The iPod family album

Donald Bell, Senior Editor September 10, 2009

The iPod has come a long way since the introduction of the original 5GB model more than five years ago. The timeline of subsequent iPod releases reads like a royal family tree, with some branches that have stayed true to the original iPod form (iPod Classic), some that have made evolutionary leaps (iPod Touch), and some that withered away (iPod Mini).

Despite the many changes over the years, the iPod has never failed to dominate the MP3 player landscape (much to the chagrin of its competition). Apple's early and unflinching devotion to high-quality hardware and software design, along with its popular iTunes media software, online store, and army of third-party accessory manufacturers, have made the iPod an unbeatable product year after year.

The latest iPod lineup offers something for everyone, and includes the third-generation iPod Touch, fifth-generation iPod Nano, third-generation iPod Classic, and third-generation iPod Shuffle. This year, however, Apple is being a little sneaky with its iPod Touch by offering an 8GB model that isn't quite as capable as its 32GB and 64GB siblings. As such, we're following Apple's lead and listing the 8GB model separate from the faster, fancier, more expensive models.

To keep up on all the latest iPod news, head over to CNET's iPod Central.

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