View Full Version : iPod Nano review
Holy crap - this iPod is small!
I finally broke down and bought my first mp3 player, a Nano 4GB. The commercials don't do the small size justice.
I'd been considering the big 60GB version for the last months, but the $400 was not easy to justify. This one will hold 1000 songs and photos, and cost $250. I like the fact that it's not a hard drive and is all flash memory. I'll be taking it on my daily moto commute (not listening to it during the ride, BTW), so solid state is good.
I figure that ~60 cds worth of music is enough for me.
Gripes:
I'd like it to come with at least a wall charger or car charger (it only charges through the USB port - not great on a long road trip or hotel stay).
The battery is hard-wired into the case. So when the battery dies, the iPod dies. Seems like a dumb idea to me, since I've worked in the battery industry. Not all batteries are created equal...
Anyway, I'll be joining the ranks of RacinM3 & buying lots of accessories! :)
Hard Driver
09-20-05, 04:50 PM
Personally I just bought one of these:
http://www.mobibluamerica.com/dah1500.html
Haven't even gotton it yet, but a guy that works with me does and I think it makes the nano look large. (Although I have not seen the nano in person yet)
1 GB MP3 music player, FM Radio, USB 2.0 Flash Drive, Voice Recorder, FM Radio recorder for $129
Rogue Leader
09-20-05, 06:00 PM
Holy crap - this iPod is small!
I finally broke down and bought my first mp3 player, a Nano 4GB. The commercials don't do the small size justice.
I'd been considering the big 60GB version for the last months, but the $400 was not easy to justify. This one will hold 1000 songs and photos, and cost $250. I like the fact that it's not a hard drive and is all flash memory. I'll be taking it on my daily moto commute (not listening to it during the ride, BTW), so solid state is good.
I figure that ~60 cds worth of music is enough for me.
Gripes:
I'd like it to come with at least a wall charger or car charger (it only charges through the USB port - not great on a long road trip or hotel stay).
The battery is hard-wired into the case. So when the battery dies, the iPod dies. Seems like a dumb idea to me, since I've worked in the battery industry. Not all batteries are created equal...
Anyway, I'll be joining the ranks of RacinM3 & buying lots of accessories! :)
They do sell a wall charger you can plug the USB cable into
They do sell a wall charger you can plug the USB cable into
I think that will be my first accessory purchase. :thumbup:
coolhand
09-20-05, 06:27 PM
my 3-4 year old IPOD is dying (the battery)
there are alot of different deals out there in getting ti replaced.
but apple will replace the battery for a price though
Dr. Corkski
09-20-05, 06:31 PM
http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B0006J08C0.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
For $50 less you could have gotten yourself a far superior MP3 player. Come on Rich, I thought you knew better than to buy any of that crap from Cupertino. :thumdown:
Come on Rich, I thought you knew better than to buy any of that crap from Cupertino. :thumdown:
What can I say? I'm a fashion slave. :(
What can I say? I'm a fashion slave. :(
Pimpin' ain't easy. ;)
coolhand
09-20-05, 07:34 PM
The full size IPODs are just a harddrive with some simple software and attractive packaging.
It is not hard for the competition to make an equal or better mp3 player (which has now become synonymous with IPOD).
once i see what Deal Apple offers me i will decide if i want to go with somthing else. The Creative is probably less likley to be stolen.
Dr. Corkski
09-20-05, 07:38 PM
The full size IPODs are just a harddrive with some simple software and attractive packaging.
It is not hard for the competition to make an equal or better mp3 player (which has now become synonymous with IPOD).
once i see what Deal Apple offers me i will decide if i want to go with somthing else. The Creative is probably less likley to be stolen.Last I heard the crooks from cupertino will charge you half the price of a brand new iCrap to replace your battery. You will just be giving them more money to market their inferior products to unsuspecting customers. :thumdown:
WickerBill
09-20-05, 07:42 PM
Creative is a follower, and not a very good one. Screen, accessories, and support are all far inferior to the iPod. Sound quality is debatable -- some audiophiles like the sound of the Creative more, some the iPod (but audiophiles tend to blow snot on any mp3 player).
The only corporation able to knock off iPod right now is Sony, and their efforts, while getting better, are a way off.
My two cents.
I didn't do much shopping for other brands. My sister's family (2 parents, 3 kids) all have different ipods (big ones, minis, shuffle) and I thought all of them were well made and nicely designed. I was sold!
I think the "permanent battery" is bad engineering design, but you can't have everything.
If the Motorola Rokr phone held 4GB, I would've bought it & cut my pocket gizmos from 2 to 1.
The nano may be more expensive than others, but it oozes cool. I looked at them last Friday in the Sony store in Chicago. I was somewhat taken back by the size (or lack of). Out of all the iPod devices this is the one that's probably the best for workouts, etc. due to its size. I've got a full size and its really too bulky for serious activity, which is why I seldom get to that level. :gomer:
http://images-jp.amazon.com/images/P/B0006J08C0.09.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
For $50 less you could have gotten yourself a far superior MP3 player. Come on Rich, I thought you knew better than to buy any of that crap from Cupertino. :thumdown:
you dont need one of those to listen to your Pet Shop Boys, corkski :gomer:
Creative is a follower, and not a very good one. Screen, accessories, and support are all far inferior to the iPod. Sound quality is debatable -- some audiophiles like the sound of the Creative more, some the iPod (but audiophiles tend to blow snot on any mp3 player).
The only corporation able to knock off iPod right now is Sony, and their efforts, while getting better, are a way off.
My two cents.
WB, agreed. Just check the user fbk on Creative products on CNet and other review/pricing sites....usually well below the editor ratings.
In any case, did you catch the new Walkman release?
http://news.com.com/Sony+says+new+Walkman+is+an+iPod+killer/2100-1041_3-5869802.html?tag=cd.top
As usual, Sony is late to the party, but trying to make a statement. I couldn't believe the initial Walkman 'mp3' player dint support the mp3 format. :saywhat:
-Kevin
IlliniRacer
09-20-05, 10:41 PM
Personally I just bought one of these:
http://www.mobibluamerica.com/dah1500.html
Haven't even gotton it yet, but a guy that works with me does and I think it makes the nano look large. (Although I have not seen the nano in person yet)
1 GB MP3 music player, FM Radio, USB 2.0 Flash Drive, Voice Recorder, FM Radio recorder for $129
I got the same specs in my SanDisk last Christmas
http://www.sandisk.com/download/photos/retail/dmp-silver.jpg
BTW - That's SanDisk as in:
http://www.champcarworldseries.com/Content/Photos/2005/By400/20050408P_0003.jpg
:thumbup:
Sean O'Gorman
09-21-05, 02:11 PM
WB, agreed. Just check the user fbk on Creative products on CNet and other review/pricing sites....usually well below the editor ratings.
In any case, did you catch the new Walkman release?
http://news.com.com/Sony+says+new+Walkman+is+an+iPod+killer/2100-1041_3-5869802.html?tag=cd.top
As usual, Sony is late to the party, but trying to make a statement. I couldn't believe the initial Walkman 'mp3' player dint support the mp3 format. :saywhat:
-Kevin
I would hope that anyone with half a brain would be smart enough to realize how stupid it is to buy an MP3 player from the same company that is involved with lawsuits revolving around the downloading of MP3s.
The only corporation able to knock off iPod right now is Sony, and their efforts, while getting better, are a way off.
What about Rio? Oh wait, nevermind. D&M Holdings decided to shutdown Rio because there's no place in the market for premium players based on audio quality or features.
So you're probaby right. Because most people aren't deciding based on features they're deciding based on fashion and only Sony has the marketing muscle to make a dent in that.
how's the audio quality on the sandisk? features are cool, but most important to me is the sound quality and the ease of getting to the album I want... you know, fulfilling the purpose of it being a music player :D
eiregosod
09-21-05, 03:40 PM
come to think of it: aren't all class-D audio amplifiers the same? ;)
oddlycalm
09-21-05, 04:28 PM
come to think of it: aren't all class-D audio amplifiers the same? ;) Exactly right, to which I reply that I will only listen to lossless audio compression formats on players that employ vacuum tubes in a pure class-A topology thru my Sennheiser cans. ;) I have a nice little hand truck that I wheel it all around on. Just listen to this hot oboe solo, you can actually hear the spittle drip off the reed and you can tell that the player is a former smoker... :D
oc
eiregosod
09-21-05, 06:00 PM
Exactly right, to which I reply that I will only listen to lossless audio compression formats on players that employ vacuum tubes in a pure class-A topology thru my Sennheiser cans. ;) I have a nice little hand truck that I wheel it all around on. Just listen to this hot oboe solo, you can actually hear the spittle drip off the reed and you can tell that the player is a former smoker... :D
oc
vacuum tubes are so 1920s man. solid-state digital is where its at now.
The only reason that the portable listening devices use class-D amplifiers is to ensure that all the battery power is converted into audio power. This is fine for 10+ hours of audio listening delight in solitude. When one has a seemingly endless supply of electricity the option to use class-A amplifiers in one's home becomes a possibility. One day apple will develop the i-house, where one can live in a miniatursed personal ecosphere that doesnt require fixed real-estate for it to function properly.
About 6 weeks ago I picked up the ipod photo, 20 gb for 299. I don't know, for 50 more it's a huge jump, only plus would be the flash memory. My daughter inherited my old iriver 128mb player. Flash on that, holds about 30 songs, enough for her and she can swithc them out with her computer. Runs about 40 hours on 1 aa bat.
indyfan31
09-22-05, 10:52 AM
I got my wife an iPod mini a week before the Nano came out. She loves it. The only problem is that she wears it while doing housework ... ands he sings along ... REALLY LOUD. :rofl:
Insomniac
09-22-05, 12:22 PM
About 6 weeks ago I picked up the ipod photo, 20 gb for 299. I don't know, for 50 more it's a huge jump, only plus would be the flash memory. My daughter inherited my old iriver 128mb player. Flash on that, holds about 30 songs, enough for her and she can swithc them out with her computer. Runs about 40 hours on 1 aa bat.
I'm not quite sure why everyone makes a big deal about flash vs. HD. The HD players have caches that hold plenty of music to avoid any possible skipping.
I got my wife an iPod mini a week before the Nano came out. She loves it. The only problem is that she wears it while doing housework ... ands he sings along ... REALLY LOUD. :rofl:
Your wife's a HE?
Not that there's anything wrong with that.:laugh:
indyfan31
09-22-05, 12:40 PM
Your wife's a HE?
No, no, no! I said "ands he", don't youk now English??? ;)
I'm not quite sure why everyone makes a big deal about flash vs. HD. The HD players have caches that hold plenty of music to avoid any possible skipping.
Hard drives have lots of tiny moving parts that can fail or break. Flash has none.
Hard drives have lots of tiny moving parts that can fail or break. Flash has none.
Flash memory can go bad, just like any chip. I just had a ~4 year old CF card go corrupt while on vacation, and lost ~170 pics along with it. Tried formatting it, but it saved fewer and fewer pics before corrupting with each format.
-Kevin
Insomniac
09-22-05, 01:21 PM
Hard drives have lots of tiny moving parts that can fail or break. Flash has none.
I know that. The MTBF is something like 100,000 hours and it can take a G-Shock of 100Gs. I think if you're listening to your MP3 player 24/7/365 for 12 years or experience a 100G impact, you have bigger problems. :)
Not so much the moving parts, but I think witha flash memory as opposed to disk, you get better battery life. From the looks of it, they both have the same bat. life (20g ipode & nano).
coolhand
09-22-05, 08:46 PM
Not so much the moving parts, but I think witha flash memory as opposed to disk, you get better battery life. From the looks of it, they both have the same bat. life (20g ipode & nano).
the 20g might have a bigger bat in it, but i am not sure.
Which car adaptor is better, the FM transmitter type or the cassette-adaptor?
Oops. (http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/78066/apple-denies-ipod-nano-design-defect.html)
Apple has denied reports that there is a manufacturing defect with the iPod nano although it conceded that a small number of the music players have been affected by a 'minor issue'.
Incidences of scratching and damaged LCDs have been widely reported, based on anecdotal evidence garnered from Apple's support forums and one particularly vocal complainant.
Incidences of scratching and damaged LCDs have been widely reported, based on anecdotal evidence garnered from Apple's support forums and one particularly vocal complainant.
I've heard the scratching complaint for years now, and I still don't know why people care so much about scratches. It's not Cameron's dad's Ferrari, it's just a music player!
LCDs are very vulnerable, and something this thin is subject to twisting forces. I'm not surprised that the LCDs are cracking with "normal" use. I almost sat on mine last week. :gomer:
Which car adaptor is better, the FM transmitter type or the cassette-adaptor?
just buy an '06 VW and it comes with a USB port for iPods to hook up to :)
just buy an '06 VW and it comes with a USB port for iPods to hook up to :)
I'm lobbying my wife to sell the guzzlin' Sequoia and get a Beetle convertible. She's almost convinced. Maybe the iPod port will push her over the fence...of course that means that she'd load a buncha country AND western music on it...
I'm lobbying my wife to sell the guzzlin' Sequoia and get a Beetle convertible. She's almost convinced. Maybe the iPod port will push her over the fence...of course that means that she'd load a buncha country AND western music on it...
(an aggy that hates country, pigs can fly!!!:D)
you know your mancard could be up for suspension with this beetle convertible business right? ;) :p
RacinM3
09-28-05, 07:37 PM
Which car adaptor is better, the FM transmitter type or the cassette-adaptor?
Neither, they both suck, ESPECIALLY the FM transmitter.
Either get a new head unit (Alpine makes one that interfaces very nicely with the iPod), or have your local stereo shop run a wire from the back of your head unit (assuming it has RCA jacks) out of your dash to where you want to park the iPod.
Both options are superior to the tape/FM transmitter options.
of course that means that she'd load a buncha country AND western music on it...
Then do what I did.....iPod #2!
(an aggy that hates country, pigs can fly!!!:D)
you know your mancard could be up for suspension with this beetle convertible business right? ;) :p
:) The thing I like about the car is that it's impossible to be a road rager in it. Nobody would take you seriously with a little daisy in the flower holder.
Neither, they both suck, ESPECIALLY the FM transmitter.
Either get a new head unit (Alpine makes one that interfaces very nicely with the iPod), or have your local stereo shop run a wire from the back of your head unit (assuming it has RCA jacks) out of your dash to where you want to park the iPod.
Both options are superior to the tape/FM transmitter options.
Thanks! I figured the FM version sucked for sure, I wasn't sure about the cassette. I can do the RCA wiring from the dash!
I think the "permanent battery" is bad engineering design.
From hanging out here, I've learned that everything suffers from "bad engineering design" unless it orbits the earth. ;)
*yawn* someone needs a new schtick
and GM still sucks. :gomer:
TurboTodd
09-29-05, 12:51 AM
Here's my input-
Apple was involved in a class action lawsuit. If you bought an iPod in the past few years, you are possibly entitled to a replacement battery. I don't have the paperwork I was sent handy, but that's a snippet.
I have a second gen 10gig iPod. I use it mostly in the car, so battery life isn't a concern, so I haven't taken advantage of the class action deal. I use an iTrip FM modulator, and even in the DFW area, it works remarkedly well. In my mustang, I use an aux cable. It works just as well, but I get a bit of alternator whine mixed in with it..
Todd
Joe in LA
09-29-05, 04:29 PM
I got my wife a mini and an iTrip FM modulator. It is not a great solution in Southern California--way too few empty frequencies. The cassette adapter works better, but not too many new cars have cassette players.
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