Tech review: iPod Nano 8 GB

The new generation iPod Nano, which Apple has just released in the Indian market, has many things to commend it. If you are, like me, familiar with the iPod classic, you will be pleased with the many new features that the Nano offers.

I was particularly impressed with its battery life. I listened to music off and on for a total of about nine hours over three days, and it remained at the half full mark.

The battery on my older 30 GB iPod would show low in three hours, and wouldn't last beyond four hours. As an enthusiastic early adopter of the iPod, I had found that very disappointing. I once took it on a train journey to Delhi, and was out of music even before the train left Karnataka! You can be sure the Nano won't leave you friendless on a long journey.

The Nano claims music playback time of 24 hours when fully charged. The 8 GB Nano can hold up to 2,000 songs or eight hours of video.

The Nano's scratch-resistant aluminum and glass build is another big plus. My classic had a beat-up look within days of purchase, but the Nano has stood up to some rough use. I carried it around in my pocket with the usual keys and coins. Remarkably, the screen still looks new.

The first iPods had no video and colour, but the Nano has both. You can also store pictures, which display nicely. Overall, the quality of graphics can stun you the first time you set eyes on the screen, and the album covers look crisp and stylish in miniature. But many users complain the battery drains out quickly if you play video. And 8 GB isn't really enough if you're planning to store a lot of video. The video playback claim on a full charge is four hours. If you're buying the Nano, buy it for the music, and consider the video just a little something thrown in to sweeten the deal.

The Nano excels, as all iPods do, in the sound department. I listened to some of my favourites, and found the acoustics satisfying. The Bhimsen Joshi thumri Piya milan ki aas has a vintage spooltape feel, which means the middle frequencies are prominent. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Nano did not highlight the highs, as digital music players tend to.

I also heard the Kannada song Minchaagi neenu baralu (from the movie Gaalipata), which has a lovely string section of violins, violas and cellos. The Nano handled the dynamic range superbly, and the sound was full-bodied.

The Nano comes in nine colours, and the one I tested was gold, but I personally found the colours a bit toyish.

The bright colours could be Apple's way of reaching out to customers who'd like to match their accessories with their clothes, but I guess even rich brats will not be tempted to buy the entire chromatic range.

Another feature introduced with an eye on the young is what Apple calls the Accelerometer, which randomly shuffles your songs when you shake the Nano. The unpredictability of its choice is the fun part. Your photos and album cover art change from vertical to horizontal and back depending on how you hold the Nano. That's another of those nifty little things that add little to the iPod experience. But again, it could be something to boast about when one is with friends who own mp3 players from lesser companies!

I can talk about mp3 players with some authority as I have bought and used a Creative, a Transcend, and a Sony, besides a couple of nameless Chinese players. I would vouch for the Nano experience and rate it the best, but remember, it incorporates all the somewhat irritating anti-piracy features that Apple is known for. You can't transfer a song from the Nano onto another player or computer. This can be a bother if you'd like to move your music from your home to office, and perhaps share it around. Remember also that the Nano has no FM radio.

Another tip if you decide to go in for the Nano: the Apple stores won't budge on the list price (which is Rs 9,700 for an 8 GB), but you may be able to get a significant discount if you buy it from an electronics retailer.

Thumbs up
>>Full-bodied sound
>>Good battery life
>>Scratch-resistant aluminum and glass build
>>Accelerometer, which randomly shuffles your songs when you shake the Nano

Thumbs down
>>No FM radio
>>Toyish colours
>>No file sharing
>>Somewhat pricey