The thing I don't get about iPods

What's the big deal?

Apple has really come from nowhere with their world-dominating piece of gadgetry, with no real foothole in any part of the technological spectrum. The Mac was always something that "people who couldn't run a PC" bought, and always seemed inferior to everyone except, of course, the Mac owners themselves. So how on earth did Apple sieze upon the idea for a product which is now synonymous with the term 'mp3'?

There are of course many similar products out there which offer consumers significantly more 'bang for their buck', so to speak. Sony, Creative, and many other companies all have their fingers in the portable music (or portable media, as such products are now providing users with video, photos, etc) pie. Yet Apple and their gorgeous iPod occupy 70% of the market. iPod is still no. 1 on every kid's christmas wish list. And furthermore, the iPod is considerably more expensive than other similar products out there. So what is it that makes it so popular?

I think it comes down to something which Apple has used in recent times to set itself apart from regular Windows-based PCs.

Sex appeal.

Let's face it - the iPod is sexy. I don't know if I've ever seen something four inches long and said "Goddamn that's hot" in my entire life, before I bought my iPod mini. And now the nano? That's like the Mena Suvari of iPods. While Creative and Sony bungle along with their copycat products, they never quite seem to match Apple for complete and utter sexyness.

Perhaps there's more to it, though? Let me know ;)