What Makes The iPod Sell? Word Count: 635 Summary: People have intense love affairs with their machines, like some men are known to be enthusiastic about their cars, and some women are known for some household appliances. But the iPod seems to top them all and seems to pull strings at the heart with such consistency that some people, irrespective of age, sex, color, and creed, make the mp3 player device an extension of themselves, an extension of their personalities, and an extension of their lifestyles! The marvel of the ... Keywords: ipod, mp3 player, mp4 player, podcast, podcasting Article Body: People have intense love affairs with their machines, like some men are known to be enthusiastic about their cars, and some women are known for some household appliances. But the iPod seems to top them all and seems to pull strings at the heart with such consistency that some people, irrespective of age, sex, color, and creed, make the mp3 player device an extension of themselves, an extension of their personalities, and an extension of their lifestyles! The marvel of the 21st century, the iPod, never had it so good. Psychologists are of the opinion that because primarily an iPod delivers music and the human mind is naturally attuned to music, therefore it is an instant hit. But there are other mp3 player devices around, then what makes this device so unique? Market analysts say that the small size of the iPod, its capacity to store thousands of songs, and its ability to use the computer as an alter ego, has contributed to its tremendous sale. However, market survey agencies pronounce that the popularity of the iPod is mainly due to the strong identification between songs and emotions. When people hear a particular song, they identify it with some emotion, some event of their lives, and they relive those moments of the past. This makes them feel happy, which in turn justifies the amount of money they have spent on purchasing their iPods. People have gone on record to say things like when they hear romantic songs they are reminded of their ex-girlfriends or pleasant moments. When they hear songs like Bette Midler`s `Wind Beneath My Wings`, they are reminded of their husbands. Stock exchange brokers and traders identify their job and lives with the Frank Sinatra song, `My Way`. Similarly, Linda Ronstadt`s `When Will I Be Loved`, and Peter Frampton`s `I`m in You`, reminds one of the high school dances. This association with emotions makes the iPod a must-have consumer product. Some iPod users have something more than an intense affair with their mp3 player music devices. Something more like an obsession. It is an on going love story. Sociologists claim that the iPod makes some individual a good societal being, as their frustrations are released by simply listening to their favorite songs. Dramatists affirm that emotional catharsis is superbly performed by iPods. Some medical experts state that mp3 player devices may even eliminate depression and elevate one`s mood. As music tends to be very personal, it becomes very emotional. So when you listen to the songs stored in your mp3 player device, you tend to get emotional and take a walk down memory lane. Thus, iPod becomes a small, compact memory bank, which you can carry around with you, wherever you go. The ability of the iPod to rewind your life backwards and hear it, being enacted in lovable musical melodies is perhaps the greatest selling point of this machine. No wonder then that more than 22 million iPods have been sold in a few years only! No wonder then you see people with their music players down the streets, at Harris Teeter while shopping for Cocoa Puffs, while doing stretch ups at Gold`s Gym, or sipping high quality afternoon tea at the Ritz`s. The iPods have become absolutely indispensable, completely irreplaceable, and simply irresistible! With the iPods now coming with multimedia capabilities, they have become small, personal cinema houses, compact media players to view home videos, or even to show some commercial multimedia applications. Thus, with passing time, the popularity of the device is increasing as it enters new vistas of commerce, arts, and sciences. The iPod has indeed become multifunctional and multifaceted, and has aptly adapted to the needs of changing times. This adaptability is the prime reason why this music player sells so much!