Those of us who lived through the age of the compact disc know a thing or two about a cd wallet. Whether you played your cd’s on a compact-carry device or in your vehicle, you knew you were out of luck if you didn’t have that wallet with you. It was your treasure cove of music, especially if you were fortunate enough to be able to burn mix-cd’s on your computer.

Thanks to new technology, especially the iPod, the cd wallet has officially been laid to rest. Of course, cd’s aren’t really going anywhere, especially with those who refuse, just yet, to convert to the new tech. However, for the majority, the iPod is the new wave that leaves everything else in the dust.

While the first generation of iPods lacked a great deal in power and carried a hefty price tag, newer pieces of tech have gone on to catch up with the needs and desires of consumers everywhere.

Among some of the more important features that make iPod’s much more efficient than cd’s and their wallets are the expansive amount of apps, both free and paid, one-click downloads, automatic updates and so much more.

The first iPod was, at the time, a monster in its field. With a 5GB hard drive that could house more than a thousand songs at one time, a super fast port that made syncing an absolute breeze, and a rotating wheel for quick library browsing, there was little that could stand up to an iPod. It made those cd’s, with their 10-20 song lineup, pale in comparison.

Even the compact mp3 players that came out before iPods made it big, still depended on optical media to achieve the quality of digital sound. They were a lot like our flash drives of today, simply a storage media and survival gear that could feature playback on its own.

The second generation of iPod came around with storage space that easily quadrupled the original. 2003 saw iTunes quickly become the major player on the block when it came to downloadable music, offering nearly a quarter of a million songs for just 99 cents. Now, with more than 600,000 devices in its lineup, Apple and the iPod were quickly making people completely forget about their old cd wallet.

IPods continue to dominate with regards to mobile music. The players are not only small and feature invisible storage capability, but they are ever increasing in the amount of music that they can store. You can even choose whether you prefer a higher or lower resolution than cd quality, which is actually a very valid decision many music lovers choose to make.

It’s probably more likely that you’ll need prepper meals before you’ll need cd wallets again. Given the fact that they are already nearly obsolete, there are very few, if any, cd’s that hold collectible or artistic value that could keep them on the scene for years. The simple fact is that this generation prefers on-the-go music they can easily transport and listen to on devices from which they can download directly.

And iPod fills all of those orders and more.