mercredi 15 février 2012

Ipod Nano Review

By Bill Huiting


Within this age of transportable music, the iPod has downloaded itself into the public consciousness where it won't be leaving any time soon. Not that we mind. In spite of a big pool of reputable competitors, like Sony and Dell, who manufacture their own slick mp3 gizmos, the iPod is still the most well-liked and best-selling of the bunch. Just think of buying an mp3 player, and I bet your knee-jerk reaction will at least be to consider, if not choose, the iPod.

When Apple Computers' CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod Nano in San Francisco's Moscone Center, it instantly became called the smallest member of the display-bearing iPod family members line and successor to the iPod mini (the updated version of which was released a mere 7 months prior to the Nano). Compatible with both Mac and Windows-based computers, the iPod Nano comes in two colors, white and black. You also have your choice of a 2GB version ($199) or a 4GB version ($249), which is a bit steep given the fact that the iPod mini held the same price tag for the 4GB and 6GB models, respectively. The iPod Nano's storage drive is flashed-based, which indicates no moving parts inside (decreased wear-and-tear and breakage potential), higher durability, and no sound skips whilst jogging, biking, or stumbling home right after pleased hour. Given the growing capacities and capabilities of flash drives, I wouldn't be surprised if some day Apple starts implementing this technology into more of its key goods. But that's for an additional write-up.

The first factor 1 is likely to notice is that the Nano, as its name implies, is tiny. You've got to actually hold one to see just how astonishingly little this device is, and my very first thought was that the little pocket of my jeans might now lastly serve a higher purpose. The Nano measures three.5" long, 1.6" wide (smaller surface region than a credit card), and just .27" thick (thinner than a AAA battery). Sleek and serene, the Nano is characterized by the easy elegance familiar to Apple fans. Yes, it certainly is really a gorgeous-looking small machine due in no little component to the shiny, thin layer of acrylic applied to its surface. But the downside to the finish is its susceptibility to scratching and/or fingerprints (specifically on the black version of the Nano). Weighing in at only 1.5 ounces you could conceivably move the Nano across a flat surface by sneezing on it, although I don't suggested this for well being factors.

The primary features: Like all other iPods, the Nano is primarily designed to play digitized music for example mp3 files. And like its relatives, the Nano excels when doing what it does best. Based on my research, the Nano uses the exact same sound chip as the Mini, and as mentioned prior to, overall top quality is superb. The included earbuds do a decent job delivering the sound, although I would prefer higher-end headphones to take full advantage of the audio encounter. Fiddling with the included equalizer settings also seems to create noticeable sound adjustments, so fickle sound connoisseurs may have some thing to smile at here.

Owners of prior iPods shouldn't have a dilemma navigating the interface, as choosing songs, play-lists, and the like utilizing the touch-sensitive click-wheel is still as user-friendly as ever (but I hate leaving behind those darn fingerprints!). Setting up and connecting to iTunes on both Mac and Windows machines was smooth and straightforward as well. According to info obtainable at Apple's website, the 2GB iPod Nano holds 500 songs although the 4GB version stores about 1,000, assuming that the average song is 4 minutes lengthy and compressed at 128 kbps using AAC encoding. And like the larger iPods, the Nano recognizes songs encoded within the following formats: mp3, AAC (and protected AAC format from the iTunes Music Store), AIFF, and WAV.

Unlike the iPod mini, however, the Nano sports a color display in addition to the exact same photo capabilities as the top-of-the-line iPod Photo. This might have been a "just because we can" thought cooked up by the engineers over in Cupertino, as I received some strange looks while sharing my most recent photos on a screen that is barely the size of a postage stamp. But I admit it is a enjoyable feature to be included on such a small device. Total with the usual organization choices, you might be able to create slideshows (with music and transition effects) and categorize your photos any way you want. The Nano recognizes images inside the following formats: JPEG, GIF, PSD (Mac only), TIFF, BMP, and PNG. I'll take this time to note that the camera connector for the iPod Photo, used for transferring photos directly from a digital still camera to the iPod Photo, will not work with the iPod Nano. Also, other present third party devices like voice recorders and FM transmitters are not at present compatible with the Nano.

There are also functions that exist exclusively on the iPod Nano, such as the World Clock function, which enables you to see the local time anywhere within the world. When you select a region (or main international city), a clock will appear on the display. The clock graphic will darken or lighten depending on what time of day it really is at the other region, which is handy for frequent travelers. Feel like prank calling your friends in Egypt at 3AM local time? The iPod Nano can aid! (Needless to say, I do not condone this sort of behavior- use this feature to make sure you don't accidentally call your pals in Egypt at 3AM).

Other Nano-exclusive functions contain a screen lock and stopwatch. The screen lock allows you to produce a 4-digit combination to prevent others from going by means of your music and photos. This would appear like an effective method of deterring would-be thieves (or nosy exes), but because I already have so numerous passwords and codes in my life to bear in mind I can do with out it. Besides, such a pricey gadget like the Nano needs to be kept in a safe place anyway. The stopwatch feature is pretty neat, and enables you to record your greatest lap times or to maintain track of how lengthy tech support puts you on hold.

Battery life: The iPod Nano claims 14 hours of music playback, though battery consumption increases when making use of the photo slideshow functions with music playing within the background. Charging via the included USB 2.0 cable, which connects to the dock connector on its underside, it takes the Nano about an hour as well as a half to reach 80% capacity, and 3 hours to attain a full charge. At present, the iPod Nano just isn't firewire capable. In my analysis I've also learned that the Nano's battery appears to be permanently soldered into the unit, which leads me to question the feasibility (or even possibility) of future battery replacement. Info regarding this will be updated as it's found.

Included items: - USB 2.0 cable (backwards compatible with USB 1.1). This connects via the dock connector underneath the Nano. NOTE: Don't confuse the dock connector with the dock itself. The iPod Nano dock is an accessory that costs an extra $29. Over USB 2.0, the Nano transfers music at about 5 mb per second.

- iTunes software (Mac & PC)

- Earbud headpones: They're white, (even for the black iPod Nano).

PROS: Excellent sound high quality, effortless to make use of, beautifully stylish, very lightweight, portable, and durable. Nice color display, handy extras for example photo viewing and international clocks. Flash memory design prevents skipping, integrates easily with iTunes. Mac and Windows compatible.

CONS: High cost for fairly tiny drive space (compared to other iPod models), lack of more advanced iPod features/support, no present firewire capability, surface smudges and scratches simply if not protected.

OVERALL: Despite the relatively hefty price tag for its storage capacity, the new iPod Nano by Apple is certainly a cool device for most gotta-have-it gadget-philes and for people who just want a dependable, easy-to-use top quality mp3 player. If you wish to play your favorite songs while relaxing or running, the Nano and its couple of extra functions will make you pleased. Those that are large on more complex functions could be disappointed with the present lack of attributes obtainable (no support for FM transmitter, camera connector, firewire, etc.). But its ease-of-use, intuitive interface, style, and high quality make this a extremely difficult gizmo to resist.

4 stars out of 5




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