It incorporates the famous Apple Click Wheel first introduced on the iPod mini. Offers up to 12 hours of battery life. Weighs in at just 5.6 ounces. Slips into your pocket with ease. And lets you carry your entire music library with you wherever you go. The iPod - available in 20GB and 40GB models for $299 and $399, respectively - continues its stand as the archetypal digital music player for Mac and Windows.

This new and inventive musical device has become a hot commodity on the University campus. Students are seen carrying this lightweight, accessible mechanism to class, exercise, even on buses.

Students had a variety of answers as to why they have so strongly embraced the advent of this new gadget.

"I can exercise whenever, wherever and have music that motivates me and keeps me going. Its kind of a comfort thing," said Kathryn Nelson, junior in ACES. "Music is an important part of my life, of everyone's life, and this way I never have to be without it."

The new iPods, which hold up to 10,000 songs, have 25 minutes of skip protection, ensuring uninterrupted music regardless of the activity you are engaged in. Multiple "on-the-go" play lists also make the iPod multifunctional, allowing users to maneuver and access songs easily.

Lynn Klopp, junior in applied life studies, uses her iPod not just for the music, but also for the accessories that come along with it.

"There is a calendar, to-do list, address book, photos, even games available on my model," Klopp said. "It allows me to do various things that entertain me during class or walking on campus. It is much more than just music, it has a way of evoking a certain lifestyle."

Klopp said that music puts her in a certain mood, so that she can attend to her daily tasks and lifestyle with a positive spirit. Music has the ability to shape her day and mood, Klopp noted. The alarm clock, sleep timer and other features also allow Klopp to better organize herself and maintain her mobile lifestyle.

"Technology is just fascinating," Klopp said. "It has shaped our culture in a way I don't think anyone ever imagined was possible. A college student's life is very fast-paced and on-the-go, and this type of technology allows me to maintain the comfort and stability of home in a world that doesn't always cater to that kind of mentality."

Sara Garcia, junior in communications and an Illini Media Company employee, can attest to the positive affects this kind of technology can have on daily life. Garcia is studying abroad this term in Spain, and while the opportunities to experience another culture fascinate her, Garcia said she loves having the comfort of her iPod to remind her of home and her normal life.

"Studying in Spain so far has been an amazing experience," Garcia said. "I love seeing all the incredible sights and meeting new people, but there is a part of me that misses walking along the Quad. My iPod, in a way, is my link back to campus and life at home. Sometimes when I am walking the foreign streets alone, I put on my iPod, and I don't feel like such a stranger in this foreign land," Garcia said.

Whatever varied reasons students have for using their iPods, they certainly have a way of making their days go a little bit smoother.