Apple iPod nano 2 GB Silver (2nd Generation) Reviews

• You've gotta hold it to believe it

  
  By A1B6SNJSCSP45B on 2005-09-13
  I've had a chance to play around with this for a few days now, and while I am a huge fan of the iPod Nano, it will not be replacing my 20GB iPod Photo anytime soon. It's Apple's own fault, really; they gave me 20GB (or 40, or 60) of space first, and now they want to take 90% of it away? Don't think so. I've come to believe what Apple's been telling me for a few years now: I NEED to take my entire music collection around with me everywhere I go. It's as essential as my cell phone and Metro Card. So for the storage reason alone, I can't chuck my 20GB model just yet. But the Nano really is a cool machine, and I imagine it will overtake the higher capacity iPods in popularity shortly because of its size, price, and cool factor.
  
  Here's what I consider the improvements to be:
  1. First and foremost, the transition to flash memory. This enables the Nano to be smaller and operate quieter than iPods that are hard drive-based. Make no mistake, flash memory is the future of digital music players;
  2. The size, duh. Apple has made the Nano smaller without compromising much of the bright colorful screen. As we all now by now, it is thinner than a number two pencil (my 20GB iPod Photo, on the other hand, is probably three pencils thick). But it's still too large and delicate to jog with, without an optional accessory or two (arm band, lanyard headphones); and
  3. The Apple-brand accessories that have been released concurrently with the Nano are affordable and well-designed.
  
  ...And what's not-so-great:
  1. The price drop isn't that substantial, especially for what you get. For an extra $100, you can upgrade to a Photo that has ten times the capacity; and
  2. The headphone jack is on the bottom of the Nano. I'm not sure what the logic behind this is-it seems like making a change for the sake of making a change to me.
  
  Some wonderful things about the color iPods in general: they're very easy to use; their demure size could hardly be improved upon; the color screen is beyond adequate for viewing photos and album art; the battery life is exceptional; making playlists and controlling iTunes are simple tasks; all are compatible with Mac or Windows; and if you use a Mac, you can sync your iPod with your address book, to do list, and calendar (this has come in handy for me a number of times when I'm traveling). Also, if you're a college student or an educator at any level, the Apple Store (both the b&m and online versions) gives discounts on just about everything. For iPods it's about $20, but for computers it's up to $300
  
  The bottom line on the Nano: it's a great entry-level MP3 player that will probably suffice for most listeners. However, if you're a music warrior who listens for many hours a day, many days a week, then 2-4GB is just too small to suit you--but of course you've had an iPod for three years now, and you already knew that.
  
  

• A word of caution to PC users

  
  By A268WAQS5WNMGJ on 2006-09-21
  I bought a 2nd Generation 8 GB Nano to supplement (and probably eventually replace) my 20GB Color iPod, which has been developing signs of old age, getting stuck at innopportune moments. I decided that 8 gig is really big enough to listen to the music I actually listen to every day at the gym, and I wanted to replace my disk-based iPod with a solid state device.
  
  My first reaction upon opening the box was astonishment at how small the Nano is! I had never seen one before. It is very slick.
  
  Itunes is pretty smart about letting me update the 8 GB Nano from the music library I had accumulated for my 20 GB iPod. It creates a special playlist for the Nano to define what songs are specifically downloaded to the smaller device. I had actually thought I would have to set up a completely new music library, and go through the tedium of reloading all those CDs.
  
  One extremely important note of caution for PC users: this is the first USB device I have owned (and I own a lot of different USB devices) that really requires a USB 2.0 port. I didn't even realize that my 3-year-old home-brew Windows machine didn't have USB 2.0; it was never really an issue before. Apple says that USB 2.0 is highly recommended for the 2nd generation Nano, but it really should be a hard requirement. The behavior of my PC while trying to talk to the Nano over a USB 1.1 port was truly bizarre. The Nano basically brought the PC to its knees. I was able eventually to start updating the Nano but after 24 hours had only loaded about 400 songs. The response time of my PC during this ordeal was utterly ridiculous. During the day I bought a USB 2.0 PCI card, shut down the PC, installed the card, and was able to finish updating the Nano in a matter of minutes.
  
  

• More than just a pretty face

  
  By A1KSO56UWS2R7I on 2006-09-18
  NEW:
  -Aluminum Casing
  -Double battery life
  -Thinner/Taller
  -Search option in menus
  -Brighter screen
  
  GOOD:
  -Excellent sound quality
  -Excellent software (recently updated iTunes 7)
  -Can charge through USB
  -Oodles of accessories
  -Competitive price
  -Apple brand
  -Durable casing
  -Search feature is very intuitive
  -Very decent battery life
  -40% Brighter Screen than predecessor
  
  BAD:
  -Still no FM tuner, voice record, or line-in record
  -Still no video playback
  -Expensive accessories
  -Crappy headphones
  -Not that you really need it, but there is no software included i the box (you have to download it at apple.com)
  
  COLORS:
  Silver - 2GB/4GB exclusive
  Pink/Green/Blue - 4GB exclusive
  Black - 8GB exclusive
  
  

• The Mini Mini

  
  By A2Z8VUV3A3H2W5 on 2006-10-16
  I have been reeling over when to buy a new ipod for a long time now. I have a 3rd generation 10gb ipod that I got for Xmas in '03 and it was immediately filled to the brim with music. I have probably used the thing every day since I've had it but the battery isn't what it used to be and I have to charge the thing for a good hour and a half during my work day just so I can listen to it for the last few hours. This has become an inconvenience for me considering that my job is extremely boring and the workplace is fairly loud and I find myself getting easily frustrated without music. The new nano commercial certainly is flashy and very persuasive. I want to point out that the click wheel does not glow up at all-I think that Apple falsely advertises that it does and that they should look into changing this misrepresentation. I am sure that they did this in the commercial for a greater effect but I can bet that people who haven't seen it in person and purchase this item online will be a little disappointed when receiving it.
  
  Considering how fast I filled up my 10gb ipod I was torn between getting the new 30gb model with 3 times the amount of space I had before, or, the nano with considerable less space but a much longer battery life. It was a very tough decision but I went with the 4gb nano because of its long battery life. I know that Apple is going to continuously have new and improved models so I decided that the nano could hold me over until a 30gb model with a better battery life (for music and videos) and other improved features comes out.
  
  The nano itself... I would say that I wasn't all that impressed at first sight of the nano, it looked different than the previous nano and very similar to the mini which I thought looked silly. My impression has totally changed considering the fact that I haven't been able to put the thing down since I got it last week. I can't stop holding it and marveling at how compact, light and sturdy it is (compared to the previous model). The screen is colorful and bright and I am happy with the resolution of the photos (albeit on a really small screen). The new headphones are an improvement since the previous ones didn't fit in my ears too well. I haven't noticed much of an improvement regarding the sound quality but I am extremely satisfied since these are more comfortable in the ears than the previous model, the cord is longer, and they also will not wind up together since they are separated by a handy little piece of rubber that you can adjust to your preference.
  
  Some small gripes...I have noticed that the games tend to slow down at times, not really a big deal since these games get boring within the first 2 minutes of playing them. Transitioning from one screen to another isn't as smooth as on the other models--probably due to the fact that the nano is flash drive based. The click wheel isn't the most stable and certainly takes some getting used to. I have noticed that turning the backlight on and off isn't as easy as it used to be. On my older Ipod all I needed to do was to hold down the Menu button for a few seconds for the backlight to turn on. It isn't possible to do that anymore so you have to make sure that the backlight settings are turned on. I also would like to say that my previous model came with a white plug that you can put into the data outlet to protect the outlet from dust and other hazardous circumstances. I think that the little piece of plastic is essential to the life cycle of the ipod and it should be included with every Ipod model.
  
  All in all I couldn't be more pleased with this item. I would definitely advise you to purchase a case that would shield the nano from everyday hazards. The new anodized aluminum casing should protect this item better than the previous models which were easily scratched. I will probably purchase a case from Otterbox when it becomes available because it appears that it will be the best protection available for this fragile investment. Hopefully I won't regret not getting the larger storage model but as of right now I am 100 percent satisfied with my new ipod 4gb nano. It has all that you really need in an mp3 player.
  
  
  

• Fragile... yet beautiful! A review by a non-iPodder

  
  By A3SVYWA9O1KUQV on 2005-11-20
  Let me start by saying that I'm coming to the iPod Nano from the world of flash MP3 players, this is my first iPod because I was waiting for Apple to make a decent flash MP3... and they've finally done it! So here are the things I love about my iPod Nano after about a month of use:
  
  1) Making playlists on iTunes, this is a wonderful feature that you just don't find outside the iPod world!
  2) Beauty, the iPod Nano is without doubt the sexiest MP3 player alive today. Apple really knows how to make beautiful products.
  3) Sound is great.
  4) Love that click wheel thing, another great idea by Apple.
  5) Beautiful big color display makes navigation easy and fun.
  
  I know much of that is old hat to the iPod world, but for me coming from a world of Muvo's and iAudio these are wonderful features. Now for the bad news, why I didn't give the Nano a 5:
  
  1) Fragile!! Doesn't Apple understand that part of the appeal of a flash player is ruggedness? I'm scared to take this thing outside or even put it in my pocket without protection.. I immediately went out and spent another $30 for a decent case which leads to
  2) Where are the accessories? My iAudio's and Muvos came with cases and lanyards and armbands. iPod Nano: nothing!! The most expensive player I've bought to date and the one most in need of a protective case and I have to go and spend an extra $30 for what should have been included!
  
  In summary, this is a wonderful product and a delight to use and behold. However, Apple does need to get a clue about durability and accessories imho!
  
  
• Good, not great.
  By A30D25YPVD6MS5 on 2006-11-15
  Much has been written about what makes the new iPod Nano great, so I won't repeat all of those reviews here. Instead, I'll focus on the flaws that have slightly marred my experience, though not enough for me to regret my purchase. I'm still glad that I bought it.
  
  As soon as I read about the new iPod nano, I ordered one straight from Apple. I liked the Mini with its all-metal body, and have been wishing I could get a Nano like that since the Nano came out. However, I'm somewhat disappointed with the diminished quality of this new iPod compared to the previous iPods I've owned -- the a 20GB 4G (I've owned two) and the first-generation Mini.
  
  A lot has been written about the great new features of this new iPod, so I won't get into those much. Other than the nice small form factor and the 8 gigabytes of space, I like the new volume lock feature the most.
  
  This list is grouped into several categories.
  
  Design Flaws:
  
  The center button is now slightly recessed instead of being slightly raised like in previous models. When the button was raised, it was a lot easier to follow around the scroll wheel with my thumb.
  
  The screen is hard to read without backlight. With older monochrome screens, which work just fine for reading what song I am listening to, I could read it without the backlight in all but the darkest environments.
  
  The GUI is often jerky. My hypothesis is that previous iPods used separate chips for the GUI and for the audio decoding and the GUI, while this one uses the same one.
  
  The "Now Playing" screen displays some titles center-aligned, some left-aligned. I haven't figured out what the deciding factor is.
  
  The headphone jack being on the bottom is very inconvenient. This is obviously a personal preference when you are talking about just walking around with the iPod. But this also makes it virtually impossible to unplug the data/charging cable without first unplugging the headphones.
  
  Software Bugs:
  
  Apple has already released firmware version 1.1.1 for this iPod. I have installed this firmware. Despite this, I have already discovered several bugs in the software:
  
  Album sorting seems to happen based on several factors other than the track number. In one nine-track album, the first track was actually listed and played last. I was able to remedy this by clearing all the tags other than artist, album, year, and track number for all tracks in this album.
  
  It seems to choke on certain files that play fine in other players. I have yet to figure out a pattern.
  
  Quality Flaws:
  
  The screen in my iPod is slightly crooked. This is, in my opinion, unacceptable from a "premium" music player. I admit that this would not bother everyone.
  
  The hold button has some play, and often the orange hold indicator shows through despite the hold switch being off.
  
  The center button (and the entire scroll wheel area) also has a lot of play. I imagine that, beyond communicating a lower quality level, this would also invite dust and dirt inside of the iPod.
  
  
• Do you research!
  By A2HK07OBVF5M8K on 2005-11-22
  Yeah apple for coming out with a bigger flash drive! I give them complete kudos for teaming up with Samsung on this! Anyways...that said...I still think that it lacks some features that are available in other models that are not apple! I think that I would still tell customers that really want a sports model that the shuffle still is a better way to go! I work in the retail industry (MP3) and have seen several broken screens already...and a couple screen where half the screen goes out! That said if you are still wanting a NANO please with it also imediately get a protective case, and I would reccomended Apples additional insurance on it! They sell it for 2 years for 59.00! That being said invest in it...The battery is a internal lithium ion battery, and is roughly good for a year to a year and a half.... if it goes out on you APPLE charges about 100+ dollars to fix it! I have seen them go out as early as three months from my customers! Nothing would be worse then getting stuck six months into being the proud new parent of a IPOD with a huge service bill from APPLE to get the now exspensive hunk of junk running again...EVEN if you don't buy it from APPLE lots of retailers offer service plans on them SO DO YOUR RESEARCH! SO you don't become one of the many disenchanted ipod owners I have met....Do your research, and don't be a I-sheep!
  
  
• Small But Perfectly Formed !!
  By A2SW9DJS5Y47NL on 2005-11-03
  Ok... This might be the first iPod that I've owned but I've been an admirier of Apple's work for some time. I have several friends with various generations of the original iPod and always loved the combination of art and technology that goes into them.
  
  I had been the owner of a Sony mp3 player for about 2 years and until this summer had no reason to think about replacing it. 256meg of memory seemed enough for me and it was small too. What more did I need really ?? However, over the summer my trusty sony got washed and so it was time to look for something to replace it.
  
  In the run up to my birthday Apple launched the Nano and I instantly fell in love with it. I have no real need for 60 gigabytes of storage but knew that 256 meg was limiting the amount of music I could carry around with me. Even the 2gig version which held 500 songs would be fine for me. I added a Nano to my birthday wish list and waited !!
  
  Last Friday I opened up the sleek box to feast my eyes on my Nano for the first time. Even though I'd read pages of reviews about the player, I was still amazed at the size (or lack of size) of this unit. It's just tiny !! Not so small that you'd lose it but small enough that when It's in your pocket you can forget its there. The screen is so bright and clear and the sound !!.... WOW. For such a small player, it certainly packs quite a punch in the volume department. Full volume would certainly lead to hearing damage after a short time.
  
  The iTunes software that comes with it is easy to install and easy to use. I was soon burning my CD's onto my PC with ease. A 10-12 track CD takes around 2-3 minutes to load onto the PC but uploading those same songs onto the iPod takes a fraction of that time. Infact on day 1 I loaded about 450 songs onto my player and it can't have taken more than 5 or 6 minutes. The product specs say that the 2gig version will hold 500 songs. Well I've got about 560 on mine at the moment and there is still about 250 meg free. I'm sure that the actual storage capabilities depend on the length of the songs you're loading.
  
  I'd read lots about the problems with early versions of the Nano with regard to failing screens and scratches etc. but guess what ??... stuff gets scratched and damaged, thats just how it is. if you;re silly enough to think that anything will stay as pristine as the day it was bought, then you're bound to be dissappointed. I will be buying a case for mine (probably an Agent18 hard case) because I want to keep it in the best shape possible. I'd reccommend others do the same, not because it will fall apart if you don't but because when you're spending $200 on something, you want to look after it !!
  
  I'm not going to tell anyone that the iPod Nano is the best value mp3 player on the market. There are plenty of others that have it beat hands down in terms of storage and price. However, I am willing to say that It's probably the sexiest mp3 player around and has the competition beat when it comes to looks. Add to that the fact that 500+ songs is probably more than enough for most users, that the quality of the sound is excellent and that (sor far) battery life has been up there with most of the others on the market, this really is an awesome piece of kit and well worth considering if you don't need the ability to carry around 25,000 songs !!
  
  Bottom line... if you want a great looking player that is very capable and also has some neat additional functions that most of the others don't have then get out there and get yourself a Nano. If you want something thats gonna hold thousands and thousands of songs and withstand you throwing it around all the time, look elsewhere !!
  
  I love mine
  
  Mark
  
  
• I'm a Pod person now
  By A1U6WGVJWJOKXJ on 2006-11-02
  I give this iPod 4.5 stars out of 5. I always wanted an iPod so last year I bought an iPod mini at the low, low price of $300. I was disappointed that I had paid so much for something that didn't even have a radio and I returned it to the store. Instead, I bought a Creative Muvo Micro, a tiny pink player with a replaceable triple A battery and an FM radio. I thought, why should I pay $300 for an iPod with several gigabytes of space that I don't need just because it was pink and cool looking, when I could have a $100 player that has more. Me and my Creative Muvo Micro were getting along great for an entire year before the unthinkable happened...I lost it. I searched for 2 weeks for the little thing and I still can't find it, so I needed a new mp3 player. If I'm going to get something new, I want something with more space, better sound quality, a better screen, just something of better technology than the player I bought a year ago. I didn't want an iPod, but every other player sold in stores is big, black, and ugly. Since the iPod Nano was now a more reasonable price at $150 for a silver one, I bought it. I wanted a pink one, but I didn't need 4 gigs of space and besides, you should get a case that covers your iPod to protect anyway, so I just bought a pink case instead. I've had this player for a week and so far I love it.
  It came in a small box with nothing but a usb cable, earbuds, and the iPod itself. You have to download a certain version of iTunes from the Apple webiste. Afterwards, I didn't know what to do. I'm pretty computer savvy but it took about a day before I figured out how exactly to get songs on and off the player. The directions on the website are in a video tutorial and I didn't find them that helpful.
  The sound quality is excellent. Much better than my previous player. The earbuds fit very well, they're comfortable and sort of small so they don't hurt my ears.
  The color screen is very bright. It even allows you to put album artwork with the songs you play, which is really sort of useless to me, but it's still looks cool.
  There is no radio which means that I can't listen to the tv at the gym. However, I just discovered free podcasts. I downloaded some free upbeat running music as well as some educational stuff to learn to speak Spanish. There are many, many podcasts to download so I might not have a problem filling up the 2 gigs of space. You can buy a radio for it though.
  Battery life is excellent, I've had a full battery every time I turn it on.
  There is one thing I don't like about the player and that is the placement of the headphone jack. It's on the bottom of the player which is very awkward. If I've got the iPod clipped on me while I'm working, the headphone cord gets in the way and sometimes gets pulled out.
  I've actually had one problem with the player since I've had it, so that's not really a good sign. The thing completely froze with the screen light turn on. I couldn't turn it off or do anything with it and since there's an internal battery, I couldn't just pull out the battery to shut it off. I had to go home and search the apple site to figure out how to reset it. It took a couple of seconds and now it's working fine again.
  I think Apple could have at least included a belt clop or a case for the player, but you can find cheap stylish cases with clips at online stores.
  
  *UPDATE*
  I've had my iPod Nano for about 2 months now. I haven't had any more problems with it. I use it just about every day! I've never run out of battery life and rarely have to charge it up.
  
  
• first MP3 player-old dog/new tricks
  By ATKL8C5IQ56E9 on 2007-01-27
  I am 48 years old and have never owned an MP3 player before. Prior to this, I saw the MP3 player as one of those gadgets that teenagers were always fiddling with. I finally learned that with an MP3 player I could just buy the songs I wanted and not the whole CD, so that is why I decided to look into them. I could not care less about "brand names" and did not have any preference towards any of the players as I knew nothing about them. I was looking at Zune, Ipod, and creative (the three main ones that I could find) and did a lot of reading up on of them before I bought the Nano. All three sounded good and it was a tough choice. In the end, I bought the Nano because:
  
  1. I did not like the sound of the $15 dollar "rental" fee that Microsoft charges for the Zune. If you want a song permanently, you have to buy it in addition to the rental fee. I don't like the sound of the points system, either.
  2. Ipods come different models and sizes. The Nano was the size and price that best suited my buget.
  3. Ipod Itunes has more music than the others, and music is my main use.
  4. I already had a satellite radio boombox that also doubled as an Ipod player, saving me the expensive of buying an additional player for one of the other MP3's.
  5. The Creative was harder to find in my area.
  
  I just began using the Nano today and am thrilled with the purchase. I bought a prepaid music card and used it immediately. I had no trouble at all with installing software, purchasing, or downloading the music. The Ipod sceen is somewhat small, but easy to see and navigate. The click wheel is also nice, a little hard to get used to, but very fast. There is a "hold" button that you can use to prevent the device from accidently turning on. There is a clock and calender included. I cannot believe something this fun comes in such a small package!! (But I guess that applies to all MP3's) I wish these were around 30 years ago! I am now a older person fiddling with a gadget.
  
  I found the Apple web site to be very helpful with tutorials etc. The information included with the Nano was not very helpful. I also bought the Ipod and Itunes for Dummies book and have been very pleased with it.
  
  
  I can see myself buying another in the future, but will also still consider Zune if I want to upgrade.
  
  
• Love it
  By A2RDSL9RWVU04K on 2006-11-14
  (This is my mom and dad's account, I'm really only 14, and named Kaylee) I have wanted an iPod for sooooo long. I saved my money and bought one myself, my parents did NOT pay for it. They color is even better than in the picture, which was a pleasant suprise. The earphones are really nice, not like the crapy ones all my friends have on their video and first generation nanos. The outside non-scratch is awesome. I got my iPod on Sept. 29 of 2006, (a friday) and left to go camping less than 4 hours later. Ofcourse I took my iPod with. We camped on DNR land in the middle of no where in our trailor. So I ran around, rode my dirtbike, climbed trees, and a whole lotta other stuff while carrying it in my pocket. I dropped it a few times, and it doesn't have a scratch!!!! The only bad thing is it's so small, and easy to loose. I recomend getting a screen cover though. But you really don't need a case to keep it safe, cuz that would just hide the color of your iPod. It has 4 great games on it, and stores a ton of photos. It loads super fast, and is easy to update. The color screen rocks to the fullest. It's definatly worth the money. Besides, it's a 4g which in my town niether Wal-Mart or Cosco carry, only 2g. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat.
  
  
• BAD DESIGN
  By A15W7NA3EVB18A on 2005-11-13
  This IPOD is just not worth it. After trading in my older IPOD for the nano, I was shocked at how scratched this one gets. Then, after putting it in my pocket--as advertised--the screen cracked under very, very little pressure. This is a design flaw that is becoming well known and will lead to this product's demise.
  
  
• 2nd Gen Nano Vs 5G_Video
  By A2Q5OH3DGQGMXD on 2006-09-17
  I entered the world of iPod in Oct of 2005 with a 5G-Video. Currently the 5G and the Nano are the same price.
  
  Why buy a Nano if you have the 5G or instead of the 5G?
  
  The 5G scratched easily, and the current 5G is just as scratchable, this nano is made of sterner stuff. It is amazing how disapointed you feel, after paying almost $300 for something, only to find it is extremely fragile, wasn't this made to carry around?
  
  The Nano has a flash drive, no moving parts, technicaly able to withstand a drop without damaging a hard drive. It is more likely to last longer than a hard drive which is being carried around. The flash drive is more expenisve than a hard drive, part of the reason for a close price rang between the two.
  
  The 5G has a 30Gig drive and this Nano only an 8gig. Generally I was carrying around too much music anyway, I found myself flipping through tons of music to get to what I wanted. Yes, you can create play list to bring those songs down to a manageable size, it seemed silly though to carry around such a larger device when I wanted something lighter and easier. You can not possible listen to all your music in one day anyway.
  
  Video, no, there is no video on the Nano. I had a tendancy to use the video on my 5G when It came to lunch time at work. It began to dawn on me that I was sucking my battery dry on a daily basis. Though, I enjoyed being able to watch movies or tv shows on the go, every time I did, I realised I was shortening the life of this device much faster than if I had been using it for what I originaly purchased it for, listening to music.
  
  Although I had purchased an iPod, I noticed that the market was geared more toward the iPod Nano, which make sense. More people are going to buy the little thing at a cheaper price, so you can find accesories far easier than with the 5G. They can be found of course, on the net and elsewhere. But I found myself jealous of the many options displayed in stores for the nano. (Mind you this 2nd gen Nano does not have much in terms of accesories, but I imagine it will not take long.)
  
  Owning both of these devices now, I know what they are going to be used for. The larger capacity drive will be used at home in it's cradle connection to my stereo. And should I want to watch a movie or catch up on something, i'll carry it with me to lunch time, now and again. I'll more than likely use the Apple Lossless files on this device as well.
  
  The Nano will be on me at all times.
  
  At this point if I had to choose between one or the other, I would say go for the Nano. It is much more likely to last longer and will serve most audio needs on the go. The 5G is just too large to run around with, be active with. I was just star struck with the fact that I could have so much music.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  
• Overall a very good mp3 player
  By A2JOYSD59X0PDK on 2005-11-07
  I just bought my ipod nano today and I love it. It's truly an incredible device. Despite the negativness about scratches and the screen flaws, I took my precautions in advance and I'm able to enjoy this great mp3 player. I carry in an elegant silicon case which I bought from ebay at a very reasonable price.
  
  Pros:
  Excellent and ergonomic design
  Very small size thus very protable
  Excellent screen
  Functional buttons (the wheel works fine even though I haven't removed the plastic tape and I carry it in a silicone case)
  Satisfactory sound quality
  Cool extra features
  
  Cons:
  The headphones that come with the nano need replacment, the sound quality comes out very poor
  No extra accesories in the box, apart from the bad headphones, the useless for most people dock adapter and the USB cable
  iTunes is necessary or it won't load
  The expensive accesories
  It scratches easily
  
  Overall its a great mp3 player, that you can really enjoy if you have some things in mind:
  You should first buy protective case against scratces
  You should first buy a good pair of headphones
  You should treat the device with care because it's more fragile compared to other versions of ipod
  
  
• Many problems and glitches with 2nd Gen 8 GB iPod nano
  By A1B29AAROKKQOE on 2006-10-10
  UPDATE:
  After initially giving the 2nd gen nano 1 star because of the problems I was having, I am updating my review to 4 stars....BUT it won't let me!!
  
  I still belive the 2nd gen nano to be of lesser quality than the first (click wheel quality, and lock out swith quality)...however, the combination of the 2nd gen firmware update and the software update to iTunes 7 has fixed the problems I was having.
  I occasionally still have to reset my nano when playing through my Alpine head unit in my car (NEVER had to do that with my 1st gen). And occasionally, iTunes has a heck of a time when I go back and forth from 1 iPod to the other....
  That said though, my experince has been good enough to now recommend a 2nd gen iPod to anyone. NOW it is a good product!
  
  OLD POST:
  This is my second nano. After my first, I built my life around the iPod...I wondered how I lived without one for so long...I purchased all of the goodies...3 sets of headphones, 4 different types of cases from workout to casual, I upgraded my car stereo so it plugged directly into the Alpine head unit, I purchased a 'remote' unit that plugs directly into my Audio Video controller at home...life was good.
  
  Then came the purchase of the 8GB 2nd gen nano...and all hell broke loose.
  
  The 'data' has been 'corrupted' three times in as many weeks. And every time that happens you have to follow the 5 'r's that Apple recommends, which basically wipes the memory on the unit and you have to reload all playlists.
  
  The iPod itself, I have to reset on a weekly basis...my Alpine head unit will all of a sudden not recognize the nano, until I reset it.
  
  The 2nd Gen nano has been VERY disappointing so far...
  
  In addition, the 2nd gen nano, is slimmer and taller than the 1st gen...many accessories for the 1st gen (workout arm bands etc) won't fit the second gen nano...
  
  NOTE++++Make darn sure, the accessory you are purchasing SPECIFCALLY says it will fit a 2nd gen nano!!!++++buyer beware!
  
  RECOMMENDATION: I would purchase a 1st gen 4GB iPod nano since they are on sale, and wait for Apple to get the bugs out of the 8 GB 2nd gen nano.
  
  I have gone back to my 1st gen, and everything seems to be working just fine.
  
  If it matters to you--The 1st gen nano battery life is 2.5-3 hours...whereas the 2nd gen nano is about 23 hours...
  
  
• I'm sold on the 2nd Gen.
  By A34HCVSZFK7WLX on 2006-11-29
  I used to have the ipod shuffle but was frustrated that I couldn't dictate which songs to play. The nano is the perfect solution; I can play by specific song, artist, specific artist's albums, playlist (music folder I create), or genre. This ipod gives me the flexibility I want! Although I mostly just play music, the stopwatch feature has come in handy a few times. I haven't tried downloading games or anything else, though.
  
  I recently went on a 24-hour road trip. I used my ipod the whole trip, and I still had battery life when I got home. The thing is very intuitive, which was nice trying to choose a song while driving at night on strange roads. I've heard people complain that it is too simple, but who wants to spend a lot of time surfing the thing when all you want is to play music NOW! The backlight was REALLY bright at night, but I like that I can determine how long the light stays on after I'm done (10 second, 5 or less after last touch).
  
  Negatives: The earbuds are just OK but not bad enough to make me buy new ones. I would love to reorder the thing so I could get the 4 GB instead of just 2; I have A LOT of songs I want to put on it, and the 2 GB is just a little bit under what I need. There is no carrying case or anything, so you have to put it in your sweatshirt or whatever while transporting the thing. By doing this, you can accidentally increase the volume or change songs. However, I think you can lock the controls to avoid this. My shuffle has a lanyard, which is nice.
  
  I researched mp3 players in depth, and the nano sounded like the player with the least problems (in this price range). I'm glad to know that I made the right buy.
  
  I wrote extensively here because I truly benefitted from other people doing the same.
  
  
  
• It's good...yet bad
  By on 2005-10-29
  This ipod is pretty much a shrunk down version of the ipod photo. It does all the same things including playing music and slide shows. There of course are a few problems. For one the ipod scratches like no other. If you barley even touch you will see a mark on the body. Just a minor touch to the screen makes a mark that is easily visible. Another problem wiht the ipod is that it cracks in half easily. My friend sat down with it in his pocket and it cracked in half rigth down the middle. All in all I have to say that I just don't like this ipod. I do know that you can buy a case for it but it costs almost 30 dollers to buy a case that isn't that good. I would highly recomend buying the new ipod that can play videos.
  
  
• I'm thru with Amazon!
  By A1U8QGZ3I5VO29 on 2006-12-12
  I ordered this i-pod, "IN STOCK," a week ago and they are now telling me it won't arrive in time for Christmas?! 3 weeks to ship something that's IN STOCK! And that's with expedited shipping! (though I'll bet if I had chosen 1 or 2 day shipping... what a racket! They want more shipping $!)
  
  PLUS, I can't cancel or change the shipping on the order now! Sorry, but I don't have an extra $150 sitting around to re-buy this gift elsewhere and return the one I ordered here later (and how long would THAT take to get my money back?)
  
  How do I explain why Santa didn't bring what my child wanted? (or brings it a week late?!)
  
  THOUROUGLY disgusted with Amazon. I used to get "IN STOCK" items within a week if not a few DAYS.
  
  
• The best MP3 player ever made
  By A1BW517GI5GWBI on 2006-10-21
  If you like me wondered if buying the 30 GB video or the 8 GB Nano (as they both cost the same $249), think about this:
  - are you really going to watch movies on the small screen of the iPod Video?
  - do you really care about watching pictures on a MP3 player?
  - do you want a small and slick device or a bulkier one?
  - do you really need 30 GB, or 8 GB (2,000 songs) cut it for you?
  - and what do you think is giving less problems: a spinning disk (with the issues we all can immagine if the head bumps on the disk while running, jumping or , well, falling) or flash memory?
  
  While everything pointed me in the direction of the Nano, I wasn't sure about the 8 vs 30 GB. What I did was to install iTunes, rip all of my CDs, all of them and make a backup on an external USB disk (even with the 80 GB iPod you still need to backup the data somewhere, as it is not a matter of if but when you're going to loose something) and while it was more than 8 GB, I knew I didn't want to listen to all of my songs. As a matter of fact, there are some albums I only care for a couple of songs. So I started rating my songs and putting in different play lists. Guess what, I didn't even get close to 8 GB, not even if I double my collection.
  
  This was the final answer I needed, I ordered the 8 GB model and WOW! It's amazing. It's my first iPod, I used many other MP3 players in the past but this is by far the best, most complete, most advanced, really outstanding sound-reproducing device I ever used. You can't realize how small and handy it is until you have one in your hands (and you know it's yours!).
  
  In other words, it's amazing beautiful (yes, the wow factor is important too for this price), very easy to use (I already want to get rid of my last MP3 player) and even if it doesn't have a FM radio or voice recorder, who cares, I wanted an easy to use MP3 player and it's 100% on target. Pictures, games (which it has some), calendar, contacts and so on are nice, but I have a cell phone for that so I'm not too hot about them - yes, nice to know I can add that too but I really, really love what it primarly is: a great, for my the best, music player since the introduction of the portable CD player.
  
  
• Flimsy junk
  By ARXZLBSJ74FT8 on 2005-11-14
  I left the plastic film on to protect the front from getting scratched, but it still broke after two months. No sound, picture or power - what gives?
  Don't pay just for the Apple name - buy a better mp3 player for half the price and double the build quality
  
  
• Grandma can do Nano's!!!!
  By A3NRXHT39DVVY6 on 2006-11-30
  Having zero experience with iPod-type devices and with purchasing music online, this grandma put music on her grandchildren's Christmas gift of the Silver 2GB Nano in only half a day with only 2 calls to customer support. If I can do it, anyone can. The Apple support are incredibly patient, helpful, have a sense of humor, and you don't have to wait long to get through to them. I just wish the iPod Nano came with a written manual. I did go online and print the 60-page feature guide and it didn't help me with my problem with getting the audiobook out of the music category. Once I did the "Manually manage music" option, the audiobook went in the correct category. A 2 1/2 hour book took minutes to download from the iTunes store (that's the Apple online site where you can purchase books, music, etc.)and minutes to transfer to the Nano. I loaded about 50 songs and 1 book and used 0.1 GB of the available 1.7 GB capacity using a DSL connection and a pc with a USB 2.0 port. The best part was listening to the music. It's stereo sounding, clear and the best I've heard coming out of a radio/cd player in ages. I just laid back in the recliner and listened for an hour. I bought the Tough Skin Nano holder which does have screen protection, because the Nano's are going to a 6-year old and an 8-year old. The Skins come in colors which will differentiate silver Nano's going to the same family.
  
  
• The Perfect iPod
  By A19HHWZTNY8X19 on 2005-11-17
  This is my first iPod purchase. After months of being subjected to the horrible music they play at my gym, I decided to take action and bring my own music to work out to! I knew from the get-go that I would purchase an iPod because I am an Apple fanatic. The decision for the 2GB Nano came when I saw how teensy the player is - I can wear it in the arm band holder and hardly even know it's there. Plus it holds up to 500 songs and plays for 14 hours (way longer than I'll ever need it to play, but it's refreshing to know that I could if needed).
  
  I haven't used the slide show feature yet, but it sounds like something that would be cool to set up to show others (honestly I can't think of when I would need to look at photos on the screen).
  
  All in all, I would say that if you are looking for a player to carry in your pocket or purse, this one is perfect. I haven't had any problems with it and couldn't be happier. It makes going to the gym so much nicer!
  
  
• Close to perfection
  By A2B7BUH8834Y6M on 2006-10-20
  To hold this iPod is to be amazed. It is almost lighter than air - any thinner and it would slip through your hands. It is truly remarkable that something so lightweight, so small can do so much. My less than perfect rating is for the screen size and lack of firewire support. As I creep into my late 30s, I simply cannot read text that small anymore, and playing solitaire on that screen really hurts my eyes. The definition & brightness in the screen are truly remarkable, however. I truly miss the firewire iPods. On a Mac, synching was just faster w/ the firewire models - and if I'm on an older Mac that has USB 1.0 and FireWire, I would prefer firewire, but am stuck using USB. *sigh*
  
  The small size means you can forget you have it in your pocket - so you should really have a case to protect it. I've talked to some folks who have accidentally left this in a pocket and then put it in the laundry. Adios ipod. Electronic components & water rarely make good dance partners.
  
  I have more than enough audio (especially podcasts) to fill up one of the new 80GB video iPods, but I bought the new Nano for the Nike+ support - seems like a smart match - running/walking w/ an iPod that is so lightweight it doesn't bounce around and it has no moving parts to get rattled. I do like the huge numbers in the display when using the Nike+ adapter.
  
  The sound is excellent. A definite upgrade from the Mini - even the center select button has matched color. This is a piece of futuretech - available to you now - and it works!
  
  
• Get a Creative, much easier to use
  By AM0PGMAAE6GE7 on 2006-11-27
  I purchased the ipod nano this weekend at Best Buy. My reasons for buying it were mainly cosmetic: I liked the color and there are a lot of different accessories you can purchase for it. I got the nano home and installed itunes, THEN found out that you have to keep your entire music collection on your computer, so that the next time you plug the ipod into the computer, you don't lose your music on the player. First bad thing. I had transferred music from my old player onto my computer in order to transfer it onto the nano, but was up until 1 30 in the morning figuring this out, because the instruction that come with the nano are very limited. Second bad thing. The next morning I wanted to copy some cds onto my computer so I could put them onto the nano, but when I plugged the nano in, nothing would register as being plugged in. That was the last straw. I took the nano back and got a Creative Zen V Plus instead.
  The nano just isn't worth it. The Creative Zen V Plus has the same amount of storage, yet holds 2000 songs, as opposed to the nano which only holds 1000, and even then it doesn't really hold that amount. The Creative plays video clips, whereas the nano does not. And the Creative was $20 less than the nano.
  Bypass the ipod and go straight for the creative...you won't regret it.
  
  
• Very Hard to Setup with I Tunes 7 in Windows XP
  By AYF8WEO63I4BY on 2006-09-28
  I am a Microsoft Certified Professional, it took me 3 days to finally make my iPod to sync.
  First, I downloaded iTunes 7, but then I couldn't install it with error 2793.
  That was it, only error code, no communications.
  I tried to re-downlaod iTunes, uninstall it and re-install it. Still not working.
  So I googled to find iTunes 6, which I was able to install. Then it didn't suppor this version of Nano.
  After all these, I finally found the answer on Apple.com, obviously, this must be common issue for them.
  I have to go to Microsoft.com to download the newer version of Visual Basic script. Then modified my Windows Registry entry to apply this VBS.
  After all that, I was then able to install this stupid iTunes 7.
  
  Then, it wouldn't found my iPod. It shows up in Windows, but not in iTunes.
  So I had to go to apple.com to try everything they suggested, still no goal. BTW, Apple has a long list of how-to instruction on how to fix this KNOWN issue.
  
  On the third day, I gave up and brough the iPod with me to work, installed iTunes on my work PC.
  Then it finally recongized my iPod, but it said my iPod had to be restored. So I tried to restore it.
  Then iTune kept saying that it couldn't find my software update server, which was installed by iTune as a package.
  
  I had to uninstall iTunes, re-installed it again, then this time it finally worked.
  
  I usually charge people $25/hr to fix their computer problems, if I have to paid for someone to fix my iPod, it will cost me over $200 to make it sync with my computer.
  
  It really sucks.
  
  
• It is easy with XP and performs beautifully
  By A3VMA1OWDMU0PU on 2006-10-31
  I don't get the "Microsoft Professional"; sounds more like an insider for them.
  This was very easy to install to my XP Pro PC - downloaded Itunes from Apple, charged up the battery, ripped a CD to the software and transfered it to the Nana...it is that simple.
  
  The sound is amazing. How do they create such a huge volume of sound from this little device?
  
  I am a PC guy, and this gets me to start transitioning to Mac.
  The Nano is a buy, recommending to my wife and family.
  
  
• The iPod will change the way you listen to music
  By A37Q80MN9S5AZO on 2006-06-08
  How anybody would not love an iPod is simply unbelieveable to me. Not only can it hold one's entire music library in their pocket, but the sound is amazingly crisp, and is far superior to any mp3 player on the market. On top of all that, you can customize your own playlists without having to burn a CD, and unlike burned CDs, you can edit the playlist again after it's already been made. All of this considered, the iPod is a far superior teachnology to compact disks.
  
  As I don't have a very extensive music library, the 2 GB model was the way to go for me. It holds roughly 500 4 minute songs, and at the moment I only have about 190 songs on it. That being said, if you are a person who has the huge crate full of Cds in your closet, I would advise you to either go with the 4 GB model or the 30 GB model with video capability.
  
  A couple of common misconceptions about the iPod nano need to be cleared up. First off, you do NOT have to buy all of the music from the iTunes store at a dollar a pop. All you have to do is pop the Cd into the computer and transfer it into iTunes. This means you can even just borrow that Cd you've been wanting from the library and put it on your iPod, and not even have to pay a dime! iTunes also converts nearly every type of audio imaginable. So if you have a huge collection on music on Winmap, Windows Media player, Musicmatch Jukebox etc., iTunes will automattically convert your entire music library to the correct format. iTunes is capable of converting wma, wav, and mp3 files, just to name a few.
  
  Also, iPod nano CAN hold photos. I haven't any on mine, but it does have the capablity.
  
  Reccomneded accessories:
  
  1. Kensington Stereo Dock - Docking station that charges your ipod and can play it through a home stereo system. It even has a remote control, batteries and all of the connections needed. THIS IS MUCH BETTER THAN THE APPLE MODEL. It may be exactly the same price ($39.99), but Apple makes you go out and buy YET ANOTHER connector to hook it up to your home stereo, so you end up spending $70 instead of $40. The Apple one doesn't even a remote for that price! I use this all the time to play my iPod through my guitar amp!
  
  2. Different headphones - Many people fins the "earbud" headphones that the iPod comes with to be comfortable, but I absolutely hate them. I ended up getting a pair of Stenheiser headphones that go over the top of your head.
  
  All in all, The iPod is the best portable music player on the market today, and besides the headphones, there are really no drawbacks. Just remeber not to buy Apple branded accesories. They are overpriced, and not as good as what you can get from 3rd parties.
  
  Sound 11/10
  Portability 11/10
  Headphones 1/10 AUGHH!!! Do I hate those earbuds! Headphones are cheap though, so it's not a big deal.
  Ease of user interface 10/10
  Value 8/10
  
  Overall 9.5/10
  
  
• love it
  By A3IBSS7YRBZSYJ on 2006-09-18
  This is my first iPod ever and I love it. The audio quality is very sharp and clear. The screen is bright and easy to read so the menus are easy to navigate. The aluminum case is durable as Apple has promised. The entire thing has exceeded my expectations. I get compliments on it every day.
  
  I highly recommend this iPod!
  
  
• So easy to scratch you wished it was an itch!
  By A2066QDJJGV9DM on 2005-10-22
  I saw it. I loved it. I wanted it. I paid $250 for it. It ordered it engraved. I finally got it. I loved it even more. It looked good. It sounded good. It was exactly as advertised. Until. Until the second day. It was scratched so badly you would think some cat had a fever. If you have to have one, get a sleeve for it first. Don't open the box until you get a sleeve! Then be sure you use the softest cloth possible to put it in its sleeve. Then never, ever take it out of its sleeve. In a sleeve, it may not look as cool as the product you bought but it won't have any scratches on it. Well at least not as many. At least then you'll be able to see the screen. Apple is usually a pretty good manufacturer but I haven't a clue how this product got by their quality control department.
  
  
• More than just a pretty face
  By A1KSO56UWS2R7I on 2006-09-18
  NEW:
  -Aluminum Casing
  -Double battery life
  -Thinner/Taller
  -Search option in menus
  -Brighter screen
  
  GOOD:
  -Excellent sound quality
  -Excellent software (recently updated iTunes 7)
  -Can charge through USB
  -Oodles of accessories
  -Competitive price
  -Apple brand
  -Durable casing
  -Search feature is very intuitive
  -Very decent battery life
  -40% Brighter Screen than predecessor
  
  BAD:
  -Still no FM tuner, voice record, or line-in record
  -Still no video playback
  -Expensive accessories
  -Crappy headphones
  -Not that you really need it, but there is no software included i the box (you have to download it at apple.com)
  
  COLORS:
  Silver - 2GB/4GB exclusive
  Pink/Green/Blue - 4GB exclusive
  Black - 8GB exclusive
  
  

• Monster Cable JM MP3 CSK1 MP3 Starter Kit
• XtremeMac IPV-TA6-20 Tuffwrap Accent for iPod Video 60GB (Blue/White)
• Belkin Case for iPod 3G (Clear)
• XtremeMac IPV-MFO-50 MicroFolio White
• Belkin Auto Charger for iPod (White)

• Belkin Armband Case for iPod nano 1G, 2G (Black)
• Speck ToughSkin Case for iPod nano 2G (Black)
• Apple iPod Armband Case for iPod nano 1G, 2G (Gray)
• Apple Nike + iPod Sport Kit for iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G
• Apple USB Power Adapter for iPod (White)