Omnipresent iPod

Source: Apple

Everywhere I go on campus, at least half of the people I walk past are listening to an MP3 player, and usually it's an iPod. A survey was conducted at PSU in 2008 and found that nearly 90% of all students owned an MP3 player with the apple iPod being the most prevalent. Apple was successful in revamping their company to produce the iPod as a more aesthetically pleasing product. Many technology reviews suggest that there are much better MP3 players on the market being sold for a lot less than the iPod, however it remains the best seller due to factors that have no connection to durability or quality. The iPod's array of colors and sizes and its minimal appearance continues to attract consumers. Apple is also very successful with their advertisement since all I seem to see are iPod commercials. I have yet to see a Sony or Zune commercial.
The high prevalence of ipods on campus raises an interesting issue for me. Seeing so many students walking around with headphones exudes a disconnected feeling. Many people are oblivious to everything around them as they continue in their own world. I've seen people use an iPod to avoid conversation with another person. I think often times people miss out on so many interesting occurences on campus due to the need to be entertained continuously.