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The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness | 
| Author: Steven Levy
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
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New (35) Used (18) from $1.36
Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 140680
Media: Paperback
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.4
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 0743285239
Dewey Decimal Number: 006.5
EAN: 9780743285230
ASIN: 0743285239
Publication Date: September 4, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
The iPod has become a full-blown cultural phenomenon, giving us a new vocabulary (we shuffle our iTunes on our nanos), revolutionizing the way we experience music and radio through the invention of podcasting, opening up new outlets for video, and challenging the traditional music industry as never before. The design itself has become iconic: there is even a shade of white now called iPod White. Steven Levy has had rare access to everyone at Apple who was involved in creating the iPod -- including Steve Jobs, Apple's charismatic cofounder and CEO, whom he has known for over twenty years. In telling the story behind the iPod, Levy explains how it went from the drawing board to global sensation. He also examines how this deceptively diminutive gadget raises a host of new technical, legal, social, and musical questions (including the all-important use of one's playlist as an indicator of coolness), and writes about where the iPhenomenon might go next in his new Afterword. Sharp and insightful, The Perfect Thing is part history and part homage to the device that we can't live without.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 Interesting read January 10, 2008
Ken Hansen (Pennington, NJ)
I read this book when it first came out and enjoyed it greatly - I found it an interesting read full of small insights into the industry in general and Apple specifically. As someone that has been a casual user of iPods and other MP3 players for years (first was a Diamond Rio 500), as I read the book (and saw Steven Levy on Charlie Rose) it explained why certain things are they way they are with the iPod. I enjoy history of technology books, and this one is well-written.
 I love this book November 15, 2007
David Wilson (San Jose, CA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I had no idea how much fun this book would be. I expected to learn how the iPod was developed, and I did. I expected to read about how cool the iPod is, and I did. I expected to read about the way the iPod changed both Apple and the music industry, and I did.
I did not expect to laugh out loud every few minutes, but I did. Steven Levy is a great writer - his knowledge of Apple combined with his knowledge of popular music makes the book great fun to read. Levy is simply an excellent writer, writing about an excellent product.
As a bonus, this is a valuable book to read if you design products of any kind, because it provides insights into how exceptional products are created - i.e., fanatical attention to detail, and an inner drive to make not just a good product, but a great one.
If you like music and technology, I guarantee you will enjoy this book. Of course, I own a couple of iPods, so I am biased. If you own a Zune, you may disagree. But even Zune owners might find it interesting to see how great products are designed.
A great look at the iPod's impact November 8, 2007
Brian D. Adams (Cary, IL USA)
I really enjoyed this book, and I think Levy did a really good job of writing a book that appeals not only to diehard Apple fans or "nerds", but to everyday people. The book speaks to how huge of a product the iPod has become, and how modest the early goals of the product were for Apple. It was a device that took only a few short months to fabricate and ship, but it's legacy will last for years to come.
Enjoyable book October 18, 2007
MKarkaeen (Los Angeles, CA United States)
I very much enjoyed this book. Great story about the vision of Steve Jobs and Apple, and how a company can aspire to great products. Makes me want to go and buy more ipods and Macs.
An intriguing read on iPod and its impact June 27, 2007
Rolf Dobelli (Luzern Switzerland)
Why do people ask for an iPod when they want an MP3 player? Other players hold as many or more songs, and play them just as well. Owning an iPod is more about music than about keeping up with the latest trends. That is why the iPod still holds the top spot in MP3 player sales. Author Steven Levy explores how the iPod came to be and how it earned its status as a cultural icon. Even the book's iPod-looking cover could evoke emotion from an iPod fan. We recommend this book to iPod lovers who will relish its story. Businesspeople, trend spotters and marketers also will gain insight into the way Apple made millions from selling music, machines and coolness.
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