The global economy inside an iPod …

I bought an iPod last month. It now contains 1,802 songs. Thanks to the “shuffle” feature, I’ve listened to them all. Took a while, though.

My iPod, used as an auxiliary hard drive, contains every computer file I’ve created since I entered grad school in 1991 — all my research files, all my teaching files. I’ll teach my students how to use a small microphone to turn their iPods into a digital recorder. They can create .wav files and listen to their interviews as they write their stories in my reporting classes.

I have a gizmo that allows my iPod to play through my car stereo. And another that connects it to my home stereo. If you visit iLounge (formerly iPodLounge), you’ll find numerous accessories for the elegant-looking device. The iPod is flexible technology — and addictive.

I’m hooked. And so are the 5.3 million people who bought iPods in the last quarter and the 4.5 million in the previous quarter. If my math is right, that’s about two iPods each second.

They’re iconic. They’re distinctly American. They’re … made overseas?

Now I know electronic technology has been trotting off to Asia for decades. I shouldn’t be surprised.

But this recent story called “The World in the iPod” in the German publication Der Spiegel showed in much more detail the truth of the iPod’s insides.

If you own an iPod, you may find it an interesting read. It puts globalization in a more detailed perspective.

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