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5 reasons the new iPod Nano is boring
Ho hum. Another September, another iPod Nano launch. We've seen them again and again, and we're pretty bored with the whole affair. Sure, the new Nano is decked out in nine pretty colors, and we even like its curvy oval cross section, too. But we're just not all that excited about it. Here's why.
1. Its screen is too small. Who on earth would want to run down its four hours' worth of battery charge watching movies on a screen the size of a quartet of postage stamps? We're getting eyestrain just thinking about it. It would have to be some pretty unimportant content for you to waste it on such a micro-cinema. Maybe aspiring film auteurs could put together some flicks especially crafted for the teeny-tiny medium, shooting with lots of close-ups and accompanying the nano-pic with big sound effects and such. Could happen, but until then, we're yawning.
2. Its earphones are substandard. Now Steve Jobs has so much as admitted the iPod Nano's earbuds are crappy, offering a pair of proper in-ear phones, each earpiece equipped with a separate woofer and tweeter. But you're going to have to pony up extra for that privilege, buddy — $79 to be exact, and you'll have to wait until October. That's not a bad price, though, considering that some dual-driver earphones cost $1150.
3. It doesn't do anything else. Where's our Bluetooth headphone connection, and built-in Nike+ support for the player that might actually find itself in a gym? With the iPhone and iPod Touch boasting 3,000 applications, the abilities of the Nano are looking damn limited. Music and video are definitely still the iPod's prime functions, but every player does that, many just as well if not better than Apple. What else ya got, Steve?
4. Extra sauce where none is needed. We get it. It's thin. But pointing out that it's "the thinnest iPod ever" doesn't really mean anything at this point. Check out our size comparison to get an idea of just how incremental its smaller waistline is, with hardly a diff between Nanos old and new. How thin does the Nano really need to be, anyway? Should it carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding? And what's with that shaking feature? It sounds like fun, but we make gestures like that when we think somebody is, uh, pulling our leg.
5. The Nano still steers you into DRM-infested iTunes. This is especially true with songs you've bought at the iTunes Store. We've never been too thrilled with the digital rights management woven into music and video on iTunes. The Nano can play back music and video content with quality that's about the same as its competitors, but the iPod forces you to use iTunes software even if you don't want to. We'd like to decide what we do with our music, and don't like being treated like criminals, no matter how fair the software pretends to play. And I tried the new "Genius" feature — it feels more like a salesman than a physicist. Note to Apple: Consider changing that nuclear icon to a plaid sportcoat, you know, like the used-car salesmen used to wear.
By BoxerFanatic at 2:06 AM ON 09/10/08
Gee, for not being excited about it, you have 4 headlines about it today.
1: The screen is much larger than it has been. It isn't built to watch movies as a regular event, but can when asked to. There are larger options from iPod Touch/iPhone, all the way up to 17" MacBook Pro. And options from other companies. Movies are hardly a reason to call the screen too small on a device called "nano".
2: Earphones are almost as meaningless. You can plug in any pair of headphones you like, Apple, or otherwise. There are MANY options, and they are standardized.
3: Anything else? Do you want it to make you coffee?
I wish iPhone's bluetooth worked in Stereo, too, but there are always drawbacks to everything. Again, it is a device called nano, and devices with the stats that the iPod nano have not really existed before, and Apple keeps refining it. Not perfect, but hardly less than admirable.
4: Not enough, but too much? This is starting to sound like searching for a reason to complain. it is still 8GB or 16GB in a lighter, thinner, versatile package, with class-leading software, for an attractive price. Not exactly bringing up the back of the pack.
5: This has nothing to do with the Nano, and has to do with iTunes Music Store. If you buy your music from another source... or heaven forbid, RIP it from media yourself, you can have it DRM free. I like DRM-free as much as the next person, but the record, TV, movie, and other entertainment companies, yours included, exist to make money, and giving away product doesn't exactly do that. Some of it may well be draconian, but that is hardly Apple's fault. Apple has done the best they have been able to, and have lead the industry in bringing downloaded data distribution to the market. Speak to your freinds at GE/NBC/Sci-Fi about distributing material for free, without copywright protection.
The genius feature maybe a gimmick, that remains to be seen. But then don't use it.
But if you have problems with the iPod Nano, then why SO MUCH coverage of it?
Have fun with your Sansa or Zune, or whatever, that is fine. but these complaints seem thin.
By thexfile at 2:35 AM ON 09/10/08
i'm just glad i never bought any ipod...
i just bought me an htc x7500 for al those reasons mentiond...
and yes it's much bigger , and it looks like a smal walet , but it has a big screen for video , it has no drm management , it has bleutooth and the player has a sterio remote function if you buy one , wich i use eavery day....
it even has gps and tom tom , o yes i it holds my whole scedual , and i can text , internet , mail , and cal home withe it...
has upgradable memory , and a vga out so you can share al your stuf withe friends on a bigger screen....
and it's fully toutsh sesitive , has a keaybord and many other butons that for me are more handy then apples stupide click wheel....
o yes it has a camera and can record video...etc etc..
so far i'm dam happy withe it...
only bad part is that it only has like 8 gigs of onbord memory and i want 16 to 30 gigs as standard , wich i suplement withe a 4 gig card.....
and the screen can do better when in sunlight , but you know how those pesky lcd screens are...
for the rest i think i did wel opting into this thing insted of leaping onto the ipod/iphone like al you lemmings....
let apple beat that , if they do i might consider switshing over....
until then , no contest....
By DJ at 4:28 AM ON 09/10/08
That's a bit of a downer review... it looks OK to me (especially the shades), though storage limits mean I'll stick with bigger capacity iP Classics for now.
And what's the thing with DRM on iT? Music seems to work OK, especially the + recordings. And if necessary, you can strip it off so easily.
By not4me at 5:52 AM ON 09/10/08
i thought 'shake to shuffle' + 204ppi was pretty impressive but will stick with 160gb
By PAPPY at 9:14 AM ON 09/10/08
I would have to agree with being somewhat underwhelmed with this release. Yes, this is the most logically sized work-out & outdoor activity iPod. Why not add the Nike + option to this. Make it weather resistant and splash proof. Blue tooth for quick sync... come on. And what's wrong with wanting a radio as well... a little weather or news or gasp... music for a few minutes between my playlists.
By TR at 10:04 AM ON 09/10/08
I've got to agree with Boxerfanatic here. This site really doesn't offer any good criticism anymore, and I can't help but note that this article is probably only put out to give the impression of qualified fanboydom. Alls y'all probably creamed your pants when the new nano came out, as you gleefully posted leaked reports much earlier [http://dvice.com/archives/2008/08/new_ipod_nano_o.php]. So what if the nano isn't an iPhone. If you'd like that, buy an iPhone! As for me, I really don't see an issue with any of your points. Poorly done.
By budgethero at 10:08 AM ON 09/10/08
moooom-my i want this toooo-y! Mooooom-my, i waaa-nt i-t! MOOOOmm-y i want the to-y! MOMMY! i want it! MOMMY I-WANT-THE-TOY!! MOMMY!!
steve jobs- AAAAALLLLL RIGHT! damn it, here!
......i dont want this piece of crap anymore.
By IBored at 10:20 AM ON 09/10/08
You people make me sick. Shame on you Charles.
By JT at 5:08 PM ON 09/10/08
I can't believe you guys. What? Do you hate Steve Jobs? That really must be it. Come on people, this kind of dissing is just absolutely ridicules! Recently I have to say this blog has taken a turn for the worse. Find something of actual worth to blog about, or don't blog at all! This kind of entry belongs on some personal blog that no one reads because all the person does is dis life as a whole!
By PeterD at 6:04 PM ON 09/10/08
And out come the apple fanboys. These are mild complaints people, the only ones being ridiculous are the fanboys. The complaints are valid, even the one about iTunes. After all, what other music management software can you easily use with your iPod?
Why shouldn't it have bluetooth or Nike+? Because its too small? Not likely. Even if that were the case, I think the author would rather trade in the movie playing capability for greater connectivity, but there's no option for that.
By JT at 6:58 PM ON 09/10/08
Ha! "Apple fanboys"! What a joke, for you information Peterd, I don't have an apple computer because I really don't see the advantage of having one, nor do I have an iPod, because my creative mp3 player gets the job done. My previous post was completely unbiased in its statements, and completely true. I'm neither for or against apple, it's just ridicules blog post like these that just dis things for the heck of it, really tic me off!
By Jarodf17 at 7:51 AM ON 09/11/08
I bought a nano just before they launch the new improved square version. Though I paid more for less, new shape was bad and all I kept hearing from other people was "why won't they let me get one of those, anymore."
You can complain about what it doesn't do, but just changing back to a usable shape is an improvement.
By JT at 1:34 PM ON 09/11/08
JARDOF17, that is something that is soooo true. When I first saw the new iPod, I didn't like the shape because it was just the same shape it has always been except for the last one.
By Totono at 3:10 PM ON 09/11/08
I have to agree with most people here. The thing is ment to be small. If it did more it would be more expensive and people would complain about high price. If you don't like it's options - price - size ratio the company does offer more options.
Optional Accesories are there so that you can buy them if you want them and not have to pay for them and never use them. I don't own an iPod and don't plan on getting one, but I sure don't call any of them a bad choice or a bad product.
You have to accept the if you don't like it, it is not for you, for comming out with the prefect product that pleases everyone is pretty much near impossible.
By starburn at 6:05 PM ON 09/11/08
i don't really get why the author is raggin so much on ipod nanos. maybe because the nano's storage capacity is too limited to be of any use to me. i've had my 30-gig ipod for about a yearor so and i still love the darn thing. i put every bit of my music on it and still have 10 gigs to spare. i listen to it every day on the commute to and from work, sounds great in my buick, i play itunes when i'm playin video games or in chat...i even wake up to the darn thing in the a.m. i've never had any kind of problem with it, though i am seriously less than impressed with the headphones. so i don't use them. as for the movie thing, i honestly don't think these were meant to actually watch movies on them, the screens really are too small for that, i think it was more of the idea that they CAN do it, you know...it was a new gimmick when it came out...impress yer freinds, that sort of thing.
By dmerchant22 at 1:17 PM ON 09/14/08
Ho hum. Another DVICE review. Uninspired review, uninspired writing - like someone dashed this off between sips of decaffeinated coffee. Tech is your obsession? Really? Most DVICE reviews show shallow research with a forced edge to get eyeballs.
By mafalda at 1:21 PM ON 09/23/08
it's ugly. period.
By HappyMan at 11:08 AM ON 09/28/08
Get over it people. The Author has a right to his own opinion. He never said "everyone must follow my lead and hate the nano". Just grow up and move on with your lives. GO OUTSIDE AND DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE.
By kbs1138 at 8:36 PM ON 10/26/08
I picked one up in the store and played with it. I have an old black nano. I thought I might buy it, however, my impression is it is simply too small for me. I had trouble holding it in my hand and operating the controls. It's finally become too small. I'll pass.
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kbs1138:
I picked one up in the store and played with it. I have an old black nano. I thought I might buy it, however, my i...More »