“Like all iPods, the Nano only works with Apple’s free iTunes software for either Windows and Mac OS X computers. That locks you into the iTunes Music Store, which remains the most impressive site for buying music online,” Matthew Fordahl writes for The Associated Press. “The Nano supports a variety of music formats, but not Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Media. (Look elsewhere if, for some reason, you would rather pay monthly subscription fees for music that’s rendered unplayable if you miss a payment).”
“So what’s there not to like about the Nano? For one, the rechargeable battery will eventually have to be replaced. Like other iPods, it’s not as simple as swapping in some new Duracells. The Nano, because of its size and tight construction, appears to be even more difficult than regular iPods to disassemble,” Fordahl writes. “The nano also requires a USB connection to transfer songs or pictures from a PC and to charge the device. Apple’s own FireWire, ironically, can’t be used to sync up a Nano though iPod FireWire cables do fit and can charge the battery.”
“That limitation wasn’t a problem on my PC with its fast USB 2.0 connection, but my 2001 Power Mac only supports the older, slower USB 1.1. It took several hours to fill up the Nano on that system,” Fordahl writes. “But the biggest problem, which also turns out to be its biggest selling point, is size. The Nano is so small that it tends to disappear quite easily on a cluttered desk. It’s also conceivable that more than a few Nanos will be forgotten in pockets and sent through the washing machine. And though a Nano can easily slide into the pocket of a tight pair of jeans, it feels far more susceptible to snapping or bending if sat on the wrong way.”
Full article here.
Steve Jobs on a popsicle stick! At first glance, we could have sworn that we wrote that first paragraph instead of The Associated Press’s Fordahl. Excellent job, Mr. Fordahl! (This article will be picked up by literally thousands of outlets via AP syndication). The truth shall find a way eventually. Let’s have a contest to see which, if any, media outlets edit those lines in their reprints.
Napster, Real, and any of the WMA-based, Windows-only other outfits still left hanging around picking at Apple’s scraps, can take heart in the fact they they’re still being mentioned, at least. Fordahl didn’t even bother mentioning iPod’s “competition,” much less taking a swipe or two at the Creatives, irivers, Sonys, Rios, Virgin Electronics, etc. of the world. It’s as if they don’t even exist as iPod competitors anymore (well, some of them actually don’t exist any longer. Bad iPod! Will the killing never stop?).
Of course, you can use any iPod without ever using the iTunes Music Store. Most music on people’s iPods is from ripped CDs. iPods can play AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible, Apple Lossless, WAV, and AIFF formats. You can also use iTunes and the iTunes Music Store without even having an iPod. See Enjoying Apple’s iTunes and iTunes Music Store without owning an iPod.
As for the iPod nano “snapping or bending,” it might feel possible, but at least one tester found that the nano is surprisingly strong and difficult to break. See: Apple iPod nano takes a beating and keeps on beating. The FireWire issue rankles us, too, but it’s a done deal by now. See: FireWire to Apple: why have you forsaken me? and related articles below.
Advertisement: Apple iPod nano. 1,000 songs. Impossibly small. From $199. Free shipping.
Related articles:
Apple’s music competition having tough time and the iPod nano won’t help them – September 14, 2005
One of big stars at Microsoft’s PDC show: Apple’s iPod nano; Microsoft reps ‘in awe’ – September 14, 2005
Piper Jaffray: Apple seeing high demand for iPod nano – September 14, 2005
Australian IT: Apple iPod nano ‘a little bar of techno-joy’ – September 14, 2005
Apple iPod nano takes a beating and keeps on beating – September 12, 2005
Apple’s iPod nano: The ‘thin lady’ sings unwelcome iTune to competitors – September 09, 2005
Hands on with Apple iPod nano – September 09, 2005
Mossberg: Apple iPod nano ‘beautiful, incredibly thin, and exceeds Apple’s performance specs’ – September 08, 2005
Apple’s iPod nano will make competitors whimper, Motorola’s ROKR inexplicably bland – September 07, 2005
Tech pundit Enderle: ‘iPod Nano is a hit,’ Motorola ROKR ‘simply doesn’t have enough Apple in it’ – September 07, 2005
Jupiter analyst Gartenberg: ‘the market is going to go for Apple iPod nano in a big way’ – September 07, 2005
Analyst: iPod nano ‘could be Apple’s next home run’ – September 07, 2005
Video of Steve Jobs introducing iPod nano, ROKR iTunes phone now available online – September 07, 2005
Apple’s Steve Jobs predicts ultra-thin iPod nano ‘will become the highest volume iPod in the world’ – September 07, 2005
Apple’s iPod nano will make competitors whimper, Motorola’s ROKR inexplicably bland – September 07, 2005
Apple introduces iPod nano – September 07, 2005
FireWire to Apple: why have you forsaken me? – September 09, 2005
Intel adds FireWire 400 and 800 to latest motherboard – May 18, 2005
Apple should include a combo FireWire and USB 2.0 cable in every iPod box – February 24, 2005
Apple disrespects its own Mac users with iPod’s FireWire fiasco – February 24, 2005
Petition to Apple for iPod FireWire support posted online – February 23, 2005
Apple knifing its own FireWire baby by pushing USB 2.0 as iPod’s primary connectivity option – February 23, 2005
My Nano is coming soon, I can’t wait. I liked his statement about the useless subscription songs if you miss a payment.
I could have sworn the iPod was a fad.
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This was one of the best reviews of the iPod nano in the MSM that I’ve read. Bravo Matthew Fordahl.
I got my Nano yesterday. Showed it around at the office today, and everybody was reeeaaallllyyy jealous.
If Apple has more products like Nano on the way, they are really going to take off!
Me and my friends can’t wait to see the Nano, they have seen the commericals and just don’t beleive it, they want to see it for themselves.
So I wait by the door for the FedEx Guy.
Waiting…
Waiting…
Waiting…
If only the Mac got a tenth of the exposure that the iPod does…..
I have the black 4g and I don’t tink I could snap it with hands which makes me wonder why anyone would worry about crushing it. I’m only 170 pounds so maybe the 60% of obese Americans are the ones who worry. Even if you weight 300 pounds I still don’t think that soft fatty tissue could harm a nano.
>they have seen the commericals >
Commericals—-comical commercials
“That locks you into the iTunes Music Store, …”
NO NO NO! I’ve got over 4000 songs (ripped CDs) and dozens of books (Audible.com) that did NOT come from the iTunes Music Store. I wish writers would get this right. The iTMS is the cherry on top of the sundae, but no one is forced to eat it.
I think we should write to him and complain.
He neglected to mention that the iPod is compatible with Real’s Rhapsody–as long as their software holds out.
Dear Mr. MacDude,
I stopped by your house to deliver a package from Apple this morning and was tackled by your friends. They told me you no longer lived there and that i should leave the package with them.
So i did.
If you want your iPod check with them.
FedEx Guy
I found this new iPod. It is the coolest thing. It is called iPod nano. I feel so cool now. i had been wanting one for a long time.
Now i have something to listen to while making deliveries.
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It really blows that they ditched FW for the nano. We have a 5-year-old G4 and a 2-year-old Powerbook in the house, and neither have USB 2.0. damn sure I’m not going to upgrade the computers just for the nano–which means I’m not buying a nano.
I wonder if the circuitry is just too big to fit in the nano. In that case, then opting for USB might have been the right choice, since it’s more common on the PC platform…but it still blows.
He goes on to explain that it works with “a variety of music formats, but not Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Media.”
I think his point was that you’re locked in as far as online music stores go. But as Peter mentioned… well nevermind.
I just ordered two, one black and one white, for the hubbie and me. OMG I feel like I’m joining a cult. I will however keep control and tolerate it only 3 (maybe 4) times a week just like sex.
hairbo
I assume the G4 i a tower. In which case, upgrade the G4 to USB2.0 and use firewire to network the two computers together and get music to and from the laptop. How hard do you want it to be?
iDon’t ……… but the big difference is that the iPod nano keeps going for fourteen hours at a time
most startling comparaison for anyone who hasn’t seen it..
I think this was from thte Walt Mossberg write up..
Take out your wallet
Look at your bank card/credit card..
Now make it 20% thinner (standing upright)
that’s the iPod nano.
Amazing
20% thinner than a credit card, I can see why people are worried about it breaking!!!!
Only something that has equal depth(thickness) and width could be described as thinner and make sense.
Magic word:size
Interesting
Mine arrived today (w/ free engraving) from China.
You need to hold it in your hands to really get a feel of how small and light it is. And yet it doesn’t feel cheap. It makes the mini (I have the 6GB model) look and feel like a dinosaur. It makes the Sonys and Creatives and iRivers look and feel like crap.
And it’s funny, because feature for feature, there are players that offer more (better batery life, FM tuner Cnet and others keep harping about, bigger/better screen, etc). But none come close to offering the best overall music listening, buying, and managing experience.
Remember that iPods *can* play unprotected WMA, so even that excuse is gone.
“locks you into the iTunes Music Store”
I think the author does mean for buying music by download, not from other sources such as CD, though it can be misleading to those with no tech-savy, so he should have been explicit. Also, we’ve gone over many times that there are niche stores that sell digital music without DRM and therefore can be played on the iPod.
Other than the fragility thing, good review. The USB 1 thing is annoying.
hairbo, a USB 2 card for the tower is like $15-$20; any USB 2 card will work.
For the PB, unless it’s a 12″ or iBook, you can get USB 2.0 cards
No one has mentioned one of the best features of the ipod nano . . . for people with only cd players in their car, the ipod nano fits in the slot!!!
Sun..
huh? Obviously the ‘depth’ of a credit card is.. about a millimetre..
you stand the credit card upright and imagine it being 20% thinner.. what the hell is so hard about that?
wow!