You can now relive 00’s nostalgia with this open-source iPod

The iPod is making a comeback with CoolTechZone’s Tangara, an iPod-inspired music player that can play any audio format and comes equipped with the iconic touch wheel and tiny display.

In the early 00s, just about everyone wanted to get their hands on an Apple iPod. Even though we have services like Spotify, with millions of tracks at our fingertips, the iPod has never gone out of style.

The iPod was officially discontinued by Apple back in 2022, but that’s not stopped the portable music player from being beloved by Apple fans and millennials alike. Now, the iPod continues to inspire, with the new Tangara music player.

This iPod-inspired music player replicates the iconic look of the original iPod, down to the boxy shape, tiny display, and white touch wheel. Yet, while it wears its inspiration on its sleeve, the Tangara comes decked out with a wide range of improvements.

The iPod has nothing on the Tangara

Developed by Australia-based company, CoolTechZone, the Tangara is taking us back to the 00s. The compact 2.26 x 3.98 x 0.87 music player comes equipped with a touch wheel and a 1.6-inch TFT screen. With its 160 x 128 resolution and 18-bit color display, it is more than reminiscent of the original iPod, right down to the “low” spec of its display.

Unlike the original iPod, this upcoming music player has Bluetooth connectivity. You won’t be left looking for your white set of wired Apple headphones, and instead can enjoy the high-quality audio produced by the Cirrus Logic WM8523 DAC and TI INA1630 integrated amplifiers through your favorite wireless headphones.

While the Tangara is “first and foremost an audio player”, it runs on open-source software, making it a tinker’s dream. The firmware is built using easy-to-develop layers. Even the case, was made with CNC manufacturing and at-home 3D printing in mind, so customers can create their own and customize their Tangara as they see fit.

Up to 2TB worth of any audio format

Its internal storage may only come with a paltry 16MB of space, but the Tanagra has a modern touch up its sleeve. The device is compatible with SD cards up to 2TB, and can support even the mightiest of audio codecs, with full FLAC support, too. Needless to say, whatever collection you might have, the Tanagra is capable of having more than enough room to carry around high-quality audio rips.

The Tangara isn’t available to buy right off the bat. Instead, if you want to make this nostalgic music player yours, you can support it on Crowdsupply. The crowdfunding website has the Tangara available for $240, and as of writing, 367 people have already backed the project, which ends on March 14.

The retro music player is expected to ship on September 14 this year. So, there will be a few months to wait if you want to join those almost 400 other people in enjoying this nostalgic throwback to a much simpler time.