Making the iPod

ctriv writes "digitalchain.com has a real interesting article about the making of the iPod." Gosh, I am glad I am a software designer, not a hardware designer.

Comments

Re:Details gimme details.

[Gogo Dodo]

For those looking for the EETimes iPod Under The Hood.

EETimes' article is superior if you're looking for just hardware info, but if design process from a management point of view is your thing then the Digital Chain article is better. Either way Portelligent still provided the info for both articles.

more technical info

[morcheeba]

Check out this summary of an ipod teardown - pretty pictures! Or you can order the full 60 page report for $1950

Re:Details gimme details.

[Spencerian]

Funny that you say that "the guts of the iPod aren't special" considering how much inaccurate flak Apple gets when it comes to their hardware.

The iPod is proof yet again that, wherever possible for the best, least expensive product, Apple avoids its old way of using proprietary components and uses ordinary tech and good industrial design to make extraordinary creative product.

They're not perfect in this--note the Apple Display Connector, a variant on the DVI connector except it also provides electrical power in addition to digital display data and USB signals. It's a nice connector because you only use one cable for their digital displays (no separate power or USB cables), however, it works only with Power Mac desktops and PowerBook G4s (with adapter). You can get it to work with a PC, but I think that's too much work.

Innovation doesn't always require new technology. Sometimes it only requires a repackaging of existing tech with an efficient twist. Apple's key to the iPod's success is the use of the FireWire interface for very speedy data transfer as well as using it to recharge the device, and the integration of its iTunes software to make song transfer seemless.

Note that even iTunes itself is taken from a previous Mac MP3 player product from Casady and Greene.