Review: iPod Nano

Ok, it's been two weeks since i got my nano in the mail(3 days from ShenZhen China, FedEx you rock!), and I'm finally over the "OMG IT'S SO AWESOME AND SLEEK" period. So, instead of working on my english paper, i've decided to write this review. Keep in mind that these are just my opinions. Feel free to ask any questions or give your views, as long as you don't say stuff like "IPOD SUX, i ROX". There's no need to get angry, ipods never did anything to hurt you

First: Pros and Cons
Pro: size, looks, clickwheel, iTunes software

Cons: battery, volume control(i'll get into that later)

Looks: I have come to the conclusion that the ipod nano is a great device device. It's well made and the box it comes in is top notch. Apple really makes you feel like you bought a quality product. About all those rumors that the nano is fragile, they're just rumors. From day one, i just kept the protective screen that was on the front on. I have yet to see a scratch anywhere, even tho i keep it in my jeans pocket all the time. It is quite easy to get fingerprints on the back, but that's only because it has such a shiny metalic finish, besides, just breath on it a little and wipe it off with your shirt. the glossy front looks amazing btw.

Size: The first thing that i thought when i took it out of the box was that something went wrong... there was no way that my nano could be so small! But it is, you really have to see it. It's roughly the size of a credit card after you cut off a third of it's width. When i carry it in the little inner pocket of my jeans, i'm so paranoid when i go out to see a movie or something. I'm always afraid i've lost it since i can't feel it when its in there.

Control: OK, the click wheel on the nano is a bit too sensitive on the nano as compared to my friends' 3Gs'. But it's fine for me since i have small hands. That should be apple's new marketing campaign: Impossible for people with big hands. Just kidding... but not really... Anywhoo, the one gripe i have with it is that when i'm in the car driving with my knees, it's very hard to control the volume to a degree and make it stay there, but then again, i'm very precise with this.

Audio: The audio quality for this player is great, the bass is much lower and the treble is much clearer than the ipod 4G. I've listend to other players like Zen Micro and Sony's walkmans and i honestly can't tell the difference. Ok, maybe the other guys sound just a little bit better when you put the kps up all the way to 320, but for the average listener(and i consider myself average), there's not really a difference. But, if you're an audiophlie who has like $300 ear-muff headphones then don't buy an ipod, i guess.

Photo: The photos are very sharp when you put them on the nano. There are fewer colors as compared to a computer, but it's not that big of a deal. There is one awesome thing about the photo viewing i'd like to note. It's called ipod scrubbing, wat you basically do is you take a movie clip and you use any movie player to export the clip frame by frame into pictures. Then you put the pictures onto your ipod and you can view the clip by scrolling with the click wheel.

Software: iTunes is hands down the best software for DAPs. The nano syncs seamlessly with iTunes and automatically transfers individual settings you have put on each song such as volume, album art, and start/stop times. It's really easy and personalized. Also, it lets you convert songs to AAC format which takes up the same space as 128 kps MP3, but has the quality of 192, therefore cutting your music collection's space by a third.

Battery: Ok, this is only other gripe i have about the nano. It does last 14 hours, but if you want to have the backlight on and/or view photos, then you cut that time in half. The time is enough for me, but it may not be enough for audiophiles. Oh, and it takes 1.5 hrs to charge to 80%. This is a decent rate, but after seeing my friend's Sony NW-E407 do a 3hr charge in 3 min, i'm a little jealous. but not really...

Space: the amount of space is fine for me, i have about 600 songs on it plus like a millions pictures, and there's still 1.5 gb left.

Extra Features: The nano has a lot of extra features like a time display at the top of the screen that displays while you listen. Also, the games are pretty neat and nice looking. Now i kno that fans of the Zen Micro and such have expressed hostility in that the nano doesn't have an FM Tuner and a Voice Recorder. I personally have never had a need for these features. First of all, i don't listen to the radio now that i have an ipod, plus even if i did, all the radio stations here are crap. And, i never really understood why anyone would need a voice recorder. Is it to leave yourself messages? o_0 Of course these are solely my opinions and there are certainly people who can put these features to good use. I would advise them to not buy an ipod or pay extra money to buy the accesories.

All in all, the ipod nano is a solid mp3 player with the support of iTunes. it may be pricey for some, but if you have the money or in my case, parents, then it's a solid buy.