What's the big deal with iPod's anyway?

These days when you're walking down the street just about every person you see has some sort of iPod attached to themselves. Maybe it's a shuffle or a nano or the old school iPod or maybe they're watching some video on their video iPod. A lot of those people are probably even waiting for the brand new iPod coming out this year that is touch screen and can play widescreen movies in full 16:9 aspect ratio. No matter what kind of iPod everyone else has, the real issue here is that I don't have one. For quite a while I was perfectly ok with this prospect because I didn't really think I would use an iPod that much and, honestly, they're just too darn expensive for what they are. However, recently I am finding myself being drawn to that elusive iPod very much against my will. I keep finding myself thinking about what I would do with one if I had one and how it would be so nice to store all of my music. Then, after these dreamy thoughts I am quickly brought back to reality when I look at the exorbitant price tag and realize that I don't have the money to even buy half an iPod. This leads me to ponder exactly what really is the big deal about iPods. It's definitely not the price because not many people I know are all that excited about dropping 200-400 dollars in one shot. It's also not all the features (although there are many nice points about it) because you can get just about all those same features other ways (although probably without the same convenience as an iPod). Thus, I am left with only one real reason to buy an iPod and the reason that I want one now. It's a factor we are all well aware of I'm sure. The cool factor. People buy iPods because they are the cool thing to buy. If you're cool, you have an iPod. No amount of money can deter the cool factor, yet I must firmly resist because I really have more important things to be spending my money on. Namely, my graduate school education. Plus, since I've already decided that I'm really not that cool, it's perfectly ok to avoid the iPod craze. But, if anyone was gracious enough to buy me one after reading this post, I would surely not turn it down!