The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness (2006)

Non-fiction, trade paperback, technology, music, donated

Very informative and engaging history of the iPod. ( )

I loved this book. I don't own an iPod, but I do own 5 other MP3 players and am nuts about digital music. But I've always thought and still do think the iPod is the most creative, beautiful digital music player invented. The author traces the origins of the iPod, but more interestingly, writes about the impact of the iPod on the way we listen to music, on the way music is consumed as well as the "hipness" of this little revolutionary device. ( )

I read this as my first iPod was in transit from China to my house. (I had to wait from early morning until 5:30 for FedEx to arrive with it; it seems to me in this age of cell phones, texting, Internet, GPS, and computers, it should be possible to have a better handle on arrival times. But I digress.)
It was a good introduction to he history of MP3 players in general, Apple Computers and iPods from someone who had access to the major developers as they were creating things. He made me worry about the contents of my iPod and what they say about me before the thing even arrived. He found the simplicity of the object marvelous; I had trouble getting it unwrapped or figuring out what to do with it because of the minimal instructions. A few pictures of the various incarnations would have been nice. I appreciated his realization that his book could mimic the functionality of the iPod by having the publisher "shuffle" the chapters. Nifty! ( )

Steven Levy’s new book on the iPod is not necessarily just for fanboys only – though it is glowing in it’s portrayal of iPods. The DRM in iTunes is dismissed as an inconvenience and not given much weight. He has written it so that each chapter can be read out of sequence as though in shuffle mode.

Neat things in the chapters:

PERFECT has an amusing description of Bill Gates seeing an iPod for the first time.

IDENTITY discusses the intimate nature of exchanging iPods with someone – you may be revealing more than you wish.

ORIGIN discusses the people who were building digital music players and stores before Apple but couldn’t do what Apple has done.

In COOL he talks with Jonathan Ive the designer responsible for the iPod’s look.

In PERSONAL he discusses amateur inventor Andreas Pavel – inventor of the first portable music player in 1972 and the social issues that have concerned people regarding personal music players.

DOWNLOAD has some interesting insights into the politics of getting labels on board with iTunes.

APPLE on the impact of Steve Jobs and the turnaround at the company. At the time he rejoined Michael Dell [Dell computers] said “I’d shut [Apple] down,” he said,”and give the money back to the shareholders.”On Jan 13, 2006 Apple’s market capitaliztion became greater than Dell’s.

PODCAST finds the roots in CB radio.

It’s a quick read. It talks about what Apple does right. Does not really get into the wrong. It is enjoyable especially the bits I mentioned above. ( )