In every generation there’s always a craze that everyone goes through. That one thing that everyone has to have no matter what the price was; whether it be tie dies, bellbottoms, and platforms in the ’70s, or Michael Jackson thriller jackets in the ‘80s. Now, as we in the 21st century we find everyone’s obsession focused on one thing: the Ipod.

Everywhere we go, it seems like everyone has an Ipod. Whether it’s in school, the gym, grocery store, or restaurants. Just about everyone has one and they cant seem to get enough of it. In fact, many consider it a faux pas not to have an Ipod. What is it about them thought that makes them so irresistible? How is it that such a small device can preoccupy more that 50% of our day?

Lets start off with the basics, what is an Ipod. For those of you who have been living under a rock, an Ipod is an electronic device that was produced by the apple computer corporation. It is typically used to store all of your favorite music files, but it can also be used for storing pictures or other data. There are currently three types of Ipods on the market: the Ipod Shuffle, which is no bigger than a pack of gum and can store up to 240 songs; the Ipod Nano, which is about as thin as a pencil and can store up to 1,000 songs; and finally the Video Ipod which can store up to 15,000 songs and up to 150 hours of music videos. The prices of the Ipods don’t come cheap either. The Shuffle ranges from $99-$129, the Nano ranges from $199-$249, and the Video ranges from $299-$399 plus the $50 cost of insurance. The prices have yet to deter the millions of customers that buy it every day. This past Christmas alone apple sold an estimate of 4.5 million Ipods. Due to their sleek look and ability to hold a vast amount of music, it’s not such a surprise that everyone wants one. But when is the line drawn about when and where to take it?

Ipods are a good tool to work out with but what about to study or to do class work? Many students get their Ipods taken away because teachers believe that it disrupts their learning. How are they a distraction if students are quietly doing their work? “ I don’t consider Ipods a distraction, they’re more of a complication,” said Ms Garvine, Reading Department Chair. Perhaps Ipods aren’t the only problem in this situation, it might just be music itself. Music is probably one of the few things that everyone can connect with. There’s a type for each person, no matter what type of mood your in you can always connect with it. Studies have shown that music improves memorization skills, helping them develop the part of the brain that retains information. It is thought that music is the link to all the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe. So if you could take all your favorite music anywhere you go, wouldn’t you? When it comes to Ipods there’s no boundaries, and maybe that’s what we’re addicted to.