For all the praise tech pundits like to heap on the iPod, we have to keep things in perspective. iPod's reign on this earth has been short--powerful and influential, but short.

The classic iPod design, with its scroll wheel interface, remained relevant for only six years--from 2001 to 2007, when Apple introduced the and . As it stands today, dedicate hardware MP3 players have taken a bit role in a larger cast of software applications on multifunction devices like smartphones.

Historically speaking, the classic iPod era passed in a blink of an eye. But even in six years, Apple's parade of tiny media devices made quite an impact, and it has continued to the present. Here are a few major ways iPod changed the world.

In 2001, before the iPod launched, most people knew Apple best for its line of Mac computers. By 2004, the iPod dominated Apple's identity in the public consciousness. And for good reason; it was a breakout product that quickly began to earn more revenue for Apple than any product it had ever sold.