dt Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 (edited) Hi everyone it's my first review so please bear with me here :) if you have any questions please ask! Aesthetics It goes without saying that Apple is very capable of producing svelte, attractive products, and the 4th generation iPod nano is no exception. The curved shape makes the left and right sides of the device feel a bit “sharp,” and the top and bottom edges are also a bit sharp as they aren’t tapered, but the player manages to feel sturdy and well-constructed in the hand nonetheless. The aluminum exterior and glass display add to the perception that this is a strong device that probably will be able to take a beating. And it’s definitely nice to no longer have a back side prone to scratches on the player. I chose the purple model because it’s more of an indigo color that leans toward a bluish hue when exposed to light. It’s a very good-looking iPod. Performance Having owned a first-generation iPod nano, I can say that the audio quality is marked by a significant improvement with the fourth generation model. I listen to my music with in-ear earphones that offer some sound isolation and improved sound quality, and with the nano I was able to discern instrumentation on certain tracks that I hadn’t been able to hear before. Also, I was pleased to notice that the bass response has been slightly improved – it’s not overpowering but it’s definitely a step up and balances nicely with the mids and highs. The only complaint I might anticipate with this is that as a result of the more “analytical” sound output you lose a bit of “warmth” in the tone. But this might be a good thing, more accurately representing the sound. Overall, I consider it an improvement. There’s basically zero distortion! By the way, I’d recommend (as with other iPods) using the “Treble Booster” EQ setting; the setting makes voices and instruments sound clearer. When it comes to video playback, I can say that the brilliant, crisp display makes it easy to pick out small details in videos. There shouldn’t be any major problems watching music videos or TV shows on this device other than, of course, the smallness of the screen. I can’t yet comment on battery life because I haven’t owned the iPod long enough to provide an accurate assessment. However I am confident that the player lasts longer on a charge than did the first-generation nano – though this isn’t saying much, I imagine. :p Usability The user interface on the iPod nano is superb. The rearrangement of the 3rd generation model’s user interface to accommodate a portrait orientation provides superior usability and allows for a smarter use of screen real estate. Also, menu navigation is very fast, and the accelerometer is a nice addition – Cover Flow is a nifty feature that helps the user find music more quickly. Of course, sometimes there is a problem with the cover flow activating while in your pocket or doing other things. And currently there is no option to disable cover flow; hopefully Apple will fix this issue in a future software update. Furthermore, I have found that the click wheel’s sensitivity leaves a bit to be desired in comparison to past iPod models, nano or otherwise. Sometimes moving your finger around the wheel will cause the menus to “skip” a bit and you might find yourself skipping over a song and having to go back to it. This isn’t a major concern, but it’s a bit of an annoyance. Hopefully this can be fixed via software as well. Conclusion I hesitated when the 3rd generation iPod nano was released because of two major concerns: the “scratchability” of the product’s back side and its so-so audio quality. Thankfully, both of these concerns appear to have been addressed in the 4th generation model and I’m happy with the new iPod nano. It’s a great device that attests to Apple’s dedication to making a quality product. (Y) Please let me know if you have any questions! I might post some pictures later. Update: A few minor annoyances When carrying it in the pocket, the edge of the screen tends to collect a bit of lint. It's possible to get some of it out with your fingernail but some of it is really hard to remove. :( Also, if you put the iPod in your pocket and walk around, it sometimes (though not usually) will enable the "shake to shuffle" feature. You can of course disable this in the options but it's not that bad. More annoying is the fact that it sometimes goes into the horizontal orientation while in your pocket, keeping the screen (and often the backlight) on, wasting battery life :/ The obvious solution is to enable the hold switch, but it's a very small switch so I hesitate to use that frequently. Overall though I'm pretty impressed :) I think I need some better headphones, haha Edited October 23, 2008 by dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonC Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Nice review, Can you possibly add some photoes ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lqv2015 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Nano photos are all over Flickr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazzy88ss Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Nice review, Can you possibly add some photoes ? Nano photos are all over Flickr. http://flickr.com/search/?q=ipod%20nano%204g&w=all ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evo0o Posted October 11, 2008 Share Posted October 11, 2008 thanks for the review, the pics look great, got a product red model myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cormier6083 Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Good review. Thanks. It's going to make someone a great Christmas gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillz Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 I picked one up recently, and I really like it. I didn't like the design at first, but it's growing on me. It's also nice to see 16 GB, as I never had enough room with the 8 GB models. I'm hoping next year we will see the 32 GB nano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR_Candyman Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I got a 16 gig orange nano recently and I have to say that while the sound's a bit flat coming out, better headphones/earbuds fix that. The unit itself is GREAT. I can never get over how skinny this thing is. The coverflow is very, very handy. I have been running mine non-stop for 13 hours straight a day and by the time I'm done it's still saying it is over 50% charge. Simply amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 A few minor annoyances When carrying it in the pocket, the edge of the screen tends to collect a bit of lint. It's possible to get some of it out with your fingernail but some of it is really hard to remove. :( Also, if you put the iPod in your pocket and walk around, it sometimes (though not usually) will enable the "shake to shuffle" feature. You can of course disable this in the options but it's not that bad. More annoying is the fact that it sometimes goes into the horizontal orientation while in your pocket, keeping the screen (and often the backlight) on, wasting battery life :/ The obvious solution is to enable the hold switch, but it's a very small switch so I hesitate to use that frequently. Overall though I'm pretty impressed :) I think I need some better headphones, haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas SG Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 I'm actually looking forward to this product, I'm very excited about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted March 25, 2009 MVC Share Posted March 25, 2009 I just bought one last night because the headphone jack on my 2nd gen nano started going out. The screen on the new 4th gen is AMAZING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jamesyfx Subscriber² Posted March 25, 2009 Subscriber² Share Posted March 25, 2009 You should *always* use the Hold switch when you're not using it. It has many benefits including saving battery life. It's a nice review, but when you say it's annoying that it activates when it's in your pocket, you're supposed to use the hold switch to disable it. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 BTW, the more recent firmware updates do in fact allow the user to disable the "rotate horizontally to activate Cover Flow" functionality which makes the iPod substantially less annoying to use. :happy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanManIt Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Nice review, although I always love some pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiEMOS Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 good review, but no pictures =\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Warwagon MVC Posted March 27, 2009 MVC Share Posted March 27, 2009 Pictures. Sorry if some are blurry. My camera sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tensegrity Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Anyone got the 5th gen yet? Thinking of getting one on my way from work tomorrow after losing my 3rd gen, which I loved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadrack Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Anyone got the 5th gen yet? Thinking of getting one on my way from work tomorrow after losing my 3rd gen, which I loved. Old thread is old :p. Yes, I have the 5th gen iPod Nano and I love it. It is basically the same as the 4th gen as far as form-factor goes. Difference is that it can take video, and has a microphone, FM Tuner, and a little bit larger screen. I do really like the plastic they used for the body. It is very scratch resistant! Wish they would have wrapped my iPhone in that... the black iPhone plastic is ****. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillz Posted January 8, 2010 Share Posted January 8, 2010 I do really like the plastic they used for the body. It is very scratch resistant! Wish they would have wrapped my iPhone in that... the black iPhone plastic is ****. The second, fourth and fifth generation iPod nano all have anodized aluminum enclosures, not plastic. That's why it doesn't scratch or stain easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tensegrity Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 The aluminum casing feels really solid an the navigation wheel has been improved compared to the 3rd gen nano. This is close to perfection, only criticism is the video camera than is only usable in strong daylight due to low light sensitivity, in addition it would have been nice with the possibility to record from the built-in radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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