The ipod nano/mini has come a long way since its conception all those years ago (probably about 2, but what feels like a lifetime in technology terms). Now we have an player that is both sleek and stylish, whilst remaining a fair bit of durability, something that the original iPod nano lacked. The choice of colours is a great addition, specially for the fashion conscious amongst us who must have matching accessories. The iPod 2gb is definately an mp3 player aimed at the casual listener who wants a good looking device.
The battery life, at 24 hours, is far less constricting than previous models and also the larger capacity video iPods, and regardless, after a 3 or 4 hour charge the iPod is back to full power again. Whilst the battery life of these is always being slagged off, i believe that 24 hours is more than ample, it'll easy last until you can get home to charge it again.
The size, to many, is a definate bonus. The iPod can be easily concealed in any pocket with definate ease, although when doing this it would be very recommended to get a hard case for it, as at times the iPod can feel a little delicate, and the screen can be very prone to scratches.
The storage, for many, is absolutely ample at 2gb, however for heavy users like myself, i found the capacity restricting. This can hold approximately 500 songs without any photos, or approx 6250 photos without any music. For me, i found that this storage simply wasn't enough, so i found that i use this player for playing playlists rather than storing my entire library, i have my 30gb ipod for doing that.
The software, iTunes, at its latest version is very impressive. With an excellent online store and the options to subscribe to free podcasts, iTunes is a very versatile program. Videos can also be played using the software, and a great new addition is the ability to find album artwork automatically for albums with missing artwork. This has saved me hours and hours of surfing for album artwork or taking my own photos!!
The features, the audiobook and ebook features on this ipod are absolutely fantastic, with automatic bookmarking to prevent you losing your spot. The games on the ipod such as the brick game and music quiz also play nicely when you have the odd moment to waste!
The sound quality, with the supplied iPod headphones, is excellent. It can also be further improved by using a product such as the top of the line Bose noise canceling headphones, with these, the iPod provides aural ecstasy to the ears!
The price, is rather expensive for the capacity offered, for an extra 60 odd pounds you could get an original ipod with a 30gb capacity, which i would recommend to heavier users with large collections.
To summarise, I believe this is the most important information you need to think about when deciding over this product:
Very sleek looks Holds up to 500 tracks or 6,250 photos Comfortable size 24 hours battery life TV slideshow compatibility The famous click wheel USB charging Both Mac OS x and Windows XP compatible Active syncing
All in all I would recommend this iPod only for light users or those who have a small music collection, as the 2gb of storage is somewhat minimal. The iPod itself i believe would look great whenever you use it, so for the fashion conscious amongst you, this iPod is definately the way forward!
I hope this review helps you make the right decision.
More details
Video Quality
Helpful / Easy to Follow
Durability
Satisfactory
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
very helpful
very helpful
very helpful
very helpful
helpful
