An updated version may be available but is it necessary? I have owned the 6th generation iPod for 2 and a half years and nearly 18000 songs later, it's still going strong.

The iPod is, visually, beautiful, the black finish on the front is pleasing on both the eyes and fingertips, the shiny silver back just as much (although much more prone to smudgy fingerprints) and the click wheel is joyfully simplistic to use, allowing navigation of a large music library with ease.

The iPod can play music, videos and display photos, which the device's software is able to display in a variety of ways (e.g. by artist, album, composer etc.) ensuring that you will always get to what you're looking for easily and quickly. This software is well supported and updates via iTunes tend to stop any (very few) bugs that may arise.

However, the true test of any mp3 player is the playback quality, so is the iPod a triumph of style over substance?

In short, no. The device is able to play any type of music well, with many EQ settings to tailor the experience to your liking (however, a new pair of 'quality headphones' are advised, the bundled ones are 'tinny' and will most likely break within a few months, no matter how careful you attempt to be).

Video playback is also good, if a little fiddly when skipping, as are the various photo options (including slideshow with music).

Also, miscellanea features such as calender, alarm and games all impress and will serve their purpose, be it to waste time or wake you up for your stop on the train.

The iPod is the epitome of 21st century technology: it's easy and it works, this is what all electronics should be like.