Apple sells 100M iPods — many to me!

Today, Apple announced that it had sold 100 million iPods. That’s a lot of computers… and yes, that’s what the iPod is. It’s a specialized computer, but it’s a computer nonetheless. So, too, are high-end cell phones and devices like BlackBerries and Palm Treos.

Seeing Apple’s news made me realize that I have no idea how many iPods I’ve purchased. My own family has four, all of which I purchased: an initial 20GB “iPod with click wheel” for me, then a second one for my wife. Then an upgrade to a 30GB “iPod photo,” for me, with the 20GB becoming a hand-me-down. Then, a final upgrade to a black 80GB “iPod with video” for me.

Amazingly, I still haven’t watched a video on it. I got it because my music library wouldn’t fit onto the 30GB model.

But that leaves out the dozens, dozens, dozens of iPods that I’ve purchased as premiums for sales promotions, survey respondents, door prizes, and so-on. Last December, we gave away nearly two dozen iPod shuffles for one particular give-away to business partners. At $79, a shuffle’s the perfect prize.

By far, offering an iPod as a premium or incentive is the most popular thing that I’ve done (even outpulling an equivalent-value Amazon gift certificate in one test that I did). Seemingly, everyone wants one, either for himself/herself, or to give away to a family member.

The number of different iPod models, past and present, is astonishing. See Apple’s site for pictures of ’em all. (Did you know that there was even an iPod Special Edition Harry Potter, with the Hogwarts Crest engraved on the back?)