Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (5th Generation) OLD MODEL Review.
"Awesome!" 2009-09-17
By S. K. Plante (Pinckney, MI USA)
Let's face it...we are not all clones and look for different features when it comes to an MP3 player. I wanted a small, portable player for the gym. The FM Radio feature is what I have been hoping for for a very long time! I don't need apps. I don't need to surf the web. I need to play my tunes. Genius is a great way to create a mix for the gym. The fitness tracker is incredible. And finally I can tune in to the TVs in the gym. Love it! This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Perfect device for my needs.
"Best iPod Yet" 2009-09-15
By Electronic Gadgetphile (St. Paul, MN)
I really didn't need a new iPod as I currently own an iPhone 3G(S), two older Nanos, an older 1 GB Shuffle and two iPod Classics in 15 GB and 30 GB configurations that I recently installed new batteries in. But I HAD to have the new one and justified it to myself by Apple's seductive inclusion of an FM radio in this 5th generation edition.
Having said all of that, I am really impressed with this new 5th generation iPod Nano. I find that the FM radio has great reception and is easy to use, unlike the Apple dongle radio attachment I use on my previous generation Nano. The radio software integration is nicely done and very simple to use, set favorite stations and pause as necessary to talk on the phone and then quickly resume where the music or talk show left off for up to 15 minutes.
The playback of pre-recorded movie video is clear and the sound is very good as with earlier iPods. The video recording is point and shoot simple to use but not of very high quality - about what you would expect from a cell phone- but I really don't plan on using this as a video camera. Would have been nice if Apple had included a still camera as well but I suspect the quality would not be acceptable without adding more componentry requiring more space and cost. I did note that this iPod has a speaker built in (which I assume is the microphone as well) but its sound quality is not good.
The pedometer function (Fitness) is interesting and can be used without any external attachments. It only counts steps and not distance so I assume that I will need to multiply the counted steps by stride length to come up with distance walked. Ironically, it does have you put in your weight but I'm not certain how this is used.
The build quality is superb, the unit is very compact and light weight with Apple's customary intuitive user interfaces that make it easy to use right out of the box without reading the instructions (which I dread resorting to anyway). In summary, I am very pleased with my new iPod and am rapidly working on irrefutable justifications for its purchase before the credit card statement arrives and my wife asks, "Did you buy ANOTHER iPod?".
"Night Time Video Quality" 2009-09-30
By Neil Gandhi (Dublin, CA)
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1F8Z28QX1WK6O This should give you guys a pretty good idea of the night-time video quality of the 5th Generation iPod nano. The quality isn't great, but it is really handy when you don't have a dedicated camera on hand.
Another note is that conversion into a file format that Amazon accepts also degraded the quality slightly. Amazon does NOT accept the MP4 format that iPod nano records in.
"A Must Buy!" 2009-09-19
By Cary Groneveldt (New York City)
GAMES
Varied ....
Suprisingly deep ....
Extraordinary graphics ....
CD quality sound ....
When I think "iPod Game" I always expect the BreakOut-level stuff that is the 1st iPod easteregg.
I was really really taken aback by the quality of these iPod games.
TEXT
Yup -- you can store .TXT files of whatever you want.
I've turned PDFs in .TXTs ta have somethin ta read now & again
and it really comes in handy.
MUSIC
Lots of different playback modes, EQ settings, etc.
IMAGES
Just choose PHOTOS on the menu & hit the PLAY part of the clickwheel
and you have an instant slideshow -- with diffrent transitional styles! -- with
whatever music you want as accompaniment.
VIDEO
This is what sold it for *me*.
The quality of the video is ASTOUNDING!
Is it HD? No.
BUT, is ir rocksolid crystal clear, especially when played on YouTube [in normal mode!],
your computer, a DVD & so on?
Oh yes -- absolutely!
COUNTLESS special FX, easy to play/pause/stop ....
The iPod Nano with camcorder is, top to bottom, a DEFINATE Must Buy,
at the price make GREAT Christmas gifts, and although lacking in InterNet
& calling, is a solid rival to the iPhone & iPod Touch.
"Packs a punch" 2009-11-24
By Thomas C. Poulin
This is my third iPod, the others being a 40GB classic (hard drive model) and an 8GB 2g Nano (my wife's). I chose the Nano because I wanted something small and vibration tolerant that I could listen to while active (doing chores, exercising, etc.).
The Good:
* Simple, sleek, and cool--worthy of the Apple name.
* Small size and relatively large display.
* Navigation is straightforward, and syncing through iTunes is simple.
* The radio feature with live pause is great. Now when I'm interrupted I can just pause and resume without missing the broadcast.
* The video camera is a nice addition. As long as you realize it's more about convenience than quality you should be satisfied. On the Mac, your videos show up in iPhoto once you've enabled the Nano for disk use.
* The silver color coordinates nicely with aluminum iMacs.
The Bad:
* I want a dedicated volume control. Yes, I know this would interrupt Apple's minimalist design philosophy, but some functions deserve their own physical controls. There are times when the scroll wheel controls other functions (menu navigation, traversing saved radio stations) and thus you can't directly, immediately change the volume, which I find annoying. Instead, I have to pause the unit first or navigate to "Now Playing", which is a hassle.
* The Apple earbuds aren't going to win any audiophile awards. Their sound is pretty lousy, actually, but they're fine for listening when I'm engaged in an active task and don't have my full attention turned to listening.
* It doesn't charge from certain older iPod accessories. I have a JBL Soundstage and an iHome under-counter player, and neither can charge/control the Nano. Apparently they use the Firewire rather than USB interface internally, which newer iPods don't support this anymore. You can still play the iPod through the devices though.
* It's too easy to accidentally cover the camera lens when taking a video. I've found holding the Nano at the opposite end or along the edges works best, but it's a bit awkward due to the small size of the device.
* VoiceOver is an interesting feature, but I turned it off because it kept getting unintentionally triggered when I scanned forward/back in a track (mostly for podcasts).
* 16MB is probably enough for most people, but I have a large music collection and would like a larger memory option. Unfortunately this means moving to a bulkier model (the Touch or Classic).
By S. K. Plante (Pinckney, MI USA)
Let's face it...we are not all clones and look for different features when it comes to an MP3 player. I wanted a small, portable player for the gym. The FM Radio feature is what I have been hoping for for a very long time! I don't need apps. I don't need to surf the web. I need to play my tunes. Genius is a great way to create a mix for the gym. The fitness tracker is incredible. And finally I can tune in to the TVs in the gym. Love it! This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Perfect device for my needs.
By Electronic Gadgetphile (St. Paul, MN)
I really didn't need a new iPod as I currently own an iPhone 3G(S), two older Nanos, an older 1 GB Shuffle and two iPod Classics in 15 GB and 30 GB configurations that I recently installed new batteries in. But I HAD to have the new one and justified it to myself by Apple's seductive inclusion of an FM radio in this 5th generation edition.
Having said all of that, I am really impressed with this new 5th generation iPod Nano. I find that the FM radio has great reception and is easy to use, unlike the Apple dongle radio attachment I use on my previous generation Nano. The radio software integration is nicely done and very simple to use, set favorite stations and pause as necessary to talk on the phone and then quickly resume where the music or talk show left off for up to 15 minutes.
The playback of pre-recorded movie video is clear and the sound is very good as with earlier iPods. The video recording is point and shoot simple to use but not of very high quality - about what you would expect from a cell phone- but I really don't plan on using this as a video camera. Would have been nice if Apple had included a still camera as well but I suspect the quality would not be acceptable without adding more componentry requiring more space and cost. I did note that this iPod has a speaker built in (which I assume is the microphone as well) but its sound quality is not good.
The pedometer function (Fitness) is interesting and can be used without any external attachments. It only counts steps and not distance so I assume that I will need to multiply the counted steps by stride length to come up with distance walked. Ironically, it does have you put in your weight but I'm not certain how this is used.
The build quality is superb, the unit is very compact and light weight with Apple's customary intuitive user interfaces that make it easy to use right out of the box without reading the instructions (which I dread resorting to anyway). In summary, I am very pleased with my new iPod and am rapidly working on irrefutable justifications for its purchase before the credit card statement arrives and my wife asks, "Did you buy ANOTHER iPod?".
By Neil Gandhi (Dublin, CA)
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1F8Z28QX1WK6O This should give you guys a pretty good idea of the night-time video quality of the 5th Generation iPod nano. The quality isn't great, but it is really handy when you don't have a dedicated camera on hand.
Another note is that conversion into a file format that Amazon accepts also degraded the quality slightly. Amazon does NOT accept the MP4 format that iPod nano records in.
By Cary Groneveldt (New York City)
GAMES
Varied ....
Suprisingly deep ....
Extraordinary graphics ....
CD quality sound ....
When I think "iPod Game" I always expect the BreakOut-level stuff that is the 1st iPod easteregg.
I was really really taken aback by the quality of these iPod games.
TEXT
Yup -- you can store .TXT files of whatever you want.
I've turned PDFs in .TXTs ta have somethin ta read now & again
and it really comes in handy.
MUSIC
Lots of different playback modes, EQ settings, etc.
IMAGES
Just choose PHOTOS on the menu & hit the PLAY part of the clickwheel
and you have an instant slideshow -- with diffrent transitional styles! -- with
whatever music you want as accompaniment.
VIDEO
This is what sold it for *me*.
The quality of the video is ASTOUNDING!
Is it HD? No.
BUT, is ir rocksolid crystal clear, especially when played on YouTube [in normal mode!],
your computer, a DVD & so on?
Oh yes -- absolutely!
COUNTLESS special FX, easy to play/pause/stop ....
The iPod Nano with camcorder is, top to bottom, a DEFINATE Must Buy,
at the price make GREAT Christmas gifts, and although lacking in InterNet
& calling, is a solid rival to the iPhone & iPod Touch.
By Thomas C. Poulin
This is my third iPod, the others being a 40GB classic (hard drive model) and an 8GB 2g Nano (my wife's). I chose the Nano because I wanted something small and vibration tolerant that I could listen to while active (doing chores, exercising, etc.).
The Good:
* Simple, sleek, and cool--worthy of the Apple name.
* Small size and relatively large display.
* Navigation is straightforward, and syncing through iTunes is simple.
* The radio feature with live pause is great. Now when I'm interrupted I can just pause and resume without missing the broadcast.
* The video camera is a nice addition. As long as you realize it's more about convenience than quality you should be satisfied. On the Mac, your videos show up in iPhoto once you've enabled the Nano for disk use.
* The silver color coordinates nicely with aluminum iMacs.
The Bad:
* I want a dedicated volume control. Yes, I know this would interrupt Apple's minimalist design philosophy, but some functions deserve their own physical controls. There are times when the scroll wheel controls other functions (menu navigation, traversing saved radio stations) and thus you can't directly, immediately change the volume, which I find annoying. Instead, I have to pause the unit first or navigate to "Now Playing", which is a hassle.
* The Apple earbuds aren't going to win any audiophile awards. Their sound is pretty lousy, actually, but they're fine for listening when I'm engaged in an active task and don't have my full attention turned to listening.
* It doesn't charge from certain older iPod accessories. I have a JBL Soundstage and an iHome under-counter player, and neither can charge/control the Nano. Apparently they use the Firewire rather than USB interface internally, which newer iPods don't support this anymore. You can still play the iPod through the devices though.
* It's too easy to accidentally cover the camera lens when taking a video. I've found holding the Nano at the opposite end or along the edges works best, but it's a bit awkward due to the small size of the device.
* VoiceOver is an interesting feature, but I turned it off because it kept getting unintentionally triggered when I scanned forward/back in a track (mostly for podcasts).
* 16MB is probably enough for most people, but I have a large music collection and would like a larger memory option. Unfortunately this means moving to a bulkier model (the Touch or Classic).
