CNET Editor's rating: 8.3 out of 10
Reviewed by
James Kim
Review date: 09/13/05
Release date: 09/07/05
The good: The iPod Nano has a gorgeous, superslim design with a bright, photo-friendly screen. It is easy to operate and works seamlessly with iTunes and the iTunes Music Store, which has the world's largest selection of music. It boasts a nimble processor and system performance with no skipping, thanks to flash memory.
The bad: The iPod Nano suffers from unspectacular battery life, and though the device is durable, it scratches easily; blemishes show up more drastically on the black version. The Nano is pricey in terms of gigabytes per dollar, and its 4GB maximum capacity is not a good fit for many power users. The player skips many sought-after extra features such as FM radio and A/V-out, and it doesn't work with Camera Connector. The USB power adapter ($29) is not included.
The bottom line: Thanks to its limited capacity, the gorgeous iPod Nano isn't for everybody, but it sets the standard for MP3 players to come.
Just when you thought Apple's standard iPod was overly saturating the public consciousness, Steve Jobs and company pull another beauty from the company's bushel. The Apple iPod Nano sets new standards for gadget design and stretches the boundaries of technology. It's the world's first 4GB flash player, yet it's also one of the thinnest. Plus, it boasts a bright color screen that takes advantage of the bigger iPod's photo capabilities, though be aware that the Nano's screen scratches easily. Throw in some ancillary improvements, and you have not only the latest MP3 player phenom but a glance into the future. The flash-based Nano (the name is curiously similar to the Creative Zen Nano Plus's) comes in classic white or black and three capacities: 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB at $149, $199 and $249, respectively. It also replaces the current popular iPod Mini line.
Intro:
The Apple iPod Nano is a 4 GB, large capacity player.Compared to other large capacity MP3 players on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $190.
Noteworthy Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Weaker Features:
None noted, given available product data.
Suitability:
A large capacity MP3 player, suited for bringing an entire music library with you.Funkify your listening experience with the blue and white backlit display on this player.Comes with equalizer presets to easily maximize your listening experience.According to the manufacturer this player will last approximately 14 hour(s) between charges; your run-time will vary based on use and power management configuration.Comes with a 1 year warranty, which is standard in the industry.If you plan to take your MP3 player to the gym, a flash player may be the better choice, as opposed to a disk-based player that is more susceptible to being jarred.
Value:
In general, this MP3 player's features are in line with its price.
Suggestions:
If you don't totally love the headphones that came with your MP3 player, you might find aftermarket headphones that better suit your needs.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Only 1 tiny flaw...
Ok - so to point out some serious issues to the haters - this is a flash player. There is ...
Ok - so to point out some serious issues to the haters - this is a flash player. There is 0, count them, 0 4GB flash players on the market - until now anyway. It might be a little pricey if you compare it to hard drive based systems but 2GB flash players retail for around 200 - what a surprise. Add on top of that that any person in school gets a discount. While it would be nice to see a mini with 8GB or 10GB this gem is amazing. The battery life listed is (having read reviews from people who actually have it) less than actual with one reviewer getting 20 hours... Essential add ons would be the lanyard/headphone combo that really makes the whole thing amazing. And to all the haters - I've had an FM tuner on an mp3 player and I thought it was quite possibly the most useless thing I've ever owned...
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by bigmc6000 (see profile) -
September 8, 2005
10 out of 10 - Perfect Too little memory? Speak for yourself.
I have a 3G iPod w/ 40G of memory. I have about 3G worth of songs, books, and Podcasts on ...
I have a 3G iPod w/ 40G of memory. I have about 3G worth of songs, books, and Podcasts on it. I'm getting one of these as soon as I can get my hands on one.
Updated Took me a day to decide but I went with the white. Call me a traditionalist.
Went with the 4G version.
Didn't go for any of the Harry Potter books though.
Updated I wish I hadn't gotten home from work so late. The nano is charging now! I'll let it charge up over night and play with it tomorrow after I've gotten some sleep!
Updated Carried it in my shirt pocket all day. Listened to music on the way to work and Calling All Catholics Live on the way home. I have no issues with the audio.
I played with the other features a little bit. I think the stopwatch will replace the old one I use for gym. I'll have to wait until the next gym class to know for sure.
The screen is smaller but I think it's easier to read.
I love it. I stand by my rating!!!
Updated I've had it for a day short of a week. It's lived up to all my expectations and it has replaced my cheap stopwatch for gym. The "Hey, cool" factor among the kids wore off quickly and I'm happy I have one less thing to carry around (not that it was heavy, but it was one more thing). I've even dropped it once. No damage to the iPod but it did take ten years off my life.
I do have one small scratch on it now. I'm almost certain it came from the pen I carry around in my pocket.
My wife the quilter has made me a nano cozy that should hold me at least until I find a case I fall in love with.
Updated Had it for 20 days if you can count 12:51am as day 20. I still love it to death. I use it every day on my commute to work (55ish minutes). The pocket cozy works just fine. My wife is considering a version two with some bating to give it a little cushioning but I'm afraid of bulk.
I have become quite adept at using my index finger to work the controls which solved my problem of it being a little narrow for my ham hands.
Updated Still love it to death. Has worked without a hitch. The battery easily holds me through a week of commutes to and from work. I recharge it every Sunday when I sync it to refresh my podcast collection. I haven't run the battery all the way out yet so I can't speak to maximum battery life. Let's just say it runs for at least as long as I want it to run between charges. No new scratches although since the scratching issue came up everywhere you turn, I am more cautious with it. Never did buy a case for it. Didn't want to offend the little woman who has made me a new cozy in a Winnie the Pooh fabric that she picked up. The kids like it, what can I say. The little ones giggle when they see it (I'm a middle aged man and they find my attachment to the Hundred Acre Woods odd even though I work in an elementary school).
9 out of 10 - Spectacular SOUNDS GREAT - BUT GET A PROTECTIVE CASE
Yeah, for $50 more you get a 20G ipod...but for someone like me, the smaller the better. I purchased ...
Yeah, for $50 more you get a 20G ipod...but for someone like me, the smaller the better. I purchased the 4G model which currently holds 780 songs, 19 podcasts, and 40 photos. That's 2.5 days worth of continuous entertainment...plenty for most people. The nano also packs great sound and is the most intuitive MP3 player on the market. For those who complain that it doesn't have an FM tuner, I have two responses. First, so what? Secondly, and in one word, "podcasting." Thanks to Apple, podcasting has exploded over the last few months - and I am a huge fan. I subscribe to about 10 podcasts and never find the time to listen to all of them during the week (I am a public transportation commuter in Chicago with about 1 1/2 hours of commuting time each day). Why would apple want to cannibalize such a great medium with an FM tuner? And yes, I said it sounds great. I'm sure someone without a life who listens to music 12 hours a day through their $3,000 Bang&Olfsun headphones will have a gripe, but if you're on the move and want to take your music, photos, and podcasts with you, the nano is unbeatable. I have found the headphone jack being on the bottom is a non-issue and my ONLY gripe is that this thing scratches WAY too easily. I have practically coddled my nano like it is a newborn baby and through extreme care, it still has managed to bear some light scratches. Thus, I am going to use my mini until the cases become available. Again, I cannot stress it enough, it scratches VERY easily - not sure how apple could have overlooked this annoyance in testing.
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by Tech2005 (see profile) -
September 15, 2005
10 out of 10 - Perfect Beautiful, yet Functional
I bought the 4 GB black nano the first day it came out. (Apple Store in Montgomery County, MD) I ...
I bought the 4 GB black nano the first day it came out. (Apple Store in Montgomery County, MD) I also have a Shuffle, which is fine for a small amount of music. The nano picks up where the Shuffle leaves off. This is the best of both worlds. The clear and bright screen gives quick access to playlists and the ability to browse my music collection, yet small enough to be ultra portable. Even for a small screen the photos I imported from my laptop look nice. I just wish it had a TV out feature. Maybe a 3rd party solution will come out.
Synching with calendar and contacts works without much effort. Having a few games to play while I am waiting is a nice touch. I installed a line-in to my car to allow me to play it off my auxillary mode. The sound quality is quite impressive.
To summarize, this is the best MP3 player I have ever seen or used.
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by pstauff (see profile) -
September 9, 2005
7 out of 10 - Very good A step in the right direction, but still a ways to go..
I will preface this review with the fact that I own a Creative Zen Micro and love it but very ...
I will preface this review with the fact that I own a Creative Zen Micro and love it but very nearly bought an iPod Mini. The release of this product prompted me to visit an Apple store to check it out. It is an overall improvement from the Mini but still falls short, in my opinion.
Pros: Size...absolute best feature. This thing is super small yet offers nearly the same memory options as microdrive players. A third of the weight of my Zen Micro or a Mini.
Color display is nice. Photos viewing also nice but lets be honest, not the reason you buy this device.
Flash memory--always better than hard drive if you can get the same memory capacity.
Cons: File format limitations. This is the biggest deterent for me. My entire library is WMA. It offers better sound at same bitrate (or same sound at lower bitrate, your choice). Thus, you can save more music in this format. Didn't really want to re-rip or convert my entire collection in MP3 or AAC format.
Also, while i-Tunes is great, it is your only choice. This was the dealbreaker for me.
Memory capacity is great....for a flash player. For many of us, 20 GB is not needed but 1-2 GB isn't enough. I want 6-8 GB and this player took a step in the wrong direction.
Battery life--compared to all players, the nano's battery life is mediocre but compared to other flash players it's pretty awful. In fact, most hard drive players can probably match the nano and some blow it away (Sony).
Sound quality is OK but iPod are traditionally midpack here and the nano is no different. There are many better sounding players out there.
Last, though not a huge flaw, placing the headphone jack on the bottom is going to limit the use of some iPod accessories. Not sure about the motivation here by Apple.
I don't care about FM or voice recording in my DAP and the reception of FM in most players sucks anyhow (why would you want to listen to horrible sounding radio signals instead of digital audio anyways?), so excluding those features doesn't impact my rating.
Overall, it's a damn cool player. If you currently use MP3 format and don't need more than 4 GB, this is easily the best player available for you. Otherwise, you should shop around to compare an see what is most important to you.
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by rgs1218 (see profile) -
September 14, 2005
9 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 out of 10 - Excellent I SAY IT'S ALMOST PERFECT EXCEPT FOR...
I love listening to my new ipod Nano 4GB. I just love the attractive slim design. I appreciate the nice ...
I love listening to my new ipod Nano 4GB. I just love the attractive slim design. I appreciate the nice intigration with iTunes with the fast processor, crisp clean sound with zero skipping. I only have one problem to voice about it. The improved ipod battery is not improved enough in my humble opinion. My final solution for this only challenge was to pick up a batterygeek 100+ hour ipod battery. So far everything is sounding pretty good.
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by Ron_Phd. (see profile) -
October 14, 2005
5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
5 out of 10 - Average The nano's not-so-good side
The ipod nano is a great product, but I am currently having problems with what I have been seeing. I ...
The ipod nano is a great product, but I am currently having problems with what I have been seeing. I have noticed that they scratch VERY easily (all too easily, and I don't know how the people who were testing this thing overlooked that). My friend recently bought one and during a meeting, she placed it in her front pocket. She sat down, and the ipod SNAPPED! I have seen that they are not very durable, so, anybody who is active who carries these ipods, be aware. These are not sturdy MP3's. I suggest to avoid these casualties by: 1. Buy cases or armbands. These will protect from scratching and snapping. I hope. 2. Don't carry while being very active. These have a tendency to get dropped or scratched OR snapped. Or all of the above. 3. DON'T BUY ONE AT ALL!!! The ipod 5th generation (otherwise known as ipod videos) are not much more expensive than the 4gb ipod nano. Buy one of those instead. They are sturdier and bigger (which means easier to handle) and also have good video and audio quality. Or, try another brand of MP3 player! I don't think ipod has any other ideas to do anything else with an MP3. Try lookin into Creative, Phillips (I recently purchased a phillips gogear 6gb MP3 player for 198.99 and it is exellent quality.), or Dell. Try something new for a change people!
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by eatenback2life (see profile) -
December 11, 2005
9 out of 10 - Spectacular BEST OF THE BEST OF THE BEST!
this is just best of the best what i have been waiting for it's very good for freshmen 4 ...
this is just best of the best what i have been waiting for it's very good for freshmen 4 school and am going out to buy it now!
9 out of 10 - Spectacular An awesome inheritor of the Ipod throne
This is clearly the next generation of the ipod. All the sound quality, color screen and chic design of the ...
This is clearly the next generation of the ipod. All the sound quality, color screen and chic design of the regular ipod now compressed into an even smaller design. Though 4 GB MIGHT be too small for serious music listeners, come on, you'll run out of battery life (14 hours) before ever having to listen to the same song again. So alright, an 6 or 8 gb model would probably be more appreciated, boohoo, you'll be forced to choose only your most favorite 1000 songs from your music library.
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by nikeswooshguy (see profile) -
September 8, 2005
6 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular free ipod any kind
From the people that give you free xboxs, they are now giving away free Ipods!!! Get your free Ipod today!!...
From the people that give you free xboxs, they are now giving away free Ipods!!! Get your free Ipod today!! why buy an Ipod when you can get it for free here:
http://www.FlashiPods4free.com/index.php?ref=1510
You can choose what ever kind of ipod u want from video to shuffle its all free
The offer is legit, I have gotten free xbox 360 and wii products from this company before. All you have to do is join, complete an online offer, and refer friends to do the same. That's it!
And if u happen to want a free xbox 360 go to this site right here
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