8GB iPod Nano Review

Posted on December 24th, 2007. Written by Rico.

Before we shared our first impressions of the 80GB iPod Classic, we ran the 8GB iPod Nano through its paces. Apple’s marketing and the strength of the brand notwithstanding, no other portable media player mixes portability, capacity, capability, and even relative affordability as well as the 8GB iPod Nano.

Almost half-a-centimeter thick, the third-generation iPod Nano is even thinner than the Shuffle. It can literally squeeze into the thinnest pocket or the smallest compartment, without causing any unsightly bulges. Those who wear tight clothes should rejoice.

The new iPod Nano stores its media on a built-in flash drive, and the 8GB model can store up to around five days worth of music. Apple has apparently worked hard to give the iPod Nano nearly the same functionality as its bigger cousin. As a result, the new Nano can basically do anything the iPod classic can, which is a clear improvement on the older Nanos. Listening to music, viewing photos, watching videos, playing games, browsing contacts is all possible. To be honest, watching videos on a stamp-sized screen felt a bit unnatural, but the display’s brightness and clarity helped things a bit. The battery survived 23 hours of continuous music playback, close to Apple’s promised 24.

A few things keep the Nano from being perfect. The only way to charge a Nano is to connect it to a computer’s USB port (unless this adapter is bought at additional cost of course). The earphone port is at the bottom of the unit, which probably renders a few iPod accessories obsolete. It also isn’t deep enough to let earphone jacks plug all the way in, meaning they can easily fall out.

The iPod Nano also continues Apple’s tradition of providing closed systems, limiting versatility for the sake of straightforward usability or the happiness of Apple’s corporate partners. That being said, at Php 10,000.00, the ultra-portable third-generation iPod Nano is a good buy, for those who can live with the minor annoyance of the USB-only charging, the earphone port, and the limitations Apple has worked into the gadget.