Which outdated technology do you miss the most, and why?
There was something so simple and satisfying about an iPod. I only had the songs I intentionally chose to put on it, so every track felt personal.
Today, with Apple Music and Spotify, I have access to millions of songs, which is amazing, but it can also feel overwhelming. I honestly listen to many of the same songs anyway, so having endless options doesn’t always make the experience better.
Making playlists now can even feel a little performative, especially when they’re shared with other people. Instead of creating them just for myself, it sometimes feels like I’m curating a version of my music taste for others to see.
My iPod was private, uncomplicated, and distraction-free. I could just plug in my headphones, press play, and enjoy the music without notifications, algorithms, or the pressure to constantly discover something new.
I remember the excitement of being able to buy a movie on iTunes, put it on my iPod, then use the Apple AV Dock to watch the movie on my CRT TV. The original Apple TV was basically just an iPod too.
Did you also know that Mac OS X Server documentation suggests loading a server configuration file from an iPod?
iPods are amazing and I miss mine too.