The Secret Wonders of the Nano...revealed!

Apple iPod Nano

Just a few days ago I happened upon an article about a new upcoming product sure to make trendy electronic junkies smile: The new iPod Nano. Now, having owned 3 iPods (a Shuffle, Mini and new 20GB Color), I certainly did not need another one for my collection… or did I? It was just too cool to pass up! So I rushed out and bought one.

Buying something like this in NYC when it first comes out is not a good idea; I had to stand in line for a long time. Apparently I was not the only one who read about the newly released iPod Nano, but it was worth the wait. The Apple Store had plenty, and I was able to leave as a happy customer!

So like I said, I had three iPods, this made 4, so I sold my Mini to a friend. The new Nano replaces the mini and is 62% smaller, making it pretty damn small! It also weighs half as much. IT also adds a color screen (the Mini was black and white). So I really did not need both… (then again, did I NEED any? Well, yeah I think so). I've written reviews of the Mini, Shuffle, and new 20GB Color, if anyone is interested. They should be read if you are deciding between which model is right for you.

After more than a year with the old Mini (my first iPod purchase), I decided that the memory was too small (4 or 6 GB) for my every day usage. At first the mini was plenty, but as often seems to happen with an iPod, you eventually realize you have much more music than you originally thought, and much less space to store it all...you just can't fit it all onto the small space the Mini offers. For this reason, I carry a 20GB with me, and use a shuffle for the gym. I think my new Nano will replace my 20GB for every day usage and probably replace the shuffle for the gym as well. I’ll leave the 20GB at work, where I spend most of my time anyway.

Even though my overall advice for iPod purchasing is to go big (you are best to have more space than not enough), having said this, the Nano would still be a good option for someone on the go a lot who also intends to use it for time spent exercising/at the gym. This is because of the new Solid State memory the Nano offers. It has no internal moving parts so it will not skip and will not damage over time from all the bumps and jolts of jogging or just regular moving around. The Shuffle also offers Flash Memory, and is a bit smaller, but lacks the color screen. The Nano is way cooler.


---PORTABLE is GREAT
If you read my other reviews, you'll see I simply love my iPod(s). They are a great way to schlep your music around---this coming from a guy who never used to carry a walkman, owned an MD player but rarely used it, and usually prefers NOT to listen to the radio when driving, except if the car has XM Radio that is... but that's another review.
After I got my first iPod (the mini) my whole take on portable music changed.

All of a sudden, I had all the music I liked anywhere I was, at pretty much any time, in a very convenient and easy to use package ---Apple has really figured out how to make a user friendly trendy little product that most anyone can enjoy. They have revolutionized portable music in a way not seen since Sony made the walkman.

---CAPACITY is SMALL
The Nano comes in two memory sizes 2GB or 4GB (though physically the units are the same size). Despite the small size (it’s the thickness of a number two pencil) the Nano holds a lot of songs and can play them for a long time. The base model ($199 with 2 gigabytes of storage), can hold around 500 average length songs. The second model ($249 with four gigabytes of storage) can hold around 1,000 songs.

While my 20 GB holds SOOO much more music, I believe the Nano might be right for someone who wanted to carry a smaller playlist around, or was not opposed to changing it around from time to time. But remember, the more music you have, the more you listen to, even if you originally think otherwise. I go from Classical Music to Techno to 80s to Books-on-CD (well on iPod I guess) to Big Booty Rap and back again, all in an afternoon. If this sounds like you, the Nano might be best suited as your “workout” iPod and not everyday use.

---COLOR is FUN :)
The New iPods are all in color (this excludes shuffle at the time of this review). I believe they now come in 2 or 4 GB (Nano), 20 or 60 GB (standard) but the Apple store still has a stock of 30GB, so maybe they are still making those. I do not think they still have a 40GB anymore. They also offer a U2 version and a new Harry Potter version that I suspect comes with all the books preloaded, and has a Hogwarts Crest (or something like that) engraved on the back.

The color iPods now allow you to store album covers for all of your favorite bands, which is very cool. You can also store a great deal of pictures on it for travel to show to your friends or just to look at when you're bored on the subway or at work, or wherever you're bored. I have yet to upload many pictures because I am lazy, but I plan to soon. It also has various slideshow options for when you do decide to have a lot of pictures on it. Very cool.

Also, I have to say, having a color screen is soo nice. It's as different from having the old B&W (monochrome) screen as the B&W screen is from having no screen at all; if that makes sense. The color clarity is great, and it is just nicer to look at. The screen on the Nano seems to be the same quality as that of my 20GB. They are both really clear.

---SOUND is SPECTACULAR
The sound on this iPod, as with the others, is GREAT. I should note I upgraded to a nicer pair of Sony Earbuds --still white like the standard iPod ones-- but they go further into the ear, fit and feel bit better and are noise canceling, which is nice so you can avoid hearing others around you, and do not have to crank up the volume and risk hearing loss. I used them on my mini and found they were a bit tin-sounding, and despite having the volume turned way up, they were not that loud, but this is not the case with the Nano or my 20 GB. Apple must have done something to boost the sound output on the newer models because the same headphones sound 10 times better in my new units than in my previous one.

Also, I should note that when burning music to your computer, iTunes lets you pick the recoding quality, I recommend using the best or close to it, you'll eventually hear the quality loss if you go for less quality. Lesser quality does equal greater storage space (well, more songs crammed into the same storage space) which might be a drawback for the Nano. Still, I say go with better quality. You're going to be listening to the music, after all, not just schlepping it around with you in a little box.

---EASE of USE
For those who have never used an iPod, they are as easy as can be to use. The track wheel (or whatever they are calling it now) on the front works to: increase/decrease sound, skip ahead or back, play/pause, scroll through the menu, it does everything; all in one little touch-sensitive pad.

All iPods come with Apple's iTunes software, which is easier to use than MusicMatch or other programs, and is very user friendly. You do not have to purchase music from their online store, you can, of course, burn your own CDs onto you computer, and load them to the iPod that way. With the included USB2 cable, whole albums zap right onto the iPod in a matter of seconds. It takes just a few minutes to fill it up. Some day I am sure we will think that is dreadfully slow, but these days, it is fast enough for me!

---BATTERY LIFE is VERY GOOD
Not only does the iPod charge quickly (plugged into your computer’s USB2 port or via the plug into a standard outlet it charges in a matter of hours), but the battery lasts a long time. I use my 20GB at work constantly throughout the day at my desk, and only need to charge it every few days. The new Nano is supposed to last just as long. If you use it only on the go, it could last for a week or more on a single charge. Apple says the Nano will play continuously for 14 hours and I think it will.

It has an internal battery, so you do not need to invest in your own rechargeable batteries. I've heard the battery will die over time but I think the extended warranty covers this; I do not know anyone who has had their battery die for good though so this could just be a rumor or a ploy to get you to buy the warranty, which I comment on below.

---PODCAST has been ADDED
The new Nano (and other new iPods) is Podcast ready, which means it can download radio programs and there are a LOT to chose from now. I’ve tried this a bit on my 20GB but rarely use it. I am sure I will more with time.

---OPTIONS have CHANGED
Right now, the Nano comes in White or Black. They are offering a variety of Skins (colored rubber covers, called tubes) not surprisingly available in many colors, just like the old Mini was, as well as the usual armband and a desktop dock. These cost extra of course. ---see my review for the importance of protective Skins. Apple is also offering a $39 lanyard with earbuds built-in at the neck to help you carry the Nano around like the Shuffle. The quirks with this is that that the headphone jack has to be on the bottom, because there isn't room on the top like the other iPods, but it makes the optional lanyard earbuds possible. To make room for the jack, the standard iPod connector port that hooks up to the various accessories has been placed off-center. But neither of these is a big deal, just something I noticed that struck me as weird.

POSSIBLE CONS:
---The screen scratches easily, get a jam jacket (Skin) WITH a screen protector, some only cover the body of the iPod ---which was my initial mistake with my 20GB--- so I got a few annoying scratches in the fist week before I got the better jam jacket. Bummer.

---I noticed the new iPod does not seem to come with a firewire as the old one did. I could be mistaken, but I do not think it has one; just the USB2 cable and dock adaptor. If this is a concern to the reader, you should definitely check this out with your Apple rep or the web site before making a purchase.

---The price
It is rather expensive, I paid 250 for mine, then got the warranty for another 50ish, and the Skin (Tube or Jam Jacket) for 30ish.

---Extended Apple Warranty
I RECOMMEND the extended warranty. As much as I HATE the idea of paying MORE to ensure your purchase will LAST MORE THAN A YEAR... really, can't they make anything that just lasts cause it is made well? I can actually answer that: NO, APPLE CAN NOT. I had to replace my Mini cause it just stopped working, my girlfriend had to replace her (non color--hehehe) 20GB cause it died, and NUMEROUS other friends have made exchanges or returns, so be warned, this may be the best music system ever invented in the entire universe, but it may or may not last. And for the price, it is not a cheap replacement, so figure in another 50 bucks to be safe ---if you HATE warranties then do your own thing; but be forewarned.

Having said all this, I must return to my love of the iPod, despite the few flaws. I think EVERYONE should own one, no matter which model. If you do not have one, get one, you'll likely love it. iPods are like cell phones, many people do not want to give into the trend, but once they do (like me) they wonder how they ever lived with out one.

If you have one already, you might consider eventually getting a color one like the Nano or new 20GB , they're cool.

The Nano is 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.27 inches and weighs 1.5 ounces. The color LCD screen is 1.5 inches. It works with Mac OS X or Windows 2000/XP. Also, they say it can hold up to 25,000 photos. You can buy all of apples great toys at their online Apple Store: www.apple.com. They will ship directly to you, and often offer free laser engraving.