Dr. iPod

The only thing trendier than owning an iPod is hating it. Widespread disdain for the portable music player (now multimedia player) has swept the consumer world, as iPods are often criticized for being distracting and useless.

But they won’t be labeled as such much longer, now that the some in the medical field have embraced the iPod as a useful tool.

Temple School of Medicine physician
and assistant professor Michael Barrett
has found through numerous studies that doctors can improve their ability to detect heart murmurs by listening to recorded heart sounds on iPods. His conclusion is that a device like the iPod is the perfect tool for physicians to practice with while going about their day.

This method has already shown to be greatly effective, as murmur recognition
accuracy has risen 40 percent to 80 percent.

This is a prime example of how everyday technology can be used in a new way to benefit society. And it should also set all those iPod-haters straight.

People are annoyed by iPods because
they are everywhere. They are the No. 1-selling MP3 player on the market and have been ever since their inception. At the end of Apple’s fiscal year in January, it was estimated that a total of about 90 million iPods have been sold. The numbers speak for themselves. That can only be because consumers have deemed it to be the best product of its kind. Plus, this new medical study should only verify that.

It is a strong testament that these medical professionals have chosen Apple’s iPod as the MP3 player to conduct their studies with. The medical community recognizes the iPod’s design and functionality as the most efficient for the auditory job at hand.And this could just be the beginning of how iPods can be utilized in the medical
profession. Now that these gadgets can show videos, that functionality might be used in the operating room. The video screen could provide informational data for the surgeons or could act as a video screen with a camera attachment.

Once Apple begins to realize that its products have medical potential, we’re sure they will think up a whole new line of accessories and attachments to convert its musical micro machines into O.R. standards.

Either way, this new Temple study is a weighty endorsement of Apple’s products.
Whether you’re attracted to the yuppie goods or not, the iPod’s quality cannot be denied.

We’d say there’s no need for a second opinion.