Saturday, 19 January 2013
Monday, 14 January 2013
Short essay on Pakistan Movement
The Pakistan Movement is similar to the spirit of Islam. The War of Independence in 1857 was an announced declaration of the Muslim strength of revolution against the oppressing power of the British government and its stooges present in the Sub continent. Frustration, dearth of direction and planning lowered the rank of Muslims after the failure of this war. It was after this war that leaders such as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan emerged who became a guiding light for Muslims in India. Muslims were in distress and he said that education is power; he used this mantra to raise their spirits.
He added that Muslims could enhance their political, social and economic position only through the medium of modern, scientific education. In fact it was Sir Syed that created the concept of a separate Muslim state on the grounds of religion, culture and history. He encouraged the Muslims of the sub-continent to ask for a home nation where they could live their lives according to the Quran and the holy sunnah.
After the creation of the Indian national congress in 1885, the visionary Muslim leaders saw this move as a threat and warned Muslims of its dangers. Hence in 1906 the Muslim league was formed to challenge the Indian national congress. This is when the concept of two different states for Muslims and Hindus emerged. Many Maulanas supported this vision created initially by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and spread its ideas all around the sub-continent.
However it can be said that the most important contribution came from Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, the amazing philosopher and poet to the creation of Muslim nationalism. It was through his poetic and religious-philosophical works that the idea of Pakistan gained support. Islam in his philosophy is a form of national unity and includes all political beliefs. In the All India Muslim's league's session in Allahbad in 1930, Dr. Iqbal's address represented the first conceptual idea for the establishment of an independent Islamic state in old India.
From 1937, it was the founder of Pakistan Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah that encouraged in the Muslim community the concept of Muslims uniting into a charismatic community; this synchronized their sense of power with the sense of a united community. As time passed the Quaid became a symbol for Muslim Nationalism in Human form. He was launched as the Quaid even before the initiation of the Pakistan Movement in March, 1940. Due to the continued stubbornness of the Indian national congress, it was in 1940 that the league formed the resolution on the 23rd march.
It was designed on the principal that areas in which the Muslims would be in Majority would be grouped together to create an independent state. After the difficult struggle by the Muslims, the British Parliament was forced to agree to the Indian Independence Act in 1947, leading to the creation of Pakistan on 14th August in 1947. It was on this historic day that Quaid-e-Azam addressed the first session of the Pakistan's Constituent Assembly ad appreciated the services and sacrifices of all Muslims in the Sub continent in the creation of Pakistan.
He added that Muslims could enhance their political, social and economic position only through the medium of modern, scientific education. In fact it was Sir Syed that created the concept of a separate Muslim state on the grounds of religion, culture and history. He encouraged the Muslims of the sub-continent to ask for a home nation where they could live their lives according to the Quran and the holy sunnah.
After the creation of the Indian national congress in 1885, the visionary Muslim leaders saw this move as a threat and warned Muslims of its dangers. Hence in 1906 the Muslim league was formed to challenge the Indian national congress. This is when the concept of two different states for Muslims and Hindus emerged. Many Maulanas supported this vision created initially by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and spread its ideas all around the sub-continent.
However it can be said that the most important contribution came from Dr. Mohammad Iqbal, the amazing philosopher and poet to the creation of Muslim nationalism. It was through his poetic and religious-philosophical works that the idea of Pakistan gained support. Islam in his philosophy is a form of national unity and includes all political beliefs. In the All India Muslim's league's session in Allahbad in 1930, Dr. Iqbal's address represented the first conceptual idea for the establishment of an independent Islamic state in old India.
From 1937, it was the founder of Pakistan Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah that encouraged in the Muslim community the concept of Muslims uniting into a charismatic community; this synchronized their sense of power with the sense of a united community. As time passed the Quaid became a symbol for Muslim Nationalism in Human form. He was launched as the Quaid even before the initiation of the Pakistan Movement in March, 1940. Due to the continued stubbornness of the Indian national congress, it was in 1940 that the league formed the resolution on the 23rd march.
It was designed on the principal that areas in which the Muslims would be in Majority would be grouped together to create an independent state. After the difficult struggle by the Muslims, the British Parliament was forced to agree to the Indian Independence Act in 1947, leading to the creation of Pakistan on 14th August in 1947. It was on this historic day that Quaid-e-Azam addressed the first session of the Pakistan's Constituent Assembly ad appreciated the services and sacrifices of all Muslims in the Sub continent in the creation of Pakistan.
Short essay on the Educational System of Pakistan
The educational system of Pakistan has been a topic of debate in the country since independence. There are different points of views regarding what type of education system would be in the best interest of the country and yet there has been no consensus on this matter.
The educational system of Pakistan could be divided into three categories:
Cambridge Education System:
This education system involves a curriculum based on the UK standard of education. Only the rich and elite of the country could afford having their children acquire UK based education. A majority of children who have acquired Cambridge level education go to foreign countries for higher education. This creates a disparity between the rich and the poor as the employers prefer candidates of the Cambridge education system over others.
Pakistan Secondary Education System:
This type of education system is basically provided by the private and governmental schools. The schools for the middle class students is one in which half of the instructions are in English and the other half in Urdu. If these children are lucky to have parents who could afford the fees of recognized colleges then they are able to go to colleges of their preference, provided they have good grades previously. For children belonging to the lower class, have to study in a full Urdu medium school with little know how about English which is now considered to be a standard medium for education internationally. These people generally occupy the low standard and low paid jobs of clerks, salesmen, factory workers and etc.
Madressah Education System:
It deals with educating children about Islam. Children are basically educated with religious teachings and have no knowledge or education about worldly subjects.
There are various problems associated with these types of systems. The Cambridge Education System in not accepted by many because it promotes inequality in the society as only a smaller proportion of the country's children are able to acquire it because of it being expensive. The secondary education system in which there are private and government schools is criticized for not providing quality education as their teachers have lesser qualifications and are not able to equip the students with the knowledge required to compete in the job market. Urdu being used as a medium of education is not welcomed both because in times of globalization it is important to know the language which is most commonly understood in the world or the language which meets international requirements and English is not being taught in many of these schools.
What could be done is that the government should form a research team immediately which would try to find out which type of education system is in the larger interest of the country. Professionals from different fields including doctors, businessmen, engineers, lawyers etc. should be made part of this team so a consensus could be formed on the type of education system for the children of Pakistan. There is no doubt that the solution lies in a single education system for all children across the country provided that the quality of education being provided is of international standard.
The educational system of Pakistan could be divided into three categories:
Cambridge Education System:
This education system involves a curriculum based on the UK standard of education. Only the rich and elite of the country could afford having their children acquire UK based education. A majority of children who have acquired Cambridge level education go to foreign countries for higher education. This creates a disparity between the rich and the poor as the employers prefer candidates of the Cambridge education system over others.
Pakistan Secondary Education System:
This type of education system is basically provided by the private and governmental schools. The schools for the middle class students is one in which half of the instructions are in English and the other half in Urdu. If these children are lucky to have parents who could afford the fees of recognized colleges then they are able to go to colleges of their preference, provided they have good grades previously. For children belonging to the lower class, have to study in a full Urdu medium school with little know how about English which is now considered to be a standard medium for education internationally. These people generally occupy the low standard and low paid jobs of clerks, salesmen, factory workers and etc.
Madressah Education System:
It deals with educating children about Islam. Children are basically educated with religious teachings and have no knowledge or education about worldly subjects.
There are various problems associated with these types of systems. The Cambridge Education System in not accepted by many because it promotes inequality in the society as only a smaller proportion of the country's children are able to acquire it because of it being expensive. The secondary education system in which there are private and government schools is criticized for not providing quality education as their teachers have lesser qualifications and are not able to equip the students with the knowledge required to compete in the job market. Urdu being used as a medium of education is not welcomed both because in times of globalization it is important to know the language which is most commonly understood in the world or the language which meets international requirements and English is not being taught in many of these schools.
What could be done is that the government should form a research team immediately which would try to find out which type of education system is in the larger interest of the country. Professionals from different fields including doctors, businessmen, engineers, lawyers etc. should be made part of this team so a consensus could be formed on the type of education system for the children of Pakistan. There is no doubt that the solution lies in a single education system for all children across the country provided that the quality of education being provided is of international standard.
The amount of air pollution in Pakistan's major cities like Lahore and Karachi is 20 times higher than the World Health Organization standards. There are layers of smog, dust and smoke that exist over Karachi. There is also a prominent smell of gasoline that infiltrates air. Islamabad which is the capital city of Pakistan is known to be covered with thick layer smog that actually keeps hidden the view of Margalla hills.
So pollution is very prominent and exists to a threatening level in Pakistan. It comes from cars, factories and other such sources and Pakistanis are daily breathing polluted air. It is unfortunate that only a couple of people actually are aware of the depth of its effects on their and their children's health. Pollution is known to cause coughing, sore throats and nasal discharge. In extreme cases it can also lead to asthma, tumors, lung damage and death. The first step to avoid pollution is to educate Pakistanis about pollution, its description, its causes, its effects and ways to control it.
Now ways to control pollution is to firstly read up all you can about pollution, the internet is a great source of information. There are many environmental organizations as well that have informative websites on ecology and pollution. Try and find as much as you can online and search for articles that explain pollution in a straightforward manner. Those organizations that are not on the web try and find out if they have pamphlets about pollution and its effects and what citizens can do about it. After gathering all the information and compiling it, try and get it translated in Urdu, make sure there are no copyright issues. Try and get a professional translator if you can. The next step is printing; this would require some funding, if funding is too expensive then try and get donations.
Afterwards distribute the work amongst family and friends, give it to a couple of newspapers, so it can be published and could benefit the masses. Also in order to help schools teach about pollution, you could visit these schools see how children are taught and provide teachers with your work to help them have better material. Another way to help is by writing or developing articles to give to the visitors coming into Pakistan, the topic of these articles would be how a visitor to the country can keep him or herself healthy from the effects of pollution when he visits.
Creating a website about pollution is also another magnificent way to educate others about the topic. It will be of use to Pakistanis all around the globe, it even may encourage others to do something about pollution and fight it. The website could also comprise of translated pamphlets, information about what people can do about pollution in Pakistan and other such information. You can also include links to other sites that talk about that topic.
Then last step is trying to reach those organizations in Pakistan that are known to be number one polluters. Start a campaign in newspapers and on your websites which tries and makes them accountable for their acts. By exposing them you could motivate them to take up certain measures. But make sure you also take steps to appreciate the industries that are making an effort to keep the environment clean.
So pollution is very prominent and exists to a threatening level in Pakistan. It comes from cars, factories and other such sources and Pakistanis are daily breathing polluted air. It is unfortunate that only a couple of people actually are aware of the depth of its effects on their and their children's health. Pollution is known to cause coughing, sore throats and nasal discharge. In extreme cases it can also lead to asthma, tumors, lung damage and death. The first step to avoid pollution is to educate Pakistanis about pollution, its description, its causes, its effects and ways to control it.
Now ways to control pollution is to firstly read up all you can about pollution, the internet is a great source of information. There are many environmental organizations as well that have informative websites on ecology and pollution. Try and find as much as you can online and search for articles that explain pollution in a straightforward manner. Those organizations that are not on the web try and find out if they have pamphlets about pollution and its effects and what citizens can do about it. After gathering all the information and compiling it, try and get it translated in Urdu, make sure there are no copyright issues. Try and get a professional translator if you can. The next step is printing; this would require some funding, if funding is too expensive then try and get donations.
Afterwards distribute the work amongst family and friends, give it to a couple of newspapers, so it can be published and could benefit the masses. Also in order to help schools teach about pollution, you could visit these schools see how children are taught and provide teachers with your work to help them have better material. Another way to help is by writing or developing articles to give to the visitors coming into Pakistan, the topic of these articles would be how a visitor to the country can keep him or herself healthy from the effects of pollution when he visits.
Creating a website about pollution is also another magnificent way to educate others about the topic. It will be of use to Pakistanis all around the globe, it even may encourage others to do something about pollution and fight it. The website could also comprise of translated pamphlets, information about what people can do about pollution in Pakistan and other such information. You can also include links to other sites that talk about that topic.
Then last step is trying to reach those organizations in Pakistan that are known to be number one polluters. Start a campaign in newspapers and on your websites which tries and makes them accountable for their acts. By exposing them you could motivate them to take up certain measures. But make sure you also take steps to appreciate the industries that are making an effort to keep the environment clean.
Short essay on Pakistani Wedding
A Pakistani wedding is a traditional ceremony which rejoices on the wedlock of a bride and groom. It brings together the families of the bride and groom in the many occasions that take place. In Pakistan the wedding ceremony is of immense importance. Various cultures have distinct ways of celebrating the wedlock of two individuals through different traditions. Pakistan being a Muslim country situated in South Asia and the greater Middle East has a vibrant culture with many customs. A Pakistani wedding is a festive arrangement, with a lot of fun. It is a celebration that is looked forward to by everyone; there are many pre wedding customs and rituals. Many of the customs that are practiced in Pakistan have no roots to Islam and these customs have been embraced from ceremonies and traditions of the Hindu culture.
The first custom is known as a mangni which is actually an engagement ceremony, marks the official engagement of the couple. This is a small ceremony takes place in front of few family members of the would- be bride and groom. Prayer and blessings are recited and the wedding date is determined. The next ceremony is the Mayun it is a custom where the bride enters a state of isolation for 8 to 15 days prior to the wedding, she is free from doing all chores and running errands and the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other, in fact the bride can't even leave her house. This is when the beautification rituals begin. Uptan is the next small event in which a paste is formed using turmeric, sandalwood powder, herbs and oils, which the groom's mother brings for the bride. She blesses the bride and applies the uptan - mixture on her face and hands. The uptan ceremony is also held for the groom, in fact uptan is supposed to make the bride look pretty and she applies it daily until the wedding.
The Dolki is a singing ceremony and traditional wedding songs are sung accompanied by two or three instruments, a dolki being the primary instrument. In these events the bride is officially treated as a bride or a dulhan, she wears a traditional Pakistani yellow outfit and her siblings and friends escort her to the event. The mehendi is actualluy a hena party which takes place before the wedding. It's a ceremony consisting primarily of females, they apply henna on the bride and each other, they sing and dance and sadka is performed on the bride- that is they ward off evil from the bride. After the ceremony there is dinner, and traditionally the bride veils her face in the ceremony. Mehendi is done on the groom's side as well, with the groom, the bride does not participate.
The Baraat and Nikah usually happen together or one after the other. It is the official ceremony of the wedding; it is when the grooms family and relatives or friends make way to the bride's home. They are warmly welcomed. It is there that they share juices and foods and meet and greet each other. This mainly happens in the baraat. The nikah is the purely Islamic ritual, it is attended by only close members, men and women are seated separately. The nikah nama contains certain terms and conditions which are written and agreed upon by both the parties. The next ceremony is the ruksati in which the bride fare wells to her family and is taken to her in laws house. The last ceremony is the Valima which is more like a wedding reception. Hence Pakistani weddings are extensive consisting of many rituals and customs, thus they are colorful and amusing for all.
The first custom is known as a mangni which is actually an engagement ceremony, marks the official engagement of the couple. This is a small ceremony takes place in front of few family members of the would- be bride and groom. Prayer and blessings are recited and the wedding date is determined. The next ceremony is the Mayun it is a custom where the bride enters a state of isolation for 8 to 15 days prior to the wedding, she is free from doing all chores and running errands and the bride and groom are not allowed to see each other, in fact the bride can't even leave her house. This is when the beautification rituals begin. Uptan is the next small event in which a paste is formed using turmeric, sandalwood powder, herbs and oils, which the groom's mother brings for the bride. She blesses the bride and applies the uptan - mixture on her face and hands. The uptan ceremony is also held for the groom, in fact uptan is supposed to make the bride look pretty and she applies it daily until the wedding.
The Dolki is a singing ceremony and traditional wedding songs are sung accompanied by two or three instruments, a dolki being the primary instrument. In these events the bride is officially treated as a bride or a dulhan, she wears a traditional Pakistani yellow outfit and her siblings and friends escort her to the event. The mehendi is actualluy a hena party which takes place before the wedding. It's a ceremony consisting primarily of females, they apply henna on the bride and each other, they sing and dance and sadka is performed on the bride- that is they ward off evil from the bride. After the ceremony there is dinner, and traditionally the bride veils her face in the ceremony. Mehendi is done on the groom's side as well, with the groom, the bride does not participate.
The Baraat and Nikah usually happen together or one after the other. It is the official ceremony of the wedding; it is when the grooms family and relatives or friends make way to the bride's home. They are warmly welcomed. It is there that they share juices and foods and meet and greet each other. This mainly happens in the baraat. The nikah is the purely Islamic ritual, it is attended by only close members, men and women are seated separately. The nikah nama contains certain terms and conditions which are written and agreed upon by both the parties. The next ceremony is the ruksati in which the bride fare wells to her family and is taken to her in laws house. The last ceremony is the Valima which is more like a wedding reception. Hence Pakistani weddings are extensive consisting of many rituals and customs, thus they are colorful and amusing for all.
Short essay on Pakistan as a Welfare State
A welfare state is determined by the type of government, if the government provides services for the welfare or well-being of its citizens entirely then it is known as a welfare state. Such a government is a part of the lives of its people at every extent. It caters to the physical, material and social needs rather than the people catering to their own needs.
The main objective of a welfare state is to essentially create social and economic equality and to ensure fair standards of living, fair access to justice, freedom of faith and speech and complete transparency in decision making of officials and executives.
The services that the welfare state provides includes education, housing, sustenance, health services, unemployment insurance, days off for sickness or injuries, additional income in special circumstances and equivalent wages through price and wage controls. Other services that a welfare state provides include public transportation, child care, social public goods like public parks and libraries, and other such goods and services. Some of the services provided could be funded by government insurance programs or taxes collected by the government.
Hence it could be said that the final purpose of a welfare state is the well-being of citizens. This term actually came up in the 20th century. For the scholars of today's world or the 21st century it is more of a common used word. Almost all countries identify themselves as a welfare state but the actual level of welfare services provided varies from country to country. There are countries where the institutional concept of welfare is practiced and countries where the residual concept of welfare is practiced. With regard to Pakistan, it is a little different; it shows attributes of a pluralist welfare state. The Islamic welfare state has been proposed to be practiced by many past leaders that have come and many that are about to come, however there is still 30 percent of the population that lives under the poverty line and little is shown to be done by these leaders to come through on their promise.
Imran Khan (Candidate in the Presidential elections of Pakistan) has promised to make Pakistan into a welfare state according to newspaper headlines and the current president's Benazir Income support Program is supposed to aid Pakistan in becoming a welfare state. According to many Pakistan can be made a welfare state if it acts according to the objectives resolution - this is another newspaper article, citizens of Pakistan and readers are given hopes of Pakistan being a welfare state every day. Since 1947 the governments of Pakistan one after the other has been known to be trying to make Pakistan a welfare state, more specifically an Islamic Welfare state.
To make this so called dream come true the leaders have tried to implement a few methods to achieve this, like the democracy of the 1960s, the nationalization of industries in the 1970s and the Zakat and other Islamization practices in the 1980s. In the 1990s under the rule of Nawaz Sharif there were some concrete steps taken like the creation of Pakistan's Bait ul Maal - in other words a detailed social welfare program. However these efforts are successful for a temporary period and then their results seem to fade away. More efforts are required by the government to improve the standards of living of its citizens; measures should be implemented permanently and should not be a temporary phenomenon.
The main objective of a welfare state is to essentially create social and economic equality and to ensure fair standards of living, fair access to justice, freedom of faith and speech and complete transparency in decision making of officials and executives.
The services that the welfare state provides includes education, housing, sustenance, health services, unemployment insurance, days off for sickness or injuries, additional income in special circumstances and equivalent wages through price and wage controls. Other services that a welfare state provides include public transportation, child care, social public goods like public parks and libraries, and other such goods and services. Some of the services provided could be funded by government insurance programs or taxes collected by the government.
Hence it could be said that the final purpose of a welfare state is the well-being of citizens. This term actually came up in the 20th century. For the scholars of today's world or the 21st century it is more of a common used word. Almost all countries identify themselves as a welfare state but the actual level of welfare services provided varies from country to country. There are countries where the institutional concept of welfare is practiced and countries where the residual concept of welfare is practiced. With regard to Pakistan, it is a little different; it shows attributes of a pluralist welfare state. The Islamic welfare state has been proposed to be practiced by many past leaders that have come and many that are about to come, however there is still 30 percent of the population that lives under the poverty line and little is shown to be done by these leaders to come through on their promise.
Imran Khan (Candidate in the Presidential elections of Pakistan) has promised to make Pakistan into a welfare state according to newspaper headlines and the current president's Benazir Income support Program is supposed to aid Pakistan in becoming a welfare state. According to many Pakistan can be made a welfare state if it acts according to the objectives resolution - this is another newspaper article, citizens of Pakistan and readers are given hopes of Pakistan being a welfare state every day. Since 1947 the governments of Pakistan one after the other has been known to be trying to make Pakistan a welfare state, more specifically an Islamic Welfare state.
To make this so called dream come true the leaders have tried to implement a few methods to achieve this, like the democracy of the 1960s, the nationalization of industries in the 1970s and the Zakat and other Islamization practices in the 1980s. In the 1990s under the rule of Nawaz Sharif there were some concrete steps taken like the creation of Pakistan's Bait ul Maal - in other words a detailed social welfare program. However these efforts are successful for a temporary period and then their results seem to fade away. More efforts are required by the government to improve the standards of living of its citizens; measures should be implemented permanently and should not be a temporary phenomenon.
Short essay on Agriculture in Pakistan
Pakistan's economy largely depends on agriculture. Around 60% of Pakistan's population (mostly residing in the rural areas) is directly or indirectly linked with agriculture. The agriculture sector is the second largest sector of Pakistan and it contributes more than 21 percent to the GDP, more importantly it is the largest employing sector as it absorbs around 45 percent of the country's labor force. This sector is significant in nature not only because of the statistics listed above but also because it is a primary supplier of raw materials to various industries, contributing significantly to exports, and it also proves to be a major market for other products like fertilizers, pesticides, tractors, and other agricultural tools.
With regard to farming in Pakistan there are two main seasons for growing crops and specified crops are grown only in that season. 'Kharif' season is the summer season in which the summer crop are grown and 'Rabi' is the winter season in which winter crops are grown. In Kharif crops, sowing is done in April - June and harvesting happens in October - November. In Rabi crops, sowing is done in October - November and harvesting is done in April - May. Kharif crops include rice, sugarcane, cotton, maize and others, while Rabi crops include wheat, tobacco, rapeseed, barley and mustard.
Irrespective of the fact that the agricultural sector is crucial for the growth of this country, exports, incomes and food security, this sector is facing a continuous decline. Growth in yields per acre has been falling successively for the last three decades. Productivity has been very low and the yield gap continues to rise, hence intensive efforts are required to revive the sector. There needs to be efforts taken by the government and policy makers to help the farmers make investments in new seeds, farming technology, and infrastructure supporting water irrigation. These investments are essential, and if not taken it is uncertain how strong and ready
Pakistan would be to cope with rising problems such as falling water availability and intense climatic changes.
The major issues that farmers face include firstly the soil. Pakistani soil lacks nitrogenous content, therefore in order to increase cultivated crops and yield it needs proper fertilizers and great investments. Soil erosion is a common phenomenon in the country which adds to destroying the soil energy, and there are not many mechanisms or efforts being taken to reduce soil erosion or restore nutrient to the soil. Another issue faced by farmers which hinders growth in this sector involves water wastage by using flood irrigation methods which waste around 50 to 60 percent of the water, hence new irrigation facilities need to be adopted to better use limited water resources. There are many other issues as well like small land holdings, limited credit facilities available, lack of adaptation of new farming technology, recent rain fed floods which have led to the loss of livestock and crops, water logging and salinity and lastly lack of development and infrastructure in rural areas. The agriculture sector is of great importance to the nation and such problems call for a reform of the agricultural policy, in which these issues are tackled and more importantly the abolishment of feudalism so land is allotted to poor farmers, this would increase the crop yield per acre.
This sector has enormous potential for growth and in terms of contribution to the development of the country, yet it requires large investments and attention for its proper enlargement.
With regard to farming in Pakistan there are two main seasons for growing crops and specified crops are grown only in that season. 'Kharif' season is the summer season in which the summer crop are grown and 'Rabi' is the winter season in which winter crops are grown. In Kharif crops, sowing is done in April - June and harvesting happens in October - November. In Rabi crops, sowing is done in October - November and harvesting is done in April - May. Kharif crops include rice, sugarcane, cotton, maize and others, while Rabi crops include wheat, tobacco, rapeseed, barley and mustard.
Irrespective of the fact that the agricultural sector is crucial for the growth of this country, exports, incomes and food security, this sector is facing a continuous decline. Growth in yields per acre has been falling successively for the last three decades. Productivity has been very low and the yield gap continues to rise, hence intensive efforts are required to revive the sector. There needs to be efforts taken by the government and policy makers to help the farmers make investments in new seeds, farming technology, and infrastructure supporting water irrigation. These investments are essential, and if not taken it is uncertain how strong and ready
Pakistan would be to cope with rising problems such as falling water availability and intense climatic changes.
The major issues that farmers face include firstly the soil. Pakistani soil lacks nitrogenous content, therefore in order to increase cultivated crops and yield it needs proper fertilizers and great investments. Soil erosion is a common phenomenon in the country which adds to destroying the soil energy, and there are not many mechanisms or efforts being taken to reduce soil erosion or restore nutrient to the soil. Another issue faced by farmers which hinders growth in this sector involves water wastage by using flood irrigation methods which waste around 50 to 60 percent of the water, hence new irrigation facilities need to be adopted to better use limited water resources. There are many other issues as well like small land holdings, limited credit facilities available, lack of adaptation of new farming technology, recent rain fed floods which have led to the loss of livestock and crops, water logging and salinity and lastly lack of development and infrastructure in rural areas. The agriculture sector is of great importance to the nation and such problems call for a reform of the agricultural policy, in which these issues are tackled and more importantly the abolishment of feudalism so land is allotted to poor farmers, this would increase the crop yield per acre.
This sector has enormous potential for growth and in terms of contribution to the development of the country, yet it requires large investments and attention for its proper enlargement.
Short essay on Floods in Pakistan
The problem of floods in Pakistan is not new as it dates back to the year of independence 1947 when the first major flood hit Pakistan. Since then eight more floods of even greater magnitude in 1954, 1970, 1988, 1992, 2001, 2005, 2007, and 2010 have caused heaps of destruction in the country taking the lives of millions of people and leaving billions of them homeless. However the latest flood in 2010 was the most devastating which damaged the infrastructure and economy of the country.
The main reason for the 2011 floods was the heavy monsoon rainfall in all four provinces of the country. The severity of the flood could be determined by the fact that one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater. The floods took the lives of more than 2000 people and had a direct impact on the lives of 20 million other people by wiping out their property, livelihood and infrastructure.
With the country already facing power shortages, the floods added to the misery as 10000 transmission lines and transformers were crushed resulting in an approximate power shortage of 3.135 Gigawatts. The floods also had an adverse impact on the health of the population in the flood affected areas spreading diseases like gastroenteritis, diarrhea and various other skin diseases. In view of the disastrous floods, the President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari ordered that there would be no grand celebrations on the 14th of August.
While the social impact of the floods was tremendous, the economic impact of it on the country was no less. According to the International Labour Organization about 5.3 million people lost their jobs as an aftermath of the flood. The floods affected many agricultural farms in the country destroying crops which further had a negative impact on other related industries like the Textile manufacturing industry which already was under severe financial and economic troubles. The growth rate of the country was expected to fall from the expected 4% to -2%.
It is in times of calamity that a country realizes who their real friends from across the border are. The relief aid was substantial from foreign countries. The worldwide donations were approximately $687 million and $324 million were guaranteed in uncommitted assurances. The spirit of the locals of the country was astounding as each individual stepped forward to help his fellow citizens in times of need. Contributions by people were collected by Eidhi, Imran Khan and various NGOs. The floods received extensive media coverage due to which many of the celebrities also got forward to help collect funds for the flood relief. Various programs were aired on channels like Geo, ARY, etc in which celebrities from the showbiz and sports appealed for contributions.
Although the floods in Pakistan bought high volumes of devastation for the country it also lightened up a spirit of patriotism and humanity in the people. While terrorism and crime rate were at the peak and people were scared to get out of their homes, this disastrous situation allowed them to forget all their fears and come forward to help the country in times of desperate need.
The main reason for the 2011 floods was the heavy monsoon rainfall in all four provinces of the country. The severity of the flood could be determined by the fact that one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater. The floods took the lives of more than 2000 people and had a direct impact on the lives of 20 million other people by wiping out their property, livelihood and infrastructure.
With the country already facing power shortages, the floods added to the misery as 10000 transmission lines and transformers were crushed resulting in an approximate power shortage of 3.135 Gigawatts. The floods also had an adverse impact on the health of the population in the flood affected areas spreading diseases like gastroenteritis, diarrhea and various other skin diseases. In view of the disastrous floods, the President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari ordered that there would be no grand celebrations on the 14th of August.
While the social impact of the floods was tremendous, the economic impact of it on the country was no less. According to the International Labour Organization about 5.3 million people lost their jobs as an aftermath of the flood. The floods affected many agricultural farms in the country destroying crops which further had a negative impact on other related industries like the Textile manufacturing industry which already was under severe financial and economic troubles. The growth rate of the country was expected to fall from the expected 4% to -2%.
It is in times of calamity that a country realizes who their real friends from across the border are. The relief aid was substantial from foreign countries. The worldwide donations were approximately $687 million and $324 million were guaranteed in uncommitted assurances. The spirit of the locals of the country was astounding as each individual stepped forward to help his fellow citizens in times of need. Contributions by people were collected by Eidhi, Imran Khan and various NGOs. The floods received extensive media coverage due to which many of the celebrities also got forward to help collect funds for the flood relief. Various programs were aired on channels like Geo, ARY, etc in which celebrities from the showbiz and sports appealed for contributions.
Although the floods in Pakistan bought high volumes of devastation for the country it also lightened up a spirit of patriotism and humanity in the people. While terrorism and crime rate were at the peak and people were scared to get out of their homes, this disastrous situation allowed them to forget all their fears and come forward to help the country in times of desperate need.
Short essay on the Lahore Fort
In Lahore there are many beautiful structures and monuments, but more specifically there are two works of arts from the Mughal architecture that do not go unnoticed by anyone entering Lahore from Rawalpindi on the Grand Trunk Road, these are the Badshahi Mosque and the Shahi Qilla, also known as the Royal Fort.
The fort was originally built in 1544 AD by the Mughal Ruler Akbar the great and it was built on the ruins of an ancient mud fort which already existed since 1021 A.D. The fort is situated in the North West corner of the city, beside the Walled city and is rectangular in shape, it has 13 gates which were also built by Akbar, and the main gates are located along the middle of the eastern and western walls. In the heart of the city there is the beautiful Lahore fort, a secured palace complex. The architecture of the structure is magnificent and it is a palace right out of a fairytale. The entrance is remarkable with twin domes which lead further to extensively decked courtyards and pavilions with water features, some with wall decorations of inlaid precious stones and painted designs, some of this eye catching decorations still exist even today. These courtyards are so huge in size that it allows many elephants carrying people from the royal family to enter simultaneously together, in fact there are a flight of stone stairs constructed especially for the elephants' parades.
The fort today is not like as it was when it was first built in 1566. This is because that every Mughal emperor that came along besides the Sikhs and the British colonizers further built a pavilion or a palace of wall to the fort. Jahangir, Shah Jehan and later Aurangzeb created their own changes by further constructing hugely secure walls to the structure. Akbar especially got the Hall of Commoners also known as the Diwan - e- Aam constructed in the traditional Iranian style, it is built in all red sandstone which was imported from Rajistan, Shah Jehan was responsible for the construction of Diwan-e-Khas, from there you could see river Ravi, in the year of 1631 when Shah Jehan started the construction of Taj Mahal, he also constructed the Moti Masjid or the pearl Mosque and even his own bedroom. The Mughal emperor Jehangir he made extensions to the gardens and built the castle in the Jehangir's Quadrangle.
The infamous palace of Mirrors also known as the Sheesh Mahal is situated in the North East area of the Fort, it the most gorgeous palace in the fort and is made beautiful by small mirrors of different colour sets. This place was made by Shah Jehan in 1631. It is a deluxe palace to stay in during summer months with rest rooms that are like a long hall at its either end, and which open to a veranda which is eye catching and the view is of a marble paved quadrangle with a water fountain in the center.
The fort displays the exquisite life style of the Mughal emperors and is proof of Lahore's beautiful history, it is a tourist attraction and one sight that no one would regret seeing.
The fort was originally built in 1544 AD by the Mughal Ruler Akbar the great and it was built on the ruins of an ancient mud fort which already existed since 1021 A.D. The fort is situated in the North West corner of the city, beside the Walled city and is rectangular in shape, it has 13 gates which were also built by Akbar, and the main gates are located along the middle of the eastern and western walls. In the heart of the city there is the beautiful Lahore fort, a secured palace complex. The architecture of the structure is magnificent and it is a palace right out of a fairytale. The entrance is remarkable with twin domes which lead further to extensively decked courtyards and pavilions with water features, some with wall decorations of inlaid precious stones and painted designs, some of this eye catching decorations still exist even today. These courtyards are so huge in size that it allows many elephants carrying people from the royal family to enter simultaneously together, in fact there are a flight of stone stairs constructed especially for the elephants' parades.
The fort today is not like as it was when it was first built in 1566. This is because that every Mughal emperor that came along besides the Sikhs and the British colonizers further built a pavilion or a palace of wall to the fort. Jahangir, Shah Jehan and later Aurangzeb created their own changes by further constructing hugely secure walls to the structure. Akbar especially got the Hall of Commoners also known as the Diwan - e- Aam constructed in the traditional Iranian style, it is built in all red sandstone which was imported from Rajistan, Shah Jehan was responsible for the construction of Diwan-e-Khas, from there you could see river Ravi, in the year of 1631 when Shah Jehan started the construction of Taj Mahal, he also constructed the Moti Masjid or the pearl Mosque and even his own bedroom. The Mughal emperor Jehangir he made extensions to the gardens and built the castle in the Jehangir's Quadrangle.
The infamous palace of Mirrors also known as the Sheesh Mahal is situated in the North East area of the Fort, it the most gorgeous palace in the fort and is made beautiful by small mirrors of different colour sets. This place was made by Shah Jehan in 1631. It is a deluxe palace to stay in during summer months with rest rooms that are like a long hall at its either end, and which open to a veranda which is eye catching and the view is of a marble paved quadrangle with a water fountain in the center.
The fort displays the exquisite life style of the Mughal emperors and is proof of Lahore's beautiful history, it is a tourist attraction and one sight that no one would regret seeing.
Essay on Load shedding in Pakistan (Rolling Blackout)
While countries in the west move towards enlightenment, Pakistan is moving towards darkness. The country suffering at the hands of corrupt politicians and terrorism has much graver problems and one of them is load shedding. It is the 21st century and there is no electricity in Pakistan! People are crying their hearts out in front of the government to provide them with the basic necessity of electricity but the government seems to have no clue about how to solve this problem.
Energy shortage is the result of the power demand and supply gap. So what causes this gap to exist is the main question. There are various reasons because of which Pakistan could not create more electricity which include the rising fuel prices, rising burden of circular debts, lack of availability of inexpensive fuel, no new power projects being started, poor electricity production and distribution methods, power theft and nonpayment of electricity bills.
The issue of circular debts is not something new when it comes to energy crisis. When the circular debts reach their peak the government intercepts by increasing the subsidy given to the power companies. However this does not provide a permanent solution to the problem because the subsidies given are not sufficient to pull the power supply companies out of difficulty. At present only Rs3/kilowatt subsidy is given where as 20-30% of electricity is being stolen and the electricity bills of government offices remain due for months. This burden is then passed on to the end consumers in terms of higher prices or excessive amounts of load shedding.
The problem of energy theft is something which needs to be addressed at the governmental level. It signifies the inefficient law and order situation of the country as the government knowing who the thieves are still does nothing to catch them. If the government takes strict action against those who steal electricity then half the problem of power shortages would be solved. There are various suggestions from across the broad to make power theft a non bailable offence; however nothing has been done in regard to such suggestions.
Rising fuel costs in the production of electricity are also a major source of concern. Natural gas and imported oil are the two major components of power production. While imported oil was always expensive for power producers, the shortage of natural gas has added further to their miseries. Natural gas always seemed to be in abundance in the country however in recent times the country has surprisingly faced natural gas shortages too. So the only way out for Pakistan is to find other sources of energy generation. Coal in the country is in abundance but the lack of expertise in the country does not allow it to be used in the right direction.
As Pakistan faces several problems, the problem of load shedding too should be given top priority by the government officials. It's time the politicians start acting in order to solve the general problems of the people of Pakistan rather than fighting for getting into power and doing nothing
Energy shortage is the result of the power demand and supply gap. So what causes this gap to exist is the main question. There are various reasons because of which Pakistan could not create more electricity which include the rising fuel prices, rising burden of circular debts, lack of availability of inexpensive fuel, no new power projects being started, poor electricity production and distribution methods, power theft and nonpayment of electricity bills.
The issue of circular debts is not something new when it comes to energy crisis. When the circular debts reach their peak the government intercepts by increasing the subsidy given to the power companies. However this does not provide a permanent solution to the problem because the subsidies given are not sufficient to pull the power supply companies out of difficulty. At present only Rs3/kilowatt subsidy is given where as 20-30% of electricity is being stolen and the electricity bills of government offices remain due for months. This burden is then passed on to the end consumers in terms of higher prices or excessive amounts of load shedding.
The problem of energy theft is something which needs to be addressed at the governmental level. It signifies the inefficient law and order situation of the country as the government knowing who the thieves are still does nothing to catch them. If the government takes strict action against those who steal electricity then half the problem of power shortages would be solved. There are various suggestions from across the broad to make power theft a non bailable offence; however nothing has been done in regard to such suggestions.
Rising fuel costs in the production of electricity are also a major source of concern. Natural gas and imported oil are the two major components of power production. While imported oil was always expensive for power producers, the shortage of natural gas has added further to their miseries. Natural gas always seemed to be in abundance in the country however in recent times the country has surprisingly faced natural gas shortages too. So the only way out for Pakistan is to find other sources of energy generation. Coal in the country is in abundance but the lack of expertise in the country does not allow it to be used in the right direction.
As Pakistan faces several problems, the problem of load shedding too should be given top priority by the government officials. It's time the politicians start acting in order to solve the general problems of the people of Pakistan rather than fighting for getting into power and doing nothing
Essay on cricket Match fixing in Pakistan
Match fixing has been a curse to the game of cricket since the time the game was invented. Pakistan is one of those countries, which has been accused of match fixing more than any other country has ever been accused of.
The first major accusation came under the Justice Qayum report according to which various Pakistani cricketing stars were involved in fixing matches, these included Wasim Akram, Waqaq Younis, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and various others. The Justice Qayum report offered various penalties for the accused but his recommendations for penalizing the cricketers for their gruesome act were totally shunned.
The biggest and the most controversial match fixing case that Pakistan cricket ever suffered from was the spot fixing controversy of 2010 in which three famous cricketer were allegedly involved in fixing no balls at certain periods of the game. It was the summer of 2010 when Pakistan cricket team toured England. The historic and the king of all cricket grounds Lords was the place where the most shameful incident ever recorded in the history of the game took place. It was the 4th day of the test match between Pakistan and England that news of spot fixing broke on the media. A sting operation carried out by Mazhar Mehmood of England's News of the World magazine revealed the mischief done by the Pakistani cricketers. The star trio of Pakistan cricket team including the test captain Salman Butt, the experienced master of swing Muhammad Asif and the new bowling sensation of the world Mohammad Amir were caught being involved in spot fixing.
There was uproar in the international arena after this incident as people started questioning the authenticity of the game. The players took money from Mazhar Majeed for bowling preplanned no balls at certain time periods of the game. There were hidden camera videos aired on television recording this cruel act of fixing. The players alleged for being involved in spot fixing were handed punishing bans by the International Cricket Council. The captain Salman Butt was handed a ban of 10 years, Muhammad Asif a ban of 7 years while the youngster for being naive was handed only a 5 year ban from the game of cricket.
Their punishment for this totally unacceptable act did not finish just here. They faced criminal prosecution after the Crown Court determined there was evidence available for the players to be trialed. After several months Mohammad Amir accepted his crime while Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt chose to defend themselves in court. However after the trial was complete they were proved to be guilty. This day marked the darkest day for Pakistan's cricket as the three Pakistani players were sentenced to imprisonment for varying periods. Mohammad Amir for accepting his crime was awarded a lesser punishment which was 6 months in a young offender's jail while Mohammad Asif was sentenced for a year's imprisonment. Salman Butt was handed the cruelest punishment of 30 months of imprisonment as he was leading the clan.
With the disgrace events such as match fixing and spot fixing have bought to Pakistan, the cricketing board needs to get strict and teach its players discipline at the grass root level so they do not head towards earning money the wrong way and play the game fairly as it ought to be played.
The first major accusation came under the Justice Qayum report according to which various Pakistani cricketing stars were involved in fixing matches, these included Wasim Akram, Waqaq Younis, Inzimam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and various others. The Justice Qayum report offered various penalties for the accused but his recommendations for penalizing the cricketers for their gruesome act were totally shunned.
The biggest and the most controversial match fixing case that Pakistan cricket ever suffered from was the spot fixing controversy of 2010 in which three famous cricketer were allegedly involved in fixing no balls at certain periods of the game. It was the summer of 2010 when Pakistan cricket team toured England. The historic and the king of all cricket grounds Lords was the place where the most shameful incident ever recorded in the history of the game took place. It was the 4th day of the test match between Pakistan and England that news of spot fixing broke on the media. A sting operation carried out by Mazhar Mehmood of England's News of the World magazine revealed the mischief done by the Pakistani cricketers. The star trio of Pakistan cricket team including the test captain Salman Butt, the experienced master of swing Muhammad Asif and the new bowling sensation of the world Mohammad Amir were caught being involved in spot fixing.
There was uproar in the international arena after this incident as people started questioning the authenticity of the game. The players took money from Mazhar Majeed for bowling preplanned no balls at certain time periods of the game. There were hidden camera videos aired on television recording this cruel act of fixing. The players alleged for being involved in spot fixing were handed punishing bans by the International Cricket Council. The captain Salman Butt was handed a ban of 10 years, Muhammad Asif a ban of 7 years while the youngster for being naive was handed only a 5 year ban from the game of cricket.
Their punishment for this totally unacceptable act did not finish just here. They faced criminal prosecution after the Crown Court determined there was evidence available for the players to be trialed. After several months Mohammad Amir accepted his crime while Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt chose to defend themselves in court. However after the trial was complete they were proved to be guilty. This day marked the darkest day for Pakistan's cricket as the three Pakistani players were sentenced to imprisonment for varying periods. Mohammad Amir for accepting his crime was awarded a lesser punishment which was 6 months in a young offender's jail while Mohammad Asif was sentenced for a year's imprisonment. Salman Butt was handed the cruelest punishment of 30 months of imprisonment as he was leading the clan.
With the disgrace events such as match fixing and spot fixing have bought to Pakistan, the cricketing board needs to get strict and teach its players discipline at the grass root level so they do not head towards earning money the wrong way and play the game fairly as it ought to be played.
Short essay on Corruption in Pakistan
Pakistan came into existence after the partition of India in 1947 and since then it has not been able to transform itself into a growing State as it would have been expected after 64 years of independence. The major underlying cause of such a disappointing situation for the country is that there is corruption in almost every sector of the country.
According to the most recent perception report from Transparency International Pakistan published at the end of 2011, corruption in Land Administration leads the long list of corrupt affairs followed by police, income tax, judiciary, tendering and contracting, customs, plus state corporations and the least corrupt sector is perceived to be the army.
The problem of corruption in Land Administration is predictably leading the list of the perceived evil of corruption. The politicians do not pay enough heat to this issue and refrain from carrying out the task of managing collections and preservation. This is more of a concern in the tribal areas where Feudal Lords backed by politicians dominate the land affairs. The police supposedly have a common ill in the underdeveloped world. There is inappropriate selection of the policemen without any emphasis given on keeping education as a pre requisite for entry into the sector.
However most recently the country has kept a minimal level of education as a necessary requirement for being recruited in the police but corruption in the sector does not allow for such conditions to be practically implemented. The number of police officials in the country is highly disproportionate to the ever growing population of Pakistan. Although the training provided to them is presumably the same as the army, there are hardly any traces of these training techniques being useful in this particular sector.
The ills of the tax administration have resulted in poor tax revenues for the country in the past years. There is no doubt that Pakistan is ranked amongst the lowest tax revenue generating economies in the world. Nevertheless in recent times statistics have shown an improvement due to which the tax sector is no more considered to be the most corrupt sector of the country. The only way of eradicating problems from this sector is to reduce the direct contact between the taxpayer and tax collector as most of the rich population in the country does not pay income tax. They bribe the tax officials and their names on the tax collection lists automatically become invisible.
Corruption is widespread in the country and it is vital to understand its root cause. There is no attention paid or effort put by the government to lessen or eradicate corruption in the country. The politicians themselves are corrupt and are only willing to fill their pockets rather than to solve the various problems Pakistan faces. The Anti Corruption unit is also believed by many as one of the most corrupt units in the country. As long as there is no proper check and control on corruption it will continue to take place at every level whether household or governmental. Pakistan should try to deal with the issue of corruption or else a time would come when it would be labeled as a "Failed State".
According to the most recent perception report from Transparency International Pakistan published at the end of 2011, corruption in Land Administration leads the long list of corrupt affairs followed by police, income tax, judiciary, tendering and contracting, customs, plus state corporations and the least corrupt sector is perceived to be the army.
The problem of corruption in Land Administration is predictably leading the list of the perceived evil of corruption. The politicians do not pay enough heat to this issue and refrain from carrying out the task of managing collections and preservation. This is more of a concern in the tribal areas where Feudal Lords backed by politicians dominate the land affairs. The police supposedly have a common ill in the underdeveloped world. There is inappropriate selection of the policemen without any emphasis given on keeping education as a pre requisite for entry into the sector.
However most recently the country has kept a minimal level of education as a necessary requirement for being recruited in the police but corruption in the sector does not allow for such conditions to be practically implemented. The number of police officials in the country is highly disproportionate to the ever growing population of Pakistan. Although the training provided to them is presumably the same as the army, there are hardly any traces of these training techniques being useful in this particular sector.
The ills of the tax administration have resulted in poor tax revenues for the country in the past years. There is no doubt that Pakistan is ranked amongst the lowest tax revenue generating economies in the world. Nevertheless in recent times statistics have shown an improvement due to which the tax sector is no more considered to be the most corrupt sector of the country. The only way of eradicating problems from this sector is to reduce the direct contact between the taxpayer and tax collector as most of the rich population in the country does not pay income tax. They bribe the tax officials and their names on the tax collection lists automatically become invisible.
Corruption is widespread in the country and it is vital to understand its root cause. There is no attention paid or effort put by the government to lessen or eradicate corruption in the country. The politicians themselves are corrupt and are only willing to fill their pockets rather than to solve the various problems Pakistan faces. The Anti Corruption unit is also believed by many as one of the most corrupt units in the country. As long as there is no proper check and control on corruption it will continue to take place at every level whether household or governmental. Pakistan should try to deal with the issue of corruption or else a time would come when it would be labeled as a "Failed State".
Short essay on Position of Women in Pakistan
Women in Pakistan were initially thought to play the traditional role of being housewives. However with changing times, the Pakistani society has also evolved. Women have a much significant role to play in the society rather than serving their husbands at home.
During this time of economic crisis when men are suffering from unemployment and lower wages, households require all members of the family to work and add to the family income. So the wives have to go out and work so that they could earn enough to give their families a sufficient standard of living.
Women belonging to the lower income group and rural class have since independence played the role of family earners. They have served in households by rendering their services such as that of cooks, servants, cleaners, etc. While the lower class women worked all day to earn two meals per day for their families, women of the middle class were supposed to stay at home and take care of the people living in their homes. However when the world entered the 21st century the position of women in the country transpired. More women were allowed to acquire higher education and then work in the corporate world to earn for themselves and their families.
Women in Pakistan now form a relatively greater part of Pakistan's working population and their contribution to the country's economy has ever since been increasing. However men still dominate all the higher posts in private and public offices, the trend is now changing as women are being encouraged by being awarded with promotions for their high quality of work. The mindset of the people in the rural class is also changing, there is greater awareness regarding the importance of education for both boys and girls and there has been an increase in the enrollment of lower income class girls in primary and secondary schools. Almost all of the women belonging to the middle class families have now started acquiring higher education. The trend of getting girls married as soon as they enter their 20s is slowly diminishing because today's men only want to marry women who have acquired a substantial level of education.
Women in Pakistan also have a major role to play as housewives and mothers. They are the ones responsible for the upbringing of their children. Since women have now become educated they can teach their children the values and etiquettes of life. Not only that, women could now teach their own children at home after they come back from school. Previously families had to spend excessive amounts of their income to send their children for tuitions because the mothers were not educated enough to guide their children academically but now with most mothers being educated they could sit with their children and help them with their homework.
Although there is greater acceptability for women in Pakistan's society, they are still victims of discrimination. The gender stereotypes which have existed in the society for years still continue to be a barrier for women's progress in the country.
During this time of economic crisis when men are suffering from unemployment and lower wages, households require all members of the family to work and add to the family income. So the wives have to go out and work so that they could earn enough to give their families a sufficient standard of living.
Women belonging to the lower income group and rural class have since independence played the role of family earners. They have served in households by rendering their services such as that of cooks, servants, cleaners, etc. While the lower class women worked all day to earn two meals per day for their families, women of the middle class were supposed to stay at home and take care of the people living in their homes. However when the world entered the 21st century the position of women in the country transpired. More women were allowed to acquire higher education and then work in the corporate world to earn for themselves and their families.
Women in Pakistan now form a relatively greater part of Pakistan's working population and their contribution to the country's economy has ever since been increasing. However men still dominate all the higher posts in private and public offices, the trend is now changing as women are being encouraged by being awarded with promotions for their high quality of work. The mindset of the people in the rural class is also changing, there is greater awareness regarding the importance of education for both boys and girls and there has been an increase in the enrollment of lower income class girls in primary and secondary schools. Almost all of the women belonging to the middle class families have now started acquiring higher education. The trend of getting girls married as soon as they enter their 20s is slowly diminishing because today's men only want to marry women who have acquired a substantial level of education.
Women in Pakistan also have a major role to play as housewives and mothers. They are the ones responsible for the upbringing of their children. Since women have now become educated they can teach their children the values and etiquettes of life. Not only that, women could now teach their own children at home after they come back from school. Previously families had to spend excessive amounts of their income to send their children for tuitions because the mothers were not educated enough to guide their children academically but now with most mothers being educated they could sit with their children and help them with their homework.
Although there is greater acceptability for women in Pakistan's society, they are still victims of discrimination. The gender stereotypes which have existed in the society for years still continue to be a barrier for women's progress in the country.
Short essay on the Foreign Policy of Pakistan
Pakistan in terms of population statistics is the second largest Muslim Country after Indonesia; it is also the only Muslim country with the status of being a nuclear power and hence plays an important part in International Politics. Pakistan has a direct, independent foreign policy specifically when it comes to developing nuclear weapons, military purchases from foreign countries and other issues which are important to its national interests. Pakistan has a great advantage of having a strategic geo-political location in the center of the world's major maritime oil supply lines, and is located near the oil rich central Asian states. Pakistan is also an essential member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and a vital non NATO ally in the War against terrorism. The state also has a highly orderly military; in fact it is the world's eighth largest military force.
In history Pakistan has had difficult relations with India, specifically because of the central issue of Kashmir; it has even fought two wars because of this reason. Conversely it has had strong allied relationships with its other neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Iran and China; it has also had solid security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf and long stretching two-sided relations with US and other Western states.
Because of the suspicion of Soviet expansion, Pakistan has had strong relations with both United States of America and China during most of the Cold-War. Even today they are close friends of the nation. Coming to the Foreign policy of Pakistan well it is centered on the peace and security objectives at regional and global levels; its main purpose is socio-economic progress of the state. In affirmation with the UN charter and international duties Pakistan seeks alliance and tries to cooperate in its foreign relations on the grounds of sovereignty, respect and benefit, noninterference and peaceable settling of conflicts.
Pakistan's foreign policy is guided by its colorful history, its strategic location and the aims of its people. It has a proactive foreign policy, due to the challenges it faces, even though there is little continuity, change at times is also given importance. The policy at times is reactive to international happenings. The main objectives on the foreign policy include development of good relations with Muslim states, superpowers and neighbors as well, to protect the security and strategic interests of the nation, to aid the resolution of the key conflict of Jammu and Kashmir according to the needs of the Kashmiri people and the UN resolution, to promote a progressive, democratic image of Pakistan and finally to promote the state's economic and commercial interests.
Historically the country has had friendly relations with all Arab and Muslim countries under the OIC organization. Other than Muslim and Arab countries China and US area also allies of Pakistan. Coming to its Rivals, Pakistan has fought 3 wars with India, while Pakistan an Israel have no diplomatic relations. The continuing conflict of Kashmir is what creates diversity of opinion and makes alliance very difficult in both these rival states.
In history Pakistan has had difficult relations with India, specifically because of the central issue of Kashmir; it has even fought two wars because of this reason. Conversely it has had strong allied relationships with its other neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Iran and China; it has also had solid security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf and long stretching two-sided relations with US and other Western states.
Because of the suspicion of Soviet expansion, Pakistan has had strong relations with both United States of America and China during most of the Cold-War. Even today they are close friends of the nation. Coming to the Foreign policy of Pakistan well it is centered on the peace and security objectives at regional and global levels; its main purpose is socio-economic progress of the state. In affirmation with the UN charter and international duties Pakistan seeks alliance and tries to cooperate in its foreign relations on the grounds of sovereignty, respect and benefit, noninterference and peaceable settling of conflicts.
Pakistan's foreign policy is guided by its colorful history, its strategic location and the aims of its people. It has a proactive foreign policy, due to the challenges it faces, even though there is little continuity, change at times is also given importance. The policy at times is reactive to international happenings. The main objectives on the foreign policy include development of good relations with Muslim states, superpowers and neighbors as well, to protect the security and strategic interests of the nation, to aid the resolution of the key conflict of Jammu and Kashmir according to the needs of the Kashmiri people and the UN resolution, to promote a progressive, democratic image of Pakistan and finally to promote the state's economic and commercial interests.
Historically the country has had friendly relations with all Arab and Muslim countries under the OIC organization. Other than Muslim and Arab countries China and US area also allies of Pakistan. Coming to its Rivals, Pakistan has fought 3 wars with India, while Pakistan an Israel have no diplomatic relations. The continuing conflict of Kashmir is what creates diversity of opinion and makes alliance very difficult in both these rival states.
Democracy in Pakistan has been a topic of debate for several years and yet there is little consensus on whether democracy or dictatorship is in the best interest of Pakistan. The question is how is democracy defined and whether Pakistan was ever a democratic State? This needs to be determined before arguing on which type of political system would be better for the country.
First and foremost the pre-requisite of democracy is free and fair elections but little evidence is found to support the argument that the electoral process in Pakistan is fair. Votes could be bought by political parties for as cheap as Rs 10. Another practice which is common in the elections is of rigging and it does not allow the votes to be casted in a proper manner. In Pakistan a major crux of the population and the political parties and leaders support a democratic system of government. Any attempts to harm democracy in the country are treated with strong resentment from both the ruling party and the opposition. Despite all these facts it is believed that in Pakistan a democracy could never survive for long due to the incompetent people in the helm of affairs in the so called democratic system. When these democrats fail to run the affairs of the country, the military decides to take over and this has pretty much been the case since 1947. Various examples of military rulers in the country include Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharaff.
There are various problems associated with Pakistan's democracy which does not allow it to be a successful form of government like it has been in the neighboring country India. A major reason for the failure of democracy is the amount of institutional imbalance in the country. Since independence the military and intelligence agencies were organized and developed while the democratic and political institutions were weak and vulnerable. This imbalance has always fortified bureaucracy and dictatorial governance. Secondly there has always been problem with Pakistani politicians in reaching a consensus on various policy issues. When policy matters are continuously debated in the parliament, it does not allow a democratic government to settle down and acts as a barrier for it to flourish.
Moreover, the type of leaders and political parties also determines how successful a democracy would be. For years the same political parties have stayed in power with the same bunch of supporters. They follow their old policies and do not realize the fact that there policies should evolve and change with time. For example the Pakistan Peoples Party founded by Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came into power a number of times and despite its failures it was elected again. The reason for this is that the supporters continue supporting the party because of their affection for the founder of the party and they do not care about the fact whether the current leader is competent or not.
There is no doubt that democracy is a generally acceptable way of going about the affairs of a country, however it is essential that the democracy fulfills the requirements of a true democracy which ensures complete freedom for people and fair elections. When competent people will be ruling the country then everyone including the military would be satisfied by the democratic rule.
First and foremost the pre-requisite of democracy is free and fair elections but little evidence is found to support the argument that the electoral process in Pakistan is fair. Votes could be bought by political parties for as cheap as Rs 10. Another practice which is common in the elections is of rigging and it does not allow the votes to be casted in a proper manner. In Pakistan a major crux of the population and the political parties and leaders support a democratic system of government. Any attempts to harm democracy in the country are treated with strong resentment from both the ruling party and the opposition. Despite all these facts it is believed that in Pakistan a democracy could never survive for long due to the incompetent people in the helm of affairs in the so called democratic system. When these democrats fail to run the affairs of the country, the military decides to take over and this has pretty much been the case since 1947. Various examples of military rulers in the country include Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharaff.
There are various problems associated with Pakistan's democracy which does not allow it to be a successful form of government like it has been in the neighboring country India. A major reason for the failure of democracy is the amount of institutional imbalance in the country. Since independence the military and intelligence agencies were organized and developed while the democratic and political institutions were weak and vulnerable. This imbalance has always fortified bureaucracy and dictatorial governance. Secondly there has always been problem with Pakistani politicians in reaching a consensus on various policy issues. When policy matters are continuously debated in the parliament, it does not allow a democratic government to settle down and acts as a barrier for it to flourish.
Moreover, the type of leaders and political parties also determines how successful a democracy would be. For years the same political parties have stayed in power with the same bunch of supporters. They follow their old policies and do not realize the fact that there policies should evolve and change with time. For example the Pakistan Peoples Party founded by Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came into power a number of times and despite its failures it was elected again. The reason for this is that the supporters continue supporting the party because of their affection for the founder of the party and they do not care about the fact whether the current leader is competent or not.
There is no doubt that democracy is a generally acceptable way of going about the affairs of a country, however it is essential that the democracy fulfills the requirements of a true democracy which ensures complete freedom for people and fair elections. When competent people will be ruling the country then everyone including the military would be satisfied by the democratic rule.
English importance in Pakisatn short eassy
As time is passing, the language of the English men and Americans seems to grow in significance. English is becoming the most common form of communication in the world and most of the countries in the world have their academic curriculum being taught in English. It is time for Pakistan to also make a shift from the Urdu medium system of education to the English system because it's the need of the hour.
Since independence, Urdu was promoted to become the language to be used in all factions of the country. However as time passed people started realizing that international standards required them to learn a language which is understood by majority of the world. The people of Pakistan realized that for their country to develop they need to know how to communicate in English or they will be lost in the competing forces of the world.
The British education system was introduced after few years of independence. People started shifting from the local Urdu medium education to the British education system. However the transition took a lot of time as private school sector was very small in the beginning. Only the elite could educate their children with the British education system as it was very expensive. However when the trend of private schools began to emerge, students from a British educational background were preferred for jobs all over the country. The government of Pakistan realized the growing importance of English and then made English as a compulsory language to be taught in all schools.
English continues to be the source of communication in both the private and government offices. In this era of globalization with increasing amounts of international trade one needs to know how to communicate in English. People in Pakistan are in continuous contact with international traders and all of them have to communicate in English. The various business softwares used in organizations such as Multinational Companies and Banks are all in English and one needs to be totally familiar with the language to operate them. There are various critics who believe that English is harmful for the country. They argue that our culture and our traditions require Urdu to be the language for all purposes. They say that by adopting English we are going to forget our culture and lose our identity as English is not what defines us.
The trend of communicating in English has grown to the extent that the elite of the country use English as the medium to communicate with their friends and family in daily life. The younger generation feels inferior if they can not communicate in English properly. Many of the young children have a stronger grip of English than Urdu. Majority of the population in the country now prefers the British education system and public schools are only filled by people of the lower income class who could not afford private education.
No doubt learning English is very important for the people of Pakistan but they should not forget that it is not the language which defines them or their culture. English should be used as a medium of education but the value of the mother language Urdu should not be undermined
Since independence, Urdu was promoted to become the language to be used in all factions of the country. However as time passed people started realizing that international standards required them to learn a language which is understood by majority of the world. The people of Pakistan realized that for their country to develop they need to know how to communicate in English or they will be lost in the competing forces of the world.
The British education system was introduced after few years of independence. People started shifting from the local Urdu medium education to the British education system. However the transition took a lot of time as private school sector was very small in the beginning. Only the elite could educate their children with the British education system as it was very expensive. However when the trend of private schools began to emerge, students from a British educational background were preferred for jobs all over the country. The government of Pakistan realized the growing importance of English and then made English as a compulsory language to be taught in all schools.
English continues to be the source of communication in both the private and government offices. In this era of globalization with increasing amounts of international trade one needs to know how to communicate in English. People in Pakistan are in continuous contact with international traders and all of them have to communicate in English. The various business softwares used in organizations such as Multinational Companies and Banks are all in English and one needs to be totally familiar with the language to operate them. There are various critics who believe that English is harmful for the country. They argue that our culture and our traditions require Urdu to be the language for all purposes. They say that by adopting English we are going to forget our culture and lose our identity as English is not what defines us.
The trend of communicating in English has grown to the extent that the elite of the country use English as the medium to communicate with their friends and family in daily life. The younger generation feels inferior if they can not communicate in English properly. Many of the young children have a stronger grip of English than Urdu. Majority of the population in the country now prefers the British education system and public schools are only filled by people of the lower income class who could not afford private education.
No doubt learning English is very important for the people of Pakistan but they should not forget that it is not the language which defines them or their culture. English should be used as a medium of education but the value of the mother language Urdu should not be undermined
Democracy in Pakistan short eassy
Democracy in Pakistan has been a topic of debate for several years and yet there is little consensus on whether democracy or dictatorship is in the best interest of Pakistan. The question is how is democracy defined and whether Pakistan was ever a democratic State? This needs to be determined before arguing on which type of political system would be better for the country.
First and foremost the pre-requisite of democracy is free and fair elections but little evidence is found to support the argument that the electoral process in Pakistan is fair. Votes could be bought by political parties for as cheap as Rs 10. Another practice which is common in the elections is of rigging and it does not allow the votes to be casted in a proper manner. In Pakistan a major crux of the population and the political parties and leaders support a democratic system of government. Any attempts to harm democracy in the country are treated with strong resentment from both the ruling party and the opposition. Despite all these facts it is believed that in Pakistan a democracy could never survive for long due to the incompetent people in the helm of affairs in the so called democratic system. When these democrats fail to run the affairs of the country, the military decides to take over and this has pretty much been the case since 1947. Various examples of military rulers in the country include Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharaff.
There are various problems associated with Pakistan's democracy which does not allow it to be a successful form of government like it has been in the neighboring country India. A major reason for the failure of democracy is the amount of institutional imbalance in the country. Since independence the military and intelligence agencies were organized and developed while the democratic and political institutions were weak and vulnerable. This imbalance has always fortified bureaucracy and dictatorial governance. Secondly there has always been problem with Pakistani politicians in reaching a consensus on various policy issues. When policy matters are continuously debated in the parliament, it does not allow a democratic government to settle down and acts as a barrier for it to flourish.
Moreover, the type of leaders and political parties also determines how successful a democracy would be. For years the same political parties have stayed in power with the same bunch of supporters. They follow their old policies and do not realize the fact that there policies should evolve and change with time. For example the Pakistan Peoples Party founded by Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came into power a number of times and despite its failures it was elected again. The reason for this is that the supporters continue supporting the party because of their affection for the founder of the party and they do not care about the fact whether the current leader is competent or not.
There is no doubt that democracy is a generally acceptable way of going about the affairs of a country, however it is essential that the democracy fulfills the requirements of a true democracy which ensures complete freedom for people and fair elections. When competent people will be ruling the country then everyone including the military would be satisfied by the democratic rule.
First and foremost the pre-requisite of democracy is free and fair elections but little evidence is found to support the argument that the electoral process in Pakistan is fair. Votes could be bought by political parties for as cheap as Rs 10. Another practice which is common in the elections is of rigging and it does not allow the votes to be casted in a proper manner. In Pakistan a major crux of the population and the political parties and leaders support a democratic system of government. Any attempts to harm democracy in the country are treated with strong resentment from both the ruling party and the opposition. Despite all these facts it is believed that in Pakistan a democracy could never survive for long due to the incompetent people in the helm of affairs in the so called democratic system. When these democrats fail to run the affairs of the country, the military decides to take over and this has pretty much been the case since 1947. Various examples of military rulers in the country include Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharaff.
There are various problems associated with Pakistan's democracy which does not allow it to be a successful form of government like it has been in the neighboring country India. A major reason for the failure of democracy is the amount of institutional imbalance in the country. Since independence the military and intelligence agencies were organized and developed while the democratic and political institutions were weak and vulnerable. This imbalance has always fortified bureaucracy and dictatorial governance. Secondly there has always been problem with Pakistani politicians in reaching a consensus on various policy issues. When policy matters are continuously debated in the parliament, it does not allow a democratic government to settle down and acts as a barrier for it to flourish.
Moreover, the type of leaders and political parties also determines how successful a democracy would be. For years the same political parties have stayed in power with the same bunch of supporters. They follow their old policies and do not realize the fact that there policies should evolve and change with time. For example the Pakistan Peoples Party founded by Mr Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto came into power a number of times and despite its failures it was elected again. The reason for this is that the supporters continue supporting the party because of their affection for the founder of the party and they do not care about the fact whether the current leader is competent or not.
There is no doubt that democracy is a generally acceptable way of going about the affairs of a country, however it is essential that the democracy fulfills the requirements of a true democracy which ensures complete freedom for people and fair elections. When competent people will be ruling the country then everyone including the military would be satisfied by the democratic rule.
Poverty in Pakistan Short Eassy
Poverty in Pakistan continues to be a source of distress for the country. The rise in poverty is a global phenomenon and developing countries like Pakistan seem to be the worst victims. Recession in the U.S and the European Union has pushed countries into higher levels of poverty and there seems to be no solution to this problem. According to the latest World Bank Reports Pakistan is ranked at number 43 in the list of countries most exposed to poverty.
In view of the Human Development Index about 63 % of the people in the country earn less than $2 per day and around 23 % live on under $1 per day. Unequal distribution of income in Pakistan is a major underlying cause of poverty in the country. About 10 % of the total population earns 27% of the total income of the country. Another World Bank report highlights the fact that 37.4% of the children in Pakistan below the age of five are underfed. Pakistan Planning Commission has revealed that the poverty rate in Pakistan has increased by 14 % in the previous three years. In recent times there has been a decrease in government spending for the society's welfare which has reduced the standard of living for the people in the country. The high rates of inflation and the unavailability of consumer products does no good to pull the country out of this misery.
Apart from the financial dimensions of poverty there are various other facets which make a person poor. For instance in Pakistan there is poverty of opportunity. Women in Pakistan have lesser opportunities to work in the labour market than men therefore women suffer from poverty more than men in the country do. This view is supported by the fact that the participation rate of women in Pakistan's labour market is just 13.7 % in contrast to men who have a participation rate of 70.4%.
There are various causes of poverty but the major reason for poverty in Pakistan is lack of governance. When people do not have confidence in a country's government they are not willing to invest in such an economy. Reduced investment means lesser employment opportunities which directly results in poverty. Poor governance has also caused a decrease in the efficiency of provision of social services that has not allowed any improvements in human development to take place. Moreover, the decrease in the GDP growth rate is a vital source for rise in the poverty levels. Poverty also depends on the structure on which a society is based. In Pakistan, the land ownership is highly unequally distributed between the rural populations which create an income gap within the rural sector.
Although rising poverty levels in Pakistan is an alarming situation, it is not something which can not be curtailed. The politicians need to stop fighting over their position in the government and should concentrate on solving the issues surrounding the country amongst which poverty is one. There is a need for considerable effort to increase jobs and employment opportunities for the people. The government should focus on investing in developing infrastructure which would automatically create jobs in the country. Other than that efforts should be made to improve the law and order situation in the country so that there is reinstatement of business activities so that poverty could be reduced.
In view of the Human Development Index about 63 % of the people in the country earn less than $2 per day and around 23 % live on under $1 per day. Unequal distribution of income in Pakistan is a major underlying cause of poverty in the country. About 10 % of the total population earns 27% of the total income of the country. Another World Bank report highlights the fact that 37.4% of the children in Pakistan below the age of five are underfed. Pakistan Planning Commission has revealed that the poverty rate in Pakistan has increased by 14 % in the previous three years. In recent times there has been a decrease in government spending for the society's welfare which has reduced the standard of living for the people in the country. The high rates of inflation and the unavailability of consumer products does no good to pull the country out of this misery.
Apart from the financial dimensions of poverty there are various other facets which make a person poor. For instance in Pakistan there is poverty of opportunity. Women in Pakistan have lesser opportunities to work in the labour market than men therefore women suffer from poverty more than men in the country do. This view is supported by the fact that the participation rate of women in Pakistan's labour market is just 13.7 % in contrast to men who have a participation rate of 70.4%.
There are various causes of poverty but the major reason for poverty in Pakistan is lack of governance. When people do not have confidence in a country's government they are not willing to invest in such an economy. Reduced investment means lesser employment opportunities which directly results in poverty. Poor governance has also caused a decrease in the efficiency of provision of social services that has not allowed any improvements in human development to take place. Moreover, the decrease in the GDP growth rate is a vital source for rise in the poverty levels. Poverty also depends on the structure on which a society is based. In Pakistan, the land ownership is highly unequally distributed between the rural populations which create an income gap within the rural sector.
Although rising poverty levels in Pakistan is an alarming situation, it is not something which can not be curtailed. The politicians need to stop fighting over their position in the government and should concentrate on solving the issues surrounding the country amongst which poverty is one. There is a need for considerable effort to increase jobs and employment opportunities for the people. The government should focus on investing in developing infrastructure which would automatically create jobs in the country. Other than that efforts should be made to improve the law and order situation in the country so that there is reinstatement of business activities so that poverty could be reduced.
SHORT EASSY PAKISTAN CULTURE
The culture of Pakistan includes various different cultures and societies of different ethnic backgrounds. In northern Pakistan there exists the Dardic, Wakhi and Burusho communities, the west comprises of the Baluch and the Pakhtoon, in eastern Pakistan there are the Muhajir and the Makarani communities and lastly in the east there are the Punjabis, Kashmiris and the Sindhis. The Pakistani culture is a mixture of all these cultures and ethnicities which have been significantly affected by the cultures of the neighboring countries including Turkish people, Persians, Afghans, Indians, the Southern and Central Asian Countries and of course for religious reasons the Middle East.
In older times Pakistan was known to be the heart of Culture due to its people of diverse backgrounds. There happens to be many cultural rituals and magnificent structures that have been adapted from the past ancient rulers and colonizers of the state. The Persian Empire is one empire which has had the greatest influence on Pakistan, in fact the rulers of the Persian Empire in Pakistan known as the satraps were once upon a time the wealthiest of the whole empire. Other significant empires which have had a great impact include the Afghan Empire, Mughal Empire and the British Empire (for a short duration).
The cultural history of Pakistan dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization which existed in 2800 - 1800 B.C., and was known for its amazing cities, organized sanitation, brilliant roads and exquisite societies. The culture of Pakistan seems to be so diverse because it has been invaded quite a few times and has been inhabited by a number of different people, each of them have left their traces of culture on the locals of the country. The more prominent invaders were the Greeks, Aryans, White Huns, Arabs, Turks, Mongol, Afghans, Buddhists and other Eurasian groups until and including the British who finally left in the 1940s.
There are differences in the cultural practices of different ethnic groups in dress, food and religious aspects; they show varying influence from Tibet, Nepal, India and Eastern Afghanistan. Pakistan was the first state in South Asia which received the complete influence of Islam; it has developed a unique Islamic identity, which is different from the areas of further west.
The sites and structures that Pakistan is home to include Zorastrian Fire Temples, Islamic Centers, Shia Shrines, Sufi Shrines, Sikh, Hindu and Pagan temples, gardens, palaces, tombs, historical structures and Mughal buildings. Pakistan is also known for its sculptures (Greco Buddhist friezes), ceramic crafts, jewelry, silk goods and engraved woodwork and metal work. The Pakistan society is predominantly multilingual and multicultural. The cultures within Pakistan though seem to have more similarities than differences as they have co-existed for several thousands of years (and seem to have the Aryan heritage).
More importantly after sixty years of integration in a state a unique Pakistani culture has emerged from within the many cultures that exist, especially in the urban areas where the various ethnic groups have lived together. The family values still hold respect and are significant, yet urbanization has increased the number of nuclear families, due to the socio economic constraints of the extended family in the traditional culture. Thus the culture of Pakistan is representative of its colorful history and the vibrant civilizations and empires that have existed in the region, however Pakistan has developed its own identity and culture amongst the many that have coexisted, by including variations of all the diverse ethnic cultures and practices of the various cultures.
In older times Pakistan was known to be the heart of Culture due to its people of diverse backgrounds. There happens to be many cultural rituals and magnificent structures that have been adapted from the past ancient rulers and colonizers of the state. The Persian Empire is one empire which has had the greatest influence on Pakistan, in fact the rulers of the Persian Empire in Pakistan known as the satraps were once upon a time the wealthiest of the whole empire. Other significant empires which have had a great impact include the Afghan Empire, Mughal Empire and the British Empire (for a short duration).
The cultural history of Pakistan dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization which existed in 2800 - 1800 B.C., and was known for its amazing cities, organized sanitation, brilliant roads and exquisite societies. The culture of Pakistan seems to be so diverse because it has been invaded quite a few times and has been inhabited by a number of different people, each of them have left their traces of culture on the locals of the country. The more prominent invaders were the Greeks, Aryans, White Huns, Arabs, Turks, Mongol, Afghans, Buddhists and other Eurasian groups until and including the British who finally left in the 1940s.
There are differences in the cultural practices of different ethnic groups in dress, food and religious aspects; they show varying influence from Tibet, Nepal, India and Eastern Afghanistan. Pakistan was the first state in South Asia which received the complete influence of Islam; it has developed a unique Islamic identity, which is different from the areas of further west.
The sites and structures that Pakistan is home to include Zorastrian Fire Temples, Islamic Centers, Shia Shrines, Sufi Shrines, Sikh, Hindu and Pagan temples, gardens, palaces, tombs, historical structures and Mughal buildings. Pakistan is also known for its sculptures (Greco Buddhist friezes), ceramic crafts, jewelry, silk goods and engraved woodwork and metal work. The Pakistan society is predominantly multilingual and multicultural. The cultures within Pakistan though seem to have more similarities than differences as they have co-existed for several thousands of years (and seem to have the Aryan heritage).
More importantly after sixty years of integration in a state a unique Pakistani culture has emerged from within the many cultures that exist, especially in the urban areas where the various ethnic groups have lived together. The family values still hold respect and are significant, yet urbanization has increased the number of nuclear families, due to the socio economic constraints of the extended family in the traditional culture. Thus the culture of Pakistan is representative of its colorful history and the vibrant civilizations and empires that have existed in the region, however Pakistan has developed its own identity and culture amongst the many that have coexisted, by including variations of all the diverse ethnic cultures and practices of the various cultures.
CHILD LABOUR DIFINATION
"CHILD IS THE FATHER OF MAN" the famous lines by William Wordworth. It symbolizes the need of children in building a healthy nation and society. Childhood is the first stage after infancy. It is the formative period in men's life. For their minds are very soft, receptive and plastic at this tender age.
Children’s mind is like potter's clay. It has to be shaped in a right manner. A child normally has to enjoy its childhood days with its parents, teachers, friends, etc. It is the age where fine and long lasting impressions gather in child's mind.
Childhood is the best time to develop spiritual, intellectual, emotional support. But this rule of nature has been crippled by the perilous child labour
Every child has his right to enjoy his childhood. But inspite of this a few children are forcefully put to work throughout the world about 250million children are child labourer. Due to poverty poor parents put their children to work in order to supplement the family's economic status.
This conceal's the talent and interests in them. Their urge to go to school is dissmised by their parents. This makes the nation lose a few creative minds. The children are deprived of education. They are made to work under threatening conditions. They are overworked and under paid children are made to shine shoe on footpaths, they work as milkboys, ragpickers, house maids, cleaners in hotels....etc.
We can find children selling newspapers on highways. All such adverse practices are to be abolished once for all, without leaving its traces for future generations
Children’s mind is like potter's clay. It has to be shaped in a right manner. A child normally has to enjoy its childhood days with its parents, teachers, friends, etc. It is the age where fine and long lasting impressions gather in child's mind.
Childhood is the best time to develop spiritual, intellectual, emotional support. But this rule of nature has been crippled by the perilous child labour
Every child has his right to enjoy his childhood. But inspite of this a few children are forcefully put to work throughout the world about 250million children are child labourer. Due to poverty poor parents put their children to work in order to supplement the family's economic status.
This conceal's the talent and interests in them. Their urge to go to school is dissmised by their parents. This makes the nation lose a few creative minds. The children are deprived of education. They are made to work under threatening conditions. They are overworked and under paid children are made to shine shoe on footpaths, they work as milkboys, ragpickers, house maids, cleaners in hotels....etc.
We can find children selling newspapers on highways. All such adverse practices are to be abolished once for all, without leaving its traces for future generations
Saturday, 12 January 2013
i pod
i podiPod
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The iPod line as of September 2012; from left to right: iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch.
The iPod is a line of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first line was released on November 10, 2001, its most recent redesigns announced on September 12, 2012. There are four current versions of the iPod: the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle, the compact iPod Nano, the touchscreen iPod Touch, and the hard drive-based iPod Classic.
Like other digital music players, iPods can serve as external data storage devices. Storage capacity varies by model, ranging from 2 GB for the iPod Shuffle to 160 GB for the iPod Classic. The devices are controlled by the Samsung ARM and the Apple A4 CPUs.
Apple's iTunes software (and other open source software) can be used to transfer music, photos, videos, games, contact information, e-mail settings, Web bookmarks, and calendars, to the devices supporting these features from computers using certain versions of Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating systems.[1][2]
Prior to iOS 5, the iPod branding was used for the media player included with the iPhone and iPad, a combination of the Music and Videos apps on the iPod Touch. As of iOS 5, separate apps named "Music" and "Video" are standardized across all iOS-powered products.[3] While the iPhone and iPad have essentially the same media-player capabilities as the iPod line, they are generally treated as separate products. In the last few years, iPhone and iPad sales have overtaken those of the iPod.
<iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="360" src="http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xvxnli"></iframe><br /><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvxnli_apple-ipad-2-tablet-wifi-3g-16gb-unlocked-gsm-phone-vedio_tech" target="_blank">Apple Ipad 2 Tablet WiFi, 3G 16GB Unlocked GSM...</a> <i>by <a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/cellhut" target="_blank">cellhut</a></i>
Contents
[hide] 1 History
2 Hardware 2.1 Audio
2.2 Connectivity
2.3 Accessories
3 Software 3.1 Interface
3.2 iTunes Store
3.3 Games
3.4 File storage and transfer
4 Models and features
5 Patent disputes
6 Sales
7 Industry impact
8 Criticism 8.1 Battery problems
8.2 Reliability and durability
8.3 Labor disputes
9 Timeline of iPod models
10 See also
11 References
12 External links
History
See also: Timeline of Apple Inc. products
Various iPod models, all of which have been discontinued or updated.
The iPod line came from Apple's "digital hub" category,[4] when the company began creating software for the growing market of personal digital devices. Digital cameras, camcorders and organizers had well-established mainstream markets, but the company found existing digital music players "big and clunky or small and useless" with user interfaces that were "unbelievably awful,"[4] so Apple decided to develop its own. As ordered by CEO Steve Jobs, Apple's hardware engineering chief Jon Rubinstein assembled a team of engineers to design the iPod line, including hardware engineers Tony Fadell and Michael Dhuey,[5] and design engineer Jonathan Ive.[4] Rubinstein had already discovered the Toshiba disk drive when meeting with an Apple supplier in Japan, and purchased the rights to it for Apple, and had also already worked out how the screen, battery, and other key elements would work.[6] The product was developed in less than one year and unveiled on October 23, 2001. Jobs announced it as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put "1,000 songs in your pocket."[7]
Apple did not develop the iPod software entirely in-house, instead using PortalPlayer's reference platform based on two ARM cores. The platform had rudimentary software running on a commercial microkernel embedded operating system. PortalPlayer had previously been working on an IBM-branded MP3 player with Bluetooth headphones.[4] Apple contracted another company, Pixo, to help design and implement the user interface under the direct supervision of Steve Jobs.[4] As development progressed, Apple continued to refine the software's look and feel. Starting with the iPod Mini, the Chicago font was replaced with Espy Sans. Later iPods switched fonts again to Podium Sans—a font similar to Apple's corporate font, Myriad. iPods with color displays then adopted some Mac OS X themes like Aqua progress bars, and brushed metal meant to evoke a combination lock. In 2007, Apple modified the iPod interface again with the introduction of the sixth-generation iPod Classic and third-generation iPod Nano by changing the font to Helvetica and, in most cases, splitting the screen in half by displaying the menus on the left and album artwork, photos, or videos on the right (whichever was appropriate for the selected item).
In September 2007, during a lawsuit with patent holding company Burst.com, Apple drew attention to a patent for a similar device that was developed in 1979. Kane Kramer applied for a UK patent for his design of a "plastic music box" in 1981, which he called the IXI.[8] He was unable to secure funding to renew the US$ 120,000 worldwide patent, so it lapsed and Kramer never profited from his idea.[8]
The name iPod was proposed by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter, who (with others) was called by Apple to figure out how to introduce the new player to the public. After Chieco saw a prototype, he thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase "Open the pod bay door, Hal!", which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship. Chieco saw an analogy to the relationship between the spaceship and the smaller independent pods in the relationship between a personal computer and the music player.[4] Apple researched the trademark and found that it was already in use. Joseph N. Grasso of New Jersey had originally listed an "iPod" trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in July 2000 for Internet kiosks. The first iPod kiosks had been demonstrated to the public in New Jersey in March 1998, and commercial use began in January 2000, but had apparently been discontinued by 2001. The trademark was registered by the USPTO in November 2003, and Grasso assigned it to Apple Computer, Inc. in 2005.[9]
The earliest recorded use in commerce of an "iPod" trademark was in 1991 by Chrysalis Corp. of Sturgis, Michigan, styled "iPOD".[10]
Hardware
Chipsets and Electronics
Chipset or Electronic
Product(s)
Component(s)
Microcontroller
iPod Classic first to third generations
Two ARM 7TDMI-derived CPUs running at 90 MHz
iPod fourth and fifth generations, iPod Mini, iPod Nano first generation
Variable-speed ARM 7TDMI CPUs, running at a peak of 80 MHz to save battery life
iPod Nano second generation
Samsung System-on-a-chip, based around an ARM processor.[11][12]
iPod Shuffle first generation
SigmaTel STMP3550 chip that handles both the music decoding and the audio circuitry.[13]
iPod Touch first and second generation
ARM 1176JZ(F)-S at 412mhz for first gen, 533mhz for second gen.
iPod Touch third and fourth generation
ARM Cortex A8 at 600mhz for third gen, 800mhz for fourth gen.
Audio Chip
All iPods (except the iPod Shuffle, 6G Classic and 2G Touch)[14]
Audio Codecs developed by Wolfson Microelectronics
Sixth-generation iPod Classic
Cirrus Logic Audio Codec Chip
Storage Medium
iPod Classic
45.7 mm (1.8 in) hard drives (ATA-6, 4200 rpm with proprietary connectors) made by Toshiba
iPod Mini
25.4 mm (1 in) Microdrive by Hitachi and Seagate
iPod Nano
Flash Memory from Samsung, Toshiba, and others
iPod Shuffle and Touch
Flash Memory
Batteries
iPod first and second generation, Shuffle
Internal Lithium Polymer Batteries
iPod third generation onward, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, fourth generation iPod Shuffle (including maybe earlier)
Internal Lithium-Ion Batteries
Display
iPod Nano
1.54-inch (diagonal) Multi-Touch, 240-by-240 resolution at 220 pixels per inch[15]
iPod Classic
2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight, 320-by-240 resolution at 163 pixels per inch[16]
iPod Touch
3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch, 960-by-640 resolution at 326 pixels per inch[17]
Audio
The third-generation iPod had a weak bass response, as shown in audio tests.[18][19] The combination of the undersized DC-blocking capacitors and the typical low-impedance of most consumer headphones form a high-pass filter, which attenuates the low-frequency bass output. Similar capacitors were used in the fourth-generation iPods.[20] The problem is reduced when using high-impedance headphones and is completely masked when driving high-impedance (line level) loads, such as an external headphone amplifier. The first-generation iPod Shuffle uses a dual-transistor output stage,[18] rather than a single capacitor-coupled output, and does not exhibit reduced bass response for any load.
For all iPods released in 2006 and earlier, some equalizer (EQ) sound settings would distort the bass sound far too easily, even on undemanding songs.[21][22] This would happen for EQ settings like R&B, Rock, Acoustic, and Bass Booster, because the equalizer amplified the digital audio level beyond the software's limit, causing distortion (clipping) on bass instruments.
From the fifth-generation iPod on, Apple introduced a user-configurable volume limit in response to concerns about hearing loss.[23] Users report that in the sixth-generation iPod, the maximum volume output level is limited to 100 dB in EU markets. Apple previously had to remove iPods from shelves in France for exceeding this legal limit.[24]
Connectivity
See also: Dock connector#Apple
Four iPod wall chargers for North America, all made by Apple. These have FireWire (left) and USB (right three) connectors, which allow iPods to charge without a computer. The units have been miniaturized over time.
Originally, a FireWire connection to the host computer was used to update songs or recharge the battery. The battery could also be charged with a power adapter that was included with the first four generations.
The third generation began including a 30-pin dock connector, allowing for FireWire or USB connectivity. This provided better compatibility with non-Apple machines, as most of them did not have FireWire ports at the time. Eventually Apple began shipping iPods with USB cables instead of FireWire, although the latter was available separately. As of the first-generation iPod Nano and the fifth-generation iPod Classic, Apple discontinued using FireWire for data transfer (while still allowing for use of FireWire to charge the device) in an attempt to reduce cost and form factor. As of the second-generation iPod Touch and the fourth-generation iPod Nano, FireWire charging ability has been removed. The second-, third-, and fourth-generation iPod Shuffle uses a single 3.5 mm minijack phone connector which acts as both a headphone jack and a data port for the dock.
The dock connector also allowed the iPod to connect to accessories, which often supplement the iPod's music, video, and photo playback. Apple sells a few accessories, such as the now-discontinued iPod Hi-Fi, but most are manufactured by third parties such as Belkin and Griffin. Some peripherals use their own interface, while others use the iPod's own screen. Because the dock connector is a proprietary interface, the implementation of the interface requires paying royalties to Apple.[25]
Apple introduced a new 8-pin dock connector, named Lightning, on September 12, 2012 with their announcement of the iPhone 5, the fifth generation iPod Touch, and the seventh generation iPod Nano, which all feature it. The new connector replaces the older 30-pin dock connector used by older iPods, iPhones, and iPads. Apple Lightning cables have pins on both sides of the plug so it can be inserted with either side facing up.[26]
Accessories
The "Made for iPod" logo found on most classic iPod accessories
Many accessories have been made for the iPod line. A large number are made by third party companies, although many, such as the iPod Hi-Fi, are made by Apple. Some accessories add extra features that other music players have, such as sound recorders, FM radio tuners, wired remote controls, and audio/visual cables for TV connections. Other accessories offer unique features like the Nike+iPod pedometer and the iPod Camera Connector. Other notable accessories include external speakers, wireless remote controls, protective case, screen films, and wireless earphones.[27] Among the first accessory manufacturers were Griffin Technology, Belkin, JBL, Bose, Monster Cable, and SendStation.
Two designs of iPod earphones, the more recent version shown on the right.
BMW released the first iPod automobile interface,[28] allowing drivers of newer BMW vehicles to control an iPod using either the built-in steering wheel controls or the radio head-unit buttons. Apple announced in 2005 that similar systems would be available for other vehicle brands, including Mercedes-Benz,[29] Volvo,[30] Nissan, Toyota,[31] Alfa Romeo, Ferrari,[32] Acura, Audi, Honda,[33] Renault, Infiniti[34] and Volkswagen.[35] Scion offers standard iPod connectivity on all their cars.
Some independent stereo manufacturers including JVC, Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, Sony, and Harman Kardon also have iPod-specific integration solutions. Alternative connection methods include adapter kits (that use the cassette deck or the CD changer port), audio input jacks, and FM transmitters such as the iTrip—although personal FM transmitters are illegal in some countries. Many car manufacturers have added audio input jacks as standard.[36]
Beginning in mid-2007, four major airlines, United, Continental, Delta, and Emirates, reached agreements to install iPod seat connections. The free service will allow passengers to power and charge an iPod, and view video and music libraries on individual seat-back displays.[37] Originally KLM and Air France were reported to be part of the deal with Apple, but they later released statements explaining that they were only contemplating the possibility of incorporating such systems.[38]
Software
The iPod line can play several audio file formats including MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible audiobook, and Apple Lossless. The iPod photo introduced the ability to display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG image file formats. Fifth and sixth generation iPod Classics, as well as third generation iPod Nanos, can additionally play MPEG-4 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC) and QuickTime video formats, with restrictions on video dimensions, encoding techniques and data-rates.[39] Originally, iPod software only worked with Mac OS; iPod software for Microsoft Windows was launched with the second generation model.[40] Unlike most other media players, Apple does not support Microsoft's WMA audio format—but a converter for WMA files without Digital Rights Management (DRM) is provided with the Windows version of iTunes. MIDI files also cannot be played, but can be converted to audio files using the "Advanced" menu in iTunes. Alternative open-source audio formats, such as Ogg Vorbis and FLAC, are not supported without installing custom firmware onto an iPod (e.g., Rockbox).
During installation, an iPod is associated with one host computer. Each time an iPod connects to its host computer, iTunes can synchronize entire music libraries or music playlists either automatically or manually. Song ratings can be set on an iPod and synchronized later to the iTunes library, and vice versa. A user can access, play, and add music on a second computer if an iPod is set to manual and not automatic sync, but anything added or edited will be reversed upon connecting and syncing with the main computer and its library. If a user wishes to automatically sync music with another computer, an iPod's library will be entirely wiped and replaced with the other computer's library.
Interface
The signature iPod click wheel.
iPods with color displays use anti-aliased graphics and text, with sliding animations. All iPods (except the 3rd-generation iPod Shuffle, the 6th generation iPod Nano, and iPod Touch) have five buttons and the later generations have the buttons integrated into the click wheel – an innovation that gives an uncluttered, minimalist interface. The buttons perform basic functions such as menu, play, pause, next track, and previous track. Other operations, such as scrolling through menu items and controlling the volume, are performed by using the click wheel in a rotational manner. The 3rd-generation iPod Shuffle does not have any controls on the actual player; instead it has a small control on the earphone cable, with volume-up and -down buttons and a single button for play and pause, next track, etc. The iPod Touch has no click-wheel; instead it uses a 3.5" touch screen along with a home button, sleep/wake button and (on the second and third generations of the iPod Touch) volume-up and -down buttons. The user interface for the iPod Touch is identical to that of the iPhone. Differences include a lack of a phone application. Both devices use iOS.
iTunes Store
Main articles: iTunes and iTunes Store
The iTunes Store (introduced April 29, 2003) is an online media store run by Apple and accessed through iTunes. The store became the market leader soon after its launch[41] and Apple announced the sale of videos through the store on October 12, 2005. Full-length movies became available on September 12, 2006.[42]
At the time the store was introduced, purchased audio files used the AAC format with added encryption, based on the FairPlay DRM system. Up to five authorized computers and an unlimited number of iPods could play the files. Burning the files with iTunes as an audio CD, then re-importing would create music files without the DRM. The DRM could also be removed using third-party software. However, in a deal with Apple, EMI began selling DRM-free, higher-quality songs on the iTunes Stores, in a category called "iTunes Plus." While individual songs were made available at a cost of US$1.29, 30¢ more than the cost of a regular DRM song, entire albums were available for the same price, US$9.99, as DRM encoded albums. On 17 October 2007, Apple lowered the cost of individual iTunes Plus songs to US$0.99 per song, the same as DRM encoded tracks. On January 6, 2009, Apple announced that DRM has been removed from 80% of the music catalog, and that it would be removed from all music by April 2009.
iPods cannot play music files from competing music stores that use rival-DRM technologies like Microsoft's protected WMA or RealNetworks' Helix DRM. Example stores include Napster and MSN Music. RealNetworks claims that Apple is creating problems for itself[43] by using FairPlay to lock users into using the iTunes Store. Steve Jobs stated that Apple makes little profit from song sales, although Apple uses the store to promote iPod sales.[44] However, iPods can also play music files from online stores that do not use DRM, such as eMusic or Amie Street.
Universal Music Group decided not to renew their contract with the iTunes Store on July 3, 2007. Universal will now supply iTunes in an 'at will' capacity.[45]
Apple debuted the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on September 5, 2007, in its Media Event entitled "The Beat Goes On..." This service allows users to access the Music Store from either an iPhone or an iPod Touch and download songs directly to the device that can be synced to the user's iTunes Library over a WiFi connection, or, in the case of an iPhone, the telephone network.
Games
Main articles: iPod game and App Store (iOS)
Video games are playable on various versions of iPods. The original iPod had the game Brick (originally invented by Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak) included as an easter egg hidden feature; later firmware versions added it as a menu option. Later revisions of the iPod added three more games: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz.
In September 2006, the iTunes Store began to offer additional games for purchase with the launch of iTunes 7, compatible with the fifth generation iPod with iPod software 1.2 or later. Those games were: Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex, Asphalt 4: Elite Racing and Zuma. Additional games have since been added. These games work on the 6th and 5th generation iPod Classic and the 5th and 4th generation iPod Nano.
With third parties like Namco, Square Enix, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Hudson Soft all making games for the iPod, Apple's MP3 player has taken steps towards entering the video game handheld console market. Even video game magazines like GamePro and EGM have reviewed and rated most of their games as of late.[46]
The games are in the form of .ipg files, which are actually .zip archives in disguise[citation needed]. When unzipped, they reveal executable files along with common audio and image files, leading to the possibility of third party games. Apple has not publicly released a software development kit (SDK) for iPod-specific development.[47] Apps produced with the iPhone SDK are compatible only with the iOS on the iPod Touch and iPhone, which cannot run clickwheel-based games.
File storage and transfer
All iPods except for the iPod Touch can function in "disk mode" as mass storage devices to store data files[48] but this may not be the default behavior, and in the case of the iPod Touch, requires special software.[citation needed] If an iPod is formatted on a Mac OS X computer, it uses the HFS+ file system format, which allows it to serve as a boot disk for a Mac computer.[49] If it is formatted on Windows, the FAT32 format is used. With the release of the Windows-compatible iPod, the default file system used on the iPod line switched from HFS+ to FAT32, although it can be reformatted to either file system (excluding the iPod Shuffle which is strictly FAT32). Generally, if a new iPod (excluding the iPod Shuffle) is initially plugged into a computer running Windows, it will be formatted with FAT32, and if initially plugged into a Mac running Mac OS X it will be formatted with HFS+.[50]
Unlike many other MP3 players, simply copying audio or video files to the drive with a typical file management application will not allow an iPod to properly access them. The user must use software that has been specifically designed to transfer media files to iPods, so that the files are playable and viewable. Usually iTunes is used to transfer media to an iPod, though several alternative third-party applications are available on a number of different platforms.
iTunes 7 and above can transfer purchased media of the iTunes Store from an iPod to a computer, provided that computer containing the DRM protected media is authorized to play it.
Media files are stored on an iPod in a hidden folder, along with a proprietary database file. The hidden content can be accessed on the host operating system by enabling hidden files to be shown. The media files can then be recovered manually by copying the files or folders off the iPod. Many third-party applications also allow easy copying of media files off of an iPod.
Models and features
Main article: List of iPod models
While the suffix "Classic" was not introduced until the sixth generation, it has been applied here retroactively to all generic iPods for clarity.
Model
Generation
Image
Capacity
Connection
Original release date
Minimum OS to sync
Rated battery life (hours)
Classic
first
5, 10 GB
FireWire
23 October 2001
Mac: 9, 10.1
audio: 10
First model, with mechanical scroll wheel. 10 GB model released later.
second
10, 20 GB
FireWire
17 July 2002
Mac: 10.1
Win: 2000
audio: 10
Touch-sensitive wheel. FireWire port had a cover. Hold switch revised. Windows compatibility through Musicmatch.
third
10, 15, 20, 30, 40 GB
FireWire (USB for syncing only)
28 April 2003
Mac: 10.1
Win: 2000
audio: 8
First complete redesign with all-touch interface, dock connector, and slimmer case. Musicmatch support dropped with later release of iTunes 4.1 for Windows.
fourth
(Photo)
(Color)
20, 40 GB
FireWire or USB
19 July 2004
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 12
Adopted Click Wheel from iPod Mini, hold switch redesigned.
photo:
30, 40, 60 GB
FireWire or USB
26 October 2004
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 15
slideshow: 5
color:
20, 60 GB
28 June 2005
Premium spin-off of 4G iPod with color screen and picture viewing. Later re-integrated into main iPod line.
fifth
30, 60, 80 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
12 October 2005
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
30 GB
audio: 14
video: 2
(later 3.5)
60/80 GB
audio: 20
video: 3/6.5
Second full redesign with a slimmer case, and larger screen with video playback. Offered in black or white. Hardware and firmware updated with 60 GB model replaced with 80 GB model on 12 September 2006.
sixth
80, 120, 160 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
5 September 2007
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
80 GB
audio: 30
video: 5
120 GB
audio: 36
video: 6
160 GB
2007 model
audio: 40
video: 7
2009 model
audio: 36
video: 6
Introduced the "Classic" suffix. New interface and anodized aluminum front plate. Silver replaces white. In September 2008 the hardware and firmware was updated with a 120 GB model replacing the 80 GB model and the 160 GB model was discontinued. In September 2009, the 120GB model was replaced with a 160GB model.
Mini
first
4 GB
USB or FireWire
6 January 2004
Mac: 10.1
Win: 2000
audio: 8
New smaller model, available in 5 colors. Introduced the "Click Wheel".
second
4, 6 GB
USB or FireWire
22 February 2005
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 18
Brighter color variants with longer battery life. Click Wheel lettering matched body color. Gold color discontinued. Later replaced by iPod Nano.
Nano
first
1, 2, 4 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
7 September 2005
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
audio: 14
slideshow: 4
Replaced Mini. Available in black or white and used flash memory. Color screen for picture viewing. 1 GB version released later.
second
2, 4, 8 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
12 September 2006
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
audio: 24
slideshow: 5
Anodized aluminum casing and 6 colors available.
third
4, 8 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
5 September 2007
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 24
video: 5
2" QVGA screen, colors refreshed with chrome back, new interface, video capability, smaller Click Wheel.
fourth
4, 8, 16 GB
USB
9 September 2008
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 24
video: 4
Revert to tall form and all-aluminum enclosure with 9 color choices, added accelerometer for shake and horizontal viewing. 4 GB model limited release in select markets.
fifth
8, 16 GB
USB
9 September 2009
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 24
video: 5
First iPod to include a video camera; also included a larger screen, an FM radio, a speaker, a pedometer, and a polished exterior case while retaining the similar colors as the fourth generation model.
sixth
8, 16 GB
USB
1 September 2010
Mac: 10.5
Win: XP
audio: 24
First iPod nano to include multi-touch screen; clip from iPod shuffle added. Video playback, speakers and camera removed.
seventh
16 GB
USB
12 September 2012
Mac: 10.6
Win: XP
audio: 30
video: 3.5
Revert to tall form factor with larger 2.5" multi-touch screen. Clip removed. Video playback and speakers restored, and Bluetooth added.
Shuffle
first
512 MB, 1 GB
USB
(no adaptor required)
11 January 2005
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 12
New entry-level model. Uses flash memory and has no screen.
second
1, 2 GB
USB
12 September 2006
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
audio: 12
Smaller clip design with anodized aluminum casing. 4 color options added later. Colors were later refreshed twice.
third
2, 4 GB
USB
11 March 2009
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 10
Smaller design with controls relocated to right earbud cable. Introduced with two colors, and features VoiceOver. More colors and 2GB model added in September 2009.
fourth
2 GB
USB
1 September 2010
Mac: 10.5
Win: XP
audio: 15
Controls returned to the body of the iPod. Introduced with five colors, and features VoiceOver.
Touch
first
8, 16, 32 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)[51]
5 September 2007
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 22
video: 5
First iPod with Wi-Fi and a Multi-Touch interface. Features Safari browser and wireless access to the iTunes Store and YouTube. 32 GB model later added. iOS 2.0 and App Store access requires an upgrade fee.
second
8, 16, 32 GB
USB
9 September 2008
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 36
video: 6
New tapered chrome back with Nike+ functionality, volume buttons, and built-in speaker added. iOS 2.0 and App Store access standard. Bluetooth support added but not made active until iOS 3.0, which requires an upgrade fee.
third
32, 64 GB
USB
9 September 2009
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 30
video: 6
Updated to include the upgraded internals from the iPhone 3GS; includes Voice Control support and bundled remote earphones.
fourth
8, 16, 32, 64 GB
USB
9 September 2010
Mac: 10.5
Win: XP
audio: 40
video: 7
New thinner design including two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording, hold button moved to top right corner, Retina display similar to iPhone 4, Apple A4 chip. White-colored version added on 4 October 2011.
fifth
16, 32, 64 GB
USB
12 September 2012
Mac: 10.6
Win: XP
audio: 40
video: 7
New aluminum design with colored case options. Features improved cameras along with A5 processor, Siri, and longer 4" Retina display.
Sources: Apple Inc.[52], Mactracker[53]
Patent disputes
In 2005, Apple faced two lawsuits claiming patent infringement by the iPod line and its associated technologies:[54] Advanced Audio Devices claimed the iPod line breached its patent on a "music jukebox",[55] while a Hong Kong-based IP portfolio company called Pat-rights filed a suit claiming that Apple's FairPlay technology breached a patent[56] issued to inventor Ho Keung Tse. The latter case also includes the online music stores of Sony, RealNetworks, Napster, and Musicmatch as defendants.[57]
Apple's application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent on "rotational user inputs",[58] as used on the iPod interface, received a third "non-final rejection" (NFR) in August 2005. Also in August 2005, Creative Technology, one of Apple's main rivals in the MP3 player market, announced that it held a patent[59] on part of the music selection interface used by the iPod line, which Creative Technology dubbed the "Zen Patent", granted on August 9, 2005.[60] On May 15, 2006, Creative filed another suit against Apple with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Creative also asked the United States International Trade Commission to investigate whether Apple was breaching U.S. trade laws by importing iPods into the United States.[61]
On August 24, 2006, Apple and Creative announced a broad settlement to end their legal disputes. Apple will pay Creative US$100 million for a paid-up license, to use Creative's awarded patent in all Apple products. As part of the agreement, Apple will recoup part of its payment, if Creative is successful in licensing the patent. Creative then announced its intention to produce iPod accessories by joining the Made for iPod program.[62]
Sales
iPod quarterly sales. Click for table of data and sources. Note that Q1 is October through December of previous year, the holiday season.
See also: iPod advertising
Since October 2004, the iPod line has dominated digital music player sales in the United States, with over 90% of the market for hard drive-based players and over 70% of the market for all types of players.[63] During the year from January 2004 to January 2005, the high rate of sales caused its U.S. market share to increase from 31% to 65% and in July 2005, this market share was measured at 74%. In January 2007 the iPod market share reached 72.7% according to Bloomberg Online.
On January 8, 2004, Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced that they would sell HP-branded iPods under a license agreement from Apple. Several new retail channels were used—including Wal-Mart—and these iPods eventually made up 5% of all iPod sales. In July 2005, HP stopped selling iPods due to unfavorable terms and conditions imposed by Apple.[64]
In January 2007, Apple reported record quarterly revenue of US$7.1 billion, of which 48% was made from iPod sales.[not in citation given][65]
On April 9, 2007, it was announced that Apple had sold its one-hundred millionth iPod, making it the biggest selling digital music player of all time. In April 2007, Apple reported second quarter revenue of US$5.2 billion, of which 32% was made from iPod sales.[66] Apple and several industry analysts suggest that iPod users are likely to purchase other Apple products such as Mac computers.[67]
On October 22, 2007, Apple reported quarterly revenue of US$6.22 billion, of which 30.69% came from Apple notebook sales, 19.22% from desktop sales and 26% from iPod sales. Apple's 2007 year revenue increased to US$24.01 billion with US$3.5 billion in profits. Apple ended the fiscal year 2007 with US$15.4 billion in cash and no debt.[68]
On January 22, 2008, Apple reported the best quarter revenue and earnings in Apple's history so far. Apple posted record revenue of US$9.6 billion and record net quarterly profit of US$1.58 billion. 42% of Apple's revenue for the First fiscal quarter of 2008 came from iPod sales, followed by 21% from notebook sales and 16% from desktop sales.[69]
On October 21, 2008, Apple reported that only 14.21% of total revenue for fiscal quarter 4 of year 2008 came from iPods.[70] At the September 9, 2009 keynote presentation at the Apple Event, Phil Schiller announced total cumulative sales of iPods exceeded 220 million.[71]
As of October 2011, Apple reported that total number of iPods sold worldwide was 300 million.[72]
Industry impact
iPods have won several awards ranging from engineering excellence,[73] to most innovative audio product,[74] to fourth best computer product of 2006.[75] iPods often receive favorable reviews; scoring on looks, clean design, and ease of use. PC World says that iPod line has "altered the landscape for portable audio players".[74] Several industries are modifying their products to work better with both the iPod line and the AAC audio format. Examples include CD copy-protection schemes,[76] and mobile phones, such as phones from Sony Ericsson and Nokia, which play AAC files rather than WMA.
Besides earning a reputation as a respected entertainment device, the iPod has also been accepted as a business device. Government departments, major institutions and international organisations have turned to the iPod line as a delivery mechanism for business communication and training, such as the Royal and Western Infirmaries in Glasgow, Scotland, where iPods are used to train new staff.[77]
iPods have also gained popularity for use in education. Apple offers more information on educational uses for iPods on their website,[78] including a collection of lesson plans. There has also been academic research done in this area in nursing education[79] and more general K-16 education.[80] Duke University provided iPods to all incoming freshmen in the fall of 2004, and the iPod program continues today with modifications.[81] Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Yes, children, there really was a time when we roamed the earth without thousands of our favorite jams tucked comfortably into our hip pockets. Weird."[82]
Criticism
Battery problems
The advertised battery life on most models is different from the real-world achievable life. For example, the fifth generation 30 GB iPod is advertised as having up to 14 hours of music playback. An MP3.com report stated that this was virtually unachievable under real-life usage conditions, with a writer for MP3.com getting on average less than 8 hours from an iPod.[83] In 2003, class action lawsuits were brought against Apple complaining that the battery charges lasted for shorter lengths of time than stated and that the battery degraded over time.[84] The lawsuits were settled by offering individuals either US$50 store credit or a free battery replacement.[85]
iPod batteries are not designed to be removed or replaced by the user, although some users have been able to open the case themselves, usually following instructions from third-party vendors of iPod replacement batteries. Compounding the problem, Apple initially would not replace worn-out batteries. The official policy was that the customer should buy a refurbished replacement iPod, at a cost almost equivalent to a brand new one. All lithium-ion batteries lose capacity during their lifetime even when not in use[86] (guidelines are available for prolonging life-span) and this situation led to a market for third-party battery replacement kits.
Apple announced a battery replacement program on November 14, 2003, a week before[87] a high publicity stunt and website by the Neistat Brothers.[88] The initial cost was US$99,[89] and it was lowered to US$59 in 2005. One week later, Apple offered an extended iPod warranty for US$59.[90] For the iPod Nano, soldering tools are needed because the battery is soldered onto the main board. Fifth generation iPods have their battery attached to the backplate with adhesive.[91][92]
The first generation iPod Nano may overheat and pose a health and safety risk. Affected iPod Nanos were sold between September 2005 and December 2006. This is due to a flawed battery used by Apple from a single battery manufacturer.[93] Apple recommended that owners of affected iPod Nanos stop using them. Under an Apple product replacement program, affected Nanos were replaced with current generation Nanos free of charge.
Reliability and durability
iPods have been criticized for alleged short life-span and fragile hard drives. A 2005 survey conducted on the MacInTouch website found that the iPod line had an average failure rate of 13.7% (although they note that comments from respondents indicate that "the true iPod failure rate may be lower than it appears"). It concluded that some models were more durable than others.[94] In particular, failure rates for iPods employing hard drives was usually above 20% while those with flash memory had a failure rate below 10%. In late 2005, many users complained that the surface of the first generation iPod Nano can become scratched easily, rendering the screen unusable.[95][96] A class action lawsuit was also filed.[97] Apple initially considered the issue a minor defect, but later began shipping these iPods with protective sleeves.
Labor disputes
On June 11, 2006, the British tabloid The Mail on Sunday reported that iPods are mainly manufactured by workers who earn no more than US$50 per month and work 15-hour shifts.[98] Apple investigated the case with independent auditors and found that, while some of the plant's labour practices met Apple's Code of Conduct, others did not: employees worked over 60 hours a week for 35% of the time, and worked more than six consecutive days for 25% of the time.[99]
Foxconn, Apple's manufacturer, initially denied the abuses,[100] but when an auditing team from Apple found that workers had been working longer hours than were allowed under Chinese law, they promised to prevent workers working more hours than the code allowed. Apple hired a workplace standards auditing company, Verité, and joined the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct Implementation Group to oversee the measures. On December 31, 2006, workers at the Foxconn factory in Longhua, Shenzhen formed a union affiliated with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions,[101] the Chinese government-approved union umbrella organization.[102][103]
In 2010, a number of workers committed suicide at a Foxconn operations in China. Apple, HP, and others stated that they were investigating the situation. Foxconn guards have been videotaped beating employees. Another employee killed himself in 2009 when an Apple prototype went missing, and claimed in messages to friends, that he had been beaten and interrogated.[104][105]
As of 2006, the iPod was produced by about 14,000 workers in the U.S. and 27,000 overseas. Further, the salaries attributed to this product were overwhelmingly distributed to highly skilled U.S. professionals, as opposed to lower skilled U.S. retail employees or overseas manufacturing labor. One interpretation of this result is that U.S. innovation can create more jobs overseas than domestically.[106]
Timeline of iPod models
See also: Timeline of full-sized iPod models and Timeline of compact iPod models
Sources: Apple press release library,[107] Mactracker Apple Inc. model database[53]
See also
Book: Apple Inc.
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.
Design portal
Apple Inc. portal
Comparison of portable media players
Comparison of iPod managers
iPhone
References
1.^ Apple Inc.. "iTunes system requirements. Apple iTunes software runs on Mac OS X 10.3.9 or OS X 10.4.9 or later and on Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2) or Vista". Retrieved May 28, 2008.
2.^ McKillop, Ross (July 8, 2007). "10 Alternatives to iTunes for managing your iPod". Simple Help. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
3.^ "APPLE IOS 5 IPHONE / IPAD HANDS-ON (screenshot of iPhone home screen with iOS 5 preview)". Boy Genius Report. June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
4.^ a b c d e f Kahney, Leander.Straight Dope on the iPod's Birth, Wired News, October 17, 2006. Retrieved on October 30, 2006.
5.^ "2007 Engineer of the Year Finalist Michael Dhuey’s Hardware Knowledge Helps Breathe Life Into iPod, TelePresence", Design News, September 24, 2007.
6.^ Steve Jobs by Walter Issac page 865
7.^ "A History of the iPod: 2000 to 2004". Lowendmac.com. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
8.^ a b Boffey, Daniel Apple admit Briton DID invent iPod, but he's still not getting any money Daily Mail, September 8, 2008. Retrieved on September 8, 2008.
9.^ Serial No. 78018061, Registration No. 2781793, records of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. InPub, LLC, filed an "IPOD" trademark on June 1, 1999, for "computer software and hardware." The trademark was abandoned May 18, 2000, without commercial use.
10.^ "Ipod by Chrysalis Incorporated". Trademarkia. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
11.^ Cassell, Jonathan. Apple Delivers More For Less With New iPod Nano, iSuppli Corporation, September 20, 2006. Retrieved on October 21, 2006.
12.^ "mobile SoC". Samsung Group. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
13.^ Williams, Martyn. How Much Should an IPod Shuffle Cost?, PC World, February 24, 2005. Retrieved on August 14, 2006.
14.^ Macworld Wolfson loses Apple iPod business
15.^ "iPod nano Technical Specifications". Apple Inc.. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
16.^ "iPod classic Technical Specifications". Apple Inc.. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
17.^ "iPod touch Technical Specifications". Apple Inc.. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
18.^ a b Machrone, Bill. iPod audio measurements, PC Magazine, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
19.^ Heijligers, Marc. iPod audio measurements. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
20.^ Heijligers, Marc. iPod circuit design engineering, May 2006. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
21.^ Vaughan, Austin. "Tweaking the iPod equalizer". Archived from the original on 30 September 2012., DAP review, 8 November 2004. Retrieved on September 14, 2012.
22.^ Handby, Simon. "Apple iPod 60GB review". Archived from the original on 30 September 2012., Expert Reviews, 19 December 2005. Retrieved on September 14, 2012.
23.^ Cohen, Peter. iPod update limits iPod volume setting, Macworld, 2006. Retrieved on November 7, 2008.
24.^ Fried, Ian. Apple pulls iPod in France. Retrieved on November 7, 2008.
25.^ Johnson, Joel (July 10, 2008). "How the "Apple Tax" Boosts Prices on iPod & iPhone Accessories". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved September 9, 2008.
26.^ Apple iPhone 5 features; Apple.com
27.^ In-The-Ear Bluetooth Earphones. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
28.^ iPod Your BMW. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
29.^ Apple & Mercedes-Benz Unveil iPod Integration Kit, Apple Inc., January 11, 2005. Retrieved on June 20, 2006.
30.^ Apple & Volvo Announce iPod Connectivity For Entire 2005 US Model Line, Apple Inc., January 11, 2005. Retrieved on June 20, 2006.
31.^ "Toyota introduce iPod integration kit". Gizmag.com. September 4, 2007. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
32.^ Apple & Leading Car Companies Team Up to Deliver iPod Integration in 2005, Apple Inc., January 11, 2005. Retrieved on June 20, 2006.
33.^ Honda Music Link for iPods, Honda. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
34.^ Apple Car Integration page[dead link]
35.^ Apple Teams Up With Acura, Audi, Honda & Volkswagen to Deliver Seamless iPod Experience, Apple Inc., September 7, 2005. Retrieved on June 20, 2006.
36.^ Car Integration: iPod your car, Apple Inc.. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
37.^ Apple Teams Up With Continental, Delta, Emirates, & United to deliver iPod Integration, Apple Inc., November 14, 2006. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
38.^ Marsal, Katie. Two of six airlines say there's no ink on iPod deal, AppleInsider, November 15, 2006. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
39.^ The restrictions vary from generation to generation; for the earliest video iPods, video is required to be Baseline Profile (BP), up to Level 1.3, meaning most significantly no B-frames (BP), a maximum bitrate of 768 kb/s (BP Level 1.3), and a maximum framerate of 30 frame/s at 320×240 resolution. Newer iPods support BP up to level 3.0 (10,000 kb/s), for a maximum framerate of 30 frame/s at 640×480 resolution. Current specifications can be seen at iPod classic Technical Specs, and practical implementations can be seen in the libx264-ipod320.ffpreset and libx264-ipod640.ffpreset preset files for FFmpeg, as discussed in [Ffmpeg-user] Successful ipod h264 encoding, by Daniel Rogers, Jun 11, 2006.
40.^ "iTunes Downloads". Apple.com. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
41.^ iTunes Music Store Catalog Tops One Million Songs, Apple Inc., August 10, 2004. Retrieved on December 28, 2006.
42.^ Scott-Joynt, Jeremy. Apple targets TV and film market, BBC News, September 12, 2006. Retrieved on September 12, 2006.
43.^ Kanellos, Michael (March 23, 2004). "Real's Glaser exhorts Apple to open iPod". CNET News. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
44.^ Hansell, Saul (August 11, 2008). "The iTunes Store: Profit Machine". August 11, 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
45.^ Evans, Jonny. Universal confirms iTunes contract change, Macworld UK, July 4, 2007. Retrieved on July 5, 2007.
46.^ "iPod Games Review Roundup". Gamepro.com. 2006-09-15. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
47.^ "What's Inside an iPod Game?" bensinclair.com, September 14, 2006.
48.^ "iPod touch: Appears in iTunes but not in Finder or Windows Desktop". Docs.info.apple.com. 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
49.^ —Gina Trapani (2007-05-14). "How To: Boot up your Mac from your iPod". Lifehacker.com. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
50.^ "Restore iPod – Format iPod – Reformat iPod – iPod Restore Software". Ipod.about.com. February 1, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2010.
51.^ "iPhone and iPod touch: Charging the battery". Apple. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
52.^ Apple Inc., Identifying iPod models, retrieved 31 October 2007.
53.^ a b Mactracker (mactracker.ca), Apple Inc. model database, version as of 26 July 2007.
54.^ Apple faces patent lawsuits over its iPod, ChannelRegister, March 10, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
55.^ U.S. Patent 6,587,403 — Advanced Audio Devices' "music jukebox" patent.
56.^ U.S. Patent 6,665,797 — "Protection of software again against unauthorized use" (corrected to "Computer Apparatus/Software Access Control").
57.^ Apple, Sony among those named in new DRM lawsuit, AppleInsider, August 16, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
58.^ U.S. patent application 20030095096 Apple Inc.'s application on "rotational user inputs".
59.^ U.S. Patent 6,928,433 Creative Technology's "Zen" patent.
60.^ Creative wins MP3 player patent, BBC News, August 30, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
61.^ McMillan, Robert (May 16, 2006). "Creative sues Apple over patent". MacWorld. Mac Publishing. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
62.^ Apple & Creative Announce Broad Settlement..., , Apple Inc.. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
63.^ Marsal, Katie. iPod: how big can it get?, AppleInsider, May 24, 2006. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
64.^ HP to stop selling Apple's iPods, AppleInsider, July 29, 2005. Retrieved on August 6, 2007.
65.^ "Apple Reports First Quarter Results". Apple Press Info. January 17, 2007.
66.^ "Apple Reports Second Quarter Results". Apple Press Info. April 25, 2007.
67.^ "Study: iPod users to switch for iPhone". MacNN. May 16, 2007.
68.^ Apple Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Results, Apple Inc., October 22, 2007. Retrieved on October 22, 2007.
69.^ Apple Inc. (January 22, 2008). Apple Reports First Quarter Results. Press release. Retrieved on January 23, 2008
70.^ AppleInsider (October 27, 2008). [1] Retrieved on October 27, 2008
71.^ World of Apple. (September 9, 2009). Live Coverage From Apple’s “It’s Only Rock and Roll” Event. Press release. Retrieved on September 9, 2009
72.^ Albanesius, Chloe (October 4, 2011). "Apple Unveils Updated iPod Nano, Touch". PC Magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
73.^ iPod and Bluetooth lead to prizes, BBC News, June 3, 2005. Retrieved on March 20, 2007.
74.^ a b "The 25 Most Innovative Products of the Year". PC World. August 3, 2007. Retrieved February 17, 2007.
75.^ Apple wins 5 'World Class' awards, MacNN. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
76.^ Apple, iPod, and CD Copy Protection, MacRumors. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
77.^ Hospitals train staff with iPods, BBC News, March 29, 2006. Retrieved on June 16, 2007.
78.^ "Mobile Learning". Apple.com. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
79.^ Maag, M.E.D. (2006). "Podcasting and MP3 players: emerging education technologies". CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing 24 (1): 9–13. PMID 16436906. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
80.^ Slykhuis, D. (2006). Have an iPod? Then you need to know this about how to use it in your classroom. Retrieved February 8, 2008.[dead link]
81.^ — Doug Lederman. "Duke’s Ever-Evolving iPod Initiative". Insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
82.^ Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES, SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS". Entertainment Weekly. (1079/1080):74-84
83.^ MP3 Insider: The truth about your battery life, mp3.com, March 13, 2006. Retrieved on July 10, 2006.
84.^ Apple investigates iPod batteries, BBC News, February 10, 2004. Retrieved on March 20, 2007.
85.^ Horwitz, Jeremy. Apple’s iPod Battery Settlement, Explained, iLounge, June 10, 2005. Retrieved on August 27, 2006.
86.^ The Curse of Lithium Ion Batteries, MP3 Newswire, January 6, 2006. Retrieved on November 30, 2006.
87.^ iPod Battery FAQ. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.
88.^ Neistat, Casey. A Message From the Neistat Brothers, November 20, 2003. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
89.^ Apple offers iPod battery replacement service, MacMinute, November 14, 2003. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.
90.^ AppleCare for iPod now available, MacMinute, November 21, 2003. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.
91.^ Ecker, Clint. Vivisection of the Video iPod, Ars Technica, October 19, 2005. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.
92.^ Disassemble Guide for Video iPod. Retrieved on November 26, 2006.
93.^ "Apple opens up replacement program for first-gen iPod nano". Apple Insider. November 12, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
94.^ iPod Reliability Survey, MacInTouch, November 28, 2005. Retrieved on October 29, 2006.
95.^ Apple responds to iPod nano screen concerns, Macworld, September 27, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
96.^ Arthur, Charles. iPod Nano owners in screen scratch trauma, The Register, September 25, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
97.^ Fried, Ina. Suit filed over Nano scratches, CNet News, October 21, 2005. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
98.^ Inside Apple's iPod factories, Macworld UK, June 12, 2006. Retrieved on March 20, 2007.
99.^ Millard, Elizabeth. Is It Ethical To Own an iPod?. Retrieved on March 20, 2007.
100.^ Foxconn denies iPod 'sweatshop' claims, MacNN, June 19, 2006. Retrieved on February 17, 2007.
101.^ ITUC Hong Kong Liaison Office (January 2, 2007). "ACFTU Union established at Foxconn on the very last day of 2006". Retrieved February 2, 2010.
102.^ McDonald's and KFC seeking to resolve Chinese minimum wage issue ..., April 5, 2007, nytimes.com. Retrieved 2010 5 27.
103.^ Wal-Mart backs down and allows Chinese workers to join union, August 11, 2006, Jonathan Watts, The Guardian
104.^ Suicides Spark Inquiries Apple, H-P to Examine Asian Supplier After String of Deaths at Factory, Jason Dean, Ting-i Tsai, May 27, 2010, accessed May 27, 2010
105.^ The Foxconn Suicides, May 28, 2010, wsj.com, WSJ opinion, accessed May 27, 2010
106.^ "Reuters-Freeland-Winners and Losers in the Apple Economy-July 2011". Blogs.reuters.com. July 1, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
107.^ Apple Inc., Apple press release library, Retrieved September 19, 2007.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: iPod
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: iPod
Apple iPod—Official website
iPod troubleshooting basics and service FAQ—From the official w
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The iPod line as of September 2012; from left to right: iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Touch.
The iPod is a line of portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first line was released on November 10, 2001, its most recent redesigns announced on September 12, 2012. There are four current versions of the iPod: the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle, the compact iPod Nano, the touchscreen iPod Touch, and the hard drive-based iPod Classic.
Like other digital music players, iPods can serve as external data storage devices. Storage capacity varies by model, ranging from 2 GB for the iPod Shuffle to 160 GB for the iPod Classic. The devices are controlled by the Samsung ARM and the Apple A4 CPUs.
Apple's iTunes software (and other open source software) can be used to transfer music, photos, videos, games, contact information, e-mail settings, Web bookmarks, and calendars, to the devices supporting these features from computers using certain versions of Apple Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating systems.[1][2]
Prior to iOS 5, the iPod branding was used for the media player included with the iPhone and iPad, a combination of the Music and Videos apps on the iPod Touch. As of iOS 5, separate apps named "Music" and "Video" are standardized across all iOS-powered products.[3] While the iPhone and iPad have essentially the same media-player capabilities as the iPod line, they are generally treated as separate products. In the last few years, iPhone and iPad sales have overtaken those of the iPod.
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Contents
[hide] 1 History
2 Hardware 2.1 Audio
2.2 Connectivity
2.3 Accessories
3 Software 3.1 Interface
3.2 iTunes Store
3.3 Games
3.4 File storage and transfer
4 Models and features
5 Patent disputes
6 Sales
7 Industry impact
8 Criticism 8.1 Battery problems
8.2 Reliability and durability
8.3 Labor disputes
9 Timeline of iPod models
10 See also
11 References
12 External links
History
See also: Timeline of Apple Inc. products
Various iPod models, all of which have been discontinued or updated.
The iPod line came from Apple's "digital hub" category,[4] when the company began creating software for the growing market of personal digital devices. Digital cameras, camcorders and organizers had well-established mainstream markets, but the company found existing digital music players "big and clunky or small and useless" with user interfaces that were "unbelievably awful,"[4] so Apple decided to develop its own. As ordered by CEO Steve Jobs, Apple's hardware engineering chief Jon Rubinstein assembled a team of engineers to design the iPod line, including hardware engineers Tony Fadell and Michael Dhuey,[5] and design engineer Jonathan Ive.[4] Rubinstein had already discovered the Toshiba disk drive when meeting with an Apple supplier in Japan, and purchased the rights to it for Apple, and had also already worked out how the screen, battery, and other key elements would work.[6] The product was developed in less than one year and unveiled on October 23, 2001. Jobs announced it as a Mac-compatible product with a 5 GB hard drive that put "1,000 songs in your pocket."[7]
Apple did not develop the iPod software entirely in-house, instead using PortalPlayer's reference platform based on two ARM cores. The platform had rudimentary software running on a commercial microkernel embedded operating system. PortalPlayer had previously been working on an IBM-branded MP3 player with Bluetooth headphones.[4] Apple contracted another company, Pixo, to help design and implement the user interface under the direct supervision of Steve Jobs.[4] As development progressed, Apple continued to refine the software's look and feel. Starting with the iPod Mini, the Chicago font was replaced with Espy Sans. Later iPods switched fonts again to Podium Sans—a font similar to Apple's corporate font, Myriad. iPods with color displays then adopted some Mac OS X themes like Aqua progress bars, and brushed metal meant to evoke a combination lock. In 2007, Apple modified the iPod interface again with the introduction of the sixth-generation iPod Classic and third-generation iPod Nano by changing the font to Helvetica and, in most cases, splitting the screen in half by displaying the menus on the left and album artwork, photos, or videos on the right (whichever was appropriate for the selected item).
In September 2007, during a lawsuit with patent holding company Burst.com, Apple drew attention to a patent for a similar device that was developed in 1979. Kane Kramer applied for a UK patent for his design of a "plastic music box" in 1981, which he called the IXI.[8] He was unable to secure funding to renew the US$ 120,000 worldwide patent, so it lapsed and Kramer never profited from his idea.[8]
The name iPod was proposed by Vinnie Chieco, a freelance copywriter, who (with others) was called by Apple to figure out how to introduce the new player to the public. After Chieco saw a prototype, he thought of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey and the phrase "Open the pod bay door, Hal!", which refers to the white EVA Pods of the Discovery One spaceship. Chieco saw an analogy to the relationship between the spaceship and the smaller independent pods in the relationship between a personal computer and the music player.[4] Apple researched the trademark and found that it was already in use. Joseph N. Grasso of New Jersey had originally listed an "iPod" trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in July 2000 for Internet kiosks. The first iPod kiosks had been demonstrated to the public in New Jersey in March 1998, and commercial use began in January 2000, but had apparently been discontinued by 2001. The trademark was registered by the USPTO in November 2003, and Grasso assigned it to Apple Computer, Inc. in 2005.[9]
The earliest recorded use in commerce of an "iPod" trademark was in 1991 by Chrysalis Corp. of Sturgis, Michigan, styled "iPOD".[10]
Hardware
Chipsets and Electronics
Chipset or Electronic
Product(s)
Component(s)
Microcontroller
iPod Classic first to third generations
Two ARM 7TDMI-derived CPUs running at 90 MHz
iPod fourth and fifth generations, iPod Mini, iPod Nano first generation
Variable-speed ARM 7TDMI CPUs, running at a peak of 80 MHz to save battery life
iPod Nano second generation
Samsung System-on-a-chip, based around an ARM processor.[11][12]
iPod Shuffle first generation
SigmaTel STMP3550 chip that handles both the music decoding and the audio circuitry.[13]
iPod Touch first and second generation
ARM 1176JZ(F)-S at 412mhz for first gen, 533mhz for second gen.
iPod Touch third and fourth generation
ARM Cortex A8 at 600mhz for third gen, 800mhz for fourth gen.
Audio Chip
All iPods (except the iPod Shuffle, 6G Classic and 2G Touch)[14]
Audio Codecs developed by Wolfson Microelectronics
Sixth-generation iPod Classic
Cirrus Logic Audio Codec Chip
Storage Medium
iPod Classic
45.7 mm (1.8 in) hard drives (ATA-6, 4200 rpm with proprietary connectors) made by Toshiba
iPod Mini
25.4 mm (1 in) Microdrive by Hitachi and Seagate
iPod Nano
Flash Memory from Samsung, Toshiba, and others
iPod Shuffle and Touch
Flash Memory
Batteries
iPod first and second generation, Shuffle
Internal Lithium Polymer Batteries
iPod third generation onward, iPod Mini, iPod Nano, iPod Touch, fourth generation iPod Shuffle (including maybe earlier)
Internal Lithium-Ion Batteries
Display
iPod Nano
1.54-inch (diagonal) Multi-Touch, 240-by-240 resolution at 220 pixels per inch[15]
iPod Classic
2.5-inch (diagonal) color LCD with LED backlight, 320-by-240 resolution at 163 pixels per inch[16]
iPod Touch
3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch, 960-by-640 resolution at 326 pixels per inch[17]
Audio
The third-generation iPod had a weak bass response, as shown in audio tests.[18][19] The combination of the undersized DC-blocking capacitors and the typical low-impedance of most consumer headphones form a high-pass filter, which attenuates the low-frequency bass output. Similar capacitors were used in the fourth-generation iPods.[20] The problem is reduced when using high-impedance headphones and is completely masked when driving high-impedance (line level) loads, such as an external headphone amplifier. The first-generation iPod Shuffle uses a dual-transistor output stage,[18] rather than a single capacitor-coupled output, and does not exhibit reduced bass response for any load.
For all iPods released in 2006 and earlier, some equalizer (EQ) sound settings would distort the bass sound far too easily, even on undemanding songs.[21][22] This would happen for EQ settings like R&B, Rock, Acoustic, and Bass Booster, because the equalizer amplified the digital audio level beyond the software's limit, causing distortion (clipping) on bass instruments.
From the fifth-generation iPod on, Apple introduced a user-configurable volume limit in response to concerns about hearing loss.[23] Users report that in the sixth-generation iPod, the maximum volume output level is limited to 100 dB in EU markets. Apple previously had to remove iPods from shelves in France for exceeding this legal limit.[24]
Connectivity
See also: Dock connector#Apple
Four iPod wall chargers for North America, all made by Apple. These have FireWire (left) and USB (right three) connectors, which allow iPods to charge without a computer. The units have been miniaturized over time.
Originally, a FireWire connection to the host computer was used to update songs or recharge the battery. The battery could also be charged with a power adapter that was included with the first four generations.
The third generation began including a 30-pin dock connector, allowing for FireWire or USB connectivity. This provided better compatibility with non-Apple machines, as most of them did not have FireWire ports at the time. Eventually Apple began shipping iPods with USB cables instead of FireWire, although the latter was available separately. As of the first-generation iPod Nano and the fifth-generation iPod Classic, Apple discontinued using FireWire for data transfer (while still allowing for use of FireWire to charge the device) in an attempt to reduce cost and form factor. As of the second-generation iPod Touch and the fourth-generation iPod Nano, FireWire charging ability has been removed. The second-, third-, and fourth-generation iPod Shuffle uses a single 3.5 mm minijack phone connector which acts as both a headphone jack and a data port for the dock.
The dock connector also allowed the iPod to connect to accessories, which often supplement the iPod's music, video, and photo playback. Apple sells a few accessories, such as the now-discontinued iPod Hi-Fi, but most are manufactured by third parties such as Belkin and Griffin. Some peripherals use their own interface, while others use the iPod's own screen. Because the dock connector is a proprietary interface, the implementation of the interface requires paying royalties to Apple.[25]
Apple introduced a new 8-pin dock connector, named Lightning, on September 12, 2012 with their announcement of the iPhone 5, the fifth generation iPod Touch, and the seventh generation iPod Nano, which all feature it. The new connector replaces the older 30-pin dock connector used by older iPods, iPhones, and iPads. Apple Lightning cables have pins on both sides of the plug so it can be inserted with either side facing up.[26]
Accessories
The "Made for iPod" logo found on most classic iPod accessories
Many accessories have been made for the iPod line. A large number are made by third party companies, although many, such as the iPod Hi-Fi, are made by Apple. Some accessories add extra features that other music players have, such as sound recorders, FM radio tuners, wired remote controls, and audio/visual cables for TV connections. Other accessories offer unique features like the Nike+iPod pedometer and the iPod Camera Connector. Other notable accessories include external speakers, wireless remote controls, protective case, screen films, and wireless earphones.[27] Among the first accessory manufacturers were Griffin Technology, Belkin, JBL, Bose, Monster Cable, and SendStation.
Two designs of iPod earphones, the more recent version shown on the right.
BMW released the first iPod automobile interface,[28] allowing drivers of newer BMW vehicles to control an iPod using either the built-in steering wheel controls or the radio head-unit buttons. Apple announced in 2005 that similar systems would be available for other vehicle brands, including Mercedes-Benz,[29] Volvo,[30] Nissan, Toyota,[31] Alfa Romeo, Ferrari,[32] Acura, Audi, Honda,[33] Renault, Infiniti[34] and Volkswagen.[35] Scion offers standard iPod connectivity on all their cars.
Some independent stereo manufacturers including JVC, Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine, Sony, and Harman Kardon also have iPod-specific integration solutions. Alternative connection methods include adapter kits (that use the cassette deck or the CD changer port), audio input jacks, and FM transmitters such as the iTrip—although personal FM transmitters are illegal in some countries. Many car manufacturers have added audio input jacks as standard.[36]
Beginning in mid-2007, four major airlines, United, Continental, Delta, and Emirates, reached agreements to install iPod seat connections. The free service will allow passengers to power and charge an iPod, and view video and music libraries on individual seat-back displays.[37] Originally KLM and Air France were reported to be part of the deal with Apple, but they later released statements explaining that they were only contemplating the possibility of incorporating such systems.[38]
Software
The iPod line can play several audio file formats including MP3, AAC/M4A, Protected AAC, AIFF, WAV, Audible audiobook, and Apple Lossless. The iPod photo introduced the ability to display JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, and PNG image file formats. Fifth and sixth generation iPod Classics, as well as third generation iPod Nanos, can additionally play MPEG-4 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC) and QuickTime video formats, with restrictions on video dimensions, encoding techniques and data-rates.[39] Originally, iPod software only worked with Mac OS; iPod software for Microsoft Windows was launched with the second generation model.[40] Unlike most other media players, Apple does not support Microsoft's WMA audio format—but a converter for WMA files without Digital Rights Management (DRM) is provided with the Windows version of iTunes. MIDI files also cannot be played, but can be converted to audio files using the "Advanced" menu in iTunes. Alternative open-source audio formats, such as Ogg Vorbis and FLAC, are not supported without installing custom firmware onto an iPod (e.g., Rockbox).
During installation, an iPod is associated with one host computer. Each time an iPod connects to its host computer, iTunes can synchronize entire music libraries or music playlists either automatically or manually. Song ratings can be set on an iPod and synchronized later to the iTunes library, and vice versa. A user can access, play, and add music on a second computer if an iPod is set to manual and not automatic sync, but anything added or edited will be reversed upon connecting and syncing with the main computer and its library. If a user wishes to automatically sync music with another computer, an iPod's library will be entirely wiped and replaced with the other computer's library.
Interface
The signature iPod click wheel.
iPods with color displays use anti-aliased graphics and text, with sliding animations. All iPods (except the 3rd-generation iPod Shuffle, the 6th generation iPod Nano, and iPod Touch) have five buttons and the later generations have the buttons integrated into the click wheel – an innovation that gives an uncluttered, minimalist interface. The buttons perform basic functions such as menu, play, pause, next track, and previous track. Other operations, such as scrolling through menu items and controlling the volume, are performed by using the click wheel in a rotational manner. The 3rd-generation iPod Shuffle does not have any controls on the actual player; instead it has a small control on the earphone cable, with volume-up and -down buttons and a single button for play and pause, next track, etc. The iPod Touch has no click-wheel; instead it uses a 3.5" touch screen along with a home button, sleep/wake button and (on the second and third generations of the iPod Touch) volume-up and -down buttons. The user interface for the iPod Touch is identical to that of the iPhone. Differences include a lack of a phone application. Both devices use iOS.
iTunes Store
Main articles: iTunes and iTunes Store
The iTunes Store (introduced April 29, 2003) is an online media store run by Apple and accessed through iTunes. The store became the market leader soon after its launch[41] and Apple announced the sale of videos through the store on October 12, 2005. Full-length movies became available on September 12, 2006.[42]
At the time the store was introduced, purchased audio files used the AAC format with added encryption, based on the FairPlay DRM system. Up to five authorized computers and an unlimited number of iPods could play the files. Burning the files with iTunes as an audio CD, then re-importing would create music files without the DRM. The DRM could also be removed using third-party software. However, in a deal with Apple, EMI began selling DRM-free, higher-quality songs on the iTunes Stores, in a category called "iTunes Plus." While individual songs were made available at a cost of US$1.29, 30¢ more than the cost of a regular DRM song, entire albums were available for the same price, US$9.99, as DRM encoded albums. On 17 October 2007, Apple lowered the cost of individual iTunes Plus songs to US$0.99 per song, the same as DRM encoded tracks. On January 6, 2009, Apple announced that DRM has been removed from 80% of the music catalog, and that it would be removed from all music by April 2009.
iPods cannot play music files from competing music stores that use rival-DRM technologies like Microsoft's protected WMA or RealNetworks' Helix DRM. Example stores include Napster and MSN Music. RealNetworks claims that Apple is creating problems for itself[43] by using FairPlay to lock users into using the iTunes Store. Steve Jobs stated that Apple makes little profit from song sales, although Apple uses the store to promote iPod sales.[44] However, iPods can also play music files from online stores that do not use DRM, such as eMusic or Amie Street.
Universal Music Group decided not to renew their contract with the iTunes Store on July 3, 2007. Universal will now supply iTunes in an 'at will' capacity.[45]
Apple debuted the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store on September 5, 2007, in its Media Event entitled "The Beat Goes On..." This service allows users to access the Music Store from either an iPhone or an iPod Touch and download songs directly to the device that can be synced to the user's iTunes Library over a WiFi connection, or, in the case of an iPhone, the telephone network.
Games
Main articles: iPod game and App Store (iOS)
Video games are playable on various versions of iPods. The original iPod had the game Brick (originally invented by Apple's co-founder Steve Wozniak) included as an easter egg hidden feature; later firmware versions added it as a menu option. Later revisions of the iPod added three more games: Parachute, Solitaire, and Music Quiz.
In September 2006, the iTunes Store began to offer additional games for purchase with the launch of iTunes 7, compatible with the fifth generation iPod with iPod software 1.2 or later. Those games were: Bejeweled, Cubis 2, Mahjong, Mini Golf, Pac-Man, Tetris, Texas Hold 'Em, Vortex, Asphalt 4: Elite Racing and Zuma. Additional games have since been added. These games work on the 6th and 5th generation iPod Classic and the 5th and 4th generation iPod Nano.
With third parties like Namco, Square Enix, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Hudson Soft all making games for the iPod, Apple's MP3 player has taken steps towards entering the video game handheld console market. Even video game magazines like GamePro and EGM have reviewed and rated most of their games as of late.[46]
The games are in the form of .ipg files, which are actually .zip archives in disguise[citation needed]. When unzipped, they reveal executable files along with common audio and image files, leading to the possibility of third party games. Apple has not publicly released a software development kit (SDK) for iPod-specific development.[47] Apps produced with the iPhone SDK are compatible only with the iOS on the iPod Touch and iPhone, which cannot run clickwheel-based games.
File storage and transfer
All iPods except for the iPod Touch can function in "disk mode" as mass storage devices to store data files[48] but this may not be the default behavior, and in the case of the iPod Touch, requires special software.[citation needed] If an iPod is formatted on a Mac OS X computer, it uses the HFS+ file system format, which allows it to serve as a boot disk for a Mac computer.[49] If it is formatted on Windows, the FAT32 format is used. With the release of the Windows-compatible iPod, the default file system used on the iPod line switched from HFS+ to FAT32, although it can be reformatted to either file system (excluding the iPod Shuffle which is strictly FAT32). Generally, if a new iPod (excluding the iPod Shuffle) is initially plugged into a computer running Windows, it will be formatted with FAT32, and if initially plugged into a Mac running Mac OS X it will be formatted with HFS+.[50]
Unlike many other MP3 players, simply copying audio or video files to the drive with a typical file management application will not allow an iPod to properly access them. The user must use software that has been specifically designed to transfer media files to iPods, so that the files are playable and viewable. Usually iTunes is used to transfer media to an iPod, though several alternative third-party applications are available on a number of different platforms.
iTunes 7 and above can transfer purchased media of the iTunes Store from an iPod to a computer, provided that computer containing the DRM protected media is authorized to play it.
Media files are stored on an iPod in a hidden folder, along with a proprietary database file. The hidden content can be accessed on the host operating system by enabling hidden files to be shown. The media files can then be recovered manually by copying the files or folders off the iPod. Many third-party applications also allow easy copying of media files off of an iPod.
Models and features
Main article: List of iPod models
While the suffix "Classic" was not introduced until the sixth generation, it has been applied here retroactively to all generic iPods for clarity.
Model
Generation
Image
Capacity
Connection
Original release date
Minimum OS to sync
Rated battery life (hours)
Classic
first
5, 10 GB
FireWire
23 October 2001
Mac: 9, 10.1
audio: 10
First model, with mechanical scroll wheel. 10 GB model released later.
second
10, 20 GB
FireWire
17 July 2002
Mac: 10.1
Win: 2000
audio: 10
Touch-sensitive wheel. FireWire port had a cover. Hold switch revised. Windows compatibility through Musicmatch.
third
10, 15, 20, 30, 40 GB
FireWire (USB for syncing only)
28 April 2003
Mac: 10.1
Win: 2000
audio: 8
First complete redesign with all-touch interface, dock connector, and slimmer case. Musicmatch support dropped with later release of iTunes 4.1 for Windows.
fourth
(Photo)
(Color)
20, 40 GB
FireWire or USB
19 July 2004
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 12
Adopted Click Wheel from iPod Mini, hold switch redesigned.
photo:
30, 40, 60 GB
FireWire or USB
26 October 2004
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 15
slideshow: 5
color:
20, 60 GB
28 June 2005
Premium spin-off of 4G iPod with color screen and picture viewing. Later re-integrated into main iPod line.
fifth
30, 60, 80 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
12 October 2005
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
30 GB
audio: 14
video: 2
(later 3.5)
60/80 GB
audio: 20
video: 3/6.5
Second full redesign with a slimmer case, and larger screen with video playback. Offered in black or white. Hardware and firmware updated with 60 GB model replaced with 80 GB model on 12 September 2006.
sixth
80, 120, 160 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
5 September 2007
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
80 GB
audio: 30
video: 5
120 GB
audio: 36
video: 6
160 GB
2007 model
audio: 40
video: 7
2009 model
audio: 36
video: 6
Introduced the "Classic" suffix. New interface and anodized aluminum front plate. Silver replaces white. In September 2008 the hardware and firmware was updated with a 120 GB model replacing the 80 GB model and the 160 GB model was discontinued. In September 2009, the 120GB model was replaced with a 160GB model.
Mini
first
4 GB
USB or FireWire
6 January 2004
Mac: 10.1
Win: 2000
audio: 8
New smaller model, available in 5 colors. Introduced the "Click Wheel".
second
4, 6 GB
USB or FireWire
22 February 2005
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 18
Brighter color variants with longer battery life. Click Wheel lettering matched body color. Gold color discontinued. Later replaced by iPod Nano.
Nano
first
1, 2, 4 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
7 September 2005
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
audio: 14
slideshow: 4
Replaced Mini. Available in black or white and used flash memory. Color screen for picture viewing. 1 GB version released later.
second
2, 4, 8 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
12 September 2006
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
audio: 24
slideshow: 5
Anodized aluminum casing and 6 colors available.
third
4, 8 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)
5 September 2007
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 24
video: 5
2" QVGA screen, colors refreshed with chrome back, new interface, video capability, smaller Click Wheel.
fourth
4, 8, 16 GB
USB
9 September 2008
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 24
video: 4
Revert to tall form and all-aluminum enclosure with 9 color choices, added accelerometer for shake and horizontal viewing. 4 GB model limited release in select markets.
fifth
8, 16 GB
USB
9 September 2009
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 24
video: 5
First iPod to include a video camera; also included a larger screen, an FM radio, a speaker, a pedometer, and a polished exterior case while retaining the similar colors as the fourth generation model.
sixth
8, 16 GB
USB
1 September 2010
Mac: 10.5
Win: XP
audio: 24
First iPod nano to include multi-touch screen; clip from iPod shuffle added. Video playback, speakers and camera removed.
seventh
16 GB
USB
12 September 2012
Mac: 10.6
Win: XP
audio: 30
video: 3.5
Revert to tall form factor with larger 2.5" multi-touch screen. Clip removed. Video playback and speakers restored, and Bluetooth added.
Shuffle
first
512 MB, 1 GB
USB
(no adaptor required)
11 January 2005
Mac: 10.2
Win: 2000
audio: 12
New entry-level model. Uses flash memory and has no screen.
second
1, 2 GB
USB
12 September 2006
Mac: 10.3
Win: 2000
audio: 12
Smaller clip design with anodized aluminum casing. 4 color options added later. Colors were later refreshed twice.
third
2, 4 GB
USB
11 March 2009
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 10
Smaller design with controls relocated to right earbud cable. Introduced with two colors, and features VoiceOver. More colors and 2GB model added in September 2009.
fourth
2 GB
USB
1 September 2010
Mac: 10.5
Win: XP
audio: 15
Controls returned to the body of the iPod. Introduced with five colors, and features VoiceOver.
Touch
first
8, 16, 32 GB
USB (FireWire for charging only)[51]
5 September 2007
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 22
video: 5
First iPod with Wi-Fi and a Multi-Touch interface. Features Safari browser and wireless access to the iTunes Store and YouTube. 32 GB model later added. iOS 2.0 and App Store access requires an upgrade fee.
second
8, 16, 32 GB
USB
9 September 2008
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 36
video: 6
New tapered chrome back with Nike+ functionality, volume buttons, and built-in speaker added. iOS 2.0 and App Store access standard. Bluetooth support added but not made active until iOS 3.0, which requires an upgrade fee.
third
32, 64 GB
USB
9 September 2009
Mac: 10.4
Win: XP
audio: 30
video: 6
Updated to include the upgraded internals from the iPhone 3GS; includes Voice Control support and bundled remote earphones.
fourth
8, 16, 32, 64 GB
USB
9 September 2010
Mac: 10.5
Win: XP
audio: 40
video: 7
New thinner design including two cameras for FaceTime and HD video recording, hold button moved to top right corner, Retina display similar to iPhone 4, Apple A4 chip. White-colored version added on 4 October 2011.
fifth
16, 32, 64 GB
USB
12 September 2012
Mac: 10.6
Win: XP
audio: 40
video: 7
New aluminum design with colored case options. Features improved cameras along with A5 processor, Siri, and longer 4" Retina display.
Sources: Apple Inc.[52], Mactracker[53]
Patent disputes
In 2005, Apple faced two lawsuits claiming patent infringement by the iPod line and its associated technologies:[54] Advanced Audio Devices claimed the iPod line breached its patent on a "music jukebox",[55] while a Hong Kong-based IP portfolio company called Pat-rights filed a suit claiming that Apple's FairPlay technology breached a patent[56] issued to inventor Ho Keung Tse. The latter case also includes the online music stores of Sony, RealNetworks, Napster, and Musicmatch as defendants.[57]
Apple's application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a patent on "rotational user inputs",[58] as used on the iPod interface, received a third "non-final rejection" (NFR) in August 2005. Also in August 2005, Creative Technology, one of Apple's main rivals in the MP3 player market, announced that it held a patent[59] on part of the music selection interface used by the iPod line, which Creative Technology dubbed the "Zen Patent", granted on August 9, 2005.[60] On May 15, 2006, Creative filed another suit against Apple with the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Creative also asked the United States International Trade Commission to investigate whether Apple was breaching U.S. trade laws by importing iPods into the United States.[61]
On August 24, 2006, Apple and Creative announced a broad settlement to end their legal disputes. Apple will pay Creative US$100 million for a paid-up license, to use Creative's awarded patent in all Apple products. As part of the agreement, Apple will recoup part of its payment, if Creative is successful in licensing the patent. Creative then announced its intention to produce iPod accessories by joining the Made for iPod program.[62]
Sales
iPod quarterly sales. Click for table of data and sources. Note that Q1 is October through December of previous year, the holiday season.
See also: iPod advertising
Since October 2004, the iPod line has dominated digital music player sales in the United States, with over 90% of the market for hard drive-based players and over 70% of the market for all types of players.[63] During the year from January 2004 to January 2005, the high rate of sales caused its U.S. market share to increase from 31% to 65% and in July 2005, this market share was measured at 74%. In January 2007 the iPod market share reached 72.7% according to Bloomberg Online.
On January 8, 2004, Hewlett-Packard (HP) announced that they would sell HP-branded iPods under a license agreement from Apple. Several new retail channels were used—including Wal-Mart—and these iPods eventually made up 5% of all iPod sales. In July 2005, HP stopped selling iPods due to unfavorable terms and conditions imposed by Apple.[64]
In January 2007, Apple reported record quarterly revenue of US$7.1 billion, of which 48% was made from iPod sales.[not in citation given][65]
On April 9, 2007, it was announced that Apple had sold its one-hundred millionth iPod, making it the biggest selling digital music player of all time. In April 2007, Apple reported second quarter revenue of US$5.2 billion, of which 32% was made from iPod sales.[66] Apple and several industry analysts suggest that iPod users are likely to purchase other Apple products such as Mac computers.[67]
On October 22, 2007, Apple reported quarterly revenue of US$6.22 billion, of which 30.69% came from Apple notebook sales, 19.22% from desktop sales and 26% from iPod sales. Apple's 2007 year revenue increased to US$24.01 billion with US$3.5 billion in profits. Apple ended the fiscal year 2007 with US$15.4 billion in cash and no debt.[68]
On January 22, 2008, Apple reported the best quarter revenue and earnings in Apple's history so far. Apple posted record revenue of US$9.6 billion and record net quarterly profit of US$1.58 billion. 42% of Apple's revenue for the First fiscal quarter of 2008 came from iPod sales, followed by 21% from notebook sales and 16% from desktop sales.[69]
On October 21, 2008, Apple reported that only 14.21% of total revenue for fiscal quarter 4 of year 2008 came from iPods.[70] At the September 9, 2009 keynote presentation at the Apple Event, Phil Schiller announced total cumulative sales of iPods exceeded 220 million.[71]
As of October 2011, Apple reported that total number of iPods sold worldwide was 300 million.[72]
Industry impact
iPods have won several awards ranging from engineering excellence,[73] to most innovative audio product,[74] to fourth best computer product of 2006.[75] iPods often receive favorable reviews; scoring on looks, clean design, and ease of use. PC World says that iPod line has "altered the landscape for portable audio players".[74] Several industries are modifying their products to work better with both the iPod line and the AAC audio format. Examples include CD copy-protection schemes,[76] and mobile phones, such as phones from Sony Ericsson and Nokia, which play AAC files rather than WMA.
Besides earning a reputation as a respected entertainment device, the iPod has also been accepted as a business device. Government departments, major institutions and international organisations have turned to the iPod line as a delivery mechanism for business communication and training, such as the Royal and Western Infirmaries in Glasgow, Scotland, where iPods are used to train new staff.[77]
iPods have also gained popularity for use in education. Apple offers more information on educational uses for iPods on their website,[78] including a collection of lesson plans. There has also been academic research done in this area in nursing education[79] and more general K-16 education.[80] Duke University provided iPods to all incoming freshmen in the fall of 2004, and the iPod program continues today with modifications.[81] Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Yes, children, there really was a time when we roamed the earth without thousands of our favorite jams tucked comfortably into our hip pockets. Weird."[82]
Criticism
Battery problems
The advertised battery life on most models is different from the real-world achievable life. For example, the fifth generation 30 GB iPod is advertised as having up to 14 hours of music playback. An MP3.com report stated that this was virtually unachievable under real-life usage conditions, with a writer for MP3.com getting on average less than 8 hours from an iPod.[83] In 2003, class action lawsuits were brought against Apple complaining that the battery charges lasted for shorter lengths of time than stated and that the battery degraded over time.[84] The lawsuits were settled by offering individuals either US$50 store credit or a free battery replacement.[85]
iPod batteries are not designed to be removed or replaced by the user, although some users have been able to open the case themselves, usually following instructions from third-party vendors of iPod replacement batteries. Compounding the problem, Apple initially would not replace worn-out batteries. The official policy was that the customer should buy a refurbished replacement iPod, at a cost almost equivalent to a brand new one. All lithium-ion batteries lose capacity during their lifetime even when not in use[86] (guidelines are available for prolonging life-span) and this situation led to a market for third-party battery replacement kits.
Apple announced a battery replacement program on November 14, 2003, a week before[87] a high publicity stunt and website by the Neistat Brothers.[88] The initial cost was US$99,[89] and it was lowered to US$59 in 2005. One week later, Apple offered an extended iPod warranty for US$59.[90] For the iPod Nano, soldering tools are needed because the battery is soldered onto the main board. Fifth generation iPods have their battery attached to the backplate with adhesive.[91][92]
The first generation iPod Nano may overheat and pose a health and safety risk. Affected iPod Nanos were sold between September 2005 and December 2006. This is due to a flawed battery used by Apple from a single battery manufacturer.[93] Apple recommended that owners of affected iPod Nanos stop using them. Under an Apple product replacement program, affected Nanos were replaced with current generation Nanos free of charge.
Reliability and durability
iPods have been criticized for alleged short life-span and fragile hard drives. A 2005 survey conducted on the MacInTouch website found that the iPod line had an average failure rate of 13.7% (although they note that comments from respondents indicate that "the true iPod failure rate may be lower than it appears"). It concluded that some models were more durable than others.[94] In particular, failure rates for iPods employing hard drives was usually above 20% while those with flash memory had a failure rate below 10%. In late 2005, many users complained that the surface of the first generation iPod Nano can become scratched easily, rendering the screen unusable.[95][96] A class action lawsuit was also filed.[97] Apple initially considered the issue a minor defect, but later began shipping these iPods with protective sleeves.
Labor disputes
On June 11, 2006, the British tabloid The Mail on Sunday reported that iPods are mainly manufactured by workers who earn no more than US$50 per month and work 15-hour shifts.[98] Apple investigated the case with independent auditors and found that, while some of the plant's labour practices met Apple's Code of Conduct, others did not: employees worked over 60 hours a week for 35% of the time, and worked more than six consecutive days for 25% of the time.[99]
Foxconn, Apple's manufacturer, initially denied the abuses,[100] but when an auditing team from Apple found that workers had been working longer hours than were allowed under Chinese law, they promised to prevent workers working more hours than the code allowed. Apple hired a workplace standards auditing company, Verité, and joined the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct Implementation Group to oversee the measures. On December 31, 2006, workers at the Foxconn factory in Longhua, Shenzhen formed a union affiliated with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions,[101] the Chinese government-approved union umbrella organization.[102][103]
In 2010, a number of workers committed suicide at a Foxconn operations in China. Apple, HP, and others stated that they were investigating the situation. Foxconn guards have been videotaped beating employees. Another employee killed himself in 2009 when an Apple prototype went missing, and claimed in messages to friends, that he had been beaten and interrogated.[104][105]
As of 2006, the iPod was produced by about 14,000 workers in the U.S. and 27,000 overseas. Further, the salaries attributed to this product were overwhelmingly distributed to highly skilled U.S. professionals, as opposed to lower skilled U.S. retail employees or overseas manufacturing labor. One interpretation of this result is that U.S. innovation can create more jobs overseas than domestically.[106]
Timeline of iPod models
See also: Timeline of full-sized iPod models and Timeline of compact iPod models
Sources: Apple press release library,[107] Mactracker Apple Inc. model database[53]
See also
Book: Apple Inc.
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.
Design portal
Apple Inc. portal
Comparison of portable media players
Comparison of iPod managers
iPhone
References
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: iPod
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: iPod
Apple iPod—Official website
iPod troubleshooting basics and service FAQ—From the official w
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