Pac-ing light

In one of the epic moments in “Spider-Man 2,” Doctor
Octopus reaches skyward and proclaims, “The power of the
sun… in the palm of my hand!” The Apple iPod may not be
able to create a self-sustaining fusion reaction, but it is equally
miraculous nonetheless.

The 5.6-ounce MP3 player can hold several record
collections’ worth of music in a sleek, simple package. The
iPod, which works in conjunction with the popular iTunes software
and functions equally well with Mac and PC systems, sold 860,000
units over the last fiscal quarter and is responsible for much of
Apple’s recent renaissance.

Similar players like the cheaper Nomad Jukebox have been easily
outdistanced by the iPod, which has the backing of a
multimillion-dollar ad campaign as well as the inherent cool factor
cultivated in every Apple product. Even Seth Cohen, that paragon of
indie chic, plugs himself into the familiar white earbuds during an
emotional scene in the season finale of “The O.C.,” and
it’s no surprise that the device has become ubiquitous on
campus. The question is, is it really worth the hype?

“Putting all the albums I own on one device easily makes
up for the price of the iPod,” said Eric Horwitz, a
second-year student.

With its ease of use and mammoth library space, the iPod’s
appeal to on-the-go students is obvious. Instead of carting around
a bulky Walkman and CD wallet everywhere, the tiny device puts
discs upon discs of music at your literal fingertips. The iTunes
software can transfer your CDs to your computer to your iPod, and
as most college students know, a single digital copy can be
exchanged legally or illegally ad infinitum, rendering CDs almost
obsolete. Asking students if they have music on their computers is
like asking Andy Roddick if he owns a tennis racket.

“I still buy a lot of albums, but I definitely get the
majority from the Internet,” said Horwitz.

With such a prevalence of downloading, the industry may be
forced in a digital direction, and sales of songs from
Apple’s iTunes music store recently reached 100 million
overall. Still, worldwide sales of CDs and the non-digital Sony
Walkman remain much higher than that of digital music and its
players, and compact discs are still the industry standard. Marc
Weinstein, owner of Amoeba Music in Hollywood, isn’t too
worried.

“It’s an add-on market for the most part so far,
growing alongside the retail music market,” he said.
“When you come into our store, you see all the other music
freaks in town, and you get a sense of how big and varied the scene
is. You just don’t get any of that in the very private world
of shopping online.”

Though the appeal of brand-new technology and its convenience
are tempting lures, the iPod’s hefty price tag and tenuous
battery life may prevent widespread purchases. Following the links
provided by a small disclaimer on the iPod Web site leads you to a
site that acknowledges the problem referred to as
“iPod’s dirty little secret.”

“After a period of time that will vary depending on use
and settings, you may find that your battery will power your device
for only a couple of hours, requiring you to charge more
frequently. Rechargeable batteries have a limited number of charge
cycles and may eventually need to be replaced,” the site
explains.

A replacement battery costs $99, and with the number of charge
cycles before degradation sets in at about 400 charges, it’s
a purchase you may have to make on a biyearly basis. As for the
iPod’s actual purpose, MP3s often suffer a loss of sound
quality. At one-tenth the cost of Apple’s 20-gigabyte player,
a $30 CD player can play “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts
Club Band” just as well as the iPod can. Students strapped
for cash might want to spend that extra $270 on used CDs, or
perhaps textbooks. But for those who can afford it, it’s
really just a matter of personal preference.

“If I had an iPod with half my record collection on it, I
would always default to the same five records over and over,”
said Cody Drabble, a second-year student and a consumer of both CDs
and MP3s. “With a CD player I can force myself to listen to a
variety of things. And it’s cheaper, so I have more money to
spend on comic books.”