It's Official: iPod No Longer Cool

"Never trust anyone over 30." – Hippie protest slogan.

"Never trust a hippie." - Johnny Rotten, Sex Pistols.

iPods may be remembered as the jet setting, iconic music machines of the early 21st century, but their days as an edgy fashion statement have clearly passed. Their hipness has certainly been eroded since moms started using them - but most recently, Dick Cheney hammered the final nail in iPod's coolness coffin by recharging his device on AF2. Yes, the Vice President occupied one of only two working power outlets on Air Force 2 during the return flight from a four nation tour of the Middle East. Apparently Cheney's need to recharge his iPod took priority over the press and anybody else trying to use the precious few AC outlets aboard AF2. But that seems only fair, after all it's his plane.

This means that not only has the iPod become a priority to the 60+ crowd but … c'mon it's Dick Cheney! This is the VP of the administration that made Senator Ted Stevens the Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Sen. Stevens famously criticized the Net Neutrality Act by calling the Internet a "Series of Tubes". So, you kids out there wearing white ear buds for the fashion statement, take note! The iPod is now your conservative neo-con grandfather's MP3 player, and he calls the Internet a series of tubes and supports telecom domination of its content.

You can't exactly blame Steve Jobs for the geriatricizing of his product. It had to happen eventually. It's a rare consumer product that combines slick ease of use with distinctive stylishness. In the handful of years it's been out, we've seen the iPod go from edgy tech toy to mainstream must-have item. Soon you'll be able to download your favorite episodes of Matlock and Golden Girls from iTunes.

I bet you're wondering, what does Dick Cheney listen to on his iPod? I imagine a loop that endlessly plays the Imperial March from the Star Wars soundtrack inter-spliced with John Ashcroft's rendition of "Let the Eagle Soar". Apparently Cheney is fond of the oldies, music from the 40's and 50's, and has a fondness for Johnny Cash. Well, who doesn't like Johnny Cash?

5 comments
Posted by Nokkar on November 1,2006 at 1:08 PM
the iPod's no longer cool and Apple is turning out junk? this little snippet on the quality of Apple products caught my attention, though it seems to be saying that things are no worse than before, just that they seem to be...
http://www.wired.com/news/columns/2,72037-0.html?tw=rss.partnerfeed
Posted by Wayde on October 31,2006 at 9:26 AM
HAHA- what do they call that, when you make up a word ? Sniglette?

Yeah, it's a cycle right. What could be more 'establishment' than the opera? But half the classical artists of the 17 and 18th centuries that wrote those accepted operas back in the day were the scourge of society with few exceptions. Artists, intelectual and performers weren't suitable diner guests to the gentry.

What's that have to do with the iPod? I forget now. Damn, my rants are geriatricizing.
Posted by Nokkar on October 30,2006 at 4:35 PM
This news makes me want to throw my iPod out the window on the freeway. Or dress it up in a permanent halloween costume so no one will ever recognize it for what it is again. Yikes.
Posted by Alissa on October 30,2006 at 3:41 PM
I'm adding 'geriatricizing' to my lexicon.  : )
Although it might make us cringe now to see our moms listening to an iPod, chances are there is going to come a time when we'll be causing that same expression to appear on our own kids' faces...no one likes to grow up completely, let alone grow old.
Posted by Brando on October 30,2006 at 1:14 PM
Depending on how you look at it, the eventual "mainstream" label given to any extremely successful consumer product might be the ultimate "cool killer".  

Apple shouldn't worry, however, since no proven competition has arisen to challenge the iPod's dominant position.  Until that occurs, Jobs should only be pleased that his product is being enjoyed as much by seniors as it is by skaters.