By Alden SmithThe ubiquitous little iPod has become a part of American life. We see them everywhere -- in the parks and on the subways used for anything from kids dialed into their grunge music to grannies sharing photos on their new electronic brag book. This little electronic genius is so commonplace that many of us do not realize that the iPod has many other features that might appeal to someone who is unwilling to buy an iPod for “just music”. In this article, we will explore the many other features of the iPod has and the different ways it can enhance your life.
Let's Travel
iPod has a feature that allows the user to download maps and view them on your machine. Subway maps are available at ipodsubwaymaps.com. The site allows visitors to download 23 international transit maps from Berlin to Washington, D.C. Never get lost on the subway again. PodQuest for the Mac OS lets you download driving directions from Google, Yahoo, MapQuest, and other mapping sites right to your video iPod. A $10 fee applies.
Download Playlists
Even though there are over a million MP3 files available from sites such as iTunes Store, you can now download an entire playlist to suit either your mood or your travels. This feature is great if you like an eclectic mix and don't wish to go to all the trouble of selecting individual songs to load up in your own playlist.
Take Your Books With You
Now you can take your favorite talking book on the road with you. Audible.com has a huge list of over 40,000 audible books - something for everyone. Download a book, take it with you, and listen on those long flights or trips in the car. The downside to using Audible used to be that you had to use the AudibleManager to download these items, and then transfer the files to iTunes to load it on your iPod. Now, The Audible Download Manager for iTunes 4.5 allows you to download audio files directly into iTunes without using AudibleManager, which is much faster.
Manage Your Contacts
iPod can now add your Contacts from applications like Microsoft Outlook, Palm Desktop and Microsoft Entourage. This is a great benefit for the business traveler. Simply open iTunes, connect your iPod, and look for the connection in the source pane of iTunes. Click "Contacts" and select the "Sync Address Book contacts" checkbox.
Take Your Tourguide With You
The iPod has a great feature that allows you to take a walking tour of many cities, with an audio tourguide to help you along. Ijourneys.com has many tours available. Run by Elyse Weiner, Emmy Award-winning network news producer and executive, the site allows you to download zip files that can be unzipped with readily available zip utilities on your home computer and then added to your iPod itinerary. You can then travel and explore at your own pace and on your own time without the hassle of guided tours and big crowds.
Follow The News
iPod allows you to access your favorite newspaper through Audible.com. You can access weekday audio editions of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal for a $13 monthly fee. Magazines such as The New Yorker and Forbes are available. The downside is you need to take your laptop with you to access the websites. Because many people carry their laptop with them when traveling, this shouldn't be an issue.
Watch Your Favorite Programs and Travel Too
Last October, Apple introduced the fifth generation iPod, which has video capabilities. iPod is currently working hard to get television programs available for download to your player. You could carry an entire season of "Lost" with you, and enjoy at your convenience. Although the programs available are a bit limited right now, many popular shows will be available very soon.
The iPod is a great little machine, and does much more than just allow you to listen to your favorite tunes and share a photo or two. Although the iPod may seem a bit pricey, these additional capabilities definitely justify the extra expense of an MP3 player that is the perfect traveling companion.
View our list of must-have iPod accessories!
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