- 16 GB capacity for about 4,000 songs
- 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
The iPod Nano update on September 1, 2010 is arguably the most dramatic since the iPod Nano moniker was introduced by Apple five years ago.
Several colors are being offered in both 8 GB & 16 GB capacities.
More than an update, this is a new product that simply retains the iPod Nano name. It gains a significant feature, but loses several others.
The big deal is the touch interface on the newest iPod Nano. iPod Nano users will now be "touching," their music as iPod Touch and iPhone users have before them. The click wheel is gone. To find your music, you select a category from the Nano's menu such as "Playlists," or "Artists," and select from there. Less convenient or more convenient than a click wheel? Honestly, about equal. The screen is indeed small, but not unusable.
FM Radio has been retained as well as the Fitness aspects with the ability to use Nike + or simply the built in pedometer. However, the form factor will be a major benefit for those working out with the Nano. The previous Nano required an armband to keep it on you while working out, jogging, or the like. Not always comfortable, an additional expense, etc. However, with this new small, square form factor that need is gone. Now, we can simply "clip," the Nano onto us, with the built in clip, and run to our listening content. A bigger deal than you might think.
The downside? Features have been removed from Nano. The screen is much smaller than the previous generation. Therefore, playback of video content from iTunes is gone. Nano no longer plays video, which was a feature added three years ago. Secondly, last year, Nano added a small video camera to record low quality video, which could be played back on the Nano's screen or synced with iTunes and viewed on your computer. That feature is gone too. The device is too small now for a camera or to watch video. This new generation iPod Nano has many exciting new features, but buyers must be aware that it is no longer a video player. It is something new. Those wishing to play video on an iPod must choose an iPod Touch.
My opinion on this change? Honestly, did I ever watch video on the iPod Nano's screen? No. For me, while they kept trying to make the screen larger, it was simply too small to enjoy more than a once a year video. Likewise, the camera was simply not high enough quality to keep yourself entertained by using on a regular basis. It became a feature unused by many.
The iPod Nano has changed and gone back to being an exceptional music player. There is nothing here you do not need to enjoy music. However, the display and touch interface brings the 21st century "touch," that Apple has made so popular to a more affordable device. The touch function will be limited here to simply selecting songs or bringing up the clock, but nevertheless, touch has made its way to the Nano.
I'm most thankful that the Nano has indeed retained the DOCK CONNECTOR. The dock connector is key to use with iPod accessories such as docks, speaker docks, and built in car iPod connectors. The nano is so diminutive that if you plug it into the factory iPod kit of an automobile, the cable's dock connector will look nearly bigger than the Nano itself. Not a negative, just amusing. Nevertheless, the dock connector is there, and you will be able to use the device in such applications, and that was a significant decision by Apple. Users want and need the dock connector. It is there on this iPod Nano, but still missing from the Shuffle due to its even more diminutive size.
This 16 GB version is the largest size Apple offers in the Nano. It offers no additional functionality over the 8GB, but features twice the storage. Choose the one best for you. 16 GB is great if you have a large music collection. We should all remember though that with Nano no longer doing Video or Storing Pictures, the storage is exclusively for music. This makes 8 GB and 16 GB more appropriate size offerings as music takes up much less storage than video.
Overall, Apple has removed video (both playback and recording) from this iPod Nano. However, it's an equalling good music player. Navigation of music is now completed via touch, which works effectively despite the small screen. It's really hard to believe so much can fit into such a small device and I believe everyone will be a bit shocked when they open up the Nano the first time and see it's size yet primary function as an effective music player retained. The newest Nano brings a nearly Shuffle like size, but yet retains the functionality (touch, clip, dock connector) that serious music lovers and those who use the Nano while working out, demand.
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I mainly got this to replace the 2nd generation 4GB nano that I leave connected to my car stereo because the 4GB is completely full. Unfortunately for me, the charging scheme has changed since that generation so my car interface doesn't completely work the same way as it did for the 2nd generation nano. I have to open the glove compartment where it lives and press the wake button if the car has been off for a while, but more annoying than that is the fact that my car interface won't charge this while it's in the car. Since my primary use is to keep in my car, I decided to give it to a friend and just keep my list of available songs in the car to 4GB.
I did, however, use it a few times at work when I was spending all day doing some repetitive tasks that didn't require a lot of brainpower, and I noticed that the battery would be nearly completely discharged after the end of 8 hours. My 2nd generation nano had significantly longer battery life than that. (Of course, it also didn't have a fancy touchscreen and was twice as big.)
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I bought this knowing it was significantly worse than the older model (no video recording, no video playing, smaller screen, annoying touch screen, etc...) what I didn't realize was how low quality the manufacturing on these is. Immediately upon receiving the headphone jack didn't work correctly and the headphones would have to be moved around in order for both ears to receive signal. Then within a week the ipod started to cut out unexpectedly and repeatedly. All this on top of the fact that you can't lock the screen so it will randomly change on you in the middle of songs when things brush it. Really a complete waste, I loved my old ipod nano (5th generation) this is useless and I'm returning it.
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Returned after less than 12 hours using it. Device kept stopping after 30 seconds of each song, could not find a setting to correct this. Additionally, with the Apple provided headphones attached to the device, I attempted to use the radio and the device said I needed to attach headphones to use the radio? Really? With the headphones Apple provided I can't use the radio? Nice.
Apple really laid an egg with this product line.
I read lots of reviews here on Amazon before buying. Overall, I like it. The most critical reviews said this was a fancied up Shuffle, and I agree that's just what I've been wanting. I've had both 2G and 3G Nanos. As far as the loss of video no big deal. With the 3G, I put a movie on for the novelty, but as others here have noted, that screen is really too small to sit and watch a movie. So for me, the loss was really no loss. The gain (reduced size, but still being able to browse and select music) is totally what this Nano is all about.
What I like:
1. Size & weight: It's tiny! I take it jogging, or carry it in my pocket around the house, or anywhere. I love, love, love how small it is. The Shuffle was never any good for me, since I always like to see and select my music as I'm going.
2. Built-in clip. I usually carry it in my pocket, but the clip does come in handy once in a while. Hey, it's cool.
3. Volume buttons. Along the top, easily accessible. Nice.
4. 16GB. Yay! I have a ton of audiobooks, plus an insanely huge music collection, so the more space, the better.
5. Radio. That was a surprise to me. I wouldn't have thought of having a radio in my iPod, and I don't know how much I'll use it, but hey, it's a nice idea.
What I don't like:
1. Loss of how I used to browse for music. On the click-wheel iPods, there is a tiered or tree-type menu for browsing through the music on it. I have a "gi-normous" music collection, so being able to narrow things down by genre, then artist, then album was a great way for me to navigate through my collection. I only use playlists once in a great while. For the most part, I listen to albums, and the new Nano's "album" view shows all of them at once not handy at all, when looking for one album out of 16 GB worth of them. This isn't a deal-breaker, but it is a pain in the back-side.
2. Okay, this is may seem really silly, but the wallpaper selection is extremely limited. I can put my own photos on this (which I love), but I can't set any of those as the background/wallpaper. I really don't get that. If I can put my own photos on, why on earth can't I select one as the background? Instead, there is a very small selection of backgrounds to pick from, all of which are pretty generic and boring. I was really hoping to be able to jazz up the screen a little. What the heck? Would it really consume very much computing power to be able to do that? I'm hoping for an OS update that will allow for personalized backgrounds. Still waiting... I may end up waiting a long time. Oh well.
3. Loss of quick pause by feel when it's in my pocket. I purchased a separate accessory to do this (an in-line remote), but I'd rather have it on the unit next to the volume buttons, maybe? IMO, quickly pausing by feel is 100% necessary, so maybe on the next generation there will be a play/pause button next to the volume buttons? Please? Hey, I can dream.
Overall, I give this a solid 4 stars. It could be better, but I've been wishing for a shuffle-sized iPod with a screen, and here it is!
