10
Jul
It may seem strange, but the biggest competitor for the new Fifth Generation iPod Nano is, in fact, its younger, hipper brother — the iPod Touch! Consumers instinctively love the iPod Touch because it’s a touch screen; its larger screen, better color depth and higher resolution are ideal for viewing videos; it’s bluetooth-ready; users can download peer-to-peer apps; not to mention its video battery life goes from 4 to 6 hours and its audio battery life improved from 24 hours to 36. Yet, many consumers love the new Nano MP3 look — its sleek, chrome finish and vivid colors, as well as its unique features. Even though the Nano’s camera isn’t the best on the market, it at least has one.
If you’re in the dark when it comes to the iPod Nano, you are not alone. The first music nanosystems emerged in September of 2005, bringing 1-4 gigabytes of space, black or white casings, Mac or Windows 2000 compatibility, 14 hours of audio battery life, a 176 x 132 size screen, 32 MB of onboard RAM and 1.5 oz. weight. The second generation Apple device held 4 or 8 GB of storage and came with new colors (silver, pink, green, red and blue) in an attractive anodized aluminum casing, with 10 more hours of battery life in fall 2006. The third generation nanotechnology products were released in September 2007, providing 4 or 8 GB of space, a variety of colors (silver, light blue, light green, black, red, pink), double the RAM (64 MB) and worked with XP and Vista — not to mention, it was able to play videos (rather than just photo slide shows). The Generation 4 Nano of September 2008 offered all the usual colors (as well as yellow, orange and purple), 8 or 16 MB of space and included voice and “shake to shuffle” features.
There are some much-anticipated changes made to the new Nano (Generation 5). For one, users can automatically import play-lists based on genre or create play-lists right on their iPod Nano device (rather than creating them on the computer with Itunes and transferring them over). Another one of the neat Nanotechnology applications is the 99-cent to $3 iTunes movie rentals. The addition of a pedometer, built-in speakers, FM Radio, notepad, voice recorder and video camera make this a great all-around device. Despite all its fancy features, most people purchase the iPod Nano solely for the music player. According to reviewers at CNET: “If you have an older iPod and you’ve been waiting for an excuse to upgrade, then you can rest assured that the fifth-generation Nano is the best Nano yet. That said, with the highly rated 8GB iPod Touch sitting pretty at just $199, you’ll need to decide whether the Nano’s slim design, FM radio, pedometer, and video camera are more meaningful to you than the touch screen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and application capabilities of the iPod Touch. From our perspective, it’s hard to go wrong either way, but the bright colors, sturdy construction, and lightweight design of the Nano make it an easy choice for children and athletic types.”
The iPod Nano is not without criticism. For one, users will still need to invest in Nano accessories (like protective cases) to prevent damage from occurring if the device is dropped or mishandled. Some Amazon reviewers say the device seems “designed with the kiddies in mind” and mention that the “aluminum casing looks like cheap plastic.” Many consumers are disgruntled that the camera feature was added to the Nano MP3, rather than the exciting new iPod Touch, which has gained an even more cult-like following than the original Nano; it was thought to be the king of nanotechnology devices. It will be interesting to see what Apple has in store for 2010.
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