Apple's original iPod went on sale 25 years ago today, on November 10, 2001. The $399 music player initially worked only with a Mac, but it went on to become one of Apple's most significant products and helped the company expand beyond the computer business. Steve Jobs had unveiled the first iPod just over two weeks earlier, on October 23, at a small press event in the Town Hall auditorium at Apple's Infinite Loop headquarters. Advertised as offering "1,000 songs in your pocket," the device combined a 5GB hard drive with a monochrome LCD display, a mechanical scroll wheel, and up to 10 hours of battery life. The original model required iTunes. Its FireWire connection transferred music and charged the battery, while automatic synchronization copied songs and playlists from the user's iTunes library. Apple said that an entire CD could be transferred in under 10 seconds and a collection of 1,000 songs in less than 10 minutes. The hard drive could also store documents and other files. Ahead of the announcement, Apple invited the press to the unveiling of a "breakthrough digital device," specifying that it was not a Mac. Reports variously suggested a music player, a home stereo accessory, or a handheld device with handwriting recognition. A MacRumors rumor roundup published two days before the event included the name "iPod."
The announcement received a mixed response. Our original coverage is still available, along with reader comments questioning the device's price, Mac-only compatibility, and significance. " Early forum discussions also covered fingerprints on the polished rear enclosure, heat while charging, and the sound quality of the included earbuds.
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