Ipod Nano 8gb (Apple iPod nano (2G) 8 GB)

Member Name: Roldo

Product:	Apple iPod nano (2G) 8 GB
Date:	13/05/08 (49 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: easy to use, reasonably cheap

Disadvantages: transfer rates can sometimes be quite slow

I have had this device (iPod Nano 8GB 2g) for over a year now, and I really couldn't do without it. Having previously owned an iPod Mini, I found the Nano to be a vast improvement in its usability and overall design.

Lasting supposedly 24 hours per charge, I don't actually find it to last this long, although not far off, being used most days, ranging from 20 minutes to about 5 hours worth of use. It gets charged usually once a week/two weeks.

Being quite long and thin, I find the design useful for slipping into that small pocket in my jeans when my pockets are full, making it easier to change track whenever I need; this is greatly helped by the devices menus, through which you use the circular touch pad to navigate through.

Switching your IPod on will either take you to the main menu, or where you were at when you turned it off (such as the screen showing you what track was playing). From the Main menu, you can navigate to your Music, Photos, Extras, and Settings or shuffle your library. Clicking on music will bring up a new screen allowing you to minimise your music down to Artists, Albums, Songs, genres, Composers or search; you also get the option here to view any playlists you have already created.

Clicking on the extras option will take you to another menu allowing you to perform various functions: View the Clock, Play a Game (Brick, Music Quiz, Parachute and Solitaire), View all Contacts (once synched via the computer), View your Calendar (also once synched via the computer), View any notes created, use stopwatch and Screen lock which locks the screen to prevent anyone else using it.

Clicking on the settings menu will allow you to change what it displayed on the main menu, turn on/off shuffle, turn on/off repeat, Volume Limiter, Backlight Timer, Audio Books, EQ, Compilations, Sound Check, Clicker, Date and Time, Contacts, Language, and Reset all Settings.

Synching music to the iPod can be done very easily using iTunes on your home computer, which allows the management of your music, Podcasts, Videos. ITunes also contains a music store for downloading and playing music, although these tracks are limited to working only on an iPod and playback on your computer; I would therefore recommend using alternative download sites for getting your music, or uploading your tracks of a CD.

One Problem I have found with my iPod however, is that every now and again it will freeze for no reason at all, although this can be fixed by resetting it (Menu and centre button pressed at the same time), or by plugging it into the computer.

Overall a very cheap (for what you're getting) device; the newer version has now been released now, and is even better value for money (8 GB version is £130).

I would therefore recommend on you going and buying one now, as there are not very many other alternatives which could compete against an IPod, making it a must have.

Thanks for reading.

Summary: a must have...

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