Introduction
This is an interesting book that typically takes an intriguing look at the iPod, an AppleCorp. product and the impact it has had on the way we listen to music. It contains hundreds of exciting facts about the iPod, some of which are hard to believe, yet true.
The Cult of iPod is designed to resemble the various unique features of an iPod beginning from its cover to the inner pages. The main substance of the book is the effects of this gadget on us as individuals and on the society, employing a mix of humor, such as the pages relating the dangers of being a Microsoft worker and an iPod user (Kahney 13), to provocative texts such as those on iRAQ (Kahney 112), a reference to the Iraq war.
Main body
The book not only shows the extent to which iPod users, referred to as the iGeneration, like this product, it goes on to inform us how these people live for it as it affects every minute of their day. To achieve its objective, the book features dozens of real-life stories from iPod users all around the world, such as P. Diddy’s diamond-coated iPod (Kahney 48), a man who possesses 71 iPods (Kahney 76) or the use of posters resembling the iPod to object to the Iraq war. This book is not intended for tech-geeks and contains little discussion of the inner details of the engineering work done on this gizmo; rather, it focuses on the cultural and sociological influence of the iPod and should appeal to an audience as diverse as the users of the iPod itself.
Personal Reflections on the book
In this 8-chapter, 160-page book, Leander Kahney does an excellent work of exploring the world of iPod users and their immediate environment, using clear, colorful pictures to this effect. Despite being 160 pages, one can read the whole book in a couple of hours due to the recurrent use of pictures, besides, the pictures make the book more interesting and one can spend more time on the pictures than on texts. Kahney writes very little on the technical side of the iPod, in fact, he only discusses this in Chapter 3, thereby giving the book a wide readership. Although the author succeeds in getting his message across, he scores less marks on the cover design due to the muddy-brown color of the cover that makes it dull and unappealing. A brighter and more buoyant look would serve to endear it to the would-be-buyers.
Conclusion
Released in 2001, the iPod has revolutionized the way people listen to music and is no longer a gadget just for getting music but is a symbol of modernity and pop culture. The iconic white earphones inform all that you are trendy, ironically, this blocks you from contact with other persons or the surrounding. It is common to see or hear of traffic accidents caused when one had some earphones plugged in his ears, probably listening to an iPod. This device can be a wonderful companion if used in moderation, for example, one should avoid them when driving, cycling or in some social environment. We have to learn how to live with these gadgets as they are here to stay especially with new versions coming of Apple factories at less spaced time intervals.
Works Cited
Kahney, Leander. The Cult of iPod. California: No Starch Press, 2005. Web.