Sunday marked the 15th birthday of a technological marvel that has changed the way we listen to music while on the go.

Before to its invention, we had to carry around a collection of compact disks or tapes in order to have a variety of music at hand.

And if you wanted to shuffle several bands or albums together while on the road, an expensive compact disk changer was required. 

But when the iPod was released in October of 2001, that changed. Upon its release, early adopters of the now iconic device could carry almost their entire music library in their pocket.

Try doing that with a collection of CDs, tapes and especially LPs.

At first, the idea of buying an iPod seemed like an affront to music to me, only because I feared the degradation in sound quality.

While, admittedly, the device does not deliver the sound quality audiophiles will swoon over, take this into consideration; how good is the stereo system in your car? Or, how well do those headphones reproduce sound?

Basically, unless you own top-notch equipment that set you back thousands of dollars, you’ll never hear the difference in what an iPod connected to a car stereo or modest headphones will deliver.

When the convenience factor is also taken into consideration, that small loss of sound quality becomes moot.

And while the popularity of the iPod reached its peak years ago, several of its options and technology are now implemented in online services or through your cellphone.

Personally, I still prefer the iPod to an online service due in part to the lack of commercials and ability to select a specific song.

Additionally, the iPod requires no Internet connection or cellular signal to function.

So, if you still have an iPod, charge it up and celebrate a decade and a half of innovation in portable music.