Could some kind person please explain in simple terms the differences between an ipod and an MP3?

Question

This is for my 90 years old Mother who is curious about all the modern gizmos, the internet etc., so need a really simple explanation. Thanks

Answer 1

There is no real difference as MP3 is just a file format that plays music or sounds. You could think of MP3 as the modern equivalent of the old vinyl record. A dedicated mp3 player just does that and no more. I-pods (depending whether you get the expensive ones or not) can play videos too.

Technically....I-pods can be used as a USB mass storage device so you can transfer lots of data between one computer and another in your pocket. Some other MP3 players can do this too.

So, the I-pod is Apple's make of MP3 player with some add-ons that other MP3 players haven't got. Hope that's clear.

Answer 2

A group of people got together to compress moving pictures and audio - so when they made a movie it could be sent around the world in an instant - rather than messing around with film. the group was The Motion Picture Expert Group or MPEG - you will see many different MPEG video files. It's a little like sending a picture of a newsreader and then instead of keep sending pictures - just send the data that has changed (his lips move). The audio (sound) was also compressed and can be stored on a hard disk drive in a Ipod or in Flash memory that other players and recorders use. That is called MP3 The MP stands for Motion Picture (not media player). How is it compressed? That is complex but it's a little like turning off microphones when the singer pauses or the drummer stops drumming and that sort of thing. That is a simple interpretation! But basically if you buy a normal CD you get 12 tracks or songs on it. Burn MP3 files on to a CD and you get around 200 and they will play on your DVD player usually.

Answer 3

Both convert audio files to compressed computer files that can be transferred and listened to on small players. The iPod is made by Apple and works in conjunction with iTunes, which is a great music transfer software, and can order the music so that you can choose which sound to listen to. It can handle several types of audio files including MP3 whereas an MP3 player can only handle that sort of file. There are some good MP3 players around but nothing to match the iPod.

Answer 4

As an i.t. tech, I'm constantly having to explain modern gizmos to my older employees.

Tell her that a mp3 is the music, the iPod is the player that plays it.

Explain, for example, "Crazy" by Patsy Cline is a single mp3 - but you can play and hear the song/mp3 once you put it into the iPod. The mp3 is the record; the iPod the record player.

Good luck!

Answer 5

The difference between an ipod and an mp3 is the same as the difference between a turntable and a record. I.E. the ipod is the player and the MP3 file is the medium that it plays.

Answer 6

An Ipod is a branded mp3 player. Just like vacume cleaners are often called hoovers as they were the big brand when everyone started buying them. Because its made by Apple they are in a slightly different format.

Answer 7

Ipod is a brand of MP3 player. It is a good model with lots of features. It has some other minor abilities but is basically an MP3 player.

Answer 8

Basically they are the same but Ipods have a lot more capacity than a normal standard MP3 player you see in Argos or somewhere similar.

Like the previous answer its just that Apple have called theirs ipod. Just like Sony used the term Walkman where basically it was just a normal personal tape stereo.

Answer 9

An iPod is just a type of MP3.

Answer 10

Ipod is to mp3 what a record player is to vinyl.
Ipod is to mp3 player what hoover is to a vacuum cleaner.