- 8 GB capacity for about 2,000 songs with 1.54 Inch TFT LCD display
- Up to 24 hours of audio playback on a single charge
- 1.54-inch (diagonal) color TFT display with 240-by-240-pixel resolution (220 pixels per inch)
- Support for AAC, Protected AAC (iTunes Store), MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV audio formats
- One-year limited warranty
But it's not a Nano. Once you get that, the rest is easy. It's also a bit of a mixed bag.
**Update** (09/12) All-new 7th Generation Nano with much larger 2.5" screen, Bluetooth, and video playback announced by Apple. =]
Clip is gone though, and @$149, it ain't cheap. =\ **
**Update** (10/11) Version 1.2 Software Update released that
includes option for Large icons (but not large fonts)
allows Fitness/Nike+ app to work without an add-on device
includes more Clock faces & Wallpapers
Price also drops $20 (8 GB), or $30 (16GB). **
**Update** (02/11) Version 1.1 Software Update released that
1) Finally allows users to turn the Nano COMPLETELY OFF by holding down the Wake/Sleep button. No more 'it only goes to sleep'.
2) Sets the Wake/Sleep button as a 'Next Song' button, double-click to advance through your songs or radio presets.
This change also improves battery lifefrom AWFUL, to merely poor (5-6 hrs) as you're now less dependent on the power-gobbling touchscreen to advance songs.
Due to these improvements, am upping my review rating to 3 stars (battery life & pricing remain issues).
End Updates. **
Many ppl are confused about the radical re-invention of the Nano, not realizing that the Nano is, essentially, dead. The Nano's mission was to be a compact player that still did some higher-end stuff such as video and picture-taking-a nice portable 'media' player. No more.
The new Nano, aka Super Shuffle, is focused on a different task entirely, and much the same one as the regular Shufflethe gym. To that end, Apple radically reduced the size and gave it an integrated clip on back a la the regular Shuffle. It is now 'wearable', and is the 'Shuffle with a screen' that some have wanted for a long time.
The downside is that others loved the 'true' Nano, and now they can't have one unless they go running for the old 5th gen models before they're gone. Some will wonder why this was an 'either/or' thing for Apple, i.e. couldn't the Super Shuffle and 'true Nano' have existed side-by-side?
Still others might say the Super Shuffle is inadequate even for the gym. "I don't want to look at a SCREEN to switch songs or change the volume!", they'll say.
But to be fair, you don't have to look at the screen much, because
The Super Shuffle has physical volume buttons. They're small, but still easy to use. And with the 1.1 SW Update, you can double-click the Wake/Sleep button to advance songs/stations, a MUCH-needed improvement.
It has the 'Shake To Shuffle' featureliterally shake it to advance songs. However, STS is clunky to usesee notes @end of review.
It supports VoiceOver. But to use all VO features requires the Apple Earphones With Remote & Mic, which aren't included (Apple either wants another $30, or still hasn't solved the sweat/moisture issues those 'phones have had in the past).
So, some caveats aside, the Nano/SS now works fine in its role as a 'gym' Shuffle with a screen.
Features-wise, it does photo-viewing (but not taking), audiobooks, podcasts (minus any video), voice memos (w/the optional 'phones w/Remote & Mic), is a pedometer, and does FM radio besides. And stations do sound amazingly clear in any halfway decent reception area. Even low-power college stations usually come in cleana BIG plus, since they often have more innovative music programming than commercial FM.
The Nano also keeps the 30-pin dock connector, so you retain access to the universe of iPod accessories (for some examples, see 'iPod Nano 6G Docking Options' on YouTube). This is all well and good.
So MY BEEF with the Super Shuffle (aside from battery life) isn't that it killed the 'true' Nano (enough demand = they'll bring it back), but rather the level of 'milking it' Apple's gone with here. While I own/use one, it just isn't worth the additional $$$ over a regular Shuffle.
They do much the same thing, after allthe features it adds to the Shuffle are fairly minor (for example, ever try to get consistent FM reception inside a large concrete building, aka your typical gym? Best be at the window).
Sure, you get the touchscreen, which is sharp/clear, fun to use, and almost eerily resistant to smudges/fingerprints (nice). But the screen's also REALLY small going larger would make it less 'wearable' which compromises text readability and ease-of-use ('fat fingers' syndrome). And it scarfs WAY too much battery (see notes @end of review).
You do get 6GB more storage than the Shuffle (though that cost Apple $8 to put in there). But a 'gym' Shuffle doesn't really need to hold 2,000 songs (4000 if you opt for the 16GB), nor does the tiny screen lend itself well to navving through all that. The capacity and price points are Nano legacies, but as we know, this ain't a Nano.
All in all, the advantages don't add up to the price charged/value provided. You can buy 2-3 Shuffles for the same money.
A 4GB model for $99 would've made sense, as that's about what a 'Super Shuffle' is really worth. Sure, a Shuffle with a screen is COOLjust not cool enough to justify the $140 (as I found out).
I do want to dig ya Super Shuffle, but the pricing/value-for-money is your Kryptonite. =[
Also, as mentioned, battery life is poor (see below) and there's some minor bugs/interface issues (also see below). Oh, and durability? So-so. I finally dropped it after 22 months, from less than 3 feet, onto asphalt. Result: Marfed-up screen corner, and a hairline crack running the length of the screen on the left side. Disappointing, but at least it didn't die.
To be fair, with the 1.1 SW Update finally making song-advancement easy, and the price drop, Apple HAS been improving matters. But some things won't change 'til the hardware doesnamely, it desperately needs more battery. With that and a $99 price point, the Super Shuffle would be an out-of-the-ballpark home run.
But Apple wanted it supermodel-thin, and the profit margins fat. The result is something pretty, expensive, and high-maintenance.
_________________
Note #1 (Colors): The casing colors are more muted than they appear in pics. Example: the blue Nano is a very pale, smoky blue in person. The exception is the Product Red model (only in Apple Stores), it's a VERY vivid red in real life. But the other, more subtle colors aren't bad, and do look 'more grown up'.
Note #2 (Battery Life): This is VERY dependent on how much you use the touchscreen. Playing around with it lotswhich is exactly what you'll do when you first get onejust KILLS the batt juice. No way around it: the T-screen, while fun, is a HUGE. BATTERY. HOG.
And the screen sleep behavior makes it worse, by keeping the screen lit way too long after a touch. This isn't changeable in Settings either.
Thus I HIGHLY RECOMMEND putting the screen to sleep MANUALLY via the Wake/Sleep button EVERY time you're done touchscreeningdon't let the screen turn itself off, it's VERY SLOW to do so. Your battery will thank you.
Oh, and Apple's claimed 'UP TO 24 hours of battery life' seems to assume no screen usage. NOT realistic, since you do have to use the screen at times. Be especially careful with the touchscreen radio tunertaking too much time looking for that 'perfect' station = pure battery kryptonite. (Tip: Set up your radio presets, and turn off Live Pause toosome report battery issues w/it).
Even being careful, you'll avg only 5-6 hrs of battery life, real-world. Be aware the Battery Life icon is VERY schizo1st use after a charge can read as taking NO battery, while a similar later use can read as taking HALF the battery. You'll be recharging lots regardless. Reducing Screen Brightness may help a bit.
Note #3 (Bugs, Interface issues): aka 'Things I hope Apple fixes in future Software Updates'.
Some touchscreen controls need to be upsized. My hands are medium, yet I still hit the wrong controls often with my now suddenly 'fat' fingers.
In low-but-usable radio signal areas, you'll often get erroneous 'No Radio SignalPlease plug in headphones' messages. I get 'em WITH my 'phones plugged in, on stations that are coming in a bit quietly but otherwise fine.
When using the Wake/Sleep button to song advance, volume will at times jump to MUCH louder for a moment (may be a weird interaction with Volume Limit, which I use).
If you set text to 'White on Black' in Accessibility (which improves contrast/readability/looks cool), all icons & wallpapers get turned into weird photo negatives of themselves. Whaa? This should affect text & solid-color backgrounds only, not images.
The Battery Life Icon and Time should be visible on ALL screens (such as 'Now Playing'). Navving back to the Home Screen just to see these is annoying.
'Shake To Shuffle' needs help. Technique-wise it's too iffy, and since STS only works with the screen ON (Apple fears accidental triggerings), it's inconvenient to use, as you have to hit the button, THEN shake.
Kudos to Apple on the 1.1 & 1.2 SW Updates. But they still need a 1.3, with a focus on power-saving.
Note #4 (Protect Your Hearing): Volume Limit in Settings is your friend. Best procedure: Set your max volume w/it while in a QUIET room. At the gym, loud equipment can easily make you 'crank it up' to the point of causing permanent hearing damage, given enough exposure time.
Volume Limit is a hearing saver. Use it.
Buy Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite (6th Generation) OLD MODEL Now
With the announcement of the new Apple TV, and now the release of the drastically revised iPod Nano, it would appear that Apple is in the process of re-evaluating its product line and re-tooling the entries to match what it perceives to be the needs of the consumer.
With the Apple TV, they have correctly, I believe, simplified the complexity of the original offering, removed any notion of storage, which tended to confuse the average user, and prepared it for an app driven iOS future. They claimed these changes resulted from a close look at the usage of the current Apple TV, and that they made the changes they felt were needed to more closely match what was desired.
The Nano, I believe, follows the same path.
I have an iPhone and and the new Nano. I also have the previous generation Nano. I tend to agree with Apple: I never the older Nano once to watch a video. I never used the contacts, the calendar, nor did I play a game on the Nano. I bought it for jogging, I only used it for jogging.
All those things removed from the new Nano I currently do on my iPhone. These removed features were worthless to me and will not be missed.
But the Nano did do exactly what I wanted it to do: become smaller, and be easier to use. Though I am getting used to a virtual pause button vs. a physical button on the older model, I find the new Nano to sound a little better and is less intrusive during running.
Apple has apparently moved away from the "same feature set, different design" view and has moved to "what's best for the intended useage?" model. They now have a mature line of music players, each with a clear and intended purpose.
The Classic is for those who wish to carry their entire music collection with them.
The Touch is the top of the line universal player and application machine. Not intended for exercise, but rather for those who don't have an iPhone but want its best features.
The iPhone, a Touch with a phone built in. Same positioning as the Touch, but replaces your phone if you are in the market for a phone.
The Shuffle: the low cost entry point into the Apple ecosystem. Probably the only way Apple could offer any product under $100. With its small storage, and lack of screen, it appears to be essentially a gateway device for some to enter the Apple world.
And finally the Nano. Not the universal player anymore. Not the smaller iPod Classic, like its predecessors were. The Nano seems to be targeted to the highly mobile exercise crowd. The Nano is really only good for playing music, which, along with the Shuffle, make it the only "pure" iPod left. If you want a music player, and you want more than 2GB or storage, but you don't need apps or video or games because all you want to do is listen to music, than the Nano seems ideal. It fails when we try to make it something is clearly not intended to be. And for those who grieve at the loss of the features, I am sure Apple's answer is that "you really want a Touch." They're right, too. The days of the Nano needing to be a stripped down Touch or Classic vanished the day the Touch was released.
So, though not perfect, I think the design and intended use of the Nano fits in nicely into the Apple music player offerings.
Read Best Reviews of Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite (6th Generation) OLD MODEL Here
Bought this for the Nike + feature...liked the idea of a music player built into a system to track my runs. The Nike + part of this unit worked great, easy to understand and easy to use....in fact I like it so much I am going back to my old mp3 player (creative product) and getting the nike sportsband so I can keep using the Nike + features. However I have sent back two different ipod nano units due to serious problems with the music component of this device.
1) This unit does not have a way to completely shut it off...only a sleep wake button. If you do not make absolutely sure that all music is stopped, the radio is off, this thing drains battery life very quickly because you cannot fully shut the unit off.
2) The headphone jack is not very secure...using the ipod's headphones and another set of headphones from a different mp3 player the cord came out easily, when the cord was jostled sound would cut in and out making listening to the music annoying. Also becuase the radio antenna is the headphones it was constantly losing radio reception or unable to locate stations.
3) Volume control seems like it would be easy with buttons on the side..however on the units I tried the volume would lock itself to either no sound at all or set so loud I could only keep one port in one ear. I like to be able to adjust volume as I am running or working out based on the song, the environment, etc...not very happy with how difficult it was to deal with the volume.
4) When I could get radio reception and made sure not to jostle the cord (sitting down outside) the unti shut itself off after 60 seconds unless I kept hitting icons on the unit. It didn't do this when I was playing from my songlists...just in the radio mode.
5) When you want to shuffle a song while running...you have to wake the unit up then either figure out where on the screen to tap (without getting your sweaty fingers all over the unit and without tripping as you look at the screen) or shake until hopefully the device realizes you are trying to change songs (I was not very impressed with the shake to shuffle feature).
6)This device does not come with a manual...you have to go to the apple page to get the manual and download it. Customer service was useless. THank goodness for Amazon's amazing return procedures!
Want Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite (6th Generation) OLD MODEL Discount?
Nice for music, but that's about it. I bought this to listen to Audible.com books, and it does not keep your bookmarked page beyond a day or two. I have to keep a pencil and paper with me to write down where I stopped reading and manually fast foward through chapters and pages to find approx. where I left off. This is a big discussion on the Apple Nano forum, and various fixes have been tried. Including at iTunes. Nothing works so far. I like the size and clip because I listen to books and music while I work. However, I going back to my Sansa Fuze for listening to books. Sure wish this new Nano had worked out. It's a clever little concept!
I could not be more disappointed in this Nano 6th generation model. I have the Nano 5th generation and the only thing missing was a clip. That is what lured me into ordering this 6th generation, the clip. Now that I have it, I am sorry I bought it. All the good Nano features are gone. The size is too small. The tiny touch screen does not work well for me at all. I don't know why they couldn't keep the familiar Nano style and features and add a clip. There is also no lock like the former Nano models. I would not recommend this 6th generation to anyone. I don't know how they even have the nerve to call this a Nano. Buy a 5th generation and you won't go wrong.
