My take on this topic: If I were to receive an iPOD as a gift, then great. If not, I'd NEVER pay for one with my own money. Portable MP3 players are very convenient, however, the iPOD is simply a trendy little toy. For anyone who is seriously interested in an MP3 player, I'd recommend researching rival brandnames. The iPOD is all about name recognition; they are terribly overpriced. Granted, I know a few people who love their iPOD, but I'm always quick to remind them how much they could have saved by buying, say, a Creative Labs model. Just my opinion.