What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
29 SEP 2008
Apple iPod nano
The slimmest iPod ever is a truly entertaining ultraportable - buy some decent 'buds and enjoy
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After going all squat/squarish with 2007's iPod nano, Apple has returned to slender for this year's, 4th-generation model. In fact the new nano is the slimmest iPod yet: a mere 6.2mm thick, with a hand-friendly curved aluminium case and scratch-resistant glass screen.
There are nine colours and two capacities to choose from – this 8GB model or the £149 16GB unit. Sadly, each still comes with the best-binned Apple earphones.
The nano takes many cues from the iPod Touch and iPhone, most notably the 'accelerometer' feature, which automatically flips video/menus to suit the way you are holding the player. This is ideal for video watching – it's only a 2in screen, but it's quite compelling.
Also like the iPhone, the nano may not charge via some older docking devices. Check your kit...
It has a punchy, upbeat delivery
Moving to music playback, the 'shake-to-shuffle' option is a neat trick – ideal for exercisers, as is the nano's punchy, upbeat delivery, which puts a spring in your step. Higher bit-rate tracks really shine, but downloads are flattered, too.
It will handle AAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF and MP3 files, and the 8Gb version here can hold up to 2000 songs, 7000 photos or up to 8 hours of video. Video playback time is up to four hours when fully charged, music playback a claimed 24 hours.
Like all the new iPods, the nano has Apple's new Genius feature that finds the songs on your player that it thinks go well together and makes a Genius playlist for you.
In truth we'd rather choose our own songs, but that apart, this new nano is a slimline tonic.