Timeline: iPodding through the years

The iPod began life modestly, getting trotted out before the press in a small theater at Apple's headquarters. These days, it's a major attraction, drawing hundreds of reporters to a media event last month in San Francisco that featured appearances by the CEO of Disney and R&B singer John Legend. Here's what happened in between to make the iPod the rock star it is today.

October: At a press-only event at Apple's Cupertino, Calif., campus, Apple unveils the iPod, a 5GB hard-drive-based music player that will sell for $399. "To have your whole CD library with you at all times is a quantum leap when it comes to music," Steve Jobs tells the press. "You can fit your whole music library in your pocket."

November: The iPod officially hits retail shelves on November 10.