When the iPod mini was introduced back in January, many balked at the price tag. Why would someone pay US$250 for a device thatis less than one third the capacity of the US$50 more expensive 15GB iPod? As everyone now knows, apparently 100,000+ people were willing to pay out to get their hands on this hot little device. The New York Daily Newsi Nancy Dillon examines the giant success of the iPod mini in her latest column:

The 4-gigabyte digital music player, which can hold a thousand songs in a device the size of a fat credit card, began retailing Jan. 20. By Wednesday, hundreds of units were sold-out at multiple city retailers, including the Apple Store in SoHo and Tekserve in Chelsea.

"I had it in my hands, and then I lost it," said a frustrated Steve Perry, 40, managing director at Kirkland Investors in Manhattan. He missed buying the SoHo storeis last iPod Mini by a matter of minutes.

"I went downstairs to ask some questions, and someone snapped it up. I should have done the New York thing and paid first, asked questions later," he said.

"Weire turning away a hundred people a day," said Tekserve owner Dick Demenus. "Weire hoping to get a new shipment [this week]. I heard thereis a component shortage."

[...]

"The response to the Mini has been phenomenal," said Apple spokeswoman Danika Cleary.

More information on the success of the iPod mini can be found in the original article.