There’s been plenty of water under the bridge since the birth of the iPod, and the simple ‘MP3 player’ has moved on to become a portable video player, gaming device, camera, radio, pedometer and more. In fact, as a first-time iPod buyer, you might be befuddled at the range of options on offer. It’s no longer just an iPod, but the classic, touch, nano or shuffle that you must choose between.

So which is the right one for you and your pocket?

Reliable and roomy powerhouse

If that describes your entertainment needs, you are doubtless an iPod classic person. Based on the original iPod model, with a hard disk of a whopping 160 GB capacity—equivalent to a full-fledged computer HD—this translates into 40,000 songs and 200 hours of video, not to mention about 25,000 photos. It retains the original clickwheel interface and now also has limited gaming capabilities. The only drawback is that the 2.5-inch display can at times be a strain to the eye while watching videos. At Rs 15,200, the iPod classic appears misleadingly expensive. But just compare the capacities and prices of other products in the market for the bigger picture.

Compact and trendy fitness device

The iPod nano has seen many avatars and the present square body with a touch-enabled display is, for want of a better term, the most unusual. The new nano appears to have been repositioned as a fitness accessory that you clip on and off easily during workouts. Only marginally bigger than the iPod shuffle, the nano has now morphed into a tiny 1.5-inch square device. It has lost video playback and recording capabilities, voice recording and games support. The clickwheel is replaced by entirely touch-sensitive surface—which means you can tap and swipe your way around. But despite incorporating Apple’s innovative multi-touch display, the nano is a tad clumsy to use, especially if you have big hands. Priced at Rs 10,700 and Rs 12,700 for 8 GB and 16 GB Flash-based models, with a range of colours to choose from, this is the iPod for you if you like small trendy gadgets or need a companion on your workouts.

State-of-the-art entertainment gadget

The iPod touch is doubtless the ultimate aspirational device for entertainment freaks. Now with an inbuilt camera, the touch supports Apple’s FaceTime technology that allows video calling between iPods (and Macs) through Wi-Fi. The iPod touch’s multi-touch interface needs no introduction, and its support for a variety of games and apps makes it more than just a ‘fun’ device. Check mail, surf the net, take notes, record voice and video, play the latest games, watch movies, read ebooks and more. There is also built-in voice control and a better display, coupled with a slimmer, sleeker design. All this, of course, does not come cheap: Rs 15,400 (8 GB), Rs 19,900 (32 GB) and Rs 25,900 (64 GB).

No-fuss music player

The iPod shuffle is a tiny, pocket-friendly device at Rs 3,200 for 2 GB flash-memory-based capacity. It is arguably the most un-fussy music player around—all it does is play your audio—and at just over a square inch in size, can be clipped on anywhere about your person. There is no display and the present generation features an improved clickable external control pad.

Now, does that make your choice easier? Or just harder?