Is an iPod worth the investment? I say yes. I've said yes many times before, and I will probably continue to do so as long as Apple can keep upping the ante. I purchased the 20GB* generation 3, the 60GB photo, and the 80GB video. I even contemplated getting the iPhone. As far as spending money on these little devices, I can empty my pockets with the best of them.
A little caveat though; the iPod isn't an investment in the traditional sense. Resale value is very low, and if you were smart at the beginning, you would have purchased a warranty from apple for $100 more. When I bought my 80 gigabyte, it was $550 with the warranty. I just checked eBay, and I'd be lucky to get $300 with a warranty. The investment I'm talking about is your time. Finding songs and adding them to your iTunes, (the program that accompanies the iPod, and the vehicle through which the songs go from your computer to the iPod) is fairly easy.
If you're a chronic downloader, however, be prepared to spend a ton of time changing the "track info" on the songs you've recently "acquired." If you have a few tracks by Led Zeppelin, a few by Led Zepelin, and one by Lead Zepplin, it will put these three artists separately when you look for them on your iPod. If you're a perfectionist, you'll spend a reasonable amount of time making sure each song has the correct album artwork. If you're a music fiend, you can play DJ for hours by creating your own playlists. It is certainly a great feeling to decide which music will segue into each other seamlessly, and even better when you surprise yourself by listening to it the next day.
Some people buy iPods to put their favorite songs on. I buy iPods to put my favorite albums on. There is an underlying difference in philosophies that ultimately decides whether an iPod is for you. I am someone who likes to have the world at my fingertips. If you're like me, and want your whole record collection with you while you ride the bus to work, it's probably a good idea. If you're the guy who wants to have some music to listen to at the gym, get a nano if anything. If you want it just to be trendy, get the Zune. Music isn't a trend, it's a lifestyle.
*GB is computer-slang for gigabyte, which is a measure of computer storage.
