25 out of 25 people found this review helpful.
The Apple iPod nano White, a Solid Introduction to Digital Media
Date of Review: May 1, 2006
The Bottom Line: Overall this unit plays and stores music and will not skip, I fell it's a good product to introduce oneself to these devices.
I must admit that I was one of those repugnant Napster users of the first few years of this century. I personally didn't sell any burned CD's or reap any financial windfall from file-sharing like some people I know. Further, given a limited (well nonexistent) income I still bought a ton of albums (Charge it!) during this period. (I own well over 300 CD's and am still in my 20's) Thus, I didn't feel too ashamed of taking an occasional song here or there through file sharing, especially from an album that I wasn't going to purchase anyway, just to have a new mix at a party or something of the sort. Anyway, as a law student during the height of the file-sharing craze, and its' subsequent overall breakdown, I decided quickly and abruptly that I ought not to use Napster, Kazaa, Bearshare, etc... anymore due to the fact that the fines being levied to students (some on my campus) by the government at the time were fairly exorbitant and I, living mainly off of student loans and parental assistance, had no cash to pay them if caught. Thus, when the Napster police decided to crackdown on my ilk, I quickly went back to listening to my array of albums and the ever-declining mainstream radio, deleted all the tunes from my hard drive, and vowed never to use file-sharing programs again and lived happily ever after….
Well thankfully my happily ever after still lingers on and I have made it all the way here to lovely 2006 and a few years have passed since my wayward introduction to downloadable music. Further, a few things for me have changed being that I do indeed now have a job and the years of working for several pieces of paper we call diplomas maybe paid off (well sort of) and suddenly I find myself with the money to actually pay for an occasional song or two via Itunes and other sources. Anyhow, my weapon of choice in this hunt has been the White Apple iPod Nano.
First things' first here. When one buys a product such as the Nano, it is of paramount importance to make sure that his/her computer is compatible with the product. If it is not, he/she will wind up spending way more (in some cases well over 100 dollars) to get the computer to work with the unit. Thus, per Apple you will need one of the following: PC with USB port or card (USB 2.0 recommended), Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later or Macintosh computer with USB port (USB 2.0 recommended), Mac OS X v10.3.4 or later. Bottom line is that if you have purchased a computer in the last 3-5 years, you should be OK. If not, it's possible you may need to check out exactly what software you have/don't have on your current system and ask the salesperson what you may need to do to upgrade. For starters, the service pack upgrades are downloadable on the Microsoft website. If you have songs already downloaded to your PC you will want them to be from Apple Itunes or be MP3's or WAV's amongst a few other extremely uncommon types. Being that I erased all my old file sharing programs (and songs) I personally am starting from scratch and have had no trouble with this aspect. If you do currently have songs on your hard drive which are incompatible, there is hope. Several websites are out there to assist the user in format conversion. Again, I'd call Apple or ask your trusty salesperson to help meet your particular situation.
I have the 2GB version of the Nano and have stored approximately 475 songs which is very near to the maximum level I would be able to store on the product. Apple states that 500 songs will be possible in the 2GB version, but this, of course, depends on the size of the files. The Nano allows the user to organize the songs by musician, album, type of music, etc. and thus it is somewhat customizable in this way. Further, playlists can be made, tracks repeated constantly, etc. In essence the Nano give the user the capability to play whatever song (or string of songs) that he/she would like at any given time, thus mixes can be made and fun can be had. Further, the Nano can store text files and pictures. Pictures are somewhat customizable similarly to the music and pics can be organized in the order the user would like. Finally, the Nano comes standard with the time display, an alarm, a few simple basic card and quiz-type games, the ability to store contacts, and the ability to use the device in many different languages such as Danish, Polish and Russian (amongst a slew of others)
It is important to note that the Nano is small and will fit easily into most pants or coat pockets and weighs less than 2 ounces. While this is obviously great for portability, this feature may also be a problem for some people who are careless, lose things easily or wear baggy pants wherein some things (i.e. Nano's) may easily slide out. The unit is made for portability, so this feature is exactly what it's supposed to be, just make sure to be careful. If you are someone who consistently uses and then loses your cell phone, this product might not be a good idea as it's also likely to also be lost and replacements won't come too cheap.
The Nano comes with earplugs and small covers for the same. The plugs are comfortable enough and I haven't had too much problem with them sliding out, etc. The unit also comes with a USB cable to connect with your PC, thus eliminating the need to purchase one separately. The battery comes along in the package as well, and the life is roughly 3 hours and is fully rechargeable. Further, Itunes software is standard, (installation is easy, albeit somewhat invasive due to some pushy questions) as is a fairly solid and easy to use instruction manual. Finally, it is important to note that a one year limited warranty is standard with purchase and is outlined within the packaging. It appears to me that the unit is fairly solid, not indestructible, but solid and should not break unless used carelessly or dropped. I do have a cat that tends to knock items from cabinets, etc. so I too need to watch out. It will get dirty, especially on the back, but can simply be wiped off with a wet rag to eliminate most basic stains.
The sound of the device is very clear. This is probably one of the most important features of a unit such as this and I have yet to be disappointed. I mainly listen to rock, or I guess what would be labeled as alternative music, and while I don't exactly rock the house with sound by using the Nano, I feel the sound is adequate and allows you to experience the music in a solid way. Further, I have not noticed any skipping like a user would receive from a CD. While running and lifting I have not noticed any skippage and thus am fairly convinced that unless I misuse the unit it will play clearly and consistently. Finally, the display is clear and the resolution stands at 176 x 132 pixels. I personally will not use the unit for photo storage, but have been informed that shots are easily viewable and clear.
All told, I can say that I'm pretty happy with the Nano. It plays music, stores music and doesn't skip. These were basically my drawing cards, so I'm happy it works as advertised in this regard. If I had to have a gripe, I'd say it is slightly smaller than I'd like and maybe easy to lose/misplace, but hey, its supposed to be portable and that is what it is. I just wish it all were still free! (thanks for the memories Napster)
