AppleSeeds: Design history of the iPod and how something small became something very big.

It is worth noting that most of what lives inside the iPods has been created largely by outside technology suppliers. While a great dish starts with good ingredients, it is only through careful combination and cooking of the basic pieces that a culinary masterpiece emerges. To be sure, issues with battery life and battery reliability have been black marks on the iPods road to stardom, but based on Apple's success with the iPod thus far, it seems consumers are likely to keep eating.