19 out of 19 people found this review helpful.
I don't know how I ever lived without this!
Date of Review: Aug 15, 2006
The Bottom Line: This is a great little gadget for those who listen to podcasts and can delete items frequently. It is portable, has good sound, and can be used in many situations.
Can one love an inanimate object? I hope so because I LOVE my IPod Nano.
I recently received "Roxie" as a gift from my husband - yes, you can name your Nano...it may seem weird but I really like that they give you that option. The name shows up in Itunes when you sync your Nano, and also that is how your computer recognizes the device as well.
I'd been wanting an MP3 player for awhile but would never bring myself to spend that much money on myself. I have been using the Itunes software to listen to podcasts on my computers for months now and was hooked on them. My husband decided that for that main reason, he should go with the Ipod since the Itunes software is designed for it, or vice-versa. He told me that he wanted to buy the 2 GB but knowing how frugal I am, figured I was less likely to return the "cheaper" one because of the cost.
Out of the box you get the Ipod Nano (I have a white one) which is pretty small. I'd say approximately 3 1/2 inches by 1 1/2 inches, and not even 1/4" thick. You also get a USB cable to connect your Nano to your computer and a set of earbud headphones, and then a little booklet with very minor instructions and a CD with the Itunes software and files that contain more detailed usage instructions. You can download the most current version of the Itunes software for free from their site www.itunes.com, but you will want to run the software from the CD anyway because it will do a setup and go through an online registration process to register your product with Apple.
The Ipod Nano itself is simple. It has a small screen which is very clear and readable, but I have good eyesight, so I don't know if others would have a problem. It also has a wheel shaped control panel and a button. Personally I had a bit of trouble initially figuring that wheel out, but once I did, I realized it is pretty simple to use. The only others parts to the Nano is a headphone jack and the "docking" jack to connect it to your computer. I have found the size of the Nano to be a perfect fit in the palm of my hand and the control wheel is perfectly sized and located as well for easy usage.
The software on the Nano is pretty straight forward right out of the box. There is a menu that you scroll through by lightly "spinning" the wheel on the front of the Nano. The button in the center is like the "enter" key. The menus are laid out well by category, but I am a little frustrated by how the Nano organizes my files. Podcasts and songs alike both show up in the "Music" folder, however only Podcasts show up in the "Podcast" folder. Maybe their is a way to fix this but I haven't found it. Not really a deal breaker for me, especially with the 1 GB capacity. You don't store a whole lot on this at that size, and I listen to podcast about 95% of the time or more. On a larger capacity unit where you wanted both a music library and a podcast library, this would certainly be quite annoying.
The headphones are a little nicer than your standard earbuds and the sound quality is good. I love the stark white color as opposed to the typical black.
There are a TON of accessories available for the Ipod Nano. Personally I use a neoprene case with a clip that I use most of the time but it also has a clever arm strap that you can put on it which I use for running. It cost me around $32. The Nano is great for running. There is no skipping like I used to get on my CD player and it is so light I barely feel it on my arm.
I also use a car charger which ran me about $20. Along with this I have 2 other cables in my car for use with my Nano. One is an RCA cable that I connect to the jacks in my DVD player (standard in my Buick Terraza) and then connects to the headphone jack in the Nano. This option causes you to have to turn the volume up in both the vehicle and the Ipod, pretty much all the way. The benefit is I can charge it simultaneously. The other cable is and RCA cable that connects to the dock connection on the Nano. This does not require the volume to be turned up all the way (good for later when you forget to turn it down and put the headphones on - ouch) but you can't charge it simultaneously.
I originally had gotten an FM transmitter that I eventually returned because the quality was terrible for the $50 my husband spent on it. That is when I learned about the RCA cable option. Turned out to be a cheaper and better option for me.
Overall I really recommend the Ipod Nano 1 GB to anyone who listenes frequently to podcasts and/or music but is willing and able to clean it off pretty much daily. If you want to carry a "library" around with you, don't buy the 1 GB. I haven't had any problems technically with my unit, so it is so far issue free, and it really is a great little gadget to allow me to keep up with current events and not miss my favorite shows all the while being extremely portable and versatile.
Go get one!
