“It’s not the iPod, the operating system, or the iTunes software alone that makes the Mac iPod so smooth to use—it’s the way that all three work together seamlessly,” writes Eliot Van Buskirk,
senior editor for c|net Reviews. “Apple has a clear advantage over other portable-device manufacturers because the company controls the operating system, the computer hardware, and the product design.” Van Buskirk goes on to discuss why Windows digital music player manufacturers are turning to third-party developers to get their players to sync easily with a user’s music collection.