What is an Ipod.........?

Upon leaving the village newsagents this afternoon where I purchased a half ounce of my favourite toffees and a ographic magazine. I overheard some urchin talking about the ipod he had just acquired. What futuristic wizardry is this I thought to myself, being a man of science I had to know more. Is it steam powered coal driven one would imagine it to be a spectacular piece of apparatus well in excess of 50 feet tall with all manner of gizmo's and gadgets attached, and of course British built. Its probably some type of device for teleporting oneself into the future but I could be wrong. Does anyone know of this magnificent object.