The Triangle

Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Apple Inc.

It's safe to say that almost every college student has used, owned, or at least heard of the iPod. Even after almost ten years and the constant assaults of competitor's next "iPod killers," the simple click wheel design and easy to use iTunes software, still make the iPod the best selling digital music player year in and year out. If Apple continues to release devices like the newest generation of iPod Nanos, it's easy to see them repeating their dominance this year.

The most recognizable feature of the new Nano is a tiny video camera included on the back of the player. It allows you to record short standard definition videos that are transferred to iTunes where they can then be uploaded on Facebook or YouTube. This addition sets the Nano apart from other devices, but it does have its limitations.

Because of its miniature size and relatively small weight, holding the Nano while recording video can be awkward and can sometimes result in extremely shaky footage or getting a figure in the frame. The placement of the video camera also presents a problem because it is exactly where the Nano is supposed to be held and therefore extremely prone to finger prints or scratching.

Additionally, Apple's included iTunes software is great for organizing music and watching the videos you create on your computer, but when you want to share your videos on the Web, you'll have to upload to each Web site through an Internet browser since iTunes doesn't have an option to share videos online.

Besides the added video camera, the new Nano packs an impressive number of features for a device its size. Although the Nano is only available with storage of up to 16GB, small compared to the iPod classic or other larger music players, the inclusion of an FM tuner allows you to listen to new songs on the radio and even pause live radio, or purchase the track from iTunes. The new iTunes genius mixes are also available on the Nano, allowing the computer to quickly pick a playlist of similar songs to expose you to other songs might be interested in.

The light weight and size of the original Nano was extremely popular for exercising purposes, and this new generation Nano doesn't disappoint. Apple's voice over feature, when enabled, has the iPod read aloud the name of song and artist you're listening to so that you don't have to take your hands off the weights. For joggers, the Nano comes preloaded with fitness software from Nike that tracks your lap times and distance and syncs it with nikeplus.com so you can keep up with your routine.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools