- Now the world's most popular music player lets you enjoy up to 5 hours of TV shows, movies, video podcasts, and more
- An enhanced interface offers a whole new way to browse and view your music and video
- iPod nano sports a larger, 320-by-240-resolution display that's 65 percent brighter than before
- In anodized aluminum and polished stainless steel, iPod nano is now 6.5 mm thin and even more beautiful
- Measures 2.75 x 2.06 x 0.26 inches (H x W x D), weighs 1.74 ounces
Apple's new nano is designed to improve upon past models and add some functionality. The improved video, smaller thinner body and updated firmware are enough to make it stand out. The slightly lower price tag is also sure to help sell more units.
I think most buyers will opt to get the 8GB, considering it is only $50 more than the 4GB and actually makes the video function more usable. Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Blue (3rd Generation) Regardless, the new nano is an improvement in any size.
Pros
+ Small size so thin!!!!
+ Nice design shorter, fatter form factor for more reliability
+ Brushed aluminum front seems more durable than plastic composite of 2nd generation nano
+ Many color options Silver, blue, green, black, etc.
+ Brighter screen with better contrast than previous generation
+ Great video option is a nice to have for sample TV shows, clips, etc
+ Works with most traditional iPod accessories (except old A/V cable)
+ Priced to sell! Lowest price Apple video capable player
+ Lower price tag than 2nd Generation nano
+ Unlike iPod classic, all flash memory means less failures and breakage
+ Flash memory also awesome for running / working out
+ Slightly better sound quality than 2nd generation
+ Apple reputation is highly deserved
Cons
4 GB capacity is very limited for a video player and will require constant reloading via iTunes
New 2GB Shuffle option provides a workout alternative at about 1/3 the price
New design not ideal for very big hands due to smaller click wheel
Universal dock now required for video out (no more A/V cable)
Slightly shorter battery life than other iPods
No expandability or SD card slot like Sansa View or Creative Zen
iTunes software with limited native formats (MP3, AAC)
Coverflow still buggy / slow
Features built-in to competing players, like FM radio & voice recording, much be bought as add-ons,
Competing players now available at 16GB flash at similar body size
The Looks
Some people prefered the gen2 nano's longer body and larger click wheel. The longer nano was prone to bend (and sometimes break) when people put them in their pocket and sat down or moved around. The smaller click-wheel can be awkward, particularly for those with large hands. But it's a worthy trade-off for the smaller size and better durability.
Another change motivated by durability is the metal face. The old clear composite face was a magnet for smudges and scratches. The new brushed metal face holds up nicer. Be warned though; it can chip and scratch, so get a cover.
The Sound
Sound quality is not significantly improved from previous models. The slight improvements touted in Apple's marketing are exaggerated. However, let's be fair to Apple here. MP3 and even CD audio have inherent sound quality limitations.
MP3 is a compression technology that does experience quality loss, however minimal. With a lower bitrate your MP3 files will lose more and more of the sound integrity from the original recording. Combine that with the fact many people rip from sources that are not digitally mastered, and you would get inferior sound quality with any device.
Almost no MP3 players are actually designed for audiophiles / musicians / sound engineers; i.e., the people who could tell the difference between good sound and great sound. Fortunately, some of these devices are starting to come onto the market.
Features and Software
Few new features are noteworthy with this device. Changes in the components and software make the screen brighter and allow you to do more things, including watch videos and play games. Some complain there isn't enough memory for video. You can still get enough on here to watch one movie or fit some TV shows with your music. It's a nice extra even if these nanos don't have tremendous memory.
The flash memory in this device could have been a faster speed. However, the main advantages of the flash player are still here: less risk of hardware failure associated with a hard disk drive player (better for running or working out).
The device does seem to have a shorter battery life than advertised. Perhaps because of the smaller body size Apple placed a smaller batter inside. As long as you sync and charge at night, it's ok. You are still likely to get a day's worth of use from a full charge.
Apple's software is still a weakness with very limited direct control over your device library and few native file options. All formats can be converted using iTunes or another software. You can convert pretty much any file to the MP3, MP4, or AAC formats you need for iTunes. This will mean that those of us with other players will have to have 2 versions of our libraries on our computers, eating up hard-drive space. That's because there's no drag and drop adding into the player, you have to add it to iTunes first and then sync.
However, most users have limited needs and will not notice if they are using MP3s. Apple hits the minimum compatibility needs of most of the market.
Coverflow is little more than a gimmick. It's still buggy and covers tend to blank out if you scroll quickly. Cover art has been downloaded with previous software versions and most other video players, so the ability to scroll covers is not really a breakthrough.
Competitors Pros and Cons
Apple's devices are obviously more expensive than other players on a per gigabyte $ cost. In addition, the iPod still has fewer built-in features than most competitive devices. It doesn't have a built-in FM radio tuner, voice recorder, Bluetooth, WMA support, and an SD card expansion slot. Both the Creative Zen Creative Zen 4 GB MP3 Player (Black) and the Sansa View SanDisk Sansa View 8 GB MP3 Player have micro SD slots, FM tuners and voice recording components built in. Both are better priced. The Sansa View comes in a 16GB size for the same price as the 8GB nano.
Still the iPod Nano beats both those players on size as the Creative Zen is much thicker and the Sansa View is taller. Also keep in mind that the Creative Zen has been somewhat buggy, and the View doesn't have as long a track record only being released in November 2007.
The new Sony players have finally abandoned their own bad software, and now provide some good competition to the iPod nano. In typical Sony fashion, they are priced just as high as the nano. But they do have quality components and better sound quality. Sony NWZA816BLK 4GB Walkman Video MP3 Player (Black)
The new 2 GB iPod Shuffle, released in February 2008, probably provides the biggest competition if you don't care about video and your only use is working out. Apple iPod shuffle 2 GB Silver (2nd Generation) For 1/3 the price, you get a player with half the capacity that's designed for longer battery life and more active use.
Conclusion
In the end, what the iPod nano does, it does very well. Apple really wins with sleek design and a wealth of accessories. This unit is no different. Not all docks and accessories work with the 3rd generation, but many do. And for that large number of users already using iTunes, moving your music over to the nano is a snap.
Overall this device is an improvement. Apple's entry level video player will continue to be popular due to great features, acceptable pricing and the Apple brand.
Enjoy!!!
Buy Apple iPod nano 4 GB 3rd Generation (Silver) OLD MODEL Now
Well I must say, it has taken me all this time to finally succumb to owning an Ipod. When these new little gems came out, I just couldn't resist it. I think it's the best MP3 player I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a few. I'm very impressed with Apple overall, and can see why these are so popular. I love the design and the amazingly brilliant screen. The cover flow is a really cool feature and I'm really happy I can get a flash Ipod with pretty much the same features as a hard drive Ipod (classic). The best feature for me is the shuffle mode. I usually like to put my music on random and this player lets you access the shuffle mode easily and change it easily. I also like the 3 games that are included. Two of them are really fun, but I'm not as big a fan of the solitaire knockoff, but that's just me. I've never been as much a fan of hard drive MP3 players since mine always seemed to freeze and they are more delicate due to the moving parts, so I wasn't really interested in getting a Classic even though you get more GB for your $.This 4GB Nano is perfect for me since I really don't need much more space than that and I feel I'm not throwing money away. I couldn't see myself ever filling up 80GB of space if I got a Classic, especially not in time for when (inevitably) the next version of the Ipod comes out that I will probably want!
I have another MP3 player that I use for my car that is a little bigger and hard drive based, so this is my travel player to use when I'm out and about or exercising. The size is perfect, and I actually prefer the more square design to the long design of the previous Nano. It holds just enough files and keeps me from putting too much music on it that I don't really want to listen to after a while. I've put about 3GB of music on and left the other 1GB for photos, videos, etc. I doubt I'll ever watch movies on it since it's kind of a small screen (and the PSP is much better for that) but I have added some music videos and maybe will add some TV shows.
Like another reviewer said, it would be nice if these were offered in other colors too, but it's not that big a deal to me and definitely not enough to stop me from buying it. Silver is a good neutral color, so I'm happy with it.
Anyway, I think this is a great deal for $149 and really is worth every penny!
Read Best Reviews of Apple iPod nano 4 GB 3rd Generation (Silver) OLD MODEL Here
This is my first iPod. So I can't compare it to previous versions like some reviewers so successfully have done. But it has a crisp, bright video playback that I find especially kind to my eyes. It also sports a very thin all-metal body.One thing I really appreciate is the excellent battery life. So many players, and other electronics, don't offer good battery life. This unit also has built-in games and an advanced user interface. I don't use the games much. But it's sort of nice to have them.
I find the body a bit wide for my liking. I also think the scroll wheel is slightly smaller than I'd like. I was also a bit disappointed with the audio. When I played it in the car, I noticed some static and distortion. I didn't have that with my former player.
I use mine mostly for mp3s. I like the fact that it holds a ton of them so I'm not constantly having to reload like I did with my Creative Zen.
I also find that the price is reasonable. All in all, I think it's a good device and, if it fits your needs, you should consider buying it. I personally think it may be better suited to those who use it more for video than audio, however. On the other hand, most people may not even notice that the audio is not quite up to par.
I would have given five stars if the audio was a bit better.
Want Apple iPod nano 4 GB 3rd Generation (Silver) OLD MODEL Discount?
I have gone through two Apple iPod nanos before this one. The sound quality of this latest Nano is better than the previous ones. The screen color is wonderful and the "Cover Flow" feature is one of my favorites. Not to mention that it now has video too and I must say that the quiality of the video is exceptional!All is well EXCEPT for the design. The material used is shiny and somewhat slippery so I always have the fear that I will drop it. It's square-ish design fits awkwardly on my hands and it's so small that it too feels awkward when I am scrolling through my music collection.
Bottomline, when it comes to sound quality and added features (Video & Cover flow), this new generation Nano is unbeatable. As for the design and comfort, I'd still go for the second generation Nano. So 4 stars!!!
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