Apple iPod Nano - My Favorite Little Black Book of Songs

I am one of those people who purchased the iPod Nano to amuse myself during my commute to work. After riding the light rail system to work and back everyday, I was looking for something to make my 45 minute ride one way more enjoyable. I had seen other people on my train with them and knowing that I really enjoy listening to music I thought it would be a great way to enjoy my ride and my music.

When my husband and I went to purchase the iPod Nano I was very excited and had already done research online to know that I wanted the 1 GB iPod Nano. I was sure that it would hold more music than I would ever listen to, the size was perfect to fit in my purse and the price was right. I just couldn’t wait to get it home and start loading my favorite music on it.

Packaging

I am not really sure why packaging is important, but with the iPod Nano Black the packaging definitely was something you noticed right away. My box was a smooth, silky looking black with a picture of the Nano on it. The outer packaging slid off to reveal a box that you opened as if you were opening a book. Inside the package was the iPod Nano Black and I was happy to see it.

The Size

The iPod Nano is about as thick as 4 or 5 credit cards and lengthwise is smaller than a cell phone. The screen is very small, but very clear and easy to read. I really like the size of the Nano because it really fit well in my purse which made it very easy to carry on my train ride every day.

Accessories

The iPod Nano comes with white earbud headphones. I found that these earphones were not comfortable for me even with the two sets of ear pads that came with them. As for the sound, it seemed to be very good me me and in no way did the music sound distorted.

Also included in the box with the Nano were a USB cable to use to connect your iPod to your computer. There was not a large user’s manual, but a how to get started book, you can always go the Apple website to find any information that you need that is not included with the iPod. The software CD was included and must be downloaded on your computer for you to be able to load music onto your iPod. Apple also provided a a black suede case for me to carry my iPod in until I could find something that I liked better, which I have finally done with a clear sleeve that fits very snugly on my iPod.

How To Use Your iPod

The iPod Nano uses a drop down menu for you to choose what it is you want to do. As I mentioned before the color screen even though it is small is very easy to read and you shouldn’t have any problems finding your way to any of the functions of the Nano.

The main control for the iPod is in the center and is a wheel/button that you must become comfortable with to be able to really enjoy using your iPod. I really had a lot of trouble with using the wheel at first, but after a few days it became very easy and I haven’t had any more problems with it. The wheel/ button is multi-functional in that when you press on it acts like a standard button, but if you slide your finger around it, it acts like a wheel. All functions of your iPod are controlled by this one central wheel/button. On top of the iPod is a small sliding button that lets you lock your iPod so that when it is in your purse or pocket the controls are locked and you can’t suddenly turn up the volume without unlocking it again.

My only warning to you is that the wheel is very “touchy” and you will have to learn over time how much to turn it. More than once I have almost busted my ear drums by just rolling that wheel to much and the volume goes up very loudly and very quickly.

The Sound

It is really hard to believe that something this small can put out such great sound. I was worried that it just wouldn’t sound as good as a cd player, but I have really been happy with the sound coming from my iPod.

The iPod does have several settings you can choose for the type of music you are listening to. Using these settings does make a difference in the sound of the music, but it is not something that I am constantly changing for each type of music I listen to.

Pictures

The picture quality is really quite good for a small player. I have actually found that my pictures seem clearer when shown on my iPod than on my cell phone. The pictures do take up a lot of space so I don’t use it for that purpose very often.

Capacity

My iPod is the 1 GB size and will hold around 250 songs. If you need more space than that the Nano is also available in 2 GB and 4GB size. I have yet to use up all of the capacity on my Nano, but I find myself removing and adding songs quite a bit.

Other Thoughts

I didn’t want to end my review without mentioning just a few other things. When I first purchased my iPod, I had a lot of trouble figuring out how to load music onto it. Using iTunes was also a little difficult for me at first, but my sons had no trouble at all figuring it out for me. I still think that maybe the problem with iTunes had something to do with age and just not being up to date on all things technical. Since I have learned how to work with iTunes I now find it very easy to purchase, dowload and arrange my music online.

My iPod Nano cost me around $160.00 and I think for what I use it for it has been worth it. It is not something I would purchase for a child until they were old enough to take care of it. The screen is easily scratched and you will want to be sure that you either leave the plastic peel off cover on it or purchase a sleeve for your iPod to fit in to protect it.

Final Thoughts

I love my iPod Nano and am very happy with it. It has given me many hours of enjoyment on my train ride, in my car and even walking on the treadmill.