In November of 2003, Apple released another series of upgrades to its iPod line. Now, iPods are available in 10GB, 20GB, and 40GB. Respectively, they hold somewhere around 2,500; 5,000; and 10,000 songs in MP3, AAC, AIFF, or WAV format.
Notable differences in the third generation:
Third-generation iPods are the first to come with the iPod Dock, which carries power and an audio signal. Also new to these third generation iPods is the ability to connect to various accessories: the Belkin Voice Recorder, the Belkin TuneCast, and the Belkin Media Reader for iPod are among the most popular.
Of equal importance to Apple's iPod sales, which climbed 141% (ipodhead.com) in 2003, is the cross-compatibility factor. The generation 3 iPods are both Mac and Windows compatible; there are no pre-formatting differences anymore. This allows any iPod to connect to iTunes effortlessly on either platform.
Personally, I have a 30GB iPod, named Roland of Gilead, which was part of the third generation's first wave. Although it's a few months old, the battery still holds at least an 8 hour charge as well as all of my music. I've heard of other people having problems maintaining their lithium polymer battery, but I'm not very worried because Apple offers a comprehensive two-year warranty. Being able to walk around with a constant soundtrack playing in my head is definitely worth the price. I would recommend one of these to anybody.