The iPod has become a staple in today’s culture. Everywhere we go, those white headphones seem to be dangling from ears of the young and old alike. People are dancing in the streets, subways, and even squirming in their cars as the tunes to their favorite tracks whisper sweet nothings into their heads.

Even though we see those nano-chromatic devices everywhere, it sells not without a price controversy. Known as the all too famous “Apple Tax”, the iPod does sport a slightly higher bang-for-the-buck price tag compared to its competitors. For instance, the well-respected Creative Zen 8GB mp3 player can be found for around $99; a $50 savings over its colorful counterpart.

A new finding from BusinessWeek today reports that the 3rd generation iPod Shuffle, which actually does whisper sweet nothings by way of artist and song names into our ears, has been dismantled and evaluated for actual manufacturing cost. The result intrigued me very much, even though I’m aware that the price of technology goes down daily. Apple’s newest iPod which is practically microscopic once laying in a hand costs approximately $22 to make. Granted, there isn’t all that much that goes into the device, but to hear that 4GB flash memory can cost six dollars is remarkable. Along with the memory, that rechargeable battery which gives us over a half-day of use amounts to $1.20. The only thing left is the $6 “motherboard” which controls the device, the plastic shell, and the headphones. That’s it.

Paying for an $80 iPod Shuffle? There’s an app for that.

Tags: Apple, iPod