New to iPod?
iPods come in many different models and prices. However, no matter which model you choose, they are all solidly built, small, light, reliable and have one distinct advantage which sets them miles apart from all other brands of music players - Apples famous user-friendly operation.

If you shop around, you will find many mp3 players which may boast features such as bigger hard drives, integrated radio, longer battery life etc for less money, but don't be fooled... none can compare to the slick design, functionality and quality of an iPod. If you don't believe me, try buying a cheaper mp3 player and see how difficult and cumbersome it is to do even the most simple of tasks like making up a playlist or skipping to a particular song on the hard drive. Singers need their backing tracks to be quickly accessable onstage so the iPod is the clear winner when it comes to ease of use.

Requirements
Before buying an iPod, it is important that you check that your computer is capable of supporting it. Below are the computer requirements that you'll need to get the best out of your iPod:

- Mac or PC computer or laptop
- Windows XP/2000 or Mac OS X
- Firewire (1394) port or USB2 socket
- Plenty hard disk space
- An internet connection (preferrably DSL or Broadband)

If your computer is quite new (ie no more than a few years old) you should be able to connect your iPod to it. However, do check before you buy! If you don't have a firewire port or USB2 port, don't worry. You can buy a firewire card or USB2 card at most computer stores for around $20. An internet connection isn't necessary, but if you want to get the most from your iPod, you'll want to be connected to the internet. As well as using the internet to download iTunes, you can also use online services to automatically add track names and artist/album info to the songs you copy from your CD's (which will save you a lot of time)!

iTunes and iTunes music store
iTunes is a software program which Apple produce which helps organize and play the music you have on your computer. It's also used for transferring or moving music between your computer and your iPod. It's worth noting that you don't need to have an iPod to use the Apple iTunes program - it can still organize your computers music collection just the same. And here's a tip...why not download the iTunes program even before you buy an iPod - it's a great program and its free!

What I love about iTunes (apart from the fact that it's free!) is that it gives you access to the iTunes Music Store where you can LEGALLY buy and download music. Of course, you don't have to buy music from the iTunes music store if you don't want to - iTunes will still play any music you've copied from a CD or downloaded from elsewhere on the internet.