54 out of 55 people found this review helpful.
Apple iPod Nano: I Used to iHate iPod, but Now I'm in iLove
Date of Review: Sep 26, 2006
The Bottom Line: I would recommend the nano because it does its job.
I used to have the iPod mini. Puke. It broke on me only 562 times. And no, it's absolutely no hassle to send it back to Apple so that they can repair it, wait a few days for it to be sent back, only to find it broken in another few weeks or so. Basically, I was so mad with my mini that I gave it away and bought an MP3 player from SanDisk. That wasn't so successful either.
So what made me go back to iPod? Believe it or not, my mother bought me the nano for my birthday. When unwrapping the wrapping paper and seeing the gift within, I definitely had mixed emotions as I really wasn't sure if I wanted to deal with iPod all over again. But something told me that things could possibly be different this time…
And that little something was right.
The nano is Apple's smallest iPod that comes with a screen. It's very, very thin and it can easily be slid into the jean sub-pocket (those little pockets that are on the pocket, if you know what I mean). I can also hold it in the palm of my hand and wrap my fingers around it. It weighs next to nothing. Kudos to Apple for fitting so much information into such a little machine. It's the perfect weight for storing in your briefcase, pocket, purse, etc.
This iPod is much more durable than the other iPod that I owned. Unlike the older iPod models, the nano has a plastic casing all around; the fragile screen is protected by this screen, unlike on the mini where you could push in the screen if desired. I have yet to drop my nano, but there is a protective case which comes in the box, so it's definitely good to use it whenever you're not using the nano.
The nano does not come with a wristband. This is one of the biggest downfalls. The retail price of the one that I have - the 2GB - is $199. The reason that it does not come with a wristband is quite simple: Apple would rather that you buy it as an 'extra'. But then again, what makes a business overly profitable and makes a consumer happy could be two different things. Nevertheless, if the iPod did come with some sort of wristband or armband, maybe Apple would sell more since people would see it as a better value. In any case, I ended up going to Circuit City and buying one for $35. Ugh.
So what does the nano come with? Instructions, ear buds, a charger and a protective pocket-packet-thingy (I truly have no clue what it's called. Basically, it's the best place to put the nano when it's not being used or not charging. I mentioned it above.). I hardly use the instructions since the nano is actually pretty straight-forward, and it operates very similarly to other Neolithic iPods. The ear buds are the standard microscopic ones that fit right into your ear; they're actually pretty comfortable once you get used to them. The only difference is the way in which it charges, and I'm still not sure if I'd call it a positive or a negative:
The charger is the USB cord. Unlike the mini which I used to have, I don't even need to locate an outlet to charge the mechanism. Instead, I have to locate a computer with its power on the "on" position. Since I have iTunes installed on my computer, I can plug in my iPod and have it charge while accessing the songs that it stores. The downside - that I have yet to experience, though it's inevitable that I eventually will - is that if I do not have access to a computer then I cannot charge the nano…
Example: I'm at JFK, it's mid-February, there's a snowstorm and my flight is delayed six hours. I want to listen to my nano but I see that there's only a little bit of battery left. What to do? I guess I can listen to it until the battery dies, but then what? If I had a standard charger - like that of the older iPods or a standard cell phone for that matter - then I'd be able to locate an outlet in the terminal and charge it there. Not to mention, what happens when I get to Florida and I'm at the hotel? I don't think the staff at the Radisson is going to let me use their computer so that I can charge my iPod…
My nano is white. You can also buy it in black, silver, and light blue. I don't know why Apple has yet to come out with more color arrangements like those of the mini. Bummer.
So how's the sound quality, you ask? I have to say that I'm actually very, very impressed. At all volume levels the music comes out crystal clear and without any static-like features. If you wear the ear buds in a certain way, the music virtually blocks out any external noises, which can be an advantage in some cases (such as when in a loud place), yet hazardous in others (such as when running on a street). I would not recommend playing the music on the highest level since it's really unpleasant, not to mention that it cannot be good for the iPod nor your eardrums.
Like the iPod mini, the nano's circular scroll screen is very sensitive. There is no need to "punch" the play button just to get the message across. This is good to an extent since, say, if you're running and you want to change the song, it doesn't take much effort. However, this could be a negative in the instance that you hit the scroll screen by accident and everything changes in an instant.
How's the battery life? It's really good. There was one time where I accidentally set the nano into "Disk Mode" and I had to let the battery drain in order for it to work again. I ended up having to wait about six hours for the battery to drain, and it wasn't even fully charged to begin with. To give you a better idea of the battery life: I usually go for 1 hour and 20 minute runs, and my iPod is always fully charged before I go. When I return it's usually about 80% charged. So let's figure that when fully charged, the iPod can last from 6-7 hours easily, depending on how many times you change the song, volume, etc. The battery loads very quickly too, but make sure to plug it in a good 45 minutes-1 hour before use in order to get maximum battery life.
The last point I want to touch on is the software that comes with the nano: iTunes. You most likely have used it before, so there's no need for me to explain the ease of creating a play list or importing songs from CD's, etc. I will note that I think that it's awesome that when you plug the iPod into the computer, iTunes automatically shows up and brings you to a page which shows all the songs on the MP3. From there it's easy to delete songs you don't listen to, drag songs in that you don't have, etc. Basically, iTunes is so easy to use that even a first-time computer user could figure it out within a few minutes.
My final thoughts on the iPod nano are pretty straight-forward. I pretty much love the fact that the nano is small, lightweight and durable. This is definitely an improvement over some of the older generation iPods on the market. I also love the sound quality - it doesn't get any better than this. iTunes is easy to use and it's painless to move songs to/from the nano, unlike some other MP3 players on the market. On the downside, the 2GB nano is very expensive - $199 - and it doesn't come with a wristband. I also dislike that a conventional charger wasn't included in the box, but that's technology for you…
