IPod Classic

Apple iPod, first generation, 2001 Apple did not invent the hard-drive player, but it made one people actually wanted to carry. The original iPod put 1,000 songs on a 5GB drive in a 6.5-ounce case that fit a pocket, played for up to 10 hours, and went on sale on November 10, 2001, for $399. The quiet advantage was FireWire, which Apple said could load an entire CD in under 10 seconds, so filling it was no longer a chore. Pair that with the scroll wheel and you have the design that the rest of this list either led up to or reacted against.