Hardware Review
iPod nano 4 GB
Developer: Apple Computer
Price: $199 (2 GB); $249 (4 GB)
Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.4 or Windows 2000 SP4, USB port
Recommended: USB 2.0
Trial: None
There it was, hiding in Steve’s watch pocket the whole presentation, and none of us saw it coming. The iPod nano is a testament to good design engineering. The best way to explain the size of the iPod nano is to ask someone to take out a business card and lay it flat on the table. It’s as long as the long edge of the card, and 2/3rds of the width. It’s smaller than a stack of 15 business cards. That right there is reason enough to consider shelling out for the iPod nano.
I saw the keynote and ogled at what Steve hath wrought with his incredible team of design and test engineers, and felt the technolust rising within me like the mercury on a Central Valley summer day. It was too much to behold. My old 3G iPod is approaching its end of life as the battery slowly and surely dies, and my Shuffle can’t hold but a quarter as much, so it was off to Pentagon City two days after Steve had announced the Nano.
Taking it out of the box will cement with you just how small this technical marvel is. The packaging is along the same vein as the packaging for Apple’s other small technical wonder, the AirPort Express, featuring a box that opens much like a book to reveal the new member of your technical stable. It sits there, wrapped in the usual plastic skin that reads “Don’t Steal Music.”
Now, this is not your father’s iPod anymore: FireWire docking is sadly gone with this new machine, rendering all those FireWire dock cables you have lying around obsolete, fodder for Craiglist and eBay. It does, however, fit in an old 3G dock quite nicely, provided that you swap the dock connector for a USB 2.0 version. Of course, there are many who would object to such a transition, and I cannot say that I blame them. Few computers older than a year have a USB 2.0 port on them, leaving the user to suffer through transferring large files over a piddling USB 1.1 connection in its wake. This move is not lost on me, but I will say this: I do not mind seeing more companies adopt USB 2.0 as a decent serial standard. Perhaps this will encourage people like Canon and Nikon to consider adding it to their digital cameras for speedy downloading of images.
Once full of tunes, contacts, and calendars, I took my black Nano out for a spin. Sure enough, the sound quality astounds, once you drop the little white iPod earbuds in the nearest trash receptacle. Listening on my QuietComfort headphones, I was astounded by the depth of audio ranges, from thumping bass to crystal clear treble on all my recordings, from Switchfoot’s new CD to the Swedischer Rundfunkchor’s Brahms’ Requiem. One thing that has taken some getting used to is the location of the headphone jack, now ensconced on the bottom edge of the iPod next to the dock connector, causing me to hold it upside down the first time I grab it from my pocket. The tiny hold switch that sits atop the Nano is also something of a departure, I felt. It’s smaller and with less feedback than previous models, and I found myself having to stare at the iPod to search out the orange field behind the hold switch’s on position to make sure it was properly set.
One thing to worry about as a purchaser of iPod accessories is which ones will work with the new Nano. Forget about the iTrip; there’s no remote switch. Forget about the FireWire charger for your car; that’s right out. Basically, there are a lot of changes, so don’t necessarily expect everything to work. Thankfully, the Internet being what it is, people are trying and will tell you what they find. Phil Torrone’s dissection of what what works and what does not is the most exhaustive search of devices that you might have that might not work.
Something new to the iPod nano, aside from its fresh color screen, is the ability to lock the screen of your iPod to outside influence, including prying eyes. So set up the lock, and protect your contacts and calendars from the random people who might put their grubby hands all over your iPod. Of course, your own grubby hands are another problem as the back of the iPod will look like a scene from CSI after the fingerprint crowd has been through, and beware of even breathing at your iPod’s screen, as that might well scratch it. (Despite what Apple says, I think it’s is more scratchable than other iPods’ screens.) Get a nifty case, and do yourself a big favor in the process.
I will say that this is the best iPod I’ve ever owned. Small, long-in-the-tooth-battery, good and visible color screen, and the ability to get lost in my jeans. It’s not perfect though, with an easy-to-scratch screen and the problem with the accessories not all working, but overall, if you’re in the market for a new iPod, give the Nano a look. You won’t regret it.
Copyright © 2005 Tom Bridge, tbridge@atpm.com.
Reviewing in ATPM is open to anyone. If you’re interested, write
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Reader Comments (176)
I can't understand how Apple can sell so many iPods.
That's why I won't buy any iPod until it will be possible to change the battery by myself at a reasonable cost.
Also my experience has been that it's no more scratchable than anything that highly polished and certainly doesn't seem to be any worse than any previous generation. The difference I think is that the higher resolution colour screen shows it up more. That and all the coverage "nano scratches" have had causing people to look harder for them.
Pick white, it's harder to notice scratches - oh and put a screen protector on. Even my cell phone has a screen protector.
Wich one do you think is the better option? what are the main differences bettwen the nano and the 30G. Please help me!!!
The difference is twofold. 1) physical size. 2) method of storage.
The full-size iPod uses a hard drive whereas the nano uses flash memory. Presently, X amount of storage on a hard drive is far cheaper to produce than the same amount of storage in flash memory, but the memory is not susceptible to the affects of movement, shaking, or dropping like a hard drive-based iPod is.
Because the nano uses flash memory, that's why it can be offered as a much smaller device than the standard iPod.
Other than this, the iPods work exactly the same way. As for which would help you, it is a decision over getting a smaller and lighter iPod that doesn't have a hard drive to be concerned about—at the expense of having less capacity, or getting a larger and heavier iPod with a hard drive which, naturally, should be treated/handled like any other hard drive.
please help me ASAP!!i need a good ipod!
When you purchase a 2GB Ipod Nano how do you charge the battery? My old mp3 player you just had to replace a single AAA battery. So do you have to buy anything extra to charge your battery for your Ipod Nano? Or does the Ipod Nano come with a charger?
Thank you,
Rav
-Hannah
Check Apple's product page for the nano for system requirements.
Thanks,
Sean
Sorry to hear you're having issues with the new nano. Phil Torrone from Make has a pretty good guide for what should and shouldn't work with the nano. If your accessories are supposed to work, I would recommend calling the manufacturer and speaking with them specifically about using their products with the nano. If that does not resolve your issue, your nano comes with a year of free support from apple, available at 1.800.APL.CARE or at any Apple retailer.
Best,
Tom
sounds like the dock connector sound out may not be enabled when they ship but the full restor fixes it
this is common with all mp3 player that charge via USB, the indicator SAYS its still charging, but after three hours or so with the nano, unplug it, and plug it back in really quick, and it should show a fully charged icon thingy. i experieanced the same thing :) oh and does anyone know how to get the album art to appear on the nano. i got it to appear on itunes, but not my nano. i looked at costumer support and all, but no help came to me
Nonetheless, I'm at my computer cause it works pluged in just desn't charge. INclude a 5 dollar charger or let folks know its a good extra buy. I spent like 5 hours to figure that out!
It says the nano doesn't support USB 1.1 ... now if I remember correctly the same was said for the mini, but still it was no problem to use 1.1 (slowly, but surely as I like to call it ;) )
Anyone like to share his/her experience on this before I head of to buy it?
Thanks!
As for whether a 13-year-old can take care of an iPod, that depends on the kid. I've known some children even younger who'd do fine with a nano, and I've known some older teenagers with whom I'd be extremely worried about taking care of it.
As for the other reasons to go with either an iPod or an iRiver, it's a pretty simple discussion. If you want to use the convenience that iTunes offers for syncing, you must use an iPod. If you don't need to play AAC format files and have no interest in the iTunes music store, and the iRiver does everything you want it to do, it may be your better choice.
I just bought my daughter the Ipod Black Nano (and a pink leather case to protect the unit). The question of purchasing the extended warranty from Best Buy has come up and I have heard good and bad on the needs for an additional $30. Not much money but I know that there are not a lot of moving parts and with the exception of the screen what else should really break? I would appreciate any comments on the need for an extended warranty.
Many thanks
Something I can, however, recommend is that you compare the difference between Best Buy's $30 warranty and Apple's $60 warranty. Check the duration and exactly what is covered.
if u think im crazy u can, because my friend charged his ipod, after charging it, we looked through it and we could see videos like the simpson and dave chapelle it was amazing so i was wondering if this is possible
i want to get one for my 14th bday, i went to radioshack.com and i was wondering if an ipod nano is worth $149.00?? well thanks a lot!! bye
We've presented all the data we can to help you make a purchase decision. That's what our reviews are for. But it is, ultimately, up to you to actually make the purchase decision.
When i plug in my ipod, it says, "updating, dont disconnect", and starts charging... However, then when it's done "updating" it stops charging, and ive got through hell trying to get the "ipod 4g nano" to charge..., its plugged into my usb port with the wires given :(
What we can say for now is—are you sure it's not already fully charged, or that you're not reading the on-screen indicators properly and it actually is charging? If you're certain those two situations aren't the case, perhaps you should inquire with Apple as to whether there is a problem they need to remedy.
You all were saying that the 2GB Nano didn't come with a charger, and some other stuff about apple studies show that blah blah, and I was just wondering after a long night of searching google for the answer, does the 4GB Nano come with a charger, or am I going to have to look for one.
Chow
You apparently weren't exhaustive in your long night of searching because the Tech Specs portion of Apple's iPod nano page implicitly states: "Charging via USB or FireWire to computer system or power adapter (sold separately)"
That's not *entirely* true: http://ipodlinux.org/Main_Page
However, this is a very risky process! I wouldn't try it unless you are REALLY desperate about video playback, on not such a great screen for watching video...
Besides, who in the world wants to watch video on a screen the size of a postage stamp?
So what kind of audio files does the ipod nano actually play? I always thought it was an mp3 player.
Personally I don't have a need for itunes. All I want is a mp3 player that holds alot of songs and allows me to organize them like an ipod. Also to just connect via usb port and I can add songs to it from there with my computer, with windows by the way.
Oh and a color screen, which is why I was going towards a nano too. I think I will look into an iriver though.
Here's my thoughts.
On one hand, if they go from your iTunes library into the nano, then yes, you should be able to play just the audio.
However, it may be entirely possible that iTunes recognizes the nano when you synchronize and, knowing nanos don't support video, iTunes might just skip them.
But, someone pointed out to me that Quicktime can open those videos and you can export them as MP3s or AACs.
Unfortunately, I answered by saying you have to have Quicktime Pro to do that. At least I'm fairly sure you do.
That's all I can say for the moment. If I learn more, I'll return and post again.
Also... the new 4 ipod Nanos with the 24hr on time with the diff colors. Does that come in BLACK?
NOTE: I know the 8GB does,,,
Seriously, to play your iPod through your car radio, you either need a cassette adapter, an FM transmitter, or a radio with an auxiliary input. Just search Google or store.apple.com and you should easily find what you need.
Sorry, I can't tell you why, but Apple decided that the 2GB version only comes in silver, the 8GB only comes in black, and the 4GB comes in a choice of silver, blue, green, or pink—but not black.
Colors—we just answered that question in the previous comment to your own and see no reason to repeat. Please look above.
In any case, the answer is most likely that you would not get a second generation replacement. Even though you really cannot easily buy a 1G nano any longer, Apple is certain to have a small stock of them for the purpose of warranty replacements.
You were not clear in your first comment that the "3 times" was only once with your current iPod and twice with the prior one. I can't imagine how anything other than a faulty iPod would cause the display screen to visually shrink. It's totally not normal and I have no doubt that it's something Apple should be involved with solving.
A/C charger—in my experience, the time to charge an iPod is identical whether you attach it to the USB (or previously the FireWire) port or use an A/C adapter. It's simply a question of whether you want to be able to charge it without carrying your computer with you. I still have the FireWire-based charger that came with my 3G iPod (you can no longer sync with FireWire, but you can still use the cable to charge the latest iPods). However, I don't often use that charger any more because my iPod generally stays charged during a sync or while it's attached in my car via a cigarette lighter adapter. So I'd say that you only need the A/C adapter if you plan on taking your iPod on multi-day trips and not taking your laptop with you.
....and yea he said tht it wz the silver edition ..the 2gb one....can u tell me the difference in the 2gb black n 2gb silver???...which one iz beter to buy...need help....thnxxxxxxx............and yea one more thing....which will b the best lather caser to buy for it???....help!!!!
As for the color choices, that was already discussed in earlier comments on this page. 2GB only comes in silver. 8GB only comes in black. 4GB is available in all colors except black.
We can't advise you on a leather case. The ideal case is usually different for everyone. You need to look at them and decide which best suits your needs. Take me, for example. I don't even want a leather case for my iPod video. I am happy with my neoprene-padded Marware Sportsuit case.
The best thing you can do is try some for yourself. Obviously this is difficult for in-ear headphones since once you use them, they're "contaminated" so to speak. :-) But, any in-ear headphones that don't cost more than a couple of ten bucks aren't, in my opinion, "good" headphones anyway.
Also, we're a Mac site, not an audiophile site. Be sure to check out The Google for more info on headphones and better recommendations. Remember, research is your friend.
However, the Senneisers in the Nano cause a problem. The auto-pause feature that kicks in when you pull the jack out of the nano seems to be hypersensitive - any bit of motion, even a slight turn or bit of pressure, causes the auto-pause to kick in.
The buds that came with the nano seem to have a jack that fits more snugly than the Sennheisers, but I never had any problem with the Mini.
Any suggestions? This is frustrating.
But that same advice applies to numerous appliances, electrical and non electrical.
As for which is better, you may receive comments from other readers here with their opinion, but you probably won't find a definitive answer. This page reviewed the iPod nano. Its purpose was to cover the nano—not compare it to the Sansa. You have to define what you mean by "better." If "better" 100% means "cheaper" then the answer is probably that the Sansa is better. But "better" doesn't equal "cheaper." You must look at the features of both and decide which has a bigger list of features you want.
Head to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod_nano and look in the section titled "Second Generation" and it lists the differences.
Is an Ipod 4 gb nano second generation
It's possible put games on it?
Where can I legally buy the games without going to Itunes?
One guy said that is possible put small videoclips on it
How if possible?
The best advice I have for finding other games that you can put on the nano is to head to Google and search for "ipod nano games" and see what comes up.
Please consider the courtesy of reading about products you buy or are given before asking questions in forums like this. You'd have learned that standard video is not supported on the nano (again, only the full size iPod video).
I know it depends on how much you use it ect. but assuming you drain the battery each time... Aprox.
I'm not asking you to answer these questions...they're hypothetical.
Apple would probably want to tell you it'll never wear out. Joe Blow down the street who claims his died after only a few months might tell you 50 times. So I don't think it's possible to answer your question.
Every iPod from the first generation all the way to current have the same A/C adapter requirements, so as long as a charger indicates that it is made for iPods, you'll be good. The obvious exception is the iPod shuffle which doesn't use the same dock connector that the nano and full size iPods use.
http://www.colorwarepc.com/products/select_nano.aspx
While any battery for electronics won't last forever, it's a little misleading to say that iPod batteries just up and die on you. Sure, they'll gradually decrease in ability to hold as long of a charge, but it's not common that they just die. While I do have a 5G iPod, my old 3G still holds at least 3/4 of it's original charge duration. You'll get plenty of use out of a nano before you'll notice less capacity out of the battery.
http://www.apple.com/batteries/ipods.html
Yes, they can be changed. Apple will do it (or possibly replace your iPod) for $59, plus $6.95 shipping. But they may not do it if it's a custom painted one as mentioned above.
But it's possible to get it done (or do it yourself) for cheaper. For info about that, head over to ilounge.com and search there.
(thanx for ur last suggestion it was helpful)
You should bring the old one back but with the brighter screen and better memory!
Keep it up, Apple!
Doing a great job!
-Justin
ps.
will a screen protector stop the scratching if so how do you use it? is it temperary?thanks,
Alex
If anyone has any contact details for Apple in the UK please let me know. Am I expecting too much for my nano to work for more than 18mths? I feel robbed!
You may get lucky in finding a first generation shuffle at third party vendors or on eBay, but Apple doesn't sell them any more—only the second generation.
Why don't you head on over the Apple's site which will answer your questions about the product specs:
http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/specs.html
Also, how would downloading movies from itunes work? Would a media player be involved in the process at all?
I'm not sure whether i should get the 4gb nano to excersise with, because it seems more portable, or the 30gb video because it holds 6,500 more songs and it plays videos...? please help! thanks
But we both know that isn't what you meant, so that means I have to translate your question. What you meant to ask is whether or not you can download movies and songs from the iTunes store from a dialup connection.
Apple says that broadband speeds are required. I'm not sure whether iTunes specifically detects the type of connection and completely disallows you to download music if you only have dialup. But on an average of 3-5 megabytes per song, downloading an entire album—just one album—would probably take all night, and I don't even care to think of how many days it would take to download video files that are longer than just a few seconds.
As for your second question, iTunes *is* the media player, in addition to a 5G video iPod.
As for which iPod to get: we can't help. You already answered for yourself what the benefits are of the nano versus the 5G video. You have to decide which you want.
excuse me if the question sound silly, but I'll have to ask it.
How can i know if the Nano is first or second generation? Is there a sign or some kind of visual difference between 1g and 2g... besides the brighter display and the battery?
Thanks in advance.
Yes, there's a huge visual difference. 1G nanos are black or white on the front and silver/mirror-like on the back.
2G nanos come in five difference colors which wrap all the way around the front and back with no mirror-like surface on the back.
I'm asking, cause here's a guy that sells ipod nano 4gb black, and as i read your and some other articles there ISN'T black nano 4gb (only 8) so i'm a little confused...
For the current 2G nanos, the 8GB model is the only one that comes in black—and no other colors. Silver only in the 2GB model, and all colors except black in the 4GB model.
For any further questions about the second generation nano, please consult Apple's site: http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/specs.html
thanks.
If that doesn't do it, also check the track and disc number section. You'll want to do this for individual tracks at a time and not all at once. Make sure they're all reporting disc 1 of 1 and that the track count contains the total number of tracks in the info for every song, and that the track number field is properly sequential.
If it's still no good, delete all the tracks and try re-ripping them.
If it's still no good, you should head over to a better iPod support forum such as iLounge.com
But I digress, you clearly did not look at the web link I provided closely enough, because right there in the box on the top left side, the third header reads "Support Resources" and you'll find a "Contact Support" link directly beneath that.
How long does the apple ipod nano 3rd generation last??
in hours? battery life-
and in years? overall
tHnX
PeAcE OwT
But i dont know in years.
And do you think that the 3rd generation nanos are better than the second
thx
Admittedly, some iPod batteries have gotten to a point where they cannot hold a charge for a reasonable amount of time, but there's no magic number for how long before this happens. Likewise, it is false that *every* iPod battery will fail in two years. For example, I have an old 3rd generation iPod bought in April 2003 which worked perfectly for more than three years. And I believe it would still work today if it weren't for the fact that when I got my 5G iPod, I left the old 3G sitting uncharged for nearly a year, which may have caused the battery to no longer be able to charge. I also know of someone still using a first generation iPod. In full disclosure, its battery barely lasts an hour—but it still works and it's more than six years old.
No one can legitimately tell you that iPod batteries will last 10 years or more—they probably won't. You must also consider the fact that by the time the battery reaches a stage that you begin to notice it doesn't hold a charge as long as it used to, you might have your sights set on Apple's latest and greatest iPod. :-p
But in all seriousness, the stories you may have heard about the batteries not lasting very long aren't outrageously common. They are the exception—not the norm. Also remember that ALL batteries of this type only have a certain lifespan. So it doesn't matter if you buy an iPod, a Zen, a Zune, or whatever—they battery will not last forever. But odds are, it'll last more than two years.
Finally, maybe Best Buy wants to bilk you for $100 to replace an iPod battery, but should you need a new one, sending it directly to Apple can get you a new one for $59, plus $6.95 shipping. Or, even better, search around the Internet a bit and you'll find other sources that do it far cheaper. OWC has a really good service.
Again, though, it's very likely that you will not need to use such a service in as little as two years.
Very helpful!!
All of you have fulfiled my curiousity!!
Thankyou very very much!
PeAcE OwT!
Not trying to be rude, but you folks sure don't read much before you post.
To the ATPM staff...
You folks sure do a great job of thinly veiling your frustration, and when a real question is asked, you get the answer out there. Fantastic job!!! A most sincere thank you for all the info.
Why not a plain simple animated icon of a battery being filled....????
But .... just now I found it! eject from Itnes and turn ipod to sleep ..... voila! the nice big display size battery icon nicelly animated!
But still confusing why it doesn't for example switch to this (big) icon for a second whenever charging first starts.
But i do have i question...i have the 3G ipod nano and my brother said that i should let the battery die for the first time so that i can fully use the battery..is that true? do i have to let the battery die when it is new?
As for Limewire, as long as the file you obtain is one that is supported by the iPod (such as AAC or MP3), then it should work. Windows Media files will not play on an iPod, but iTunes can usually convert them to AAC or MP3.
Having said that, note that ATPM does not advise or condone the act of illegally downloading copyrighted music that is shared on peer-to-peer networks. If an artist is using Limewire to legally give away their music, then more power to you. As for any others, we can only say, don't steal music.
i have tired to instal itunes from the net as am supposed to but it wont work.
the first time i tried it took 4 hours and i have broadband!!! this is unusual for my comp which works pretty fast.
the download completes but my comp just wont let me open the file (it doesnt matter if i run it or save it.) i click on the icon and just nothing happens.
i am really hoping that someone can help me coz its quite frustrating.
And, the most important step of all, have a look at the documentation for the iPod—this information is covered in the user guide.
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