On the IPod

Wired has a great article and interview with Dr. Michael Bull, who is doing a comprehensive study on the effect of the IPod on people's lives. From the article:

One of the interesting things is that with vinyl, the aesthetic was in the cover of the record. You had the sleeve, the artwork, the liner notes. With the rise of digital, the aesthetic has left the object -- the record sleeve -- and now the aesthetic is in the artifact: the iPod, not the music. The aesthetic has moved from the disc to what you play it on ... and the iPod mini will appeal to those who want an artifact for style....