Leave a comment with your thoughts on the Tonium Pacemaker!

Description:

Imagine two turntables, a mixer and an entire record collection contained in a device that fits into your pocket. Pacemaker’s two independent audio channels let you play two tracks side by side. Beatmatching is easily done by the click of a button, with a full set of audio effects and a crossfader.

The Pacemaker itself is part of the larger Pacemaker platform that encompasses the Pacemaker Editor and the Pacemaker Community. Pacemaker Editor is a free, downloadable PC and Mac compatible computer application that allows you to play music and edit and create mixes. The Pacemaker Community is an online music community that allows members to upload and legally share the mixes of their music, created by the Pacemaker or the Pacemaker Editor software.

The player goes beyond Apple’s Nike + iPod combination, a wireless system that connects running shoes to iPods. The system monitors your heart rate using an earphone sensor, and selects songs based on BPM and your preferences. It can also randomly remix “beat loops” to create a continuous mix adapted to your workout pace.

BodiBeat also will let you manage workouts and your music via PC and Web software. No word on Mac software.

While the BodiBeat promises to introduce some interesting twists to the MP3 player market, pricing is expected to be a steep $300 for a 512mb player, and Yamaha’s BodiBeat marketing is lousy compared to Apple’s.

Teuthis has several kits and parts available for making your own MP3 player.

The Super-Simple MP3 Player is based on the PIC 16LF877, with plenty of processor time to spare. There is a bare bones assembly version, and a new C version with more features and stability.

It uses compact flash cards up to over 100 gigabytes (once they exist) including microdrives. (right now they are about 8 gig). It’s open source.

And most importantly, it plays music!

Listening to iPods for as little as 5 minutes a day

Researchers Brian Fligor and Cory Portnuff estimate that a typical person could safely listen to an iPod for 4.6 hours at 70 percent of full volume using the supplied earphones without greatly increasing the risk of hearing loss.

However, listening to an iPod at full volume for more than 5 minutes per day, they say, could increase the risk of hearing loss in a typical person. These guidelines apply in general to other music players, such as the Sandisk Sansa and the Creative Zen Micro, which they found to produce similar volume levels.

In a separate study, researchers found that only 6% of iPod users listening in quiet environments turned their iPods up to unsafe levels. When in noisy environments, though, a full 80% listened at dangerous levels. When they used an “in-the-ear” earphone designed to block out background noise, only 20 percent exceeded sound levels considered to be risky.

Creative Technology

Creative is positioning the Vision:M as an alternative to the recently released video iPods.

“When people see the Zen Vision:M, they tell us it’s incredibly cool,” said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative. “We designed the Zen Vision:M with its mesmerizing 262,144 color screen to display four times the color of the 30GB iPod that plays video, and to provide twice the battery life for video playback. Plus, we offer people the freedom to choose their video in a variety of different formats, and to get subscription music or download tracks from a number of different sites to their player.”

The Zen Vision:M carries up to 15,000 songs, and supports music subscription services including Yahoo! Music Unlimited, Napster To Go and Rhapsody To Go. The Zen Vision:M also supports downloads from online music stores like Yahoo! Music, Napster, MSN Music and AOL Music Now. The rechargeable battery provides up to 14 hours of music playback.

The Zen Vision:M delivers four hours of video playback and provides extensive video format support, including MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Simple Profile formats such as Xvid, WMV, and MJPEG for enjoyment of up to 120 hours of movies downloaded from the Internet. The Zen Vision:M also supports TiVoToGo for free viewing of TV shows recorded on a TiVo personal video recorder, digitized home movies transferred from the PC, and video blogs from companies such as RocketBoom.

With capacity for tens of thousands of photos, the Zen Vision:M displays full-color image output on any size TV screen through an optional composite video-out connector. Users can watch slideshows set to music and select individual digital photos as display backgrounders.

Features:

• FM radio and recording – with 32 preset options
• Intuitive Vertical Touch Pad and Tactile Buttons on the face of the player – including the new “My Shortcut” Button for quick access to favorite DJ functions
• Content password protection – Protects any content stored on the player
• Built-in Microphone – shows volume levels on screen for optimum voice recording quality
• Selectable themes, including Marine Blue, Sable Black, Ice Blue, Forest Green, Candy Pink and Pearl White to match the color scheme of the player menus to any mood
• Organizer – Provides calendar, tasks and contact lists, and syncs with Microsoft Outlook
• Extras – Enables setting of Date & Time, plus allocation of Removable Disk space for dedicated storage
• A clock with wake-to-any-music alarm, color themes and different languages for further customization
• A bundled AC adapter, valued at US$29.99

Pricing and Availability

The new Creative Zen Vision:M will be available this month for US$329.99. It comes with an AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, earphones, and a protective pouch. Optional accessories, including a docking station and an AV-out cable, will be available for purchase separately.

More information is availabe at the Creative site.

Before you plan on gassing up your player, though, keep in mind that the device is a proof-of-concept developed to highlight the capabilities of new portable fuel-cell technology.

Toshiba Corporation has developed two prototype direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) units and begun tests to validate their operation with mobile audio players. Each unit integrates the DMFC that Toshiba announced in June 2004, the world’s smallest, bringing its practical use a major step closer.

The prototype players include components related to the fuel-cell testing and are W35mm x L110mm x D20mm (flash memory) and W65mm x L125mm x D27mm (HDD) with the fuel cell units. These sizes can be reduced substantially by removing the extra components and applying optimal design for commercial products.

Source: Podcasting News

iriver

The players support Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) 10, making them the first flash devices to support portable subscription-based music services, such as Rhapsody To Go, Napster To Go and Yahoo! Music Unlimited.

“By delivering music subscription and download support at such aggressive price points, iriver is bringing more music choices to a wider audience than ever before,” said Kevin Unangst, director of Windows Digital Media at Microsoft Corp. “iriver continues to demonstrate industry leadership in choice and compatibility with its new T family of PlaysForSure-verified flash-based music players.”

The T family includes the T10 and T30 series in 512MB and 1GBcapacities. In addition to playing multiple music formats, the T family features built-in voice recording and line-in encoding allowing customers to record MP3s on the fly from any source including home audio systems and handheld CD players. Flash-based portable music players are ideal for customers who want to enjoy music while biking, running or at the gym as they have no moving parts making them ultra-durable and skip-free.

“iriver’s new T family of flash-based, Rhapsody To Go-compatible devices are an exciting innovation and an important step forward for the market,” said Robert Acker, vice president of music services for RealNetworks. “Music fans who are curious about portable music subscriptions now have a lightweight and affordable way to enjoy hours of their favorite songs on the go.”

The T10 series offers advanced features such as a vivid color display, USB 2.0, FM tuner and programmable FM recorder. The players offer a unique ergonomic design for easy one-handed operation, anti-shock rubber guards, integrated sport clip, sports case with armband and up to 45 hours of music playback on a single AA battery.

The T30 series features a 4-line backlit LCD display, USB 2.0 and integrated voice recorder. The T30 has a small, sleek ultra-portable form factor. The affordable T30 series plays up to 24 hours of music on a single AAA battery.

“iriver achieves another first with PlaysForSure flash-based music players that support portable music subscription services,” said Jonathan Sasse, president of iriver America. “Our introduction of the T family gives our customers an expanded array of options for exploring, downloading and enjoying music.”

T10 Series Features:

• Supports portable subscription music services
• Vivid color display
• Plays up to 34 hours of music**
• USB 2.0
• Available in 512MB and 1GB configurations
• Supports MP3, OGG, Windows Media Audio (WMA) and WM DRM10 music files
• An integrated digital FM tuner with presets
• Programmable FM recorder
• Up to 45 hours of battery life†
• Integrated voice recorder
• Enhanced 3D audio (supports SRS WOW)
• Built-in sport clip
• Includes sport case and armband
• PlaysForSure-verified

T30 Series Features:

• Supports portable subscription music services
• 4 line backlit display
• Up to 24 hours of battery life
• Plays up to 34 hours of music
• USB 2.0
• Available in 512MB and 1GB configurations
• Supports MP3, OGG, WMA and WM DRM 10 music files
• Integrated voice recorder
• Record music from any source (no PC required)
• Enhanced 3D audio (supports SRS WOW)
• PlaysForSure-verified

Pricing and Availability

The T10 and T30 series are available for pre-order now at the iriver eStore and will be at selected stores beginning in August. Suggested retail price for the T10 series is USD $149.99 for 512MB and $199.99 for 1GB of internal storage. Suggested retail price for the T30 series is USD $99.99 for 512MB and $149.99 for 1GB of internal storage.

Creative Technology

“The Zen Vision is our most versatile and coolest-looking digital entertainment player ever,” said Sim Wong Hoo, chairman and CEO of Creative. “It supports download and subscription music services, photo transfer directly from a Compact Flash card or up to 17 variations of media through our optional Compact Flash Adapter. With the SharpPix technology, your digital photos can look even better than prints. Plus the Zen Vision supports video from TiVoToGo and popular Internet video formats including DivX, so it’s really easy and fun to enjoy your favorite music, photos and videos wherever you go.”

Music

With audio playback quality of up to 97dB SNR, the Zen Vision can carry up to 15,000 songs, and supports downloads from Internet music stores such as Napster, MSN Music and Music Now. The Zen Vision also supports music subscription services such as Yahoo! Music Unlimited and Napster to Go. The player also includes a built-in FM radio with 32 preset options, and FM recording.

Photos

The Zen Vision can carry tens of thousands of digital photos. For sharing pictures with family and friends, a convenient composite video out connector enables stunning full-color image output on any size TV screen. Users can watch slide shows set to favorite music played through headphones, the built-in speaker on the face of the player, or by connecting speakers such as a Creative I-Trigue® 2.1 system.

The convenient Plug&View slot on the side of the player supports both Compact Flash Type I and Type II media. An optional Compact Flash Adapter plugs directly into the Compact Flash slot to accept the most popular memory card types including SmartMedia, MultiMedia Card and Secure Digital, 17 variations in all.

Video

The Zen Vision supports a wide selection of video formats for enjoyment of movies downloaded from the Internet, including MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Simple Profile formats such as DivX and Xvid, WMV, and MJPEG. The Zen Vision also supports TiVoToGo, for viewing of TV content recorded on a TiVo personal video recorder, and digitized home movies transferred from the PC. Easy alphabetical scrolling enables quick access to movies and video files. The removable rechargeable battery provides up to 4.5 hours of video playback, and up to 120 hours of video can be stored on the player.

Additional Features

The large, bright screen of the Zen Vision displays a full menu to access music, pictures and video. In addition the intuitive menu accesses the following features:

• Built-in microphone – shows volume levels on screen for optimum voice recording quality
• Organizer – Provides calendar, tasks and contact lists, and syncs with Microsoft Outlook
• Extras – Enables setting of Date & Time, plus allocation of Removable Disk space for dedicated storage
• A clock with wake-to-any-music alarm, color themes and different languages for further customization

The Zen Vision connects to the PC via USB 2.0 for fast, easy transfer of content, and can also connect to an optional docking station for elegant freestanding display.

Pricing and Availability

The new Creative Zen Vision, available today for pre-order at http://www.us.creative.com for only US$399.99, comes with a rechargeable, removable Li-ion battery, an AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, high-quality earphones, an AV cable, and a protective pouch. Optional accessories, including a docking station, Compact Flash Adapter, screen protector, spare extended-life battery, wired remote, and IR remote, will all be available for purchase separately at http://www.us.creative.com.

iriver

Player navigation, color display, photo viewing, FM tuner, voice recording and touch strip control are consistent experiences across the family, which comes in 20GB*, 6GB, 5GB and 1GB capacities. The new players come in a variety of modern colors and support a broad range of online audio and music services.

The H10 family is PlaysForSure compatible, works seamlessly with Windows Media Player 10 and features support for Auto Sync to sync music, photos and playlists between PCs and H10 players. The PlaysForSure logo ensures consumers can easily identify digital media stores and devices that work together.

“iriver continues to expand the horizons for music lovers with these additions to the H10 product line,” said Kevin Unangst, director of Windows Digital Media at Microsoft. “With support for Windows Media Player 10 and PlaysForSure compatibility out of the box, iriver H10 customers can choose from the widest range of music subscription and download services available today.”

The H10 also supports innovative online portable subscription services, such as Napster To Go, which provide customers with an additional option to experience new music and expand their music collections for a monthly rate.

“Napster is pleased that iriver recognizes and has answered the consumer’s desire for a choice of different MP3 players by broadening its H10 line-up with devices that offer a range of capacities and features,” said Brad Duea, Napster’s president. “The new 20GB, 6GB and 1GB models help make digital music more accessible by offering compelling options at various price points.”

“Our H10 family offers the best combination of design, functionality and features available in a portable audio player,” said Jonathan Sasse, president of iriver America. “As music services and customers’ preferences evolve seemingly overnight, we are staying ahead of expectations by providing a consistent and exceptional player experience across the entire H10 family.”

The iriver H10 players are bundled with iriver earphones, quality carrying case, installation software CD, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, interface cable and printed user manual.

iriver H10 family features:

• Vivid color display
• Ultra-intuitive interface
• Touch strip
• Displays digital photos
• Sleek and elegant design
• PlaysForSure enabled
• Supports subscription services including Napster To Go and Rhapsody To Go
• Built-in FM tuner and FM recorder
• Integrated voice recorder
• Ultra-fast USB 2.0 transfers
• Supports MP3, WMA, JPEG and TXT files
• Enhanced 3D audio (supports SRS WOW)

Battery life:

• H10 20GB ­ Up to 16 Hours
• H10 6GB ­ Up to 12 hours (replaceable)
• H10 1GB ­ Up to 30 hours

Dimensions and weight:

• o H10 20GB ­ 5.8oz ­ 4.0² x 2.4² x 0.85²
• o H10 6GB ­ 3.4oz ­ 3.8² x 2.2² x 0.60²
• o H10 1GB ­ 1.8oz ­ 2.8² x 1.7² x 0.65²

Pricing and Availability

The H10 family is available through the iriver eStore, Best Buy and selected retail outlets. The 5GB H10 is currently available for $249.99. The 20GB and 6GB H10s are shipping now with a suggested retail price of USD $299.99 and $279.99 respectively.

The H10 1GB will begin shipping in June 2005 with a suggested retail price of $229.99. For more information on retail availability, please visit http://www.iriveramerica.com.

Numark

This model expands Numark’s line of table top CD players, and offers the user endless performance options. The durable steel encased unit has been meticulously crafted with life-extending features such as a laser shutoff mode and auto-retractable media trays.

For more information, visit the Numark site.

iRiver

“The smaller drive MP3 player has become widely popular in today’s market, because it offers a balance between size and functionality,” notes industry analyst Cindy McCurley. “The smaller drive segment is also very attractive for manufacturers, as products in this segment are expected to outship products in the 1.8-inch segment in 2006. Some of the key features of this iriver product include its ability to utilize a variety of music services, its stylish design and color display.”

The H10 is designed to be PlaysForSure-verified out of the box and works seamlessly with Windows Media Player 10, including support for Auto Sync to sync your music, photos and playlists. With the H10, consumers can choose from a growing number of PlaysForSure download and subscription stores, such as F.Y.E (For Your Entertainment), MSN Music, Musicmatch, MusicNow, Napster and Wal-Mart Music Downloads.

“The iriver H10 is an exciting new device pushing the boundaries of what is possible today with mini-hard drive players,” said Microsoft’s Jonathan Usher. By including support out of the box for Windows Media Player 10 and subscription services, iriver has created a very easy-to-use, yet fully featured device providing consumers with tremendous choice in the music they purchase.”

The H10 also supports innovative online portable subscription services, such as Napster’s Napster To Go offering, to provide customers an array of music, news, business and entertainment audio content.

“The H10 sets the bar high with an elegant player that gives our customers the freedom to choose which online services best match their lifestyles,” said Jonathan Sasse, president of iriver America.

The iriver H10 plays up to 150 hours of digital music and includes a rechargeable and replaceable battery, integrated voice recorder and a digital FM tuner with FM recording capabilities. The players come bundled with iriver earphones, quality carrying case, installation software CD, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, interface cable and printed user manual.

Features:

• Plays up to 150 hours of digital music*
• 5GB of internal storage**
• Vivid color display
• Ultra-intuitive interface with convenient touch strip
• Displays digital photos
• Slim, lightweight design
• PlaysForSure enabled
• Supports portable subscription service Napster To Go
• Rechargeable, removable battery lasts up to 12 hours
• Built-in FM tuner and FM recorder
• Integrated voice recorder
• Ultra-fast USB 2.0 transfers
• Supports MP3, WMA, JPEG and TXT files
• Enhanced 3D audio (supports SRS WOW)
• Dimensions: 3.8″x 2.2″x 0.6″
• Weight: 3.4 ounces
• Pricing and Availability

The H10 will be available at the iriver eStore http://www.iriveramerica.com/estore, Best Buy and selected retail outlets in January 2005. Suggested retail price for the H10 is USD $279.99.

iRiver

The PMC-100 series holds up to 160 hours of video, 1,200* hours of music or thousands of digital photos and weighs in under 10 ounces. Featuring a wide 3.5 inch vivid color display, integrated speaker, replaceable battery and a unique “kickstand” to support the device in a comfortable viewing position, the PMC-100 series brings lightweight portability to recorded television, movies, home videos, music and photos. The PMC-100 series features Microsoft Windows Mobile software which makes it easy to transfer songs, photos and videos from the computer to the handheld device, and simple to navigate through music, videos, TV and photos.

“With iRiver’s Windows Mobile-based PMC-100 series people can quickly navigate and enjoy their favorite media, from their favorite TV shows to wedding photos, in the palm of their hand,” said Todd Warren, corporate vice-president of the Devices, Services and eXperiences Group at Microsoft. “The Portable Media Center is a vanguard device that takes advantage of the Auto Sync feature in Windows Media Player 10 to synchronize content quickly and easily from the computer to be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.”

The PMC-100 series supports Windows Media DRM 10 and the ability to play back digitally protected Windows Media Audio and Video files, giving consumers access to the more than 1 million tracks available in Windows Media Audio format from more than 60 online music stores. Additionally, online movie site CinemaNow.com and Major League Baseball’s MLB.com offer a variety of content for the PMC-100.

“By working closely with Microsoft and content providers, iRiver has delivered a best-in-class portable device that quickly and easily lets customers transfer and access an array of entertainment,” said Jonathan Sasse, president of iRiver America. “We have upped the ante in the category by delivering a lightweight player that works seamlessly with all the new features in Windows Media Player 10.”

The PMC-100 series also features an integrated speaker and microphone, removable and rechargeable battery and a TV-out for displaying video and images through a television or display. The players seamlessly integrate with Windows Media Player 10 and Auto Sync technology for fast content transfer. The iRiver PMC-100 series comes bundled with iRiver earphones, quality carrying case, USB 2.0 cable, TV out cable, installation CD and AC adapter.

iRiver PMC-100 series features:

• Holds up to 160 hours of video
• Holds up to 1,200 hours of digital music
• Synchronize your media library with Windows Media Player 10
• Intuitive Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Center interface
• Plays recorded TV shows from your Windows XP Media Center Edition PC
• Up to 40GB† of internal storage
• Weight: 9.6 ounces
• 3.5 inch vivid color display
• Connect to your home entertainment system
• Integrated voice recorder
• Built-in speaker
• Store or transfer files of any type
• Rechargeable, replaceable Lithium-ion battery
• Up to 14 hours of battery life (audio)
• Up to 5 hours of battery life (video)

Pricing and Availability

The PMC-120 (20GB) will be available at the iRiver eStore and selected retail outlets. Suggested retail price for the PMC-120 (20GB) is USD $499.99 and the PMC-140 (40GB) is USD $599.99.

AudioBooksForFree

“This is our bit for World Peace,” jokes one of the partners behind AudioBooksForFree, Andrey Koltakov. “From now on, many Militants and Terrorists will use their AK47s to listen to music and audio books…They need to chill out and take it easy.”

“AK-MP3 Jukebox” comes with 20GB storage capable to hold up to 9000 songs or 3000 hours of mp3 audio books.

Player could be used on its own or it could be attached to the Kalashnikov machinegun instead of the ordinary magazine.

Stainless steel body makes this new player uniquely suitable for outdoors.

AK-MP3 Features:

• 20GB storage;
• Re-programmable firmware supports MP3, WMA plus additional future audio formats and software extensions;
• Anti-shock protection up to 8 minutes for smooth listening;
• USB2 interface offers fast digital transfer;
• Up to 10 hours continuous playback with built-in rechargeable Lithium Ion battery, up to 18 hours with external battery box;

Pricing:

• $600.00USD with 300+ audio books preloaded
• $350.00USD without audio books

AK-MP3 Product Specification:

Internal Buffer:

• 8 MB (480sec Anti-shock)

Interfaces:

• USB2.0

Formats:

• MP3 (8 to 320 kb/s);
• WMA (up to 192kb/s);

Display:

• 128×64 Graphic EL Backlit LCD

Audio Specifications:

• Stereo Line Out, and Earphone Jack
• 5-mode Equalizer
• Signal to noise ratio > 90dB
• Response 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): < 0.1%

Battery Life:

• Up to 8 hours with built-in Lithium ION, up to 16 hours with external battery box

Firmware:

• Downloadable Firmware

Dimensions:

• 115 x 85 x 27mm.

Weight:

• 450g with battery

Includes:

• USB cable
• 100V-220V AC Adapter
• Stereo headphones
• Carrying pouch

Software and driver CD

Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks about the new iPod, and the impact of digital music in a Newsweek interview. “I was on Madison, and…on every block there was someone with white headphones, and I thought ‘Oh my god, it’s starting to happen!’”

The iPod, the cigarette box-size digital music player has smacked right into the sweet spot where a consumer product becomes something much, much more: an icon, a pet, a status indicator and an indispensable part of one’s life, reports Senior Editor Steven Levy in the July 26 Newsweek cover story. To 3 million-plus owners, iPods not only give constant access to their entire collection of songs and CDs, but membership into an implicit society that’s transforming the way music will be consumed in the future.

The considerably tweaked fourth-generation iPod that will roll out this week, and it looks a bit different, operates more efficiently, has a few more features and costs less than earlier models.

Highlights include:

• Elimination of control buttons in favor of the iPod’s “click wheel,”
• More efficient menus
• 50 percent boost in battery life.

Fans of the devices use it for more than music. “It’s the limousine for the spoken word,” says Audible CEO Don Katz, whose struggling digital audiobooks company has been revitalized by having its products on Apple’s iTunes store. And computer users have discovered that its vast storage space makes it a useful vault for huge digital files — the makers of the “Lord of the Rings” movies used iPods to shuttle dailies from the set to the studio. Thousands of less accomplished shutterbugs store digital photos on them.

In 1997, when Steve Jobs returned to the then struggling company he cofounded, he says, there were no plans for a music initiative. “Our goal was to revitalize and get organized, and if there were opportunities we’d see them,” he says. Jobs & Co. initially failed to notice the impending revolution in digital music. Once that omission was understood, Apple compensated by developing a slick “jukebox” application known as iTunes. It was then that Apple’s brain trust noticed that digital music players weren’t selling. “The products stunk,” says Apple VP Greg Joswiak.

In February 2001, Apple set out to create a groundbreaking music player and have it on sale for Christmas season that year. The requirements: A very fast connection to one’s computer (via Apple’s high-speed Firewire standard) so songs could be quickly uploaded. A close synchronization with the iTunes software to make it easy to organize music. An interface that would be simple to use. And gorgeous. Assessing the final product, Jobs bestows, for him, the ultimate accolade: “It’s as Apple as anything Apple has ever done.”

The October 2001 launch was barely a month after 9/11, with the country on edge and the tech industry in the toilet. Skeptics scoffed at the $399 price and the fact that only Macintosh users, less than a twentieth of the marketplace, could use it. But savvy Mac-heads saw the value, and the Pod was a hit, if not yet a sensation. From that point sales began to spike. No one was surprised that Apple sold an impressive 730,000 iPods during the Christmas season last year, but the normally quiet quarter after that saw an increase to 807,000. And last week Apple announced that sales in the just-completed third quarter hit 860,000, up from 249,000 a year ago.

To the delight of Apple (and the chagrin of Sony), the no-brainer description of the iPod is “the Walkman of the 21st century.” And just as the Walkman changed the landscape of music and the soundscape of our lives, the iPod and the iTunes store are making their mark on the way we handle our music, and even the way we listen to it. An equally big deal is the way the iPod is changing our listening style. Michael Bull, a lecturer at University of Sussex, has interviewed thousand of iPod users, finding that the ability to take your whole music collection with you changes everything. “People define their own narrative through their music collection,” says Bull.