Most of us wouldn't credit our iPods with saving our professional reputations. Then again, not all of us are the frontman of a pop-tinged industrial band.
A while ago, Jason Darr of Neurosonic, whose single "So Many People" is currently ranked No. 34 on Active Rock Radio, found himself sharing a stage with former Sex Pistols vocalist Johnny Rotten. Naturally, Neurosonic was asked to play "God Save the Queen," one of the Sex Pistols' classic songs. "So we pulled it up on my iPod and learned how to play it backstage with headphones on," Darr told MacNewsWorld. In the end, they didn't play the song, but Darr hardly needed the incident to cement his feelings about America's favorite music player.
Pocket-Sized Music Collection
"I absolutely love my iPod. I would be lost with out it," he said. "I love that you can listen to random music from my entire collection and not hear the same song for days. Going from System of a Down and then switching gears to Prince is extremely cool for a music listener."
Of all the reasons to love an iPod, a capacity that now numbers in the thousands of songs is probably the most cited. If you are looking for a few more, read on.
The iTunes Catalog
Sure, there is some content that Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) 
has not been able to license for its iTunes store, but its catalog far outstretches any other legal source of digital music, TV shows and movies.
Then there's the wealth of podcasts that populate the site as well. Neil Gussman, an executive with the Chemical Heritage Foundation, for example, is brushing up on his ancient Greek with podcasts downloaded from iTunes.
"I didn't even think there would be lectures in this language available online, but I searched on iTunes and found what I was looking for," he told MacNewsWorld.
The Sound
For a little device, the iPod's sound system rocks -- and loudly, too. In the wake of complaints from parents and medical professionals, Apple recently incorporated new limits on the device's volume, which if played at the loudest decibel level available for too long can easily damage hearing. That's not always a bad thing, said Darr, who remembers the time when he had to share a hotel room while on tour with the band's stage tech.
"His name shall remain nameless, but we will call him 'good buddy.' He snored so insanely loud that I dragged my bedding into the hotel room closet, put on my iPod to drown him out and fell asleep in the closet."
The Design
Geoff Allen, founder of Anystream, isn't ashamed to admit that occasionally when the mood strikes he will go into his closet and turn on his iPod.
"The blue color makes me happy," he cheerfully explains. "You can tell a huge amount of time went into the way it was designed," he told MacNewsWorld. "There are very few pieces of technology that really move me -- TiVo (Nasdaq: TIVO) , the Wii and the iPod are the only ones."
The Networks' Participation
Another reason why Allen loves his (five) iPods is because he is able to download the latest episodes of his favorite TV shows from iTunes and watch them when he travels, which he does a lot.
"I will fly maybe 116,000 miles a year, and it is physically impossible for me to watch all of the shows I want, even with TiVo." Nor does he necessarily want to watch TV at home anyway. "When I get back I want to spend the time with my family and friends."
Shows like "24," and "Desperate Housewives," among the many other current TV serials available on the iPod, are updated the night after an episode airs, he explained. "You can download it that morning and watch it on a flight that afternoon."
Not all networks get along with iTunes -- pricing disputes led NBC to part ways with Apple's portal weeks ago.
Pocketbook Pain
The iPod's user base is not entirely free of complaint. With some having paid up to $600 for the iPhone, the most expensive iPod around, the device is expensive enough that even the smallest fault can glare blindingly.
Apple, to its credit, is working on some of the more obvious limitations -- such as the exclusive ecosystem that exists between iTunes and the iPod. There are plenty of other pet peeves, though, that the company's devotees hope to see addressed.
Battery Life
When Apple introduced its video iPod about two years ago, the new feature had one major flaw: It drained life from the device's much-vaunted long battery life. That has improved, but only somewhat.
"Somehow extend battery life without making me buy a new $400 machine," Erin Mitchell, an account executive in New York, advised Apple. Mitchell loves her device (it's easy to transport and it caters to her 'distracted by a shiny object' personality with its huge storage 
capacity for movies and songs). "There's nothing wrong with the one I have except that the battery runs out too fast," she told MacNewsWorld, adding "I don't need another zillion gigs of storage space, thanks."
The Earphones
These, Mitchell said bluntly, "are dreadful. Either that, or else I'm the only person on the planet who has wrong-shaped ears for the buds."
No, Erin, you are not. While the white cords snaking down people's necks are now a familiar sight on any U.S. city's streets, in public transportation and (unfortunately) in cars, a sizable segment finds them to be very uncomfortable. Sure, a new pair can be purchased for less than $30, but after shelling out $400, one shouldn't have to do that in the first place.
Its Sensitivity
In earlier iterations, some users found that the iPod's scroll wheel was a little too sensitive, causing some to overshoot, or have trouble accessing, their target song or video when using it. That problem has been solved in the later versions but still exists in at least one context. Some users are finding that the iPod touch's screen sensitivity is affecting the battery life. Melissa Roxas, a PR representative in San Francisco, loves the iPod touch -- except for that reason.
"I carry my iTouch in my purse, and sometimes the movement or the other objects in my bag tend to turn the power on when my iPod is not in use," she told MacNewsWorld. "So when it's time to play my iPod, the battery is dead. Maybe I could be more careful with how it's being stored, but I feel like Apple can add a "hold" feature or similar feature so it can prevent this." Even with the power off and in the box (before she bought a case), the iPod touch's power is pretty sensitive, she added.
The Screen
The iPhone and the iPod touch boast a big, wide screen -- much larger than on the iPod classic or nano. Still, though, Apple cannot seem to make the thing resistant to fingerprints and dust.
Mitchell can't understand it. "They're Apple, right? They can do anything." It's also not waterproof, she noted. "That I would pay another $400 for."
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