Hands on with the new iPod nano

by Christine Chan

So Apple had their annual iPod/iTunes event on September 9, 2009 and with that, introduced improved iPod Touches, along with a totally revamped iPod nano, with iTunes 9 and iPhone OS 3.1, as well as the new iTunes LP format (codenamed “Cocktail”).

I did become attracted to the new iPod nano, so much in fact, that I have actually bought one about two days after the announcement. Yes, I have an iPhone, and yes I also have a 120GB iPod Classic. So why did I pick a nano to add to my collection?

First, I primarily use my iPhone for everything but a music player. I do have music on it, yes, but I would prefer to conserve battery life (since it’s so crappy already) and consume on my ‘unlimited’ data, calls when needed, and unlimited messages to my friends. I use my iPhone much more as a social networking tool, and a way to keep in contact with people I care about regularly. So with this in mind, I’d rather not waste the battery by playing music on it. And besides, my iPhone cannot hold my entire music library, which is what my iPod Classic is for.



But as much as I love to have my iPod Classic for holding every single song, music video, podcast, movie, TV show, i feel that the Classic’s physical size is much too bulky for girl’s small jean pockets. And as much as I like having my entire media library with me on-the-go, I haven’t exactly had time to listen and watch every single thing that is on my device.

This is where the nano comes in.

What I am loving about the nano is that it is so lightweight and portable, that it really feels like I’m carrying nothing! Although this can be a problem for those that tend to lose such small things, I am loving how portable the nano is. A real difference as far as the iPhone and iPod Classic goes.

I’m not sure how many people are like me, and slip their iPod in their pocket so that the top of the device is on the bottom, and the bottom of the device is closer to the pocket opening. So if I do that with the Classic, or iPhone, then the headphones end up on the inside, and to me that just feels weird. So I appreciate the that the headphone port for the nano is on the bottom (left this time instead of right of the dock connector), and allows it to fit in my pocket comfortably, and can be taken out easier in case I want to change up what I’m listening to.

The nano now has a video camera, and for some reason, it even has more effects than the iPhone 3GS. If you have any familiarity with Photo Booth on Mac OS X, then that’s what one can expect from the nano’s video cam, which shoots in low-quality VGA. The video the nano produces though, is comparable to that of the iPhone 3GS, and even the low-end Flip cams. This is exactly what Apple was aiming for, as it is now giving away cameras in the nano for virtually ‘free’. It’s great for spontaneous point-and-shoot moments, since you’re more likely going to have the nano with you instead of a full-on camcorder, and especially those that don’t have an iPhone 3GS.

The only problem I have with the camera is the odd placement at the bottom left, but I have remedied this by holding the nano horizontally with the click wheel on the right, and having my fingers under the click wheel, so that my finger does not intrude on the camera. They really should have picked a better place for the camera, but I’m guessing with the nano’s hardware, that’s the only place it could fit.

I also find the radio feature in the new nano to be a great addition. Yes, you may think ‘who still listens to radio?’. Well, it’s a great way to find new music, and with the new ‘Live Pause’ and fast forward and rewind feature (up to 15 minutes), you can skip over those pesky ads that are probably the main reason why most people don’t like radio. There’s also the iTunes Tagging [for stations that support this] which will let you tag certain songs that you want to remember for later, and next time you sync, iTunes will pull up these songs in the iTunes Store.

Despite the iPod nano having a tiny external mic and speaker (due to the camera), you’ll still need to plug in your headphones for listening to radio since it acts as an antenna. The speaker is primarily there to playback your spontaneous videos, so it’s a given that the speaker is not the best for music playback, but it’s convenient to be able to still listen to your music if you happen to forget your headphones (it’s happened to the best of us at some point I bet…), though best to not disturb others around you as well. Use sparingly!

The pedometer is something I probably won’t use so much, but since some people that would look at a nano are the workout-type, they’ll be pleased to know that the new nano has a built-in pedometer to keep track of your steps while running/jogging and walking. The pedometer seems smart enough to know what counts as an actual step, as I sampled this for a bit around the house.

The 2.2′ screen brings with it more space to view video and photos, which results in a crisper image than the 4th gen nano. Watching a video on a nano is also much easier than holding an iPhone or iPod Touch, since those do weigh a bit more than the lightweight nano. You won’t feel the nano in your hand, so it takes no effort.

Overall, the new nano is an amazing piece of today’s advancement in technology, if you consider all the features it packs in such a tiny package (no bigger than several sticks of gum). It’s way portable, and I believe it will make a fine addition to my iPhone and iPod collection.

Yes, the iPhone is supposed to be that one device that eliminates the need to carry other devices, but that doesn’t mean that nano should be totally ignored. Plus, the nano is so lightweight you won’t even notice it’s on you, so what’s the harm in carrying it around with you even if you have an iPhone? The iPhone itself is great for the always-on connectivity (unless you’re in a spotty AT&T area), but the new nano just adds many features that can’t be ignored this time around.

I’ll be using my iPhone for the data and connectivity, my iPod Classic for playing my large music library in the car, and my iPod nano for having a small collection of absolute must-haves from my music library for easy-to-go portability in a sleek package, with fun video effects as the icing on the cake (Cyborg mode is awesome).