Apple iPod Nano Review

The Ipod Nano takes the key features of the Ipod and shrinks them into a tiny package, available in 1GB (240 songs), 2GB (500 songs) and 4GB (1,000 songs) models. The iPod nano is pencil-thin and will fit into your pocket (although carrying it in your pocket may lead to breakage - see below!) The Nano features the ever-popular clickwheel and friendly user interface of its big brother, with the benefit of a colour screen. The touch-sensitive clickwheel lets you easily fast-forward, rewind, play, pause or access menus. It's a very easy MP3 player to operate.

The iTunes software that accompanies the iPod Nano provides an easy way to create and manage your digital music collection on a PC or Mac. With iTunes you can transfer music from an audio CD into digital format. iTunes supports a range of formats including MP3 and AAC and you can control the quality/compression level. The Apple Lossless encoder provides a sound quality that is indistinguishable from the original.

The Ipod Nano supports a wide range of music formats, including MP3 and AAC. Music in AAC format can be compressed smaller than the MP3 format with the same quality, so is better for storing digital music. The quality of the music depends on the compression factor - the greater the compression, the lower the quality. The iPod Nano supports compression rates from 16 to 320 Kbps (the same as the Ipod 20GB). In addition the iPod supports the Apple Lossless format, as well as WAV and AIFF.

The Nano also has the capability of storing and displaying photos on its colour screen.

Battery life is similar to the big iPod, with up to 14 hours of continuous play, and a recharge time of 3 hours. This is pretty good for such a small device.

The iPod Nano really is an outstanding technical achievement. Packing this much MP3 player into such a small device is awe-inspiring. 4GB of memory may not be enough for all users, but that's what the bigger iPods are for! For typical users on the move, the trade off of memory versus size & weight seems like a good one. You should be aware that LCD screens on devices this thin are fragile, and you should treat your Nano with care! Putting it into a back pocket may not be a smart move if you accidentally sit on it. The Nano is also very prone to scratching, and you either accept that it will get scratched or you buy a case for it before you start using it. You should also regard the Nano as a device that may need replacing after a year - our user reviews below show that it isn't a durable piece of technology, although it seems to be more durable than the 4th Generation iPod. Apple themselves point out that the rechargeable batteries used in the iPod have a finite lifespan. As long as you have realistic expectations of what the iPod can do (and what it can't) you shouldn't be disappointed. The first generation Nano has now been replaced by the 2nd generation Nano.

Features of the Apple iPod Nano include:

• Supported formats: AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Music Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3 and 4), Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF
• Photo viewing: JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PSD (Mac only) and PNG formats
• Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
• Battery life: 14 hours (3 hours to recharge)
• LCD display: 176 x 132 pixels with blue-white LED backlight
• iTunes software for managing your digital music collection on a PC or Mac
• Connectivity: USB (cable included)
• Earbud-style headphones included
• Size: 90 x 40 x 6.9 mm
• Weight: 42g

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