Our iPod adventure begins in October 2001, as Apple launched its first portable music player.

The first incarnation of the device that was to revolutionise the music industry had a mechanical scroll wheel and launched with 5GB and 10GB capacities, starting at a shade under £300.

The second-gen iPod waved sayonara to the clunky mechanical scroll wheel and introduced the touch-sensitive version still in use today, albeit in a different form.

Released in July 2002, the new model built on the success of the first incarnation, and came in capacities up to 20GB for £399, with the 5GB model at £259 and 10GB for £329.

With the third-gen iPod, Apple did away with the buttons that surrounded the touch-sensitive wheel, instead setting backlit controls horizontally under the LCD screen.

This edition launched in April 2003 and was the first model to use Apple's 30-pin dock connector. Ten gigabyte, 15GB and 30GB models were available, costing £249, £299 and £399 respectively.

The next child in Apple's musical creche wasn't a new version of the existing iPod, but an entirely new model: the iPod mini. The mini launched in January 2004, with 4GB of micro-drive memory for £199.

The iPod mini came in five snazzy colours and brought with it the first use of the Click Wheel. This iconic and ground-breaking navigation system became ubiquitous within the iPod line until the iPhone was released in 2007, which uses purely gesture-based touch-sensitive control methods.

In July 2004, Apple launched the fourth-gen iPod. Like the mini, the new iPod boasted the Click Wheel -- one of Apple's best interface innovations to date.

The fourth-gen model came in 20GB and 40GB capacities, costing £219 and £299 respectively. This model was seen as something of a blow to the iPod mini, as its price -- just £20 more than its younger brother -- represented much better value for money in terms of storage. Its significantly larger size attracted a different crowd, however, and so both models existed harmoniously.

Later that year, the iPod Photo was launched and this was the first model to feature a full-colour screen. As the name suggested, the iPod Photo was geared up to store and display your photo albums. This added extra came at one hell of a price (well, two prices): £359 for the 40GB model; £429 for the 60GB. The 20GB U2-branded red and black iPod was also unveiled that month, costing £249. It was a re-skinned monochrome-screen fourth-gen iPod.

January 2004 had been the birth of the iPod mini. January 2005, just one year later, gave birth to a healthy new offspring: the first iPod Shuffle. The Shuffle was something of a curiosity: it had no screen, no Click Wheel and no dock connector. However, at just £69 for 512MB, the Shuffle instantly stole the hearts of joggers and young teens everywhere. A 1GB model was also launched at a price of £99.

Just one month after the Shuffle's launch, Apple unveiled the next-gen iPod mini in February 2005. The new minis had something of a makeover -- colour offerings were much brighter, and the coloured lettering on the Click Wheel now matched that of the iPod's body. Battery life was also significantly improved (the original mini's battery life was often criticised). A 6GB model was offered for £169, while the original 4GB capacity sold for £139 -- a far more reasonable price than the previous version.

In September 2005 the iPod nano arrived and was  vastly superior to its predecessor.

The iPod nano launched in black and white colours and 2GB and 4GB capacities, costing £139 and £179 respectively. Gone were the mini's micro-drives; replacing them was the holdier-than-thou flash memory. Although the nano was generally well received, its easily scratched screen not only caused a consumer outcry, but also sparked a class-action lawsuit against Apple. Apple subsequently shipped protective cases with future models.

In October 2005, Apple unveiled its next full-sized iPod -- a model whose form factor has not changed in two full years. The fifth-gen iPod was the first model to play video and was very well received. It had a larger, sharper colour screen, slimmer form factor and better battery life. A 30GB video iPod would set you back £219, while a 60GB version would cost you £299. An 80GB version was later released and included, among other things, a library-search feature, and was accompanied by fifth-gen iPod price cuts across the board.

It was over a year before Apple took the mask off its next iPod. In September 2006, the second-gen nano was launched. The new nano had a trendy anodised aluminium casing and came in five colours. Two gigabyte, 4GB and 8GB models were available at £99, £129 and £169 respectively.

The hysteric jubilation for the new iPod nano notwithstanding, Apple undid its trench coat again in September 2006 and flashed the world with another titchy member: the second-gen iPod Shuffle. Shuffle 2.0 came in the form of a clip. Some argue the new model had a clip; others claim it was a clip. The new Shuffle came only in a 1GB version for a touch over £50. Also present was the nano-esque anodised aluminium casing and the choice of several colours.