The iconic Apple iPod Nano is a fantastic piece of hardware. A significant improvement on the more cumbersome earlier generation models, the 2G gets almost everything just right. The unit is big enough to be easily usable, but not so big that when exercising it's noticeable. The click wheel is responsive and easy to use, and the navigation system is as simple as it has ever been.

The extra features, such as stopwatch, split timer, and games are useful, although including the calendar and notes functions seems to me unnecessary. Few people would use their iPod as a calendar, and the screen is not big enough to read any substantial amount of text. The battery life is good, and after 3 years of ownership, it still goes for around 8 hours non-stop.

The inclusion of a colour screen for photo's and album art is a nice touch, and adds to the classy feel of this sleek unit. Yes, it seems positively ancient now, but few people will need more from an MP3 player than is offered by the iPod Nano (2G) 4GB.